ACL 2011: Line-up is out and it's, um, full of Wonder

If you're familiar with us, you knew it wouldn't be long before we opened up the 2011 Austin City Limits Music Festival season. The line-up announcement seems like a good launching point. Headlining this year is the legendary Stevie Wonder (although he is playing on Saturday, while the traditional headliner's Sunday closing slot is being filled by the hot Arcade Fire). We, like many other hopefuls, were shut out of early bird three-day passes. We were out of town when the regular sale started, and those passes went quickly. So we decided to do what we've talked about doing the last couple of years: We bought a one-day pass (Saturday) and will focus the rest of our efforts on the pre-shows and aftershows that weekend, which are indoors and at night anyway.

So ... Stevie! I'm sure there are a few folks out there who are clueless and think of Stevie Wonder as a guy who had a few hits in the 70s, then gave us "I Just Called to Say I Love You" and "Ebony & Ivory." The rest of us enlightened folks are well aware that between say 1970 and 1976, Stevie was cranking out beautiful tunes with such consistency it would make Lennon & McCartney jealous. I was lucky to grow up with a father who was a big-time fan and learned early on to appreciate the wonder of Wonder. If you weren't so lucky, or if you're just in a celebratory, "Stevie's playing at ACL" kind of mood like we are, we've created a music widget (below) with a selection of Stevie Wonder songs from the start of his career up through the end of his best period. Not just the hits, but also some of the good album cuts. If you are one of the amateurs and have more time, I highly recommend listening to everything between 1971's Where I'm Coming From through 1976's Songs in the Key of Life. Don't blame me if you come back hooked.

If you don't have the time, then just click below and enjoy.

Oh, and here's the full line-up (pic c/o amooview.blogspot.com/):