Fun Fun Fun 2010 Grooveshark Playlist (On the Right) - Listen Now!

In honor of the upcoming Fun Fun Fun Festival, From Boston to Austin is shifting focus. Remember that ACL 2010 Grooveshark widget? Nah, neither do we. Well anyhow, down there on the right side of the page, you'll find a new widget with a mix of songs featuring this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest artists. In garish Fun Fun Fun-themed colors, no less. From "Weird Al" to Yelle. Click, listen, and discover (or in the case of "Eat It," just smile).

Zombie Ball 2010: Roky Erickson & others at Seaholm Power Plant - Sat. 10/30

Halloween is a spectacle in Austin. Head out after dark anywhere around Congress or 6th St. and you're sure to see costumes running the gamut from scary to gross to funny to perverted. Many of the clubs host themed parties as well. One very cool sounding event, Zombie Ball, is happening at the Seaholm Power Plant this Saturday, October 30. The plant hasn't hosted many shows, but it is a stunning art deco backdrop to a performance in a great spot right on the river. Roky Erikson, Austin's favorite reclamation rocker, is headlining. The White Ghost Shivers bring their weird mix to the party as well. Plus more music (see below) and art, which apparently will include some sort of mini-opera dubbed ‘The Waltz of the Forbidden Flesh.’ Here's what the official site says: "Darkness never looked so delicious! A community of artists lead by Cameron Jordan Artistry will be producing a Haunte’d Coutoure fashion show. Unlike any fashion you have seen, The Waltz of the Forbidden Flesh will be a mini opera inspired by drag shows, and deeply twisted sexual mythology, drivin’ by raw Austin rockin roll!" Hmmm. Well, take a peek for yourself. If that doesn't grab you, show up for Roky. Don't forget to wear something gross.

Zombie Ball - Waltz of the Forbidden Flesh from Thomas L. Phillips on Vimeo.

LOGISTICS

Where: Seaholm Power Plant, 214 West Avenue Austin, Texas 78701 (directions)
When: Saturday, October 30, 2010
Musicians:

• Roky Erickson
• Half Snake
• KiLLA DiLLA
• DJ Manny
• SSSNake
• White Ghost Shivers
• Pong
• Rion King
• Minor Mishap
  

ACL 2010 Video Review - Part II: Pro-Shot

Last time it was the ams, who may not have resources, but they often have inspiration. This time, the lens is on the professionals. Here are a few ACL 2010 videos shot by people with, well, better equipment and access.

ACL 2010: Robert Randolph: "Dry Bones" (from the KUT ACL weekend kickoff) - c/o from KUT 90.5 Austin on Vimeo.

ACL 2010: Spoon, "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" (from the KUT ACL weekend kickoff) - c/o KUT 90.5 Austin on Vimeo.

The Popular Podcast #290: ACL 2010 Edition - MetaCafe.com

Josh Pitts of KXAN interviews Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello

Here's a series from Transmission Entertainment. Hosts Adi and Will interview several different artists. Posted by uLOVEi on Vimeo.

Transmission Entertainment Presents From The Mind Of Adi ACL 2010 edition part 1 from uLOVEi on Vimeo. Transmission Entertainment Presents From The Mind Of Adi ACL 2010 edition part 1: The Band Of Heathens, Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel, Sahara Smith, and The Ettes.

Transmission Entertainment Presents From The Mind Of Adi ACL 2010 edition part 2 from uLOVEi on Vimeo. Part 2 of ACL 2010 recap. Bostich & Fussible of Nortec Collective, Vonnegutt, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Balmorhea.

Transmission Entertainment Presents From The Mind Of Adi ACL 2010 edition part 3 from uLOVEi on Vimeo. Part 3 of the recap of ACL 2010. SPEAK, The Kicks, Black Lips, Rose Reyes of ACVB.

VH1 News Wrap-Up of the festival.

Artisan News Service

Day 1


Day 2


Day 3

ACL 2010 Video Review - Part I: Fan-Shot

Before we put 2010 to bed, here are a few of the better fan-shot videos I've found of this year's festival. Some of these are pretty lo-fi, just so you know.

Local Natives: "Wide Eyes"

From someone who got nice and close.

The Strokes: "Hard to Explain"

Those little cameras stay a lot steadier than they used to. This is shot pretty well.


Deadmau5: "Sometimes Things Get"

Very cool graphics during this set. Check the projections on his helmet (the front of it is blank).


LCD Soundsystem: "Home"

Well shot vid of James Murphy and co. doing a good Talking Heads.

The National: "Afraid of Everyone" (by Brian O'Neill)

This is probably shot as well as anything in here. Well done, Mr. O'Neill!


The National: "Mr. November"

Close-up of a cool moment during The National's performance as Matt B. enters the crowd.

Spoon: "The Underdog"

Britt doing some interesting vocalizing during "The Underdog."

Manchester Orchestra: "I've Got Friends"

Another close-up.


People of ACL (Student Video)

Someone's student project, shooting and asking questions of the fans.

Matador at 21: My music collection just grew in a good way

I heard that Matador Records, the label that somehow always stays cool, turned 21 this year and released a boxed set to celebrate. Sitting here with birthday gift credit good at a certain large web-based media retailer that happened to be offering the box at a reasonable price, I decided to get it. Matador at 21 just arrived. Six CDs, and I'm still working my way through disc five. So far, so good.

Buying a boxed set is pretty rare for me. I started buying music at a time when I could rarely afford to buy more than one album at a time. I've always had a bit of an album-format fixation anyway. This set seemed like a good time to make an exception. I only own a surprisingly small number of the songs already, and with any luck, I'll discover a new thing or two I like. Plus, it came with poker chips. Good ones, too.

The box and its contents

I can't say I'll review the whole box. Not now anyway. Can't really do that without a deeper exploration of the contents. Not the chips, just the music. I will say that the despite what many might think -- i.e., typical "indie rock" collection of songs with vaguely off-key singers and fuzzy guitars making rock with old-school pop sensibilities (e.g., Beach Boys, Beatles, etc.) -- this box is pretty diverse. Sure, it is loaded with songs that arguably fit into that category. But there's also some harder stuff, a little hip-hop, and some more experimental music like Cornelius' off-beat electronic pop. And nearly everything is worthwhile. Few clunkers here, partly because Matador played it a bit safe and loaded up on their heavy hitters like Pavement and Yo La Tengo.

Aw, pretty chips!

The added bonus is that the whole thing is priced pretty reasonably. And proceeds from the sales of both the box and a double LP also being released are going to some cool charities. See bottom of post for details on the charities involved. Despite any flaws in the contents, the box is an excellent collection and a powerful showcase of a proud record label's wonderful body of work. Things like Pavement's "Silence Kit" and Yo La Tengo's "Nothing to Hide" are essentials. Overall, there are many high points and no filler. Matador, now old enough to drink, deserves to be showing off the fruits of its labor. I, for one, am grateful they decided to share the celebration with the fans. If you are missing this music from your library, now's a good time to stock up.

Matador at 21

Matador Store ][ Waterloo ][ Insound ][ Amazon

DISC 1 – THE PRE-DAWN (1989-1992)

1. Teenage Fanclub – Everything Flows

2. H.P. Zinker – Dancing Days

3. Superchunk – Slack Motherfucker

4. Dustdevils – Throw the Bottle Full

5. Railroad Jerk – These Streets

6. Come – Fast Piss Blues

7. Bettie Serveert – Kid’s Alright

8. Chain Gang – Cut Off The Drug Czar’s Head

9. Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 – More Glee

10. Unsane – This Town

11. Circle X – Compression of the Species

12. Toiling Midgets – Mr. Foster’s Shoes

13. Bailter Space – The Today Song

14. Pavement – Perfume-V

DISC TWO – THE YEARS OF MILK AND HONEY (1993-1995)

1. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Afro

2. Yo La Tengo – Big Day Coming

3. Railroad Jerk – The Ballad of Railroad Jerk

4. Helium – Superball

5. Pizzicato Five – Baby Love Child

6. Liz Phair – Mesmerizing

7. Pavement – Silence Kit

8. Guided By Voices – Game Of Pricks

9. 18th Dye – Whole Wide World

10. Chavez – Peeled Out Too Late

11. Come – String

12. Moonshake – Secondhand Clothes

13. Guitar Wolf – Midnight Violence Rock’n Roll

14. San Francisco Seals – Back Again

15. Bardo Pond – Rumination

DISC 3: DAYS OF WHISKEY AND TEARS (1996-2001)

1. Boards Of Canada – Telephasic Workshop

2. Spoon – Waiting For The Kid To Come Out

3. Yo La Tengo – Autumn Sweater

4. Chavez – You Must Be Stopped

5. Silkworm – Tarnished Angel

6. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Flavor Part 1 (Beck)

7. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Flavor Part 2 (Mike D)

8. Pole – Fliegen

9. Cat Power – American Flag

10. Belle & Sebastian – We Rule The School

11. Mogwai – Helps Both Ways

12. Arsonists – Backdraft

13. Large Professor – ‘Bout That Time

14. Cornelius – Tone Twilight Zone

15. burger/ink – Flesh & Blood

16. Pavement – You Are A Light

17. Arab Strap – Blood

18. Matmos – L.A.S.I.K

DISC FOUR: DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK (2002-2007)

1. Interpol – Hands Away

2. Cat Power – He War

3. Yo La Tengo – Today Is The Day

4. The New Pornographers – From Blown Speakers

5. Dizzee Rascal – Fix Up, Look Sharp

6. Dead Meadow – Good Moanin’

7. Mogwai – Kids Will Be Skeletons

8. Mission Of Burma – The Setup

9. Early Man – Death Is The Answer

10. Belle & Sebastian – Dress Up In You

11. Pretty Girls Make Graves – All Medicated Geniuses

12. Cat Power – Love & Communication

13. Shearwater - Johnny Viola

14. Brightblack Morning Light – Everybody Daylight

15. Lavender Diamond – You Broke My Heart

16. Jennifer O’Connor – Tonight We Ride

16. Earles & Jensen – Just Farr A Laugh: The Yogurt Machine

17. Stephen Malkmus – Discretion Grove

DISC FIVE: MATADOR TODAY (2008 – )

1. Fucked Up – Son The Father

2. Sonic Youth – Sacred Trickster

3. Kurt Vile – Amplifier

4. Yo La Tengo – Nothing to Hide

5. Jay Reatard – There Is No Sun

6. Times New Viking – Move To California

7. Harlem – Friendly Ghost

8. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Bottled In Cork

9. The New Pornographers – My Shepherd

10. Cold Cave - Youth and Lust

11. Interpol – Summer Well

12. Shearwater - Castaways

13. Esben and the Witch – Marching Song

14. Girls – Lust For Life

15. Magic Kids – Superball

16. Delorean – Stay Close

17. Cat Power – Metal Heart

18. Perfume Genius – Learning

19. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks – Real Emotional Trash

DISC SIX: UNRELEASED LIVE RECORDINGS FROM THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERTS, NEW YORK CITY, SEPTEMBER 1999

1. Pavement – Here (Live 1999)

2. Pavement – Trigger Cut (Live 1999)

3. Pavement – The Hexx (Live 1999)

4. Pavement – She Believes (Live 1999)

5. Pavement – Unfair (Live 1999)

6. Pavement – Zurich Is Stained (Live 1999)

7. Pavement – Debris Slide (Live 1999)

8. Pavement – Spit On A Stranger (Live 1999)

9. Come – New Coats (Live 1999)

10. Bardo Pond – Walking Stick Man (Live 1999)

11. Bardo Pond – Tommy Gun Angel (Live 1999)

12. Cat Power – Good Woman (Live 1999)

13. Cat Power – Naked, If I Want To (Live 1999)

14. Cat Power – You May Know Him / Sea Of Love (Live 1999)

15. Mogwai – Ex-Cowboy (Live 1999)

Matador Gives Back

According to the Matador Records blog:

Matador and the bands’ proceeds from sales of the box set and the double vinyl will be donated to:

The Jane Addams Hull House Association, a Chicago, IL non-profit that’s been assisting the city’s neediest families (child welfare, domestic violence prevention, literacy-advocacy, etc.) since 1889.

The Ali Forney Center (NYC-based provider of shelter and counseling for homeless gay, lesbian and transgender youth)

The Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (non-profit public hospital and a world leader in pediatric lifesaving)

[Technorati claim: YHGAMZNWAVRC]

ACL 2010 Post-Festival Bullets (10/18/10)

[Technorati claim: YHGAMZNWAVRC]

Here's a quick rundown of what the blog community had to say about the festival this year. Generally positive, with a few complaints here and there, not all of them about the Eagles.

• Aaron Pylinski from Beatcrave.com concluded: "Day-to-day, ACL was its best in years and fans had their fill of excellent light shows, phenomenal music and stellar stage performances." Pylinski thought the Flaming Lips were Sunday's best, and he was not alone.
• Death and Taxes Mag's Matt Kiebus reports on 5 standouts from the weekend in "Austin City Limits: The Last Three Days of Summer." Who are they? Miike Snow, LCD Soundsystem, The National, The Strokes, Gaslight Anthem. Regarding Miike Snow: "[T]he best moment came when Vampire Weekend lead singer Ezra Koenig joined the group to preform their remix of 'Kid’s Don’t Stand a Chance,' which has been a viral sensation. Koenig looked a little awkward trying to 'dance' to the beat, but his voice didn’t fail him one bit." Sounds like a fun show, and not surprisingly the Miike Snow set showed up a lot on peoples' lists of best ACL acts.
• Dallas Observer blog DC9 offers a funny look at the festival scene: "Picture Show: The 20 Most Memorable Fans of Austin City Limits, Day One and Two" by Nick Rallo. Lots of people dressed as food. Wonder what that's all about.
• OneThirtyBPM's Max Blau wrote a long review of what he called an "amazing weekend." Thorough recap and great photos.
• We Are Not Martha spent the weekend at ACL and had a great time. Noting the good, reasonably priced food and free water stations, Sues writes, "It’s like they wanted to make the concert-goers have an enjoyable, fun time." She also spent a good amount of time exploring the city and surrounding area, making stops at the oasis, Hey Cupcake, Perla's, the County Line, Whole Foods and more.
• In "Austin Remains Weird," blogger Winston Robbins of Consequence of Sound gives props to the Keep Austin Weird movement: "In all seriousness, though, Austin stayed true to both its claims to fame; it maintained its DIY aesthetic and its no BS policy." Overall positive review, but some choice words for the "unbelievably bad" logistics: "The festival layout was straight out of an M. Night Shyamalan film – that is to say it was big, bizzare, and full of holes (ba-zing!). ... The stages were far too close together, which made for frequent sound-bleeds, which is a big no-no at any reputable festival. And worst of all, they allow (take a deep breath) chairs. ... Getting from stage to stage was an absolute cluster-cuss." And who wants to deal with a clustercuss?
• Weezermonkey.com's conclusion? ACL Kicks Coachella's Ass. So is titled the post, which provides a great overview of the music AND the food. Lots of photos and videos.
• Here's Pete's Recap on Ickmusic.com: "Can you tell I’m dealing with some post-ACL blues? The weekend was just great. Perfect weather, and some amazing live music experiences. Some highlights…" Which include Phish, the Eagles, and Monsters of Folk, man. Also lists pleasant surprises (always like when people make note of that), including Kings Go Forth, which Pete describes as "a good time band with a classic soul feel – think Earth Wind & Fire fronted by the younger brother of Rick James." If that's true, can't believe I missed it!
• Psych Explorations of the Future Heart has a comprehensive, informative run-down of one person's ACL Sunday, with a spotlight on the Flaming Lips.
• ICanSingToo had a good -- not great -- time. "ACL is an event, while Coachella is an experience." From someone who likes camping apparently. Provides a bullet list of drawbacks, some well reasoned, others not so much, including a popular complaint from white people: "ACL is 99.9% white."
• Grimy Goods has a good set of Day Three photos and review by Scott Boone. Boone was surprised by the unfamiliar Midlake: "The music was folky with shimmery psychedelic flourishes. Tim Smith has a great voice that reminds me a little of Tim Booth from James, yearning and earnest. The guitars and flutes provide a background of gorgeous melodies, and the bass bits evoked Peter Hook at points. They were fantastic, and the crowd was completely into it."
• Images from the festival from Seattle Post-Intelligenster Blog.

Austin's Food Trailers to be Showcased at Gypsy Picnic (Nov. 6, Audiorium Shores)

I (and many other Austinites) have commented before on the strong mobile food vendor scene in town. On Saturday, November 6, at Auditorium Shores, those carts, trucks and trailers get their day. The first of what is hopefully an annual event is being called the Gypsy Picnic Trailer Food Festival. Go check gypsypicnic.com for more info.

ACL 2010: Wrap-Up

I've finally caught my breath! After an epic Friday at the festival and a Saturday night aftershow that finished after 1:30 AM, I was back to work early on Monday morning (foo!) and still haven't really caught up on my sleep. Now I can fill y'all in on this year's festival, while it's still fresh in my mind.

THE DEAL

Best Overall: Spoon / LCD Soundsystem

Spoon has a love affair with Austin. Temple, TX-born front man Britt Daniel was a longtime resident until just recently, and can still be spotted around town occasionally. We've seen them a few times before, and the prior time was slightly disappointing. At the time, the band was promoting its latest album, Transference, and that night at Stubb's the band played a lot of material from the album. It's a good album, but coming after a run of great albums in Girls Can Tell, Kill the Moonlight, Gimme Fiction, and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.

This time was different. Transference has been out for a while now, and the band felt no pressure to dig too deeply from it. Instead, the band played a perfect set of songs from across its career, mixing in the best and most familiar songs from different albums with concert favorites. The thick crowd was into it the whole set, but picked it up 4 songs in when the horn section came out for "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb." I turned and gazed behind me during "Don't You Evah" and saw nothing but a sea of bobbing heads. Daniel and co. even brought out surprise guest Eleanor Friedberger from the Fiery Furnaces for a cover - the only act I saw that brought out a guest of note. The set finished with the band ripping through a ferocious "Jonathan Fisk" and something of a sing-along in "The Underdog." The whole affair was near perfection from a band that has become as good as any out there at writing a hook.

Speaking of great hooks, LCD Soundsystem's set was an exercise in making people's booties shake. This time, though, the album being promoted, This is Happening, is full of great material. The band played lots of material from the album, which James Murphy and friends made even better on a gorgeous sunny afternoon. Kickoff song "Dance Yourself Clean" kept on going and gaining momentum, and by the time it was over nobody was sitting down. The band next nailed "Drunk Girls," a funny song with a groove that the early Cars might have come up with. The rest of the set was the beginning of this year's version of Dance Party ACL, which transitioned nicely to the Deadmau5 set on the adjoining stage. We almost didn't even make it in time for this set, and it turned out to be a festival highlight. Something like that happens each year -- one reason we keep going back.

Spoon locked in at ACL 2010

Other Musical Highlights:

• Sonic Youth aftershow at La Zona Rosa: Hadn't planned on it but got up front and the band just cranked out song after vicious song, sounding almost as good as they did last time I saw them two decades ago. The group played for a long time in a tight environment after already having played their ACL set the night before, keeping us up well past our bedtime. True professionals.
• Those Darlins played a set of really good tunes on the small Austin Ventures stage, where it was easy to get up close. They could be rising.
• Yeasayer was lots of fun. Right in the middle of the day, we picked a nice spot not too far back, near the speaker tower, and just relaxed.
• Martin Sexton played solo in the tent, where the crowds always seem to be receptive. Here was no exception, as the hooting and hollering after each song was pretty strong. His bluesy, jazzy style went over well, just as it did last time we saw him at the festival years ago.
• Then there's The Strokes. This was a case of taking the bad so you can get the good. The good in this case was a great band playing good versions of a ton of its classic material. "Someday," "Hard to Explain," "Last Night," "Juicebox," and "Reptilia," to name a few, along with some songs that Julian claimed the band hadn't done in "forever," like "Trying Your Luck" from debut album Is This It. During every song, everyone played well. Nick Valensi on lead guitar stood out a bit with his restrained, well-crafted solos. Julian's voice sounded strong, too. So what was the bad? Well, the band came out about 15 minutes late for starters. Also, the band never really seemed totally into it. Julian had his weird mix of self-deprecation and being almost condescending. Maybe he doesn't like Austin? To cap it off, the band split about 15 minutes before scheduled, so that's a total of about 30 minutes off a slot scheduled for 90 minutes. At least it wasn't as big a rip-off as the Stubb's show apparently was. So it was nice to see the songs played live by that band on that stage, yet I left feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

Biggest Traffic Jam: Insanity at the AMD Stage for the Black Keys.

Second Biggest Traffic Jam: Navigating the Sea of People during the Deadmau5 dance-a-thon at the Zync Stage.

Worst Sound: Girls a the Zync stage. Someone always gets screwed.

Best Food Item: Fried Chicken from Olivia / Steak-n-Frit Sandwich from Aquarelle (tie). For the tastiest food at this year's festival, we headed to two of Austin's finest restaurants. The fried chicken was perfection -- seasoned well with a touch of spiciness, super crispy, not sickeningly oily, and cooked just right. And that sandwich was just as good. Thin steak with fries and some very good aioli. I could eat that often (too often for my good). Next Runner-Up: Bratwurst from The Best Wurst.

Damn, that chicken looks good, too.

Best Logistical Decision: Taking the shuttle in and out on Saturday and Sunday. Parking near the shuttle station was simple, and when we traveled to and from the festival, the lines were light. That beat the long walk Friday with our clunky chairs, which didn't got back to the festival after that.

Chances of Returning Next Year: What do you think? The dates suck, but we always end up going.

Band of Horses cover Cee-Lo at the festival

ACL 2011: Dates Set. More Sweat?

The folks at C3 Presents are faster than Usain Bolt. The official Austin City Limits Music Festival website already has the date set for 2011. For those of us who have been to past festivals, the mid-September date has us sweating with fear. Can you take the heat? If you want early bird tickets, better act soon. Check out the site for more details (click above).

ACL 2010: Day Three Pictures

Okay, festival's been over for a couple of days. Mostly recovered. Finally sorted through the rest of the pictures I took, almost all of which are from day three (I think the crowd shot is one of only two pictures I took on day two). I'll be back with a full recap. Until then, photos from day three (featuring The Morning Benders, Devendra Banhart and the Grogs, Yeasayer and Martin Sexton):

ACL 2010: Day Two Video Recap

Just got back from day three, and I'm way too beat to post anything clever. Music was great all around. Until next time, here are highlights from day two: Dance Party ACL.

ACL 2010: Day One Video Recap

From the official ACL website:

ACL 2010: In Progress (10/9/10)

Man, I'm way too wasted to do a full recap. Saturday's not even done yet. Leaving for a Sonic Youth aftershow in less than an hour. So far, I'll say that the highlights have been The Strokes, Spoon, Those Darlins and LCD Soundsystem. And the fried chicken from Olivia. But we've seen lots more that was good. Check back for a more thorough recap. For now, enjoy some artist pics from day one.

ACL 2010 Bullets (10/7/10)

One last set before kick off.

• Just announced on the official ACL website: "Our friends at Slacker have set up the Official Austin City Limits Music Festival Radio, streaming songs from 2010 artists all weekend long." See Tune Into ACL Festival 2010.
• The official site also makes the argument that two wheels are better than four. Why to bike to the festival. And the festival cares about bikers. "If that beloved bike has any problems, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Station has your back: they’ll be on-hand to fix flats, take care of minor repairs, and dole out helpful advice all weekend long."
• The American Statesman's Austin360.com is stepping up the ACL coverage. All sorts of things: who to see, which things to eat (hint: cone), etc. In other words, the same sort of stuff we have here. Except, well, they have lots of resources, so there's lots and lots of content, and a lot of it is worthwhile. One interesting article featured right now is about the numbers for this year's festival, with comments from Amy Corbin, a lead booker for festival organizers C3 Presents.
• The festival hasn't started yet, and here's a story on AustinNews.com about who the author wished was playing. A few interesting thoughts, including one that is consistent with something I've griped about (not enough hip-hop): "Snoop Dogg, Q-Tip, KRS-One, etc. (Give me one iconic Rapper and this festival would be over the top)."
• Don't really know the blog ACLMike.com, but it does have a long list of ACL bands on Twitter. By the way, most of them are obvious, but if you care, it's @SpoonTheBand.
• Brady Smith just put up a nice set of videos and song downloads. His video playlist features 27 artists at this year's festival. Portugal. The Man, Band of Horses, LCD Soundsystem and The Soft Pack are among the featured.
• khmx.com (radio station) presents its list of ten acts to see, with videos. It starts with Flaming Lips, Pat Green and Cage the Elephant, three bands I don't plan to see. Guess this guy think's I'm missing out.
• Here's a little plug for a nice cowboy boot & western wear store on South Congress, Allens Boots. No shit, I've found a lot of nice shirts there that aren't really all that western. This Northeastern would feel like a poser in a bolo tie. They have over 4,000 pairs of boots in stock.
• Austin Bloggy Limits, like yours truly, isn't just thinking about food inside Zilker Park. Here's a list of "ACL Off-Site Noms." Why not watch a video about Kerbey Lane Cafe? Also just like yours truly, I Love Beer has an ACL beer guide.
• One more set of ACL band picks on Republic of Austin. Chris Apollo Lynn sums up what many of us think about Sunday night's schedule pretty well: "Tell your Dad to enjoy the Eagles set but you’ve already seen all the bands that matter in 2010. The National are future legends, catch them now while they are just a great band."
• And because I like to end with a little negativity, why not a list of Bands That Suck Balls? Here's Get off my Lawn Kid's special ACL edition.

ACL 2010: Eating At & Around the Festival

Especially for the three-day attendees, ACL can be a physical challenge. If you drive, don't expect to park near Zilker. Shuttle bus lines can be a mile long at the end of the night. The grounds are large, so expect to cover some distance if you're picky about who you want to see. Most years, of course, we have lots of heat and sun. So it's a slog. Try to think of it as more of a marathon than a sprint. You'll need to stay nourished. Luckily, there's plenty of good things to munch on both at the festival and elsewhere nearby. But what's best? That's where we're here to help.

Festival Food: Chicken Cone - Wrap of Kings or Myth?

At the festival, there are many holdovers from the last few years. For the uninitiated, that means there is a lot to choose from. You'll be able to please meat eaters with multiple burger purveyors, BBQ joints and taco/mex offerings. Vegetarians won't feel left out; plenty of options are scattered among the stands.

Among the places we've tried, the one that gets the most buzz is the Mighty Cone stand and its now legendary chicken cones. Basically, a wrap of fried chicken strips, with avocado and some sort of sauce. After being the undisputed ACL food hit a few years back, the side project from the folks behind great game-centric restaurant Hudson's on the Bend turned into a full-time Austin food truck. The lines get long there quickly, so think carefully about when to go. We tried one, and it was very good. The chicken is coated in a very flavorful, crunchy coating, and the overall combo of flavors was a win. On the other hand, it seemed a bit pricey for the size. Worth it? If the lines are short and you've never had one, I'd say so.

Among the other places I've tried, here are some of my favorites:

• Boomerang Pies: Surprisingly good English-style pies. The Guinness steak and potato pie is a very popular one. We tried two other ones last year, and both were quite tasty. One was a curry with plenty of spice. I'm not sure they have those on the menu this year, but the Thai veggie sounds like a safe bet.
• The Best Wurst is your best bet for just about any kind of sausage. The spicy, filling brat I had last year was one of the best items I ate at the festival.
• Aquarelle and Olivia are two of the better high-end places in town. If you want something more foodie friendly, head to one of those booths.
• On the burrito front (good, filling, portable), Freebird's World Burrito makes a decent one. My favorite filling is the carnitas. Newcomer Garrido's should give them a run for the money.
• Amy's Ice Creams will surely have one of the longest lines all day. They make dense, creamy ice cream. Opt for the less sweet flavors.
• As far as BBQ goes, most folks who've tried them would probably opt for The Salt Lick over Stubb's. I've never had the latter, but The Salt Lick makes good chopped beef.

Food Outside the Festival

If you are new to Austin, there are a few basic things you should know about the food scene here. First, and foremost, it is a very casual town. Very few places will look at you funny if you show up in shorts or jeans. Second, Austin's got some great local products. There are lots of farms and ranches nearby, and a strong community of local food artisans. Third, while Austin may not be the most food-centric city in the U.S., it has some areas of considerable strength. Great tacos are everywhere, and we eat them for breakfast, too. Austin is conveniently located in the heart of the "BBQ Triangle." There are a million places to get good burgers, and none of them are chains. Mobile food vendors are huge here, and some of the most creative treats are being served from trucks, trailers, carts and stands. Since I can't cover everything, let's focus on those four categories: Tacos, burgers, BBQ and food carts.

Zilker Park is located on the western side of South Austin. There's a strip of restaurants on Barton Creek Road heading toward the park. Most of these, in my opinion, are so-so. Green Mesquite, near the corner of Lamar Blvd. and Barton Creek, serves okay BBQ and pretty good po' boys and may be the best option on the stretch. Flip Happy Crepes, tucked on a side street, is another one I'd recommend, but the hours are a bit mysterious. You're best off instead focusing on South Austin and Downtown, where you'll find lots of options in every range.

Burgers

I've posted about Texas Monthly's Top 50 Burgers in Texas from 2009. Several of the places on the list are here in Austin. But those aren't the only good patty purveyors in town.

• Seriously great burger at the Counter Cafe on North Lamar (#2 in the last Texas Monthly statewide burger countdown). Also great breakfast with fresh local ingredients. If they have the quail special, get it.
• If Counter Cafe is out of stools - it is tiny - check out Hut's on 6th St. It is a local landmark that makes very good burgers (get the grass fed beef), albeit a bit greasy. Onion rings are huge and popular.
• For something a bit fancier, head to Max's Wine Dive (#16 Texas Monthly) on 2nd St. and San Jacinto). Kobe beef burger. Glass of rich red. Decadent.
• On the south side, the best burger I've had is at at the Black Sheep Lodge (#27 Texas Monthly). The one with blue cheese is my favorite.

BBQ

First off, I've posted plenty of times about Texas 'cue. You'll find plenty of remarks in my old posts. Another good resource is the comprehensive blog Full Custom Gospel BBQ, which covers the whole state, including lots of joints in Central Texas. It is a great resource, especially if you're mobile while in Austin. There are plenty of delicious BBQ places around Austin, but unfortunately a number of them are a few towns away. The scene in town is improving though.

• Downtown, two options for BBQ at opposite ends of the spectrum are Lambert's and Iron Works. The former makes high-end BBQ and great steaks in an elegant setting. The latter is more of a classic BBQ place with sawdust on the ground and plastic flatware. Each is good in its own way. Stubb's (see above) also is downtown. Never been and haven't heard lots to convince me to go.
• In South Austin, Green Mesquite (see above) and Uncle Billy's are very close to Zilker. Uncle Billy's makes its own excellent beer, but I haven't yet tried the food. Reviews are average. Also in South Austin but further from Zilker is Artz Rib House. They make good burgers as well. Try a country style pork rib.
• If you have wheels but not much time, the best place in town is Franklin BBQ on the I35 N Frontage Road (near 38th). Go early, they sell out quickly.
• If you have wheels and time, go further. Taylor or Lockhart both have some amazing barbecue. My personal favorite is Louie Mueller in Taylor, barely beating Smitty's in Lockhart. The beef rib at Louie Mueller is simply amazing - the single best BBQ item I've had in my life.

Tacos

I don't really have to do anything. The guys at Taco Journalism have this one covered. Tacos are all over the place. Look for the authentic Mexican carts for the best deals. Taco Journalism says the Rosita's al Pastor cart is the best. For breakfast tacos (eggs with a mix of things such as potatoes, cheese, chorizo, bacon, avocado, etc.), the Tacodeli tacos are great, and you can find them for sale at a number of places around town.

Carts

The best reference here is AustinFoodCarts.com. Lots of Austin's carts are listed and mapped here.

Luckily, many of the best little spots are near downtown or South Austin.

• See above for two great ones, Franklin BBQ and Flip Happy Crepes.
• On South Lamar, South First and South Congress, there are large bunches of carts in "trailer parks." Among the best of them is a park with Odd Duck Farm to Trailer, which is turning out some of the most creative small plates in Central Texas, and Gourdough's, which sells sickly loaded doughnuts.
• Nearby on South Lamar, La Boite Cafe makes easily the best macaron in the area. Excellent baked goods all around. Right next door is Texas Cuban for Cuban sandwiches with a southern twang.
• Downtown, my favorite cart is Kebabalicious. They park at night on East 7th. During some days, they operate a lunch trailer on the southern end of North Congress. The best falafel in town. If it is late and the kebab doesn't do it, try Best Wurst on East 6th.
• On South Congress, head across from the shopping strip (near Allen's Boots) for a bunch of choices, or lower down the hill, you'll find another group with a Moroccan burger place and another creperie. The point is, they're everywhere. You can't miss them. And many of them are good, or else they'd be out of business in this crowded market. So don't dismiss the carts. They aren't just for hot dogs anymore.

ACL 2010: Weather Forecast (It's good)

Okay, so it looks like it will be a bit on the warm side, but this is nothing compared to past fesivals. If you've been at ACL during the last five years or so, I'm sure you'll take it.

2010 ACL Festival Grounds Map

Meet the new map.
Same as the old map.

Pretty much. New stage names, but that's about it. The new names, by the way, are something of a reflection of the times (e.g., no more Dell stage).

ACL 2010: The Strokes and Sonic Youth - Anticipation and Nostalgia

I recently saw a thread on a discussion forum in the official ACL 2010 website about which single band you are looking forward to seeing. With little hesitation, I settled on The Strokes. For one thing, the NYC quintet has been getting lots of positive reviews for their recent performances. Also, Rachel and I have seen them once before, but is was a pretty long time ago (2001). Seeing a band after a ten-year gap should be  interesting. Can the 2011 Strokes compete with the somewhat-scruffy kids from 2001?  My memories of the first show are subject to the effects of time, but I look forward to comparing the two gigs.

Hard to blame the 2011 version if they do end up being inferior to the 2001 Strokes.  That band, at least live, was a rush of energy.  It had great material -- pretty much only great material, as the only music they had put out at the time was a great EP and the now-classic Is This It.  To be honest, if you asked me to name one or a small handful of concert moment that converted me to a live music junkie -- you know, those times where you're in the crowd and the music doesn't just take over your ears but the rest of your body, and for that moment you'd rather be nowhere else -- I'd quickly blurt out the 2001 Strokes gig at the Webster Theater in Hartford, CT, the 1990 Sonic Youth show in Boston, maybe seeing R.E.M. and Throwing Muses back at the beginning of college, and maybe one or two other shows if I could shake them from my increasingly clogged memory banks.

That first Strokes show, at the Webster Theater in Hartford, CT, was memorable. The band was still just starting to get buzz in the states. Think about it, if they had been getting buzz for a while already, would they bother stopping in Hartford? With little more than an album's worth of material, the band came storming out like five spark plugs and played with an amazing amount of energy. Julian did his best Iggy/Morrison/Reed, sipping long necks throughout. Albert Hammond looked like his arm might fly off strumming during "Last Night" and "The Modern Age." The audience bought in from the get go. Those in the crowd seemed aware that they were witnessing a band that wouldn't be stopping at the Webster next time they toured the area.

The band quickly ripped through all of Is This It, including "New York City Cops," then called it a night. In one economical hour, though, they made a lasting impression. After unrealistic expectations that few bands could live up to, a slow fade and a short "hiatus," the band members seems to have the side project bug out of their systems. The Strokes are back. Be glad, ACL goers, be glad.

If you want to talk bands that I've seen once a long time ago, Sonic Youth beats The Strokes by over a decade. That show was back in October 1990 (Orpheum Theater, Boston MA, Goo Tour). My roommate, who got me into Sonic Youth, got us tickets. Our tickets were actually back in the theater, which is pretty big, but by waiting outside long enough we managed to trade our tickets plus 5 or 10 dollars each for second row, center aisle tickets.

The show just blew me away. I hadn't seen anything like that before. Sure, I've loud bands like some of the old hardcore stalwarts or classic arena bands, but nobody put out the energy that Sonic Youth did that night. The crowd was terrible at first, and I'm not even talking about when they heckled openers Redd Kross like they were the Yankees. It was several songs in before anyone else up front stood up, and people actually complained about the three of us doing so. Once the band was in full gear though, everyone was up.

Anyway, many years later (2003), my wife and I got tickets to go see the odd pairing of Sonic Youth and Wilco in Wallingford, CT. Sonic Youth pulled out late. In 2009, they were on the ACL bill. They were forced to cancel due to injury. So now, nearly 20 years to the day, Sonic Youth is here for ACL. The band is a bit different now. Sonically, I'd say they've embraced the grey in their locks. Somehow the group matured and slowed down while staying powerful and relevant. So Rachel and I doubled down and got tickets to their aftershow as well. I'm pumped. Please, Sonic Youth, don't get heat stroke or eat bad tacos before the weekend!

Kim Gordon at the Orpheum, 10/12/90

Thanks malarky.udel.edu

Sonic Youth(Fri, 10/8, 7:00 - 8:00, Honda Stage)
ACL website ][ Last.fm ][ Wikipedia ][ YouTube ][ Insound

The Strokes

(Fri, 10/8, 8:30 - 10:00, AMD Stage)
ACL website ][ Last.fm ][ Wikipedia ][ YouTube ][ Insound

Sonic Youth perform "Cinderella's Big Score" (9/21/90, Vienna, Austria)

The Strokes, "Trying Your Luck" (November 1990, Philadelphia, PA)

Final 90s Concert - Guided By Voices, Austin TX (9/30/10): Big at Middle, Thin at Ends

Sloppiness can be a virtue. Rock bands that have just the right amount of grime in their style are naturals for the live stage, especially in the right environment (i.e., good, loud sound and a fun crowd). Guided By Voices always bring it joyfully loud and messy. One gig into the first tour in years, with a "classic mid-90s line-up" that had been largely out of the GBV universe for the late decade plus, and a lack of polish was pretty much guaranteed. And while Guided by Voices had that something that makes a rock band "rock" from the start, a slow, tense start and a deterioration in front man Robert Pollard's voice directly proportionate with the amount of alcohol the band consumed made the show a bit bell-shaped in quality.

If you thought Pixies tested the patience of the audience with their Un Chien Andalou, they had nothing on GBV. After a fun, charged set by fellow Ohioans Times New Viking that seemed almost rushed and a typical break, the house music faded and an intro tape started. So instead of more house music, we were treated with 20 minutes or so of speech snippets and very boring letters to and from the President being read in a slow, exaggerated fashion, with occasional effects used to highlight coincidental usage of the band's name. Which sort of sucked.

But whatever. Once the neon sign that read "The Club Is Open" lit up, the band was about to arrive. Soon after, Guided By Voices launched into "A Salty Salute" and the band and just about everyone on hand joined in a toast, beers held high, singing said phrase in gleeful unison. Well, near-unison (remember, sloppy is good, so long as it it measured). And for the next hour plus, those on hand were treated to a great line-up of a great band play amazing rock. Robert Pollard sang with spirit, still throwing in the occasional front kick. Guitarist Mitch Mitchell kept up the chain-smoking, windmilling routine he was known for in the day, and you could measure how much bassist Greg Demos was into it by how high he'd thrust the neck of his bass in the air for emphasis. But it was guitarist/singer Tobin Sprout who showed why he's in many respect's Pollard's musical foil. Sprout and Pollard sang a few Byrds-esque harmonies (with Pollard doing his best David Crosby), and Sprout took the lead on a few numbers as well. In some ways, these were the night's highlights. Not that Pollard songs didn't have their moments, like the pretty melodies of "Gold Star for Robot Boy" or the bluesy grind of "Tractor Rape Chain." But while the brief, tuneful numbers of the Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes era Guided by Voices are fun and do sound good on stage, there's only so much you can hear before it starts to blend together or get redundant. The hardcore fans stayed with them until the end, but as the band went backstage between first and second encores, the trickle toward the exit was visible.

Maybe it was the booze? Pollard and co. eventually did red-line the slopmeter. The vaguely campy "tits and wieners" shouts from Mitchell earlier in the night ceded way to Pollard's slurred demands for female genitalia. It also could have been the steady dust that got kicked up and the incredible density of cigarette and other smoke, making breathing tough. Or for us, the wear on the back and feet of standing for four shows in eight nights. Either way, this was a show that started and ended a bit low, but the high points in the middle made it a worthwhile night. Quality capper to our run of shows.

And just a second ago, as I was typing the end of this post, the last of the eight celebratory candles just went out With that, let's call it an official end to our Eight Magical Days. Besides, in six days, we'll be neck deep in ACL. Time to refocus and recharge.

Pictures of Guided By Voices at East Side Drive-In: Sound Check Magazine

More Great Live Music From the Classics: Butthole Surfers (and Meat Puppets)

Not had enough flashback rock with Pixies, Pavement and GBV in town? Just announced, Butthole Surfers are playing two nights at Austin's Scoot Inn in late October. On October 29th, they'll play 1987 album Locust Abortion Technician in full. According to allmusic.com, "The record veers from heavy Sabbath sludge (even parodying that band on 'Sweat Loaf') to grungy noise rock to progressive guitar and tape effects to almost folky numbers in one big, gloriously schizophrenic mess." Sounds cool, huh? What's the pull for show number two? On October 31, the Surfers are teaming up with Meat Puppets for a double Halloween whammy (sort of like tricks AND treats). Tickets on sale. Butthole Surfers perform "Graveyard" live at Lollapalooza 1991 Meat Puppets live at Lounge Axe winter 1992

ACL 2010 Bullets (10/1/10)

Okay, back to the matter at hand. Festival starts in seven days. Seven!

• Someone just asked me who I was most looking forward to seeing this year at ACL. I quickly said The Strokes. I saw them once, back in 2001, and it was an amazing show. After a few years off, I hear they're playing with purpose again. Chad Swiatecki of the Austin American Statesman gives us his ACL 2010 preview and tells us "why The Strokes hold up" on GoRockFest.com.
• The Sound Record is counting down to ACL 2010 in from ten to one with ten different short artist profiles like Dan Black, Gayngs, and Portugal. The Man.
• Wanna make the most of your ACL Friday? Aside from all the great aftershows, now there's music early too. Austin Music Source just reported that Spoon, Robert Randolph and others will be playing 30 minute sets from 9 AM to 1 PM on Friday, 10/8 at the Four Seasons lawn. Tix are only $5, and proceeds benefit Seton Shivers Cancer Center. No brainer. Go!
• On a totally different (but cool) note, an article in the Austin Business Journal shines a light on an overlooked aspect of ACL 2010: "ACL also means major gifts of tickets and cash donations to local nonprofits." The article talks about Austin's great Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), and also highlights ACL fest producer C3 Presents' local generosity: "In Austin, C3’s giving spans health care, education, food banks, environmental, literacy and music/arts education charities." Read the whole article.
• Common theme among press in this year's build up to the festival: Who are the "sleeper bands" to go check out? Probably don't think of Austin's New Channel 8 as a source for tips of the sort, but if you're interested, go see who they recommend. My fave here: The Relatives.
• Live north of Austin? Z Delete Me (Star Telegram) offers up a list of ACL-bound bands to see locally in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area prior to the festival.
• The "Discover" series on the official ACL festival website has a spot on Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. What would you like to know? "A fictional and healing character created in [lead man Alex] Ebert’s mind, Sharpe is described by his maker to have been “sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind…but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love.”
• One more rundown on who to go see. Trinitonian is gearing up for, among others, Gogol Bordello, Dawes and Chief, who they suggest we "keep our ears out for.
• Finally, here's a pessimist's take on how this year's ACL could be even worse than last year's "mudbath," courtesy of the Houston Press.