Y'know, when you're trying to blog a day sequentially in less time than you really need, you don't really get a chance to add all the random thoughts and memories that you'll end up leaving with. So here are some random memories and thoughts from Austin City Limits Music Festival 2007:
-- I am definitely not the first person to say this, but having a music festival in September in Austin is insane, unless it's part of some massive dehydration campaign on the part of a megalomaniacal evil person bent on taking over Texas. The heat and humidity is ridiculous. Or maybe I've just spent too long in Phoenix, where the heat is beyond ridiculous but the humidity is, well, not.
-- Having said that, this is a primo-organized festival. Shows started (and ended) when they were supposed to, port-a-potties were numerous, and the sound was functional. If people decide to go to a festival based on who's performing, they decide to go back (the next day or the next year) based on all the little (and big) stuff that doesn't have anything to do with the acts. Austin City Limits Festival is worth going back to.
ACL Fest (Austin Kiddie Limits) 2007: Day 3 Report
You know, by the time you've been listening to music for about 20 hours in a 36-hour period, your focus tends to wander. Yeah, yeah, drums. Yo La Tengo, sure. Where the heck is that water bottle?
But I came here to Austin with a job to do and I'm going to do it. After all, I'm a professional.
Actually, no, I'm not.
But I'm here.
In any case, Day 3 here at the Austin Kiddie Limits stage and I'm without Miss Mary Mack, who slept in until 9 AM this morning and is relaxing back at the (metaphorical) ranch with her grandma. After filing my Day 2 report at the press tent, I dashed over to the stage, just in time to catch We Go To 11... pose for pictures. Sorry, guys, maybe next time.
ACL Fest (Austin Kiddie Limits) 2007: Day 2 Report
OK. It's 11:15 AM Sunday, and I'm in the press tent. I am -- of course -- sweating like a really sweaty dog. The kid-band We Go To 11 start in about 15 minutes, and I'm probably about a 14-minute walk from the AKL stage, so, uh, I'm going to be brief. (Well, probably not, but briefer than I otherwise would be.)
Miss Mary Mack and I had a leisurely morning on Saturday. Since the Bummkinn Band and Jambo were playing the first two sets on Saturday and we'd seen 'em on Friday, we took a pass. (The fact that we'd be watching music until 9 PM thanks to the Family Music Meltdown also, uh, played a role in the decision here.) So we got to the Austin Kiddie Limits stage a little into the Sippy Cups' first set of the day.
The Sippys had the most impressive stage setup of the day. Banners on the side and bright day-glo costumes to rival Bjork's for long-distance visibility. The crowd was definitely bigger today than on Friday. Must be something about that whole school is on Friday thing. Their first set was mostly covers, finishing with their reworking of "I Wanna Be Sedated," changed into "I Wanna Be Elated." Can you call it a mosh pit if nobody's actually bouncing off one another, just bouncing up and down?
The Sippys had the most impressive stage setup of the day. Banners on the side and bright day-glo costumes to rival Bjork's for long-distance visibility. The crowd was definitely bigger today than on Friday. Must be something about that whole school is on Friday thing. Their first set was mostly covers, finishing with their reworking of "I Wanna Be Sedated," changed into "I Wanna Be Elated." Can you call it a mosh pit if nobody's actually bouncing off one another, just bouncing up and down?ACL Fest (Austin Kiddie Limits) 2007: Day 1 Report
"I love the Austin Kiddie Limits -- that's great. It's because nobody in the audience is reading the blogs saying, 'That guy is over.' They're either crying and asking mommy to go home or they love it." -- James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem at Austin City Limits Festival 2007
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I'll spare you the rest of the story about "Day 0" -- the flight to Dallas was fine, and although I was overly optimistic about getting out of the Fort Worth area ahead of the rush hour traffic, it was an uneventful drive through central Texas. Really, it was stuff that makes for poor website reading and I don't have the time.
So the next morning, Miss Mary Mack (yes, that's the name I'm giving her, thanks to loyal reader Katy for the suggestion -- she loves that song) and I got in the car and drove to downtown Austin. We got there around 10:30, boarded the shuttle bus and took the long, slow drive to Zilker Park.
After securing my pass, we went in a side gate for press and others, thereby passing the crowds here, which, I didn't realize at the time, were waiting for an 11 AM entrance. We got inside, then all of a sudden I heard the theme music for "Chariots of Fire" and the gates opened up and people started streaming in. Nice touch.
After wandering around a bit (a common theme for the day), we headed on over to the Austin Kiddie Limits stage to catch the first act of the day: Sara Hickman.
After securing my pass, we went in a side gate for press and others, thereby passing the crowds here, which, I didn't realize at the time, were waiting for an 11 AM entrance. We got inside, then all of a sudden I heard the theme music for "Chariots of Fire" and the gates opened up and people started streaming in. Nice touch.
After wandering around a bit (a common theme for the day), we headed on over to the Austin Kiddie Limits stage to catch the first act of the day: Sara Hickman.ACL Fest (Austin Kiddie Limits) 2007: Day 0 Report
I'm sitting in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, availing myself of their free Wi-Fi, and I'm proud to say that the first 90 minutes of this trip has gone off without a hitch. Without a hitch, I tell you!
Boarding passes retrieved? Check!
Last-minute bathroom run made? Check!
First snack selection given my daughter's A-OK? Check!
My goal for the flight? To get to Dallas with everyone happy and with a website name for my daughter so I don't have to constantly call her "my daughter."
With any luck, I'll have a Day One post sometime Saturday morning.
Gotta go -- they're boarding.
Austin Kiddie Limits Schedule Set
Amy Winehouse won't be there, the Paul Green School of Rock will. The schedule was always set before, but the Austin City Limits Festival (Sept. 14-16) has added some more details regarding its 2007 Austin Kiddie Limits activities. Instruments to noodle on, tattoos, dance lessons, hip-hop lessons -- lots of stuff to do.
See the complete schedule here.
Let the rumors for the "Special Guest" each day from 3:15 to 3:30 begin!
(My suggestion? The Del McCoury Band finishes their set 2:30 Friday. I think they could do a little Little Mo McCoury stuff at 3:15, no? Jack White on Saturday? Jeff Tweedy Sunday?)
