I finally made it to Austin and it did not disappoint. A well behaved bunch those Texans. High points: Beck was a blast, very fun and energetic. He and the band launched into Billie Jean with that distinct guitar line, a sweet little surprise. Seeing him in person, wearing his signature hat, he seemed a lot hipper and a lot less dorky than his public image.
The Replacements were a thrill, especially since I never thought I'd ever see them. A throwback to the 80's, they've reunited a few times over the decades, and it appears ACL was the last stop on this latest reunion tour. Leading off with Alex Chilton made my day; a song I am crazy about and used to play during my tenure as a DJ. Paul Westerberg sang several songs reclined in an onstage hammock, quite amusing. Near the end of the hour long set he asked for suggestions from the crowd, stating "it doesn't matter, we're sick of all of them anyway."
Pearl Jam never disappoints. They did a bunch of the favorites, Black, Jeremy, Better Man, Evolution, and wrapped up with Alive, Baba O'Reilly and Yellow Ledbetter as we booked it to shuttle bus line. The added twist this time was a woman at the side of the stage, providing sign language for the whole concert. They showed her several times on the big screen as she performed her animated and spirited signing, filling in with air guitar strumming during Mike McCready's solos.
Low Points: Both Lana Del Rey and Lorde were pitiful; bad audio backing tracks drowning out their vocals. That's if either was actually singing; I have grave doubts either sang a note live. Lorde's schtick is to endlessly flip her dark, wavy locks around, rather than step up to the mike and prove she's more than a pretty, prepackaged, marketing gimmick. But, alas, she was a dismal disappointment. Ditto for Lana, minus the hair flips. Both had zero interaction with their band members, who were likely faking it as well.
A downpour on the morning of day two produced an abundance of mud, but luckily we scored ourselves a couple of three legged Longhorn fold up stools at the UT campus store before heading to the festival grounds. Additionally, we picked up an ace bandage and wrapped my foot. Both items proved life savers.
Festivals are a bit of a marathon. You must be flexible enough to go with the flow, adapt to changing weather, and tolerate the usual unruly crowds. A good companion to trudge around the grounds with is essential. Thanks to my daughter, a trooper in her own right, the entire trip was an entertaining, fun adventure. I will gladly visit Austin again if the opportunity presents itself.
