Austin CIty Limits Festival Preview

I’ve had a little time on my hands so I took the liberty of listening to a bunch of the bands scheduled to play ACL this year and have put together my impressions.  ACL has a formula that keeps filling up Zilker and this year is no different.  If it ain’t broke, right?  What you need to understand is that the Austin City Limits Festival is the ultimate White People concert.  If you don’t know what I mean please check out Stuff White People Like.  Here’s my theory:  the folks at ACL target bands based on 4 categories of bands and their fans:  traditional Austin City Limits (the TV show) bands, indie bands, frat-boy bands, and diversity bands.  My detailed comments about most of the bands are in the linked spreadsheet. Allow me to elaborate on the genres:

1.  Traditional ACL bands:  these are for the public radio listening, pot smoking, Continental Club-loving, old-school South Austin folks.  The same people that claim ACL has sold-out and only books hipster bands.  The ones that have decided to skip ACL and send in angry letters about it to the Chronicle.  Are they right?

Based on the complaints I always assumed this was the case.  However, after listening to all the bands I’d say ACL has enough bands to keep this group happy every day. 

This genre includes Americana, Blues, Folk, and Soul.  There are a lot of good bands on this year’s schedule that will probably be playing to small crowds (since old-schoolers don’t go to ACL anymore). 

Friday:  Dan Dyer, Rodney Crowell, M. Ward, Patty Griffin, Jenny Lewis, Ryan Bingham, Alejandro Escovedo

Saturday:  Old 97s, Back Door Slam, Sharon Jones, Black Joe Lewis, Drive-by Truckers, Band of Heathens, Yonder Mountain String Band, John Fogerty, Robert Plant and Allison Kraus

Sunday:  Scott Biram, Gillian Welch, Joe Bonamassa, Neko Case, Shooter Jennings.

2.                  Indie bands:  for the music downloading, blog reading, ipod loving, Pabst Blue Ribbon drinking crowd.  I’ll highlight some bands.  I break down these bands in more detail in the spreadsheet:

Friday:  What Made Milwaukee Famous, Vampire Weekend, Delta Spirit, M. Ward, Mates of State, Yeasayer, Hot Chip, the Swell Season (it’s going to be funny to see this crowd freak out when Swell Season ends and Mars Volta starts).

Saturday:  Fleet Foxes, MGMT, Iron and Wine, Beck

Sunday:  The Kills, Silversun Pickups, Okkervil River, Octopus Project, Stars, Neko Case (she’s multi-category), Raconteurs, Band of Horses, Tegan and Sara

3.                  Frat-boy bands:  these are the bands White People don't like.  The people at these shows are the kids White People hated in High School.  No offense to our Greek friends but the crowds will definitely be filled with lots of Dave Matthews Band and Pat Green T-Shirts at these shows.  Some bands cross-over or don’t easily fit classification but the kids will be there.  I threw the Rock bands in here, too.  I’ll just list them and let you decide.

Friday:  Jamie Lidell, Slightly Stoopid, G. Love and Special Sauce, N.E.R.D, Mars Volta (the only true hard rock band at ACL this year.  Maybe Raconteurs.)

Saturday:  Robert Earl Keen, Mason Jennings, MGMT

Sunday:  Blues Traveler, Flyleaf, Against Me!, Xavier Rudd, Galactic,  Kevin Fowler, Foo Fighters

4.      Wild card bands:  White People love diversity.  The also like to travel. ACL finds international bands and musically diverse bands for White People to enjoy. 

I’ll spend some time on this since these probably will be the bands that the critics at the Chronicle will write about afterward so you feel guilty for missing them:

Friday: 

• Del the Funky Homosapien:  White People like hip-hop
• Gogol Bordello: gypsy sound.  Eastern European eclectic.  Supposedly a unique live show.
• Antibalas:  African sound.  Will be packed at the WAMU tent.
• David Byrne:  he’s playing his songs from his Brian Eno influenced era.  Expect lots of African dance themes.
• Manu Chao:  Popular everywhere but here.  Like soccer.

Saturday:

• Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings:  old-school soul a la Al Green.  Got to have a few Black people at the show.
• CSS:  Brazilian dance band.  High energy.  White People may even dance.
• Erykah Badu:  Dallas’ own soul chanteuse.         
• Nachito Herrera All-Stars:  Cuban jazz/dance music. 
• Beck:  I’d say Beck’s “Odelay” days fit nicely in this category as a good way to end the day.

Sunday:

None. Interesting.  Saturday is chock-full so I guess Sunday is back to standard genres.

I hope to see you there.  After all, you better not be sitting inside while we’re enjoying the great outdoors.

Reminders: 

• Thursday night before ACL is Sarah Borges at the Continental Club.  She’s a great alt-country singer from Boston. 
• Monday after ACL is Cut Copy at Emo’s.  They are from Melbourne, Australia and play catchy dance tunes.  Totally 80’s New Wave/synthpop.  Their CD is one of my favorites this year.  I highly recommend them!