Michael Franti and Spearhead

We interrupt the ACL previews for a long-distance dedication. To that special girl dancing at the Michael Franti show last night. Have a great day!

Sound of Sunshine

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Sunday at 5pm. Another overnight success. These guys sold out LZR with just one album released. They don't get much love from the blogs, which call them gimmicky and derivative. Oh, and sellouts: a couple of their songs are being used for commercials. Oh well. Much like Polyphonic Spree, people focus on everything but the music. I guess I'm easily sold because I like these guys. I really enjoyed their show and I like their album. "Home" is a great song, even more so live. You can find that everywhere so I chose another song from their album. The end reminds me of a tent revival where the evangelist/mystic/yogi is calling on you to rejoice. I can see people "cross the line" after getting inspired by this one.

Come in Please

Yeasayer

Sunday at 4pm will be packed. Robert Earl Keen and Trombone Shorty are the other choices and I don't see all the kids at those shows. Yeasayer is one of those bands that is extremely popular for some reason. They sold out consecutive nights at La Zona Rosa. We went and it seemed the crowd was there for the scene and not the music. They didn't seem to know any of the songs except "Ambling Alp", but they did go crazy for that one. I like some of their music but don't love it. The show was pretty good I guess. Not 2 sold-out LZR shows good, though. I guess I'm missing something. Anyway, I do like this song and any band that can get Veronica Mars in their video must be doing something right.



Madder Red

Gayngs

Sunday at 3pm is another toss-up. The Morning Benders were the buzz at SXSW and are probably destined to be headliners soon. They have 2 great songs in "Excuses" and "Promises" that are all over the blogs. However, I'm not too impressed with the rest of their album. Gayngs is another "super-group" comprised of members of Bon Iver, Rosebuds, Solid Gold, etc. I think there are 23 members. I imagine it was a one-off lark that turned out pretty good much to the surprise of all involved. Who knows if they'll put out another album. This should be a fun show. They have no buzz so I'm sure all the crowds will be at Morning Benders. I think I'll stick with Gayngs for this one.

I'll post one from each so you can decide.

Excuses

The Gaudy Side of Town

Dawes

Sunday at 2:20 on the Austin Ventures Stage. I've wanted to see these guys for awhile but keep missing them. They were supposed to play the Saturday SXSW showcase at Auditorium Shores but the freeze kept me away. Looking forward to this one.

Love is All I Am

Blind Pilot/Foals

Sunday at 1:15 is another uncertainty. Blind Pilot is pretty mellow in the Fleet Foxes mold but I haven't been interested in many of their songs other than the one here. I dont' know much about Foals but this song is pretty good. Their album was nominated for the Mercury Prize so maybe I need to check it out. I guess they get my vote.

Go On Say It

Olympic Airways

White Rabbits

I'm not too impressed with the bands in the Sunday 12:30-2:30 slots. With all the overlapping on Saturday you'd think they should have moved some good bands into Sunday. Maybe they'll be better live.

White Rabbits is one of those cases. Their album is okay. Nothing really stands out for me. Their "hit" is "Percussion Gun" but it kind of annoys me. Saying that, we saw them at the Independent (now the ND) and I had a good time. They use lots of percussion and are quite enthusiastic on stage. Worth checking out a little of them.

Also maybe worth checking out: SPEAK on the BMI stage at 12:40. Local Austin band that recently won "Best New Artist" in the Austin Chronicle. Extremely peppy synth pop so could be too saccharine for me.

Here's a song from White Rabbits that I think is the best on their album:

They Done Wrong, We Done Wrong

Warpaint

Sunday previews now. First up is the early show. Once again ACL puts one of my must-see bands early on Sunday. Last year it was Alberta Cross. This year is Warpaint. Nothing like empty festival grounds to showcase one of the hot new bands out there. We saw them at an early show at Emo's during SXSW and they were pretty tired/hungover but they still put on a hell of a show. I'm sure this will be great, too.

(By the way, I envy the Dallas people who get to see Warpaint open for The XX at the Granada Theater on Friday the 8th. What a double bill. At the Granada, too!)

Stars

Monsters of Folk

Last post for Saturday's preview. The 6-8pm shows are widely divergent. On the sides you've got wild dance parties with Gogol Bordello and LCD Soundsystem, Matt&Kim, Deadmau5, and Ozomatli. My personal favorite is LCD and they claim this is their last tour so if you believe that it's a show not to be missed.

I'll focus on the 2-hour set on the Austin Ventures Stage. The folk supergroup is the antithesis of the competing shows. This is a show that will appeal to the die-hard fans of My Morning Jacket, Bright Eyes, and She&Him, as well as the hippies and folkies loyal the the ACL TV show. The rest of the crowd won't have a clue and probably won't stop for long to give them a chance. It's slow and mellow. There are no hit songs. We saw them at Stubb's and they played for over 2 hours. It was excellent. I think the best way to enjoy this show is to find a place to sit and just savor the music. If you try to jump between shows and come back to this you won't enjoy it.

Since it's 2 hours I'll put up 2 songs. One reminds me of the Traveling Wilburys and the other Gram Parsons.

The Right Place

Whole Lotta Losin'

The Temper Trap

Ok, now we get to the hard part. Saturday at 5:30 is probably the peak attendance for ACL. To solve the crowding problem they've put two great bands against each other to split things up. So, who to see? The XX put out probably my favorite album last year. Luckily, we got to see them at Mohawk (opening for Friendly Fires. How quickly things change.) I don't think anything is going to top that show. Plus, their music is not suited for a Saturday 5:30 slot. The spectators will get bored and start talking, etc.

I'm really liking The Temper Trap. Their whole album is great. Plus, it should be a great festival show. I'm not in the minority as this show will be packed but it will be worth it. Their "hits" are "Sweet Disposition" and "Fader" so google them if you want to listen. I'm posting this because it has a great build-up and is a hell of a song.

Resurrection

Broken Bells

Three weeks left so it looks like I need to pick up the pace. My choice for Saturday at 4:30 is Broken Bells. Their album is one of my favorites this year. If you don't have it go get it. It should be in everyone's collection. Unfortunately, the music doesn't translate as well live. Most people will probably wander off to check out Local Natives since their sound will probably be better in a live setting. I just can't get into Local Natives, though. Silversun Pickups is the other choice. I'll get my fill of alternative rock at Sonic Youth.

Honorable mention is Beats Antique at 4pm. They have a middle-eastern/electronica sound similar to Thievery Corporation.

Trap Doors

Chief

Just read about this band in a post on Austin360. Worth reading the article here.

These guys play Friday at 2:20pm. With Blues Traveler and Mountain Goats as their competition it's not much of a conflict. Carolyn Wonderland is great but we see her all the time.

So my vote is for Chief.

Night and Day

Mayer Hawthorne

Saturday at 3:30 pits Indie Rock (Manchester Orchestra) vs. Garage Rock (Black Lips). I'm going for the third choice: Detroit soul. Mayer Hawthorne is a dorky white kid singing old-school Motown soul. I've liked the songs I've heard and he will have the crowd dancing and swaying. I bet this will be one of those shows where the crowd gets bigger as the show goes on.

The Ills

Lucero/Gaslight Anthem

Saturday at 2:30 is a tough choice. Lucero is a band I've wanted to see for awhile. Gaslight Anthem should be a great festival band to see. Both bands should be rockin' so it's tough to decide. Lucero is for the Uncle Tupelo fans and Gaslight Anthem for the Bruce Springsteen fans. Of course, Two Door Cinema Club is also playing at 2:20 which is a complete departure. I posted one of their songs awhile back.

Here's one each from Lucero:

Can't Feel a Thing

Now Gaslight Anthem:

The 59 Sound

Bear in Heaven

Saturday's 1:30 show to see. Tried to see them at SXSW and I think we caught the end of their set at Mohawk. Here is a song for one of this blog's most ardent fans.

You do you

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

12:30 Saturday. Rumor is they put on a wild show. A good way to start the day and to kick off the weekend.

Paris

First Aid Kit

Saturday previews now. At 12:15 is First Aid Kit. Swedish sisters. They're compared to Neko Case and Fleet Foxes. This song sounds like Indigo Girls.

I Met up with the King