Austin City Limits festival

[Carlo Von Sexron]

I know it's a ways off, but I'm already thinking about using my vacation time this year to check out ACL. Granted, the lineup hasn't been announced but I'm just looking down the road.
For those that have been to it, do you recommend it? How does it compare, both positive and negative to Coachella? Is it as easy to get around to each stage (same field like Coachella, etc)? How does the camping compare to Coachella? Are hotels conveinently located?
Any insight and info would be appreciated. Thanks

[bmack86]

When is it?

[Carlo Von Sexron]

Sept 14-16

[bmack86]

Damn. Too late in the year for me.

[fortydollarsworthofmeat]

i have friends in Austin who don't go because of the sweltering heat.

Weather

Although the average high in Austin for the last two weeks of September is 88 degrees Fahrenheit, the highs for 2004 during the festival were 96, 96, and 93. In 2005 the highs were 98, 99, and 107. With higher temperatures world wide, Austin has no secret weapon against the heat. Exacerbating the problem is the lack of shade in Zilker Park. The park is grassy during the early summer, but in previous years grass is trampled during the festival and the conditions get dusty. For 2006, ACL, working with the City of Austin, installed a massive irrigation system to eliminate dust concerns during the Festival. Organizers do not want to move the festival into October due to conflicts with hotel room availability on UT football weekends, increased chance of rain, and the reduced chance of booking bands on summer tour. The festival does allow attendees to bring 2 factory sealed water bottles, and has reasonably priced food and drinks compared to other festivals.

[instinct]

it's got higher than 107 at Coachella.. 2004 was sooo hot.

[Mivsy]

I went to ACL in 2005 and the heat was more brutal than Coachella in 2004. That year ACL had 4 stages, 2 of which were live at any one time (i.e. bands start on 2 stages then when they finish bands start on the other 2 stages - so there is less chance of clashes). The site is larger so it takes longer to get between some of the stages - all of the stages were open air (no tents). Food is a bit cheaper and from what I remember you can drink alcohol anywhere (no designated areas like at Coachella). I stayed in a hotel so can't comment on camping. There is a free shuttle service from the middle of the city to the site with plentiful buses - don't remember any waits at all to get transport onto site, but there can be a wait for buses back if you leave as the headliners finish. ACL has a much more relaxed feel than Coachella - there are more 1 day passes and more locals take advantage of this (you see quite a few families) they also allow you to bring chairs in, although there is a chair exclusion zone around each stage. The dust is a problem - once the sun goes down the winds get stronger and the dust really kicks up - not so bad in the middle of a crowd but if you are walking around you almost need to cover your face it's so bad. There is a signing tent like at Coachella. If you go, look out for warm up gigs in town over the weekend if there is a particular band you want to see (you will need to get separate tickets for these). In 2005 I went to the festival during the day but came back in the evening for Arcade Fire's warm up show at Stubbs Barbeque - got there quite early so decided to eat and were given the table right next to the band who were having a pre-show meal.

[instinct]

i bet they have good bbq.

[Mivsy]

The best I've had, although I've not had many. I'm a Brit and BBQ to us means underdone sausages and beefburgers cooked out back on the patio while sheltering under an umbrella, cursing the British weather. For all you festival goers I also enjoyed BBQ at Babe's in Rancho Mirage last year (out on the main road near the Hilton Garden Inn).

[TomAz]

I've been to ACL -- I think it was 03 -- and Mivsy's description is pretty accurate.

Stubb's barbecue is incredible.

[bigtex]

at acl the heat isn't much of a factor because zilker park is right across the street from barton springs and you can go in and out of the festival all day and jump into the natural springs which feel awesome! camping? there is no camping at acl, you have to rent a hotel if you don't have somewhere else to stay. the food and drinks (beer) is much cheaper, and yes, no beer jails! you can drink anywhere! the only downside compared to coachella is the lineup, not quite as eclectic.

[york707]

There is no camping and there are more hippies.

The dust was bad in 2005 due rto Hurricane Rita, it's not normally like that. Same with the heat that year. In and outs are nice, considering Barton Springs is right there and you can go for a dip.

Being able to drink anyone is way cooler than the fenced off areas at Coachella.

It's WAY cheaper. The pre-presale tickets were $35 last year. Then again, I think they only released 300 of them.

The shows after the festival are nice -- and not all of them are "warm up" shows. They are full club sets -- sometimes before a band's festival performance, sometimes after.

I'm a big fan of ACL because I have many friends down there and because I love Austin.

On the whole, I like Coachella better, but I make it to ACL every year I can. I didn't go this year, but have been to all the rest except for the first one.

[fortydollarsworthofmeat]

In 2005 I went to the festival during the day but came back in the evening for Arcade Fire's warm up show at Stubbs Barbeque - got there quite early so decided to eat and were given the table right next to the band who were having a pre-show meal.

agh. in 2005 i had tickets to both ACL and the Arcade Fire show at Stubb's. i ended up selling both sets of tickets and flying to DC to protest the war with hundreds of thousands of other people, instead.

both would have been life-changing experiences (for me), but goddamnit i'm sad i missed it.

[york707]

I had tickets to the Stubb's ACL show, but my gf's flight from NYC was seriously delayed due to the hurricane, so we finally made it to Stubb's abou 6 seconds before the show was over. That sucked. We did get to see Wilco at Stubb's the next night, though.

[fortydollarsworthofmeat]

oh - and i actually DON'T like it at a festival where you can drink wherever.

i mean - it's hot, and i generally don't drink, so it's no big deal for me..

except that all the drunk people are spread out everywhere instead of being mostly confined to a small area. drunk people like to keep drinking, so at coachella there's a lot less of them.

[cchap6]

The humidity is what makes the heat less bearable. Very little shade although they did let me bring in a small umbrella last time I went.

[york707]

My biggest problem with ACL are the fucking chairs and umbrellas. People stake out fucking campsites right up by the stage and make it impossible to get through the crowd. Not to mention, when they stand up to watch the show they leave their chairs spread out. Bastards.

[fortydollarsworthofmeat]

that ain't right.

this is similar to the coachella people who like to sit/lay down in the middle of nowhere after dark, and then get mad when everyone trips over them.

[PotVsKtl]

Those old fucks pissed me off during Al Green, they had taken over the entire front of the main stage with their lawnchairs and their baby on board bumper sticker looking mugs.

[Boourns]

Lay = to put or place something
Lie = to recline

[york707]

They layed their bodies on the ground. Get over it.

[TomAz]

Liar

[york707]

I totally just got lied.

[york707]

Ben Kweller at ACL:



The Arcade Fir - No Cars Go at ACL:



Colin Meloy had the whole crowd sit at ACL '05. Except for this one douchebag.



Explosions In The Sky - "The Only Moment We Were Alone" at ACL:


The Black Keys - Everywhere I Go - live at ACL

[menikmati]

Bjork may play this years ACL

[TomAz]

does this mean "Bjork is in negotiations to play ACL but nothing is finalized yet?"

or does this mean "Bjork is one of those artists that ACL might be likely to get"

or does this mean "Bjork will play anywhere for pay"?

[vinylmartyr]

This means that Erik guesses she may play.

[TomAz]

I was trying to drill down on what he meant by "may".

[vinylmartyr]

Erik is clairvoyant.

[TomAz]

there is nothing special about saying someone "may" play when that artist is still actively doing shows.

Bob Dylan may play ACL this year. Bruce Springsteen may play ACL this year. Wilco. Flaming Lips. Hell, I'll even say Flaming Lips will probably play ACL this year.