Austin City Limits 2011 9/16-9/18

[TomServo]

The place: Austin, Texas. The dates: 9/16-9/18. The weather: Oppressively hot.

Now the good news... Austin's average September high temperature is 91 degrees, Coachella's average April high temperature is 88 degrees, so we're all probably prepared for the heat.

There are currently no rumors or confirmed bands - but the tickets will go on sale later this Spring, and when they do, they'll sell out in less than 12 hours, probably... so this thread is here so I can update when that time comes. If you want to join the e-list so you don't miss the sale, here's a link.

Tickets will be $185 all-in, no service fees. There are still hotels available in a 3-mile radius of Zilker Park (where the festival takes place), but there is no on-site camping.

I've never been to ACL, this will be my first year. Any ACL vets?

[Kid Charlemagne]

I've been there since '06, possibly the best year of the festival. Maybe '07 tops it, but generally it's a great experience. It can get crowded, but the people there are nice, food is good, and not much stage bleed. You just have to put up with hour long sets except for headliners who get normal 90 minute to two hour sets...unless you're MIA or Monsters of Folk. You can park downtown and take a shuttle to the venue, but if you leave after the headliners, be prepared to wait an hour to get on a shuttle, it's hell.

[daxton]

I think I'll make this year my 1st too if I'm still down south.

[TomServo]

What do you mean by "put up with hour long sets"? Is that suggesting they should be shorter, or longer? (Not asking to be snarky, I'm not sure what direction you're coming from)

I'm a big Lollapalooza guy and I'm fond of their hour scheduling (except when The Ting Tings only had 40 mins of music to fill their hour... that was an adventure). Faith No More got less than an hour at Coachella last year, which was an abomination to me.

I think I'll be staying with friends, so getting there and back will definitely be a lot of hassle, but it's cheaper than $600 for hotels.

[daxton]

I would be staying with friends as well.

[nathanfairchild]

My biggest hate with ACL (and Lolla for that matter) is the hour long waits in between EVERY set. Also, I think ACL really needs to step it up with the headliners, these last three years have seriously been lacking.

[weeklymix]

My biggest hate with ACL (and Lolla for that matter) is the hour long waits in between EVERY set. Also, I think ACL really needs to step it up with the headliners, these last three years have seriously been lacking.

While I understand the frustration, it's done mostly to balance out the stages and improve traffic.

Also, I agree @headliners. 2007 was great, it hasn't been that fun since. I don't think I'm going this year anyway.

[Kid Charlemagne]

What do you mean by "put up with hour long sets"? Is that suggesting they should be shorter, or longer? (Not asking to be snarky, I'm not sure what direction you're coming from)

I'm a big Lollapalooza guy and I'm fond of their hour scheduling (except when The Ting Tings only had 40 mins of music to fill their hour... that was an adventure). Faith No More got less than an hour at Coachella last year, which was an abomination to me.

The sets are too short. At least Lolla has some sets before the headliners go on for 70 or as much as 80 minutes. ACL is very to the point and everyone usually goes on at their scheduled time and some of the sets are too short. A "headlining" set by The Flaming Lips was only an hour as was MIA.

[Llama of Time]

I'm really excited. Have high hopes.

I'm really really hoping Radiohead as the top headliner (I've heard rumors about this too, even if its unlikely) though I'd also absolutely love Paul McCartney. If the Who actually do that tour I could see them being top or maybe RHCP. Though I'd much prefer RHCP on Friday or Saturday if they play, not the Sunday uncontested.

Also think theres a decent chance of Arcade Fire, and I'm also pretty certain Wilco will be there. They are touring later this year on a new album and have a tour going through Texas in May that skips Austin

[TomServo]

Yeah, I saw that rumor that they moved the dates to accomodate Radiohead. Seemed highly unlikely, but that would make for a great show.

Lolla does give second-line bands more time, but I think I'd rather trade more hour sets from a couple second-liners for less :45 sets from undercard bands, right? The hour wait between performers is perfectly fine as long as they start another band on the opposite stage immediately, which both Lolla and Voodoo do.

If Arcade Fire are there, they will be official festival whores.

[heart cooks brain]

They probably switched the dates so as to not conflict with UT's home football games. I don't care enough to check, but i doubt it was for Radiohead.

[nathanfairchild]

http://twitter.com/#!/hprocksoff/sta...40566496477184

[concertgoer]

I don't buy it

[nathanfairchild]

it's not a confirmation, but it's something

[Kid Charlemagne]

The UT home games makes much more sense, it was fucking packed downtown last year. And they announced these dates like a week after the festival, which was back in October, I don't know if there was much for them to know that the new album would be finished, much less they'd tour.

Then again, speculation for ACL is usually safe, and I don't think the band have played Austin before, and this would be the last of the four festivals for them to play. Base on this my six headliners would be: Radiohead, Portishead, Wilco, lame mainstream act, Widespread Panic, Arcade Fire.

[TomServo]

Lame mainstream act? I'm fucking THERE!

I don't get the Widespread Panic thing at all... a couple years ago they played Voodoo, and folks were like "100k people come to WP shows! It's gonna be epic!" I was like... yeah, alright, I'll check it out... and at the show, there was only middling interest, nowhere near the huge crowd I expected. I'd wager the Gogol Bordello crowd was equal in size to WP, and twice as engaged by the music/show.

If Arcade Fire play ACL, they're the official festival whores of 2011. As in "Who R The Suburbs?!"

[concertgoer]

LOL at the idea of ACL booking Radiohead, Arcade Fire and Portishead in the same year.

[nathanfairchild]

Lame mainstream act? I'm fucking THERE!

I don't get the Widespread Panic thing at all... a couple years ago they played Voodoo, and folks were like "100k people come to WP shows! It's gonna be epic!" I was like... yeah, alright, I'll check it out... and at the show, there was only middling interest, nowhere near the huge crowd I expected. I'd wager the Gogol Bordello crowd was equal in size to WP, and twice as engaged by the music/show.

If Arcade Fire play ACL, they're the official festival whores of 2011. As in "Who R The Suburbs?!"

I'd say Arcade Fire is a lock. They've played in 2005 and 2007 and this would be their first time to headline. Also, this is the same festival that had Phish headline last year and they attract the same crowd as Widespread Panic, so it's not too farfetched to think they'd play this year, especially with this being their last year before their hiatus.

[dudezer47]

The UT home games makes much more sense, it was fucking packed downtown last year.

This. UT alums run the city. The dates are booked around the football schedule.

[TomServo]

Well, I'm not saying Widespread Panic won't be there, I'm just saying I don't get it.

It won't make me any less likely to attend, I just wish I understood the whole jam band thing, since I'm apparently missing out on something big.

[zircona1]

I've been to ACL in 07, 08 and 09. Didn't go last year due to the having seen a lot of those bands already (and I don't like the Eagles).

It's usually a fun time, sometimes it does feel pretty crowded, but most of the people that I talked to were cool and friendly. Flags can be a problem, but most people put theirs down whenever a set starts. Most sets on the two big stages are an hour, the headliners get either 90 minutes or 2 hours.

Lines for the shuttle, as someone has already said, can be a LONG wait at the end of the night after the headliner is done. In 09 a friend and I waited over an hour in line, and Kings of Leon hadn't even finished playing (we saw the Yeah Yeah Yeahs instead). If you have to skip out early during the headliner, it's worth it (in 09 I left during Pearl Jam's second encore and didn't have to wait hardly at all).

[TomAz]

I went in '02, '07, '10. 07 was really great, musically probably as good as any Coachella I've been to. '02 and '10 were fun but not nearly of that caliber.

I doubt I'll go in '11. Mid-september dates are gonna be too damned hot. Although if they have Radiohead, I might change my mind.

[york707]

I went in '03, '04 and '05. I am thinking about '11.

I love ACL. You definitely get some shoddy bands (it's the nature of the beast), but the layout is great. You can drink anywhere, you get ins-and-outs and there are a ton of after shows in town.

I did Coachella, Lolla and ACL all in '05 and that was frankly, exhausting. It was 108 in Chicago and 110 in Austin that year. yowsers.

[concertgoer]

I went in '03, '04 and '05. I am thinking about '11.

I love ACL. You definitely get some shoddy bands (it's the nature of the beast), but the layout is great. You can drink anywhere, you get ins-and-outs and there are a ton of after shows in town.

I did Coachella, Lolla and ACL all in '05 and that was frankly, exhausting. It was 108 in Chicago and 110 in Austin that year. yowsers.

I was there too. I remember Arcade Fire playing a great set in suits that day.

[nathanfairchild]

well shit

[Thisismyname]

Portishead & Kanye would be nice...

[ficklecycle]

Portishead would definitely drag me down there.

[suprefan]

well shit

When wasnt it obvious Radiohead wasnt gonna be there? You all just think a certain amount of time has to pass for them to come back. THEY ARENT DOING ANYTHING HERE THIS YEAR.

[nathanfairchild]

my "well shit" wasn't about Radiohead not being there, it's about Kanye being there

[TomServo]

Three-day passes go on sale May 3! They should sell out in hours. This is your warning!

They will have single-day tickets later, but spend the $185 (fees included) and get your pass on May 3... don't get debacled like so many Coachella fans did this year.