I attended all three days. The heat may have slowed me down a little, but it didnâ??t stop me from having a good time. Overall, ACL was very well organized. The lines werenâ??t too long. Food and beverages were priced reasonably ($5 burger, $4 beer, $2 water). The only problem I experienced was with transportation. Our hotel wasnâ??t near the shuttle pick-up spot, so our only option was a taxi (which were in short supply). After Fridayâ??s show, the taxi line was just ridiculous. We eventually gave up waiting and started to ask people in the parking lot for a ride. We finally found a local to give us a ride in the back of his pick-up for $20. The next day we rented a car. Problem solved!
Seeing the Pixies on Saturday was the highlight of the weekend for me. Without an introduction they took to the stage and jumped right into their set. It wasnâ??t till midway through their set that Kim finally said â??Thank Youâ? and then they went right into the next song. Other memorable performances (in no particular order) Franz Ferdinand, Wilco, Broken Social Scene and Drive by Truckers.
To avoid the brutal mid-day sun I spent a lot of time hanging out in the blues and gospel tent. Most the artists performing under the tent were unfamiliar to me. I really enjoyed the Holmes Brothers, Walter â??Wolfmanâ? Washington, & The John Butler Trio. The only disappoint of the weekend was Modes Mouse on Saturday. Maybe my expectations were too high, or I was dizzy from the heat. But, PA problems just added to their uninspiring set.
All in all.....it was a great weekend, despite the 100 degree temperatures. Maybe I'll go back next year.
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