Monday, September 26, 2005

why i am a huge fan of austin.

I went the one day pass route for the ACL Festival this year, choosing Sunday as my day in the sun. Wow. What an afternoon. I started the day with Eisley, before moving on to Rachael Yamagata, Doves, The Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, Franz Ferdinand, and Coldplay. It was hot (a point continually harped on by most every performer) and it was dusty, but it was a day filled with the kind of auditory delights that make you forget such things. Besides, lukewarm water has never tasted so good.



I was feeling pretty good about my ACL experience, actually I was feeling great about it, even though I missed the first two days. Then I got a call this afternoon from my friend Sean: Brett, are you on campus? Me: No. Sean: Oh. Well Blues Traveler is doing an Austin City Limits taping, and it starts in about 10 minutes, and there are still seats. Me: I'm coming to campus.

So I parked, walked over to the communications building, and walked into the studio just after their first song ended. I hadn't heard from Blues Traveler in a while, but they're really entertaining. It was a great way to cap off the weekend. Never underestimate a man with a harmonica.

This is why I am a huge fan of Austin. It's the mix of big and small. 80,000 people at a Texas football game on a Saturday afternoon, 10 people at Jo's Coffee on a Sunday morning. 60,000 people in a field watching Coldplay one night, 100 people in a studio watching Blues Traveler the next afternoon. Events you plan for months ahead of time, things you show up at on a few minutes notice. Thanks Austin. Big pats on the back, and maybe a full-frontal hug or two.

[visit Paul's blog for some ACL pictures and other marvelous things]

1 Comments:

Blogger sethdub said...

I'm symbolically toasting Austin in my mind right now. Indeed, a superfine weekend.

With the best happy hours in the land...this evening it's on...

(Arcade Fire can have my baby)

10:55 AM  

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