This post is doing double duty today, kiddos, because I've had LAZY fingers lately. My ears though, continue to be hard at work, but first things first. ACL...I've decided to break it down by each show that I saw, forgive me if the entires seem short, but I am still nursing a cold from that blessed festival.
Friday
Blitzentrapper: They were good, sounded just like their album though.
The Knux: The first of many dance parties, these guys were alright. It might have helped if I knew some of their music, but anyone that busts out House of Pain's "Jump" must be pretty cool.
The Avett Brothers: I just want to throw it out there that one of them looks like Sam from True Blood, which means they already got a gold star before I even walked up tot he stage. But these guys are really great! They play mainly bluegrass-folky stuff, but it works, especially with clever and thought out lyrics, always a plus.
The Walkmen: What I heard was really good, just not that exciting. Then again I only stayed for 3 songs, the most exciting of which involved a makeshift mariachi band. Believe me, I had an awesome reason for ducking out early, which was...
Phoenix: Oh. my. god. Such a great show! Coming into this, you think that it won't be that exciting, because there's not much they can do with their music. Not much, except ROCK THE HOUSE! I was bouncing on my feet, singing along the entire time, AND I was a part of the largest crowd Phoenix has ever played for, and that apparently means something :) I also really liked the humility of these guys...they enjoyed playing for us and were extremely grateful that we were there to listen. I loooooove bands that are in it for the pure enjoyment!
The Crooked Vultures: I freaking saw John Paul Jones. John Paul Jones! Now I don't have t imagine him playing guitar while watching the many Zeppelin cover bands that come into town. I actually saw it! They rocked though, seriously.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Screw your Kings of Leon. I saw them as Jazzfest, and they were only ehhhh. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs put on a way more interesting show. A slight disclaimer, Karen O is fucking crazy. And possibly the coolest chick ever, which is why she's my Halloween costume. She was a little screechy at times, but she came through vocally where it mattered most, and even deep-throated the microphone. Classy.
Saturday
Deer Tick: I love this band. I have loved this band for a long time, and feel that I will always love this band. I like War Elephant way better than Born on Flag Day, but what the hell, they're both good. I got a shout out to my semi-native HTX, and they closed out with La Bamba, well worth standing out in the rain for.
Neon Indian: Love their music on the radio, but they were having major sound issues. It could be because they were a very late stand-in for the Raveonettes, but you could barely hear Neon Indian over the blaring feedback. What a disappointment, I was really wanting to see this band, and was accidentally let down.
!!!: Neon who? These guys came out and rocked, and I got a few new sweet dance moves in the process. I had a good time, goddammit! You would have too, if you had been there, goddammit. You had to be there to understand the profanity, but I don't feel like explaining so I guess you never will :P
Grizzly Bear: Biggest disappointment of the entire festival. I was so looking forward to this show, and they sounded alright, they were just so BORING. Coming off of !!!, they seemed super-duper-pull-my-hair-out boring. Which is too bad because I heard they put on a kickin' aftershow at Emo's. Oh well, I was occupied with much better things ;-)
Flogging Molly: Woohoo, let's riverdance! But in a rockabilly kind of way! I enjoyed this show, and the Celtic/Mosh fusion dancing that resulted.
Bon Iver: The weather, pouring rain and freezing, set the tone for the music, also very depressing. However, I love Bon Iver so I enjoyed it. I woul dhave enjoyed it more if my face wasn't being violated by every umbrella within a 20 foot radius.
Mos Def: Well, I wasn't really watching this, per se. In the process of trying to find some people I knew, I ended up here. The dude came on 20 minutes late, and I didn't listen, c'est la vie.
Devotchka: Almost got to see these guys, I wanted to so bad! Sadly, standing in the rain and mid-calf deep mud, I decided to head on over to...
Ghostland Observatory: Laser lights, UT marching band, electro-jazz/funk, good gyrations, and glow stick gangs. Damn, what a fun time.
Sunday
White Lies: This band's music may put some of you off. I mean, most of it's really emo and about death and all that crap, but the dude's voice sounds like something straight out of an 80s song, so that makes it okay! They put on a good show, and again were very humble, always an admirable trait.
Arctic Monkeys: Booooooring. I could have put on a better Arctic Monkeys show than the freaking Arctic Monkeys. And they need haircuts, and to pass on grass.
Passion Pit: Second biggest disappointment. I hope it was just sound problems plaguing the Cambridge group, but Mikey's vocals sounded very hush hush throughout. What should have been a beat-boppin' good time (like their Houston show was back in June), was instead of game of "guess the lyric." *Tear*
Born Again Brass Band: A great time, and the start of the Sunday dance party! This group belongs at Jazzfest.
Girl Talk: omgomgomgomgomgomg it's Girl Talk! Didn't he, like, steal music and mash it up to, like, make his own? It's called Fair Use people, look it up! I think this show was in my top three, if not the best. We were dancing nonstop for an hour to some amazing mixes, all the while watching the jumbotron to see what crazy things would show up next (seriously, the moon became a basketball, then a tube of lipstick, then a cheesburger).
Pearl Jam: They were good, rocked out a little. Not as much as I'd like to have seen, but they're old guys now, so that's to be expected. All in all a great closeout to ACL, very chill.
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:->Your new happy time song is "No Dice" by Beirut. Just press play and the smile happens almost instantly. Beats Prozac any day!<-:
The Big Pink. I wish this band was a little more "in your face." There are two standouts on
A Brief History of Love, the catchy "
Dominos" and the amazing "Velvet." There's even a noble attempt of the
Cure's "
Lovesong" (not available on the album, but I sometimes have my sources), but it sadly falls short. The rest of the album sounds the same to me, maybe I should listen to it again.
Finally, I leave you with "Feel it all Around" by Washed Out. This is a love-making song if I ever did hear one, and if I had a
sex life, I'd probably be popping in this tune rather than blogging. But I don't, so I'm not, and your life is better because of it. :)
Nighty night!
ecause I was having these images of tasty mediterrranean pastries popping into my head. Not a bad thing, but I digress. So I looked it up, and Ezra Koenig is correct. It's absolutely psychotic that one article of clothing can be worn in so many ways! I must have one! So versatile!
