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I've compiled my blog entries here with some additional commentary about my time at ACL Fest. I spent day one and day two at the festival while James Grayson covered day three. Would I have been able to make it for all three days? The inner child in me says yes. My 36 year old legs say no. But I had a really great time and saw quite a bit. Here's my recap of my two days at ACL Fest 2007.

Day One

Day one of ACL Fest was full of surprises and a little tragedy. A propane tank exploded and injured two service personnel in the afternoon. At one point, the fire was higher than the trees. The two men were rushed to Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, the best burn center in the United States. So I'm sure they'll be OK. It's just a shame that something like this would happen at ACL Fest. But we were on our way to the festival nonetheless.

My wife and I tried to outsmart the traffic situation by getting a great parking spot on 6th Street and hailing a cab to take us to Barton Springs Road. But it wasn't meant to be. The cabbie explained that all cabs had to drop people off near where the buses drop people off, so we basically paid $15 to take the bus route. Kinda blew...

The weather was great and although it was a little on the hot side, it wasn't "last-year hot." We caught a bunch of great shows including LCD Soundsystem, the Kaiser Chiefs, and the Killers. But the best performance, by far, was LCD Soundsystem, who really brought it. These guys friggin' rocked Zilker Park. And although their performance might have been aided by a night-time setting, they didn't let up from beginning to end. James Murphy seemed pretty intent on getting the fans to forget about the heat and dance, something the entire crowd were pleased to do. From "North American Scum" to "All My Friends" to "Daft Punk is Playing in My House," James Murphy and company translated the techno music into a rocking force. And the drummer plus Murphy, in particular, worked overtime, banging the skins of their respective kits like crazy. It was the kind of performance that made my wife and I pull out LCD Soundsystem on the way home, pop it in the CD player, and just say "Wow. They rocked!" I'll be buying some more of their music in the very near future.

I returned Sunday morning from the store and packed up my two liters of water, sunscreen, a camera, extra batteries, bands schedule, notepad, two pens, some cash for food and drinks, then threw on my running shoes and headed out to try and land a prime spot under the Mopac bridge at Lady Bird Lake. Lady Luck was on my side as I bounced my truck into one of the last spots in the dirt across from the pedestrian bridge.

A short ten-minute walk was no problem. I actually found myself walking faster than usual due to the anticipation of the day's music I was about to experience. I went alone to ACL this year and was looking forward to meeting up with friends if they decided to make it out for their third day, but I wasn't holding my breath. It was going to be a hot one and three straight days at ACL can take it's toll on the human body.

ACL Fest starts in a few days and I can't wait. Really, I can't. I had a blast last year even though I only went on Saturday. With temperatures above 100 degrees, I tried to keep cool by drinking lots of water, Heineken, and Lone Star beer. But what was more effective at cooling me down was ducking in the Austin Kiddie Limits tent for some shade or getting some A/C in the AT&T Blue Room tent. And what bands did I see? I saw I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness, Kings of Leon, Amy Mann, Ghostland Observatory, The Shins, The Raconteurs, and Massive Attack. And the new sprinkler system the promoters and the city of Austin installed in Zilker Park kept the grass pretty green, even in the scorching, hot temperatures.

This year, I'm looking forward to seeing several bands, big and small. The Killers, Bjork, the Arctic Monkeys, LCD Soundsystem, and Muse are some of the well-known bands I'm looking forward to seeing. As for lesser-known talents, I'm looking forward to Cary Ann Hearst, Dax Riggs, Amy Cook, Brandon Rhyder, Butch Walker, Midlake, and Ocote Soul Sounds.

Legend has it that so few people showed up to the Heartless Bastards' first gig in Akron, Ohio that the club owner proposed to pay the members to split. But they persevered and have won praise for their unique records. According to Erika Wennerstrom, the name of the band comes from a question on a Mega Touch trivia quiz game at a bar. A question asked the name of Tom Petty's backing band, and one of the answers was "Tom Petty and the Heartless Bastards." Erika thought that was a great name for a band. Heartless Bastards have a powerful and hook-laden delivery that is unmistakable.

Check out the Heartless Bastards at ACL Fest 2007 on the AT&T Blue Room stage at 1:30pm - 2:30pm, Friday, September 14th, 2007.

The most popular musician in his native country of Belize, Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective are the standard when referencing the music of his country. He has also served as a head of the National Institute of Culture and History and named a cultural ambassador for Belize. Andy's music mixes African and Latin sounds and he sings in his native tongue. Andy's goal is to share the fading musical heritage of his country, a unique and distinctive sound.

Check out Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective at ACL Fest 2007 on the WaMu Room stage at 5:45pm - 6:45pm, Friday, September 14th, 2007.

A native Austinite, Sahara Smith moved out to Wimberely, TX, as a child where she started playing music at age fourteen. At age fifteen she won a nationwide contest to perform on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" to be part of "Talent from 12 to 20" contest where she came in second place on the show. She has since moved back to Austin and is making everybody take notice!

Check out Sahara Smith at ACL Fest 2007 on the BMI stage at 11:15am - 11:45am, Friday, September 14th, 2007.

The Bummkinn Band is a must see at ACL Fest if you are bringing your kids or are a kid at heart! Originally from Texas, The Bummkinn Band now resides in the town of Stone's Throw in the mythical country corner of Fish in a Tree county. They tell stories and silly jokes to their audiences and have a new kids TV show in the works. Pack up and get out there early on Friday to catch their show! Don't forget your kids and some juice boxes!

Check out the Bummkinn Band at ACL Fest 2007 on the Austin Kiddie Limits stage at 12:30pm - 1:00pm, Friday, September 14th, 2007.

Adam Hood has been grooving since he picked up the guitar at age ten in his hometown of Opelika, Alabama, and started playing in church bands. His new album, Different Groove, "is like a study in Southern roots music in a modern context." Adam's show will surely prove worthy of an early arrival on the opening day of ACL Fest.

Check out Adam Hood at ACL Fest 2007 on the BMI stage at 12:40pm - 1:20pm, Friday, September 14th, 2007.

You may or may not have heard of Marfa, Texas folk-rock singer Amy Cook. But you probably have already heard her music. Her songs have appeared on TV shows like Dawson's Creek, Veronica Mars, The L Word, and Laguna Beach. After noticing a certain theme running through her latest record, Amy said, "Marfa’s nothing but open sky and a million stars and I think that got me on those sort of analogies—thinking about the bigger picture of it all, putting yourself in the place of just being here on this planet, where you can cover the moon with the tip of your thumb like an eclipse. It doesn’t make you feel insignificant, but it changes your perspective to be somewhere with a wide-open sky." A little bit melancholy yet hopeful and sweet, Amy's music will grab you from within.

Check out Amy Cook at ACL Fest 2007 on the Austin Ventures stage at 12:00pm - 12:30pm, Sunday, September 16th, 2007.