Monday, September 16, 2013

Austin City Limits Day 1 Preview

With the recent influx of literally 8 million people moving into the Austin area and the fact that there are now condos being built inside of condos almost on a daily basis, I am little reluctant to write a preview for one of the city’s premier music festivals in ACL. I almost wish that they would move it back to early September when it’s still 175 degrees at 8 in morning just so people can leave saying to themselves “Man I really like Austin but it’s too damn hot!” But alas, just like Amanda Bynes, this once cute and charming city is being hit up by pretty much everyone and now you’re left wondering if it's just a bit too dirty to even enter. Well while it’s still fresh, I will get you ready for day one of ACL and here are the main acts I will be checking out on Friday.

I never ever get to the festival before 2 o’clock but thanks to Fidlar playing the Barton Springs stage at noon, I will have to make an exception. If you have never heard of these guys, they are garage punk band from California who sing fun songs about girls and drinking beer. Is there a better way to start off this wonderful weekend? Nothing says old man trying desperately to hold on to his youth like shot gunning beers at noon while wearing a fanny pack! They bring a lot of energy to their shows and are definitely worth the early start to the day.
Next up will be the recent darlings of Great Britain and they are coming in the form of the Savages. Trust me when I say that their performance will melt your face off; not simply because they rock so hard but because it’s a 2 o’clock show, so that means its still going to be fairly hot outside. But keep in mind that scary looking chicks that can rock is always a plus, so it will be worth the sweat. This is dark high energy music that is made specifically for a loud live show and the band consists of girls that remind you of Joan Jett.  They have thumping bass lines, loose fitting silk shirts, and a lead that sounds like Rush’s Geddy Lee. Their shows are meant for a dark setting but I think they’ll bring enough rowdiness to get you going.
Next up will be Pinback, and the fact that they are on the card makes me believe that ACL must have old people like me who just cant let go of the 90’s. They aren’t your typical grunge band from that era, instead they represent early indie music before skinny jeans and rainbow colored tank tops took over. This however is definitely a daytime drinking act, in that it’s not quite good enough to take your attention away from meeting up with your friends and planning your day but it is good enough to act as background music that will occasionally grab your attention.
The Artic Monkeys have been surprisingly consistent throughout the years. Normally teenage internet sensations who blow up overnight disappear in a cloud of cocaine and Jameson, but not these blokes! The guitar of R U Mine alone should make you pass on Vampire Weekend’s set.
Speaking of, I will certainly pop in on half of Vampire’s set solely based off of their new album. It seems like they have finally grown up a bit and started singing about real life subjects that we can connect with, like love and disappointment. Gone for the most part are the fruity guitars and songs about walking around Ivy League college campuses.
I think I will choose Purity Ring over Queens of the Stoned Age mainly because their lead singer is cute and after mass amounts of alcohol it’ll be time to start dancing! Lofticries and Bellspeak should have everyone dancing along with this Canadian 80’s synth duo. I love Queen’s Songs for the Deaf album but it’s been quite a while since they’ve rocked out that hard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgKk8Eqyzkk

This last act hurts the most to describe because they are my favorite band. Why does it hurt to write about my favorite band you ask? Well it’s because the band is Muse and I know that they will play a lot of their new album which is garbage! I will admit however that I can’t help but find myself dancing to the catchy Panic Station and rocking out to their Olympic Song, Survival. I will be sure to sneak in liquor this day so I won’t have to pee during their performance because dammit, I’m gonna Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!!!! Sorry Depeche Mode, maybe next festival.
Here are two acts that wont make the cut for me but you may want to check them out for yourself. Widowspeak is a 2 piece band from NYC and they make American indie rock music that at times has a southern influence to it. The lead singer Molly sounds like she's a 90’s female grunge vocalist that’s lost in our time. I keep waiting for them to cover Matt Dillon’s song in Singles, Touch Me I’m Dick! Or maybe that was just the title of the wet dream I had about this band, Molly just so happens to be really cute.

The next band would be Pacha Massive and they make bi lingual dance music. They mix Central American music with funky bass lines and danceable drum beats. This is different from most of what you normally hear on the airwaves today and let’s be honest; you really should force yourself to listen to something other than acoustic artist number 5000 at this festival.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOt_eXxbhT8

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