I'd also caution against getting there early and double fisting two tall boys (that just doesn't sound right does it) while baking in the sun. I don't want you ending up looking like the homeless hippie that's passed out under a tree by 3 o'clock. So no matter how you take that previous statement, the end result will probably be the same; you'll wind up alone, dejected, and probably questioning your morals at some point. But on to the acts that I will be seeing.
I never, I repeat NEVER get to ACL before 2 o'clock for the reasons I stated earlier. But this year Arum Rae is playing the Austin Ventures stage at 11:15 so I have to break my own rules for a change. I liked it better when she lived in Austin, then I could legally stalk her by paying to see her perform once a month. Now I have to wait for the random pop in to hear her sexy and sultry voice seduce me into contemplating jail time. For legal reasons that's as far as I will go with that thought but just know that visions of a large fishnet and a getaway van has popped up in my head on occasion. I kid, I kid, please don't call the cops. Her sound is an awesome mix of sexy blues, country, and indie rock. And recently I heard a remix of one of her songs that was electronic heavy, so it sounds like she's expanding and starting to sound similar to Phantogram. But I've talked about her ad nauseam on this site, so here is a link to her music so you can check her out for yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vQlBCP5AGU&feature=related
After this there's really no one I'm crazy excited about during the day, but I will pop into the Night Terrors of 1927 set around 11:30ish. With a name like that you'd normally expect to hear a sound like The Horrors or maybe even Dying Fetus, but sadly all you're left with is ABBA reincarnated. My favorite song of theirs I guess would be Fall Into You because at least I can nod my head to it a little, but everything else is total cheese. Especially Young and Vicious, it's a song that makes you think that they actually loved that awful movie I Know What You Did Last Summer with lyrics like "when we were young, I know what you did" playing over sad and soft music that Jennifer Love Hewitt probably lost her virginity to. The only good thing I can say about this set is that it's close to the craft beer tent, so at least you can drink 8% beer while contemplating hurting yourself. Please don't hurt yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67aDk4DaFHg
Next up will be the pop rock band The Preatures. I also avoided these guys during SXSW this year but I guess I will finally break down and see them, mainly because there will girls there that are probably way too young for me. But hey, at least we can dance together. They play at 1 on the Austin Ventures Stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8XmoroZ3zo
This one was an easier decision for me a few months ago but after listening to the Moats a few more times, they have finally grown on me. There's really nothing special about them in that they sound just like every other indie band that has come out in the past 8-10 years but they have a pretty tight sound, which is more than I can say for a lot of bands these days. They sound next of Young the Giant...if Giant didn't suck that is. I might split time between these guys and Temples. I saw the Temples at SXSW and they sound a lot better and are far more engaging live than their recorded stuff. That is typically a recipe for disaster especially when talking about psychedelic music but these guys are the exception. They play on the Retail Me Not and Miller Lite stage respectively at 1:15.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M5EDNg_gw8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUGEnXz4EG8
I know that most of you will choose to dance like fools to Capitol Cities at 2:15, but if you do you are missing out on seeing a Reggae legend in Jimmy Cliff. I know that Bob Marley gets all of the love but Jimmy was just as influential in bring reggae music to the US as he was. And trust me when I say that this won't be like seeing 60 year old grey hairs still trying to sing punk music and appear relevant, this dude can still bring it. Black don't crack! I'm sure you've all heard I Can See Clearly Now and The Harder They Come at some point in your life so get your butt on over to sing and dance with the rest of the older hippies and dread heads that will be floating through the park that day. I would suggest bringing a doctor's mask though if you don't want to fail a drug test on Monday morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Znh0OM9jiA
I'll pass on seeing the Fun. side project in Bleachers and will probably just head for the food trailers. At this point the munchies should be kicking in from the second hand smoke at the Jimmy Cliff show.
But I will be splitting time between Chvrches and Paolo Nutini at 4:15. I saw Chvrches a few years ago at SXSW and while they were a fun version of Purity Ring, the guy with his stupid florescent hat and their dumb name spelling bothered me for some reason. Plus at the time I didn't think that they could bring anything new to the electronic indie pop sound, and it turns out I was right. Doesn't mean they're not worth popping in for a quick booty shake though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyqemIbjcfg
Paolo sounds like he grew up listening to early Motown and spent his entire adolescent years trying to perfect that sound vocally; similar to me trying to get rid of my Texas drawl. And I have to say that for the most part he was successful in his effort. He even recruited a few slightly overweight black women to provide back up vocals on Let Me Down Easy, just like Ray Charles did on his songs back in the day. Don't miss this dude.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6HB5nMtqT4
St. Vincent confuses me. I cant really nail down what her sound is, which usually can be a good thing. It's just that she's so inconsistent that I don't feel right in recommending dedicating an hour to her. She looks like David Byrne's long lost twin, so you can at least show up to giggle at that. And really, musically she's almost as weird as he is too, so if that's your thing I'd suggest checking her out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZkP0HLShMc
I saw Sam Smith aka the second coming of Jon B at SXSW this year and he can sing; it's just that some of his lyrics are a bit too personal for me. Imagine Green Day's masturbation song set to RnB music. Luckily one of the most beautiful women in the world happened to be next to me during his show so that helped. So I'm choosing Smith with the hopes that girl shows up again. I'll also include his song with Disclosure so my friend can lose her mind and quite honestly you probably will too once you hear it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ASUImTedo
Now we're down to the acts that are so big it wont matter what I say here, you're gonna see who you love anyway. But I will pop in Childish Gambino, The Glitch Mob, and Outkast. And let's be real, if you choose the hippie Scientologist Beck over Outkast, then this is probably one instance where it's better for you to hurt yourself versus that of seeing Beck's show because that's better than letting Xenu get a hold of you! And no, Xenu jokes will never get old to me! Come on y'all! It's freaking Outkast!!!!!
O U T K A S T!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFVxGRekRSg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDD1GFaebRE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drsQLEU0N1Y
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