ACL - Day 2

So I slept for about 12 hours and was feeling good. Amanda and Jared had gone out the night before with some friends and got in around 3. I don't know how they do it. I am too old for that stuff now. =(

Amanda wanted to be at the festival this day at 11:15 to see Bonnie Bishop. She is a Texas country singer and Amanda loves her. She and Jared even named their new dog after her. They were a little slower getting around that morning so Jason and I headed out in search of breakfast and some supplies for the day. We were staying downtown and my google maps assured me there was an Einstein Brothers just four blocks away. There wasn't. But we did find a taco place that sold breakfast burritos. So we grabbed a few of those and also found a CVS to get some more water for the day. I just loved being downtown and being able to walk everywhere. Reminds me of being in New York, albeit on a much smaller scale. But we always say we are moving to Austin, sometime around 2010/2011 and we agreed it would be awesome to be able to rent a place downtown while we look for a house. Probably won't happen since the idea in renting is to SAVE money, but it is a fun idea.

After scarfing down our breakfast burritos, Amanda and I head towards the park. We found a pedicab guy right outside so we were lucky enough not to have to walk all the way there, which just seemed to start the day off better than the day before. We weren't already tired and sweaty by the time we got there and we actually got there before it was even open. Bonnie Bishop was the first act of the day so when they opened the gates we hurried to get a wonderful seat in the shade right close to the stage. Go us! It was a great show - that girl can sing! - and we had great seats and it was a great, beautiful day with awesome weather and we were just feeling pretty happy, but we decided we needed caffeine after the show was over.

We headed to the food court and got a mocha frappucino with an all natural energy boost in it. Now, lets talk about why I love ACL in general, besides getting to hear lots of great music. The biggest reason is that you are outside all day for 3 days. I mean even the years when it is nearing 1000 degrees by 5 o clock, it still just feels good to be outdoors. I sit at a computer all day every day, and humans were just not meant to do that. So being in the sun with the trees and the breeze, and this year the dust but nevermind, it is just exhilarating. Now, you add a mocha frap and natural energy boost and I may as well have been on crack. I was in maybe the best mood of my life for like four hours. I could not stop smiling and whenever Jason and Jared got there I was so obviously overwhelmed with joy that Jason was like 'wow you're in a really good mood.' I am, by nature, a pretty happy, sunny person. So for him to point out what a good mood I was in, well you get the idea. I was in a good mood.

Once the guys got there, it was about time for Fleet Foxes to start so we just sat in the grass and listened to them. I had bought their CD recently and liked them from what I had heard, but I wouldn't say I was expecting a great deal from them. They are really mellow and sound like something out of the 70s. Sort of an America meets Simon and Garfunkel. Anyway, I thought these guys were AWESOME. The whole group agreed that they were great and they were the perfect band to be listening to early in the afternoon since they were so mellow. Sometimes at night mellow bands will put me to sleep.

After FF we were going to go see The Fratelli's, but none of us were huge fans and I decided that I needed some kettle corn instead. Last year I waited in line for this kettle corn for 45 minutes, no lie, and it was worth every minute. The place that sells it is called Children of the Kettle Corn, which just makes it even more awesome, and it was just as delicious as I remembered. We also did a little shopping and found some cool stuff, including a shirt that said 'Remember the Oilers'. I really wanted it and meant to go back for it, but just never did.

Jared wanted to see Band of Heathens and it was at the same stage as Bonnie was that morning and we had very cleverly left our chairs there in the shade so we all went back to see them. I hadn't heard them before but I would say this was one of the best shows I saw. They had sort of a Texas country/rockabilly sound and we all really liked it. Even Jason. I am going to make a country music fan of him yet. =)

After that we went to see Robert Earl Keen who is always fun to see, and after REK was one of the bands I had been most looking forward to - MGMT! I had bought their CD last spring and was so excited about them being there. Well apparently so was every other person at ACL. Here is where my happy high went away and I get on my high horse. Let me start by saying another thing I love about ACL is seeing new bands that I didn't know before. However, I think this can be a pro and con in general, and this is where it is a con. I seriously had no idea how 'popular' MGMT was. When they first had them on the schedule they were on a tiny stage early in the day. They had moved them to later in the day on a much bigger stage, but still not either of the biggest stages. I think they may have had more people at their show than some of the headliners. When I got there, 15 minutes early mind you, it was a SEA of people. I tried to weave my way closer to the stage, but I was still so far away that I could hardly even hear the music or see the jumbo tron, much less the stage. Now, like I said I am all for trying out new bands, and I guess MGMT had the buzz factor going for them or something, but if you have no idea who a band is and you could not care less about seeing them then leave! Everyone around me was laughing, talking, etc (and by etc I mean smoking pot), and not listening at all. Literally when a song was over, I was the only person in a 20 person radius clapping because I was the only one who noticed that the song had ended. I was so disappointed. I am sure it was a really good show and all the people at the front were jumping around and waving their hands in the air like they just didn't care. Looked fun. I will have to catch them again sometime. =(

After this I had planned to get some dinner, but by crossed communications I ended up tracking my clan down to the John Fogerty concert. For those who don't know, Fogerty was the lead singer for Creedence Clearwater Revival. I like CCR, but don't know any purely Fogerty songs so I had decided to skip it. Well he ended up singing, I would say, mostly CCR songs so I was really glad that I caught it. It was a great show. I didn't see all of it, my stomach was calling, but what I did see rocked my socks off.

After getting some grub, we settled in to our seats to get ready for Allison Krause and Robert Plant. I had been so excited to see this show. I had their CD and loved it and of course, I mean, it's Robert Plant! (If you don't know who Robert Plant is, please google immediately and go oohhhh!) I thought this was one of the best shows of the weekend. I have decided that if I figure out how to make a time machine I am going to go back to my childhood and pursue the same track as Allison Krause. She is so freakin awesome. She has the voice of an angel, she is gorgeous and skinny and can play the violin/fiddle (is there a difference in the two?). Oh, and she's friend with Robert Freakin Plant! Their show was awesome. They did this sweet version of Black Dog and it was just a beautiful show.

Amanda and I stayed for that entire show, but Jared and Jason bolted a bit early to catch some of Beck who was headlining that night. I am honestly not a huge Beck fan, so we figured we would just catch the last half hour. We headed over and got there about 20 minutes before he was supposed to be done. We caught the last half of a song that I know, but now forget. Then he left the stage. We are thinking 'oh great we got here in time for the encore at least'. Nope, no encore, he just ended 20 minutes early. Weird. After that we walked back to the hotel and Amanda and Jared went to meet up with some friends. Those two have the most amazing stamina I just don't know how they do it. They ARE younger than me, but still.

Tomorrow...most interesting band and band I was most suprised that I totally loved.