AUSTIN CITY LIMITS 2012 RECAP

Posted by mimada on October 17, 2012

Austin City Limit’s promising lineup resulted in a weekend that was, without a question, one for the books. The sold-out festival denied no music lover. From toddlers on their parents’ shoulders to fist pumping grandpas, hippies carrying flags made out of bras to Natalie Portman and Ryan Gosling, the experience was as enticing to see as it was to hear. In the time that I wasn’t chowing down on truffle mac and cheese and watermelon topped with warm goat cheese and Pop Rocks (yes, it’s a real thing), or indulging in unicorn Texas T-shirts, I managed to witness some of today’s, but also yesterday’s, most impressive musicians. Every performance left me in a state of awe, thinking it must be true what they say in the South: God blessed Texas.

After a week of torrential downpours, Friday was greeted with sunny skies and nearly full attendance for the first day of the festival. The first thing I heard walking in the festival was A-Trak’s set from the Honda Stage. Be it the dirty party anthems or fedora and leather vest get-up, A-Trak’s set was one of the most memorable of the weekend. If you missed both his performance and the live stream, then it is imperative you download the September Diplo & Friends BBC R1xtra here.

Florence + The Machine cast a spell over the audience over at Bud Light. Florence Welch, in her fairytale vixen nature, sung her heart and soul out on stage while she greeted fans she recognized from previous shows and gave a particularly enthusiastic audience member two kisses on the cheek. If only we could all be as free-spirited as her.

The day’s biggest disappointment was M83’s sound system, which prevented the music from being heard anywhere other than the front row. AVICII’s closing performance made up for anyone still hungry for EDM. Standing on top of the world, or his LED head as it played images of Earth, AVICII dropped a brand new set, a perfect blend of dub, progressive house, and most of his classic tracks.

However I opted for rock n’ roll that night. No technology in the world could match the sounds of The Black Keys live. Lead singer Dan Auerbach’s sexy, raspy voice could have serenaded me all night. The highlight (ha!) of the performance was when the band began playing “Everlasting Light” and a disco ball the size of the Capitol’s dome lowered onto the stage. Take that, AVICII.

Now normally, rain is a music festival’s worst enemy. Yet somehow, Saturday’s set and the stormy showers were a match made in heaven. The light sprinkle at the start of the day cooled down fans who were overwhelmed by the sexy, mellow yet electric singer of Metric, and the party at the Honda Stage starring Big K.R.I.T. and surprise guest Slim Thug. Then, thousands of fans and their flags swayed back and forth to the simple songs of The Shins.

Later that afternoon, the crowd at the Honda Stage grew to be enormous as fans waited in agonizing silence for the next act. All of a sudden, bass erupted from the speakers as Big Gigantic, saxophone and all, appeared on stage. Almost a second later, out of nowhere, rain started to pour ruthlessly down on the crowd. And the crowd cheered the most excited roar I’ve ever heard. Big Gigantic couldn’t have paid for a better intro. The dancing in the rain lasted the entire set, and memories of it lasted the whole weekend. The next day I was talking to a few old guys about the festival. When I asked who their favorite artist was, all one had to say was “in the rain” before we began shouting out each of our experiences from that set.

On Sunday, Two Door Cinema Club sang their amazing, summery anthems in 90-degree weather as the crowd jumped and sang along to “Eat That Up It’s Good For You” and “What You Know.” Following that, Die Antwoord’s show stunned the crowd, and for fans who weren’t daring enough to handle the freaky duo, DJ Mel was the perfect cover for the recovering singer of The Weeknd.

Crystal Castle’s performance definitely stands out among the rest from ACL. The set’s theatrics were a captivating background as fans supported vocalist Alice Glass while she literally walked (and sometimes rolled) over the audience. Their finale, an extended remix of “Courtship Dating,” left me thirsty for more of their mind-bending music (this video only gives you a taste of the madness).

The raging Iggy & The Stooges was a reminder that rock n’ roll will forever live on, and Red Hot Chili Peppers could only emphasize that further. RHCP’s show featured hit after hit, followed by crazy acrobatic and improv sessions by the band players themselves and visuals that made my feel like I was living out their “Snow (Hey Oh)” video in real life. After the encore performance of “Give It Away Now,” Flea got on the mic and demanded fans to continue to support live music. He proceeded to mention every type of music you could imagine, from Mary Had A Little Lamb to the homeless violin player on the street. “We humbly f—ing thank you for coming. Support live music. It’s the voice of the people.” At that, I left speechless.

Next year ACL will follow the trend of music festivals such as Ultra and Coachella by being held over the course of two weekends, so you’ll never have to decide between OU vs. Texas and good music again. Don’t miss out on Early Bird ticket sales, beginning October 26th!

Follow ACL Festival on Twitter for more presale ticket opportunities, recaps, and updates for next year here.