Concerts: October 2008 Archives

Neko Case

The last day of ACL was a bit slow, but after all the fun of the previous two days, preshows and aftershows, I was ready for a little slow. Photo gallery day three.

Nicole Atkins is a rising star, providing what she calls "pop noir" and is a bit reminiscent of Roy Orbison. And then their is Gillian Welch, who had Allison Krauss joining her on stage for a bit of a O Brother reunion, performing Don't Leave Nobody but the Baby for an electric moment.

Stars played their melodic pop, closing with Your Ex-Lover is dead and turning in a workman like performance.

Neko Case was a highlight today, using her voice to totally take over on the large stage, leaving one wondering how much she would completely anihilate a smaller venue. The sound on her show was some of the best of the festival, with her voice rising and falling in her trademark style.

Austin's own Okkervil River is doing some new work from their just released latest album The Stand Ins. Their Unless It's Kick is still stellar and uplifting.

The Raconteurs, winning the prize for the loudest bass coming from their stage, to the point of painfulness even with earplugs, rocked through their set it more than adequate guitar work. Jack White seems to really relish this work.

Band of Horses, of Seattle, is one of Sub Pops records latest finds, is soaring and dark at the same time. The crowd loves them and so do I. Can't wait to see them next time around.

Kevin Fowler of Austin provided one last kick in the but country, and of course Foo Fighters headlined the last night. But I had had my fill, and not being a big Foo fan, headed for the exit.

Some favorite t-shirts from the weekend included:
My football team can beat up your football team
Keep Dallas Pretentious
I smell like strippers
and
Chick Kryptonite

Overall a very good year in Austin. A bit of dust, a bit of sound bleed, but the lineup, the people, the attitude, and of course Austin itself make this festival one of the best in the country. Til next year, enjoy!

Story and photos by David Sprague

Gillian Welch and Allison Krauss revisit O Brother

Allison Krauss and Robert Plant
Day two at ACL brought some chances to see some bands I've been waiting to see for quite a while, as well as some old friends. ACL Day Two photo gallery

Fleet Foxes are a band that is going places, and after they get from their UK and Australia tours we will get a chance to see them here in Southern Calfiornia. Their singer said "We just don't know how to communicate on this scale" when faced with one of their bigger audiences at the festival. After playing a couple of their longer rambling pieces someone in the crowd yells out "One more song!" which draws a laugh and the band says they think they have one or two left. Harmonizing on White Winter Hymnal is as good as anything from the sixties in my book and is just plain mesmerizing. It does seem a little early, just after noon, to be hearing this sort of thing. Around midnite would be better and I can't wait to catch them here in our city in some dark nightclub.
The Fratellis
The latest Brit band to take up the mantle of Franz Ferdinand are the Fratellis. Their videos are definitely something to check out as they are highly entertaining. Chelsea Dagger and Flathead certainly define their style.

Athens band Drive-By Truckers got a little bit of a slow start and didn't even seem like the same band I've seen in the past. Maybe it was a little too much sunshine or their darker country moments.
Dancing to MGMT
MGMT had the kids dancing with their one, two, three punch of their best songs, Electric Feel, Time to Pretend and Kids. Who couldn't dance to this stuff? Maybe we will see them in LA next year after their European/Japanese tour finishes.

Bright Eyes front man musical boy genius Conor Oberst is touring with the Mystic Valley band, and has some pretty good licks up his sleeve. He seems to be changing identities almost as much as Madonna. Conor Oberst






The highlight of the day, if not the whole festival came when Robert Plant and Allison Krauss did Blackdog, slow, nearly acapella, with a fiddle filling in for the guitar lead. The crowd was dead silent, listening to something they had never hear before, something very familiar but completely different at the same time. It was a work of genius, with even old hands at the music critic game exclaiming "That was cool!" as soon as it was over, complete with goosebumps.

Photos and story by David Sprague

Krauss solo

Vampire Weekend
The seventh version of the Austin City Limits Music Festival once again proved why this gathering of musical acts is so popular. The range of music, quality of acts and performances, sound, atmosphere, food and people are all great, with something for everyone and more than a little bit of "you had to be there."

Photo gallery Day One
Kicking off the fest on Friday was Vampire Weekend, the ultimate buzz band of the summer. Their quirky, poppy, crowd pleasing set set the tone for the weekend, with the crowd into the music from the first chord. And I know I'm getting older, but with them fresh out of college they looked like high schoolers to me.
Louis XIV
Louis XIV ramped up the rock in short order early in the day. I had heard they were great last year, but missed them, so made a point to catch them this time. Their "Finding out true love is blind" is great rock and sounds nearly like some of the recent Brit bands to invade. Lo and behold they hail from San Diego.

Patty Griffin, ever the fab, tries to come out for an encore to sing something solo acapella, but sound bleedover from another stage caused her to cut it short and call back the band. In years past the volume levels of the different stages seemed to be under control, with balance between quiet and loud bands, but this year returned a bit to the problematics of running eight stages in an outdoor venue.

Gypsy punks Gogol Bordello did their mixup of the Clash, the Pogues and the Gypsy Kings and the crowd went wild. They easily won the "most energy of any band at the festival" award. Formed in New York, the eastern European group of eight certainly provide fine theatre and musical jams. Frontman Eugene Hütz lists Hendrix and Parliament-Funkadelic as influential to their sound. It shows.

Gogol Bordello

Jenny Lewis

Native Angeleno Jenny Lewis took the stage in the Washington Mutual tent to a huge overflow crowd. She is jazzed about her new record Acid Tongue and for good reason. The title track gives her a chance to strut her stuff solo. At other times a little wurlitzer and vintage guitar sound really accentuates her voice and makes one continue to wonder if they like her better by herself or as part of Rilo Kiley. But thank goodness it doesn't have to be one or the other.

Ryan Bingham
Next up Ryan Bingham, the 26-year-old whose country songs are way, way wiser than his age, puts out a set that is part pure country, then pure country rock to the delight of the crowd. Anyone who is a fan of that genre should definitely check him out. His backstory of being a bullrider, drifter and oil hand is one that is too true to be believed, but it injects his songs with an authenticity that can't be faked. Anyone prone to the genre will instantly like his stuff.

Listening in on N.E.R.D. from a distance, one hears a cover of a White Stripes song that is pretty surprising. Others later tell me that they are different than expected and put on a great show.

The Swell Season creates an intimacy with their audience immediately at the beginning of their set with their honest openness. Still somewhat unknown despite the success of the film Once, people are getting to know and appreciate them. Falling Slowly is a truly touching song that affects all but the most cynical.

Manu Chao, aka José-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao, finishes off the evening with his Spanish - French influence summed up in the song El Hoyo. Manu Chao

Photos and story by David Sprague