ACL Weekend 2 Highlights: Saturday (10.12)

Had I known it was going to be the last day of ACL, I would have gone all out, but I didn’t foresee the future, so I only went mildly out.  Regardless, I was up bright and early, as one of my favorites, and perhaps one of the best acts, had an early slot.  

Shotgunned beer? Check.

Now on to my highlights and Brian’s photos. 

After spending much of Friday bouncing around, trying to squeeze in as many shows as possible, a la SXSW, I finally had come across a show that I could plop myself in front of, and enjoy the whole entire thing: Parquet Courts.  There’s a reason that these guys are so well loved in the world at the moment; they have energetic shows with roots in punk rock and garage, yet still maintaining this supreme level of accessibility.  Plus, I always appreciate how they put some of their stronger songs up in the front of the set, rather than making you salivate until the end.  I watched from start to finish, smiling and tapping the old toes for the entirety.

I spent the next couple of hours trying to find something to hold my attention, from HAIM to UT/OU Football, but nothing really grabbed at me until we caught Junip.  Sure, his sound and set may not be that exciting, in the grander scheme of a rock show, but the delicate intricacies of the band are always at play.  Jose Gonzalez’ soft voice was a perfect way to relax as the sun beat down upon my pasty white skin.  I’ll definitely keep my eyes peeled for the band’s next US tour so I can possibly grab them in a more intimate setting that will suit their sound.

And of course, The Cure.  You read my bio and you find out I had a mild obsession with eyeliner as a youngster, and that ridiculousness is owed entirely to my adoration of the group.  I’m pretty sure that everyone in the entire lawn, young and old, smiled for the first 1.5 hours of their set, as they played pretty much every well-known track out there in a race to make us joyously ignore the impending rain storm.  Unlike watching Depeche Mode the night before, I actually felt connected to the music here, transporting me back to my youth, yet wholly embracing the lasting impression the group has had throughout the years.  And yes, I don’t care if Robert Smith does look like a transgendered Jon Lovitz, his enthusiasm throughout the night inspired me to spend some quality time with my favorite act.  Just goes to show you that when you’ve got great songs, they’ll be great forever.

And then it rained, and then I ran. Racing back to our car with Brian hurriedly trying to protect his new Kodak camera from the torrential rains.  We fully expected to be back the next morning to have another go, but it was not meant to be.  Thanks to ACL for some special highlights, and we look forward to seeing you again next year.

Photog Note: Haim wasn’t great for me, but oddly photogenic. #bassface And there will be a ton more photos coming!