I love Austin, TX. Having spent four miserable years in Tallahassee, FL, I never thought I’d ever love another city in the South again. But man, there’s nothing like the Texas state capitol, what with their exquisite BBQ, trendy shops, bike-friendly atmosphere, and Torchy’s Tacos. Hell, our own News Editor Chris Coplan moved there prior to South by Southwest, and since then, he’s been much happier. No lie. He even bought a potbelly pig. Keepin’ things weird, right?
Anyways, when it comes to its other namesake festival, Austin City Limits, the city opens its arms once more for tourists looking to get away in the fall. Now, October has always been an odd month to throw a music festival, namely because it’s post-summer and several of the acts already have months behind them. Still, it’s the atmosphere that counts, and the way the terrifying Southern sun melts into a cool autumn breeze… there’s nothin’ like it.
This year’s lineup, like many festivals this year, has fans split. They love the idea of singing along with Eddie Vedder, and fear the prospects of running into a zoned out Skrillex fan. There’s something to love about them nabbing two hip-hop headliners, but also something unsurprising about them being Eminem and OutKast. As with any lineup, there are its highlights and omissions, its surprises and weak spots. Here’s how we cut it up.
Highlights
Pearl Jam
Fun fact: Pearl Jam haven’t been in Austin, TX since 2009. Back when they were supporting Backspacer, admittedly a far superior album to last year’s upsetting Lightning Bolt, the Seattle veterans performed two gigs. Now they’re back for two weekends and if you’ve never attended a Pearl Jam show, shame on you. But if you’ve never attended a Pearl Jam festival headlining set (there’s a difference, trust me), then you’re in for a rockin’ treat. Yes, I just used that adjective.
The Replacements
Photo by Ted Maider
It’s the tour that keeps on giving, and seeing as they’re not always on each and every lineup, it’s still a mild surprise to find Paul Westerberg popping up. Whereas those trendy Californians couldn’t care less for Minneapolis’ legendary brethren, I’m willing to bet that Austinites will show them some major love. Considering they’re down there for two weekends, and it’s not exactly Los Angeles in Texas, I’m praying to the gods-that-don’t-exist that ol’ Westie hits a few bars downtown with an acoustic guitar throughout the week. I’ll sell all my Disney blue chip stock (valued at .92 cents a month) to see that happen.
St. Vincent
Photo by Heather Kaplan
If you couldn’t tell from our recent discussions over in the Festival Outlook column, we really love St. Vincent. Enough that we’re willing to name festivals that include her some of our favorites of the year. Reason being, there really isn’t anyone like her right now, and though her latest self-titled album isn’t exactly 2011’s Strange Mercy, it’s 10x better on stage, where she channels her inner David Byrne and starts making more sense than we’d like to believe. Admittedly, she was just there during South by Southwest, but a fairly small crowd can fit in Stubb’s. Zilker Park, on the other hand…
Belle & Sebastian
Call me crazy (c’mon, do it), but I almost peed my pants a little when I saw Belle & Sebastian on the lineup. Last year, they headlined Pitchfork Music Festival, and it was hands down the best set of that weekend. Why? Stuart Murdoch isn’t your average frontman, and his on-stage banter and rapport is enough to rival their best material — and it’s pretty, pretty good stuff. While Austin will likely get a smaller set than we did over at Chicago’s Union Park, here’s hoping it’ll be proof that less is more. Whatever. This is the festival’s best booking.
