Sunday, September 28, 2008

Austin City Limits bits: Day two

By Erin Rice

Saturday was hot one, temperature-wise. Unfortunately the music couldn't really hold the same scorching intensity. While there were a few bands that held my attention, for the most part, the cool mist fan stations were the main attraction.

As we entered Zilker Park, the distinctive Old 97's sound was coming from the main AT&T stage. As much as DFW loves their hometown band, Austin loves it some twangy Americana. Even so early in the day, their stage area was packed. Being already familiar with the 97s, we headed to the other end of the park to check out Fleet Foxes. A fairly straight forward gospel folk sound, they are great music to contemplate to, but not necessarily to sweat it out in a festival to.

MGMT

One of the highlights of the day, and a change of pace from the folk and country pervading the festival, was Bavu Blakes. Showing his versatility, Blakes, with a cameo by Pikahsso, played everything from more hyped hip-hip (when I say something, you say something else) to "Bad Moon Rising." Pikahsso had the crowd classically jerking their arms from left to right as he made everyone chant Bavu over and over again.

MGMT had all the kids in their neon glasses bouncing around to the electro-pop-rock sound, which in the live atmosphere, is a tad less electro than on their album. One of the main attractions for the younger people and dance-happy, 80s flashback older people at the concert, the standing area for MGMT was full a half hour before before they took the stage.

John Fogerty played a whole host of classics as fans of all ages sang along, but The Black Keys a stage over stole the night with their classic blues-rock influence.

Beck

One of the top billed acts of the night was Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, who reworked some Led Zeppelin hits. According to fans who spent more time at that stage than I, the standing bass was "wicked" and their backing band was "so good." However, after the respectful first few songs, a majority of the crowd, who can now say they saw Robert Plant live, headed over to the Beck stage.

Beck, sporting his long hairdo of late, played a number of older hits and then some new songs that were a bit foreign to the Odelay-lovers among us. While "Loser," "Where It's At," and "Summer Girl," among others, were performed fairly true to form, "Devil's Haircut" was reworked to be far less 90s angst than the radio version. Overall, his set was interesting, but the "Devil's Haircut" remix was displeasing. Granted, it was the song I was most looking forward to.

It wasn't a bad group of bands, if you were picky in who you chose to watch, but the genius of last year was the ability to walk around and be inspired by new music. Saturday was not that for me. Hopefully Sunday will be a little better.

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