A second day of rain at ACL. It was much needed to quench the Austin drought but also helped cool off the show. And it was a good, hard rain, too. It's amazing how different being soaked from rain feels from being soaked in your own sweat. Rain definitely feels better.
Today, 17 September, I saw:
1. Telekinesis! (Seattle)
2. The Antlers
3. Twin Shadow
4. Phosphorescent
5. Young the Giant
6. City and Colour
7. Alexander
8. Iron & Wine
9. Fitz and the Tantrums (Los Angeles)
10. Cut Copy (Australia)
11. TV on the Radio (NYC)
12. My Morning Jacket
Telekinesis! was fantastic per usual. As a rule, I usually don't listen to the bands I'm going to see that day beforehand. But Telekinesis! (Michael Benjamin Lerner) is such addictive, poppy fun that I broke that rule today.
Twin Shadow was great, again. I just saw him last week in Atlanta at the EARL with Diamond Ring. I have the Atlanta t-shirt for his Clean Cuts tour (each city is treated to its own hairstyle by George Lewis, Jr.) but didn't want to be "that guy" at the show. But George's ACL cut was very similar to the Atlanta. I believe it was basically the same set list including a new track they've been working on.
I could be wrong, but I think I caught a glimpse of Kurt Vile peeping from backstage during the Phosphorescent set. It *was* raining and my glasses were covered in rain.
Per the recommendation of an (ex)friend, I went to see Fitz and the Tantrums. They are energetic, interactive, and proficient musicians, but I just wasn't feeling their "neo soul" flavor. It's nothing against them. I just prefer my dance music with more snyths and drum machines. They did play covers of The Raconteurs "Stead, As She Goes" and the Eurhythmics "Sweet Dreams."
But I did enjoy the heck out of Cut Copy. And you can bet yours that I shook my hiney off. Really wish I could make the time to see them in Athens, GA in a week and a half. They're playing with Washed Out at the recently restored Georgia Theater.
I've never been a big fan of the studio recordings of My Morning Jacket. Seeing them live, however, is a different story. While I'm certainly not going to drop my life and follow Yim Yames et al around a la Stan Smith[1], I did thoroughly enjoy MMJ. The backdrop was a giant eye (or maybe a sun, I dunno, it was kind of vague) and behind the band were 5 rectangles that displayed various flashing designs in lights. It didn't compare to the stage production values of the Kanye show. But who could? Kanye always gotta do it bigger than everybody else. That's how Kanye ego do. For the last third of the set the Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans joined them onstage.
One day of ACL left. Tomorrow's headliner is the Arcade Fire!
[1] American Dad S5E07 My Morning Straitjacket
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