Where to start with Day 3. I guess with the beginning. We had planned to park at Austin High School, but the lot was closed for some church. So we scrambled and found a $10 parking spot at the Mean Eyed Cat.It was actually a really good spot. Took a walk across the hike and bike bridge under Mopac over Lady Bird Lake which dropped us off right by the north entrance to ACL Fest. It's a pretty cool walk by Johnson Creek under several overpasses. We figured the shuttle buses after Dylan would be a nightmare. This was easy in easy out with no waiting.
Our goal was to get there in time for Robert Earl Keen, and we made it in plenty of time. Parked our chairs at the AMD stage. This was our biggest group of the weekend...11 of us.
Robert Earl must have thought we were at Bonnaroo, because he broke out his jam band set. Started out with a 9 minute version of Dreadful Selfish Crime and ended up with a 13 minute version of The Road Goes on Forever. After several songs, one of our group commented "he sure didn't check with me when he made the playlist..." He did mix in many of his favorites: Corpus Christi Bay and Feelin' Good Again. The oddest moment was when he told a long story about being accosted by grandma's from Comanche in the parking lot for not playing Merry Christmas From The Family. This song definitely did not fit in the 90+ degree heat.
He was also dressed in a somewhat ridiculous outfit: cowboy hat, t-shirt, khaki's tucked into boots, and a Kenny Rogers beard.
Headed over to watch a little Common as well as watch some Cowboys vs. Dolphins in the air conditioned AT&T Digital Oasis. (Cowboys win!) Air conditioning creates lines. Once we were in, though, sweet, sweet cool air. Checked my fantasy football. (I win!)
Because Bloc Party was right there at AT&T stage, I watched a couple songs while Becky got us Salt Lick.
mmmm. Salt Lick.Once we got back to our camp, I was offered a wristband to go backstage for Wilco! We went to get in line, but, alas, the only thing I got out of it was this:
After hearing about 45 minutes of the show standing in line to get backstage, I decided I wasn't missing any more and went back to our seats. Lance Armstrong of course had no problem getting in... Thanks for thinking of me with the pass, KG! Too bad it didn't work out.
Fortunately, I caught the best 3o minutes of the whole weekend. The end of Wilco's show was amazing. Jeff Tweedy played the combo of Red Eyed and Blue and I Got You from Being There and then closed out with a really strong set. The sound was really tight from our seats and we had a great view. At least I got to see the best part!
Once Dylan started, the place became a mad house. The volume was low and nobody could see. Couple that with not being able to understand Dylan anyway. And, for some reason, the video screens only showed two shots: a far away full stage shot and a not as far away half screen shot. No closeups at all. About half of the people decided this was the time to move closer, and they took any means necessary to do it. Moving chairs. Moving people. Anything to just get a little closer. The walkways were in complete gridlock, so the only way to get closer was to go through the crowd.
After hearing about 45 minutes of the show standing in line to get backstage, I decided I wasn't missing any more and went back to our seats. Lance Armstrong of course had no problem getting in... Thanks for thinking of me with the pass, KG! Too bad it didn't work out.
Fortunately, I caught the best 3o minutes of the whole weekend. The end of Wilco's show was amazing. Jeff Tweedy played the combo of Red Eyed and Blue and I Got You from Being There and then closed out with a really strong set. The sound was really tight from our seats and we had a great view. At least I got to see the best part!
After relaxing for a bit from Wilco's show, we went to grab some seats for Bob Dylan. What a cluster.
Imagine 65,000 people all going to the same place at the same time. With limited space to walk and trying to navigate around the Decemberists' show to get there. And everyone stopping to take piss and get a beer on the way.
We finally found an open spot pretty far from the stage. Basically gave up trying to walk any further. The Decemberists were wrapping up and we could hear really well from our spots. Because we were so far back. O Valencia! is a freakin' great song and we could see/hear perfectly.
Imagine 65,000 people all going to the same place at the same time. With limited space to walk and trying to navigate around the Decemberists' show to get there. And everyone stopping to take piss and get a beer on the way.
We finally found an open spot pretty far from the stage. Basically gave up trying to walk any further. The Decemberists were wrapping up and we could hear really well from our spots. Because we were so far back. O Valencia! is a freakin' great song and we could see/hear perfectly.
Once Dylan started, the place became a mad house. The volume was low and nobody could see. Couple that with not being able to understand Dylan anyway. And, for some reason, the video screens only showed two shots: a far away full stage shot and a not as far away half screen shot. No closeups at all. About half of the people decided this was the time to move closer, and they took any means necessary to do it. Moving chairs. Moving people. Anything to just get a little closer. The walkways were in complete gridlock, so the only way to get closer was to go through the crowd.
About 3o minutes into the show, suddenly the exodus began. The walkways reversed and people streamed out. It was like the tide had shifted from High tide to Low tide. You know how it is. The tides they are a changin'. For the next 15 minutes thousands and thousands of festival goers left. It just went on and on and on. The good thing is this allowed us to get close enough to see and hear! So, see and hear we did. The last half hour of the show was great. The crowd was really into it. The people who didn't care in the first place were gone.
The show was good but it was absolutely the wrong setting for Bob Dylan. Wrong for his fans. Wrong for the festival. Wrong for everybody.
With everything done and everybody hot, sweaty and just generally beat from the weekend, it was time to go home. (With a Whataburger detour of course.)
Can't wait for next year!
The show was good but it was absolutely the wrong setting for Bob Dylan. Wrong for his fans. Wrong for the festival. Wrong for everybody.
With everything done and everybody hot, sweaty and just generally beat from the weekend, it was time to go home. (With a Whataburger detour of course.)
Can't wait for next year!
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