At Last, WIGD's Review Of Austin City Limits 2007!

[when_i_go_deaf]

You know I had this big grandiose write up I wanted to do on ACL, but I think a Cliff Notes version would be easier on me and anyone else who would have to read it:

The Good

The Arcade Fire. Totally worth the wait to see. My Gods, just amazing.

Peter Bjorn and John. Great set, 'specially for a bunch of Swedes suffering through the Texas heat.

Blonde Redhead. Good solid set.

Kaiser Chiefs. Ricky got so into the energy of the set that he gangked his knee while jumping down from the scaffolding on the side of the stage. That, and Ricky drew a smiley face on my CD booklet at the signing. He pretty much rocks period.

Reverend Horton Heat. FINALLY got to see him live. Well worth the wait.

Spoon. Did pretty well for playing on a humongous stage.

Queens Of The Stone Age. Sounded better than the last time I saw them.

Andrew Bird. This guy can never disappoint live. EVER.

The National. These guys should be bigger here in the States than they are. Awesome set.

Devotchka. I've liked these guys ever since I saw them open for the Dresden Dolls. Great set.

Regina Spektor. I'm sorry, but I think it's impossible for anyone who's met Regina in person to not fall in love her. To me, I just want to pick her up and give her a big bear hug every time I see that smile of her's. She just gives off the air of a little sister that you never knew you had. Even though she had to sign stuff for 300+ people, and then play an hour-long set in the late afternoon Texas sun, that smile never left her face. Just amazing.

The Surprising

Kevin McKinney. Never heard of him before the festival, but his brand of blues rock mixed some off-the-wall rockers were quite intriguing.

Cary Ann Hearst. My future wife. Seriously. The woman can croon with the best of Nashville's old schoolers, but she could send Janis Joplin flopping on her ass when she unleashed the full power of pipes. Love at first note.

Amy LaVere. Better live than on record.

Crowded House. The guys behind "Don't Dream It's Over" didn't sound too shabby.

The Sippy Cups. Psychedelic kiddie music. 'Nuff said there.

Dax Riggs. The guy from Deadboy & the Elephantmen sounds pretty damn good solo.

Muse. I'd seen them live on a smaller stage previously, but they owned the Saturday headlining slot in place of the White Stripes. Wow, what a show!

The Resentments. My friend and I left the festival early Sunday to go see these guys per the suggestion of my friend Kiki. I mainly wanted to see Jon Dee Graham, who is a solo artist as well as a member of the Resentments, but he and guitarist Stephen Bruton were not there that night. It wasn't that big of a loss because I was blown away by the other 3/5 of the band that was there at the Saxson Pub that night. These guys can all play, and their songwriting chops are as sharp if not better than their considerable skill at their instruments. Amazing, amazing stuff.

The Disappointing

Jesse Malin. Meh.

Heartless Bastards. Really need another guitarist to fatten up their live sets.

M.I.A. Not impressed with her at all, at least not on an open-air stage.

LCD Soundsystem. We didn't catch much if any of their set. Grr.

Steve Earle. His set was OK, but MAN what a grouch for the signing.

Bjork. A blaise set from Ms. Iceland. At least I can finally say I saw her live.

Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah. Almost as disappointing as their new album.

Bloc Party. Not a big stage, open-air festival band. At all.

Patterson Hood. Sorry Patterson, your solo stuff just doesn't do much for me. Stick with the Drive-By Truckers buddy.

Missing Bob Dylan, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, the Decemberists, and Ghostland Observatory because of burnout Sunday night.

Photo gallery of all the stuff I got signed by some of the artists there.

Comments

[elfslut.livejournal.com]

Crowded House are just awesome...So is there new record even though it's not getting any airplay.

[when-i-go-deaf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I hadn't heard their new album until I got home. 'Tis good stuff, it tis it tis.