Austin City Limits Music Festival

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Austin City Limits Music Festival

The Austin City Limits Music Festival is a music and art festival in Austin , Texas , held over a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday towards the end of September. The Festival is produced by Capital Sports & Entertainment (CSE) and Charles Attal Presents (CAP), and takes place in Zilker Park . The Festival brings together a blend of more than 130 bands on eight stages, including rock, roots, indie, Americana, country, reggae, and hip-hop. Austin City Limits won Pollstar's 2005 Festival of the Year Award.

2006

Although the official lineup will be released on May 18 , 2006 , confirmations have been made through various sources:

Son Volt , Los Lonely Boys , The New Pornographers , The Shins , KT Tunstall , Matisyahu and Ben Harper have confirmed their appearances through an official scavenger hunt.

The Flaming Lips and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers have confirmed on their websites that they are playing this year's festival.

Elvis Perkins In D , Melissa Reaves , Eli Young Band and Robyn Ludwick have confirmed their appearances on their MySpace profiles.

Pollstar lists Son Volt , Asleep At The Wheel , Jack Ingram , Buckwheat Zydeco , The Greencards , John Mayer , The BoDeans , and The Subdudes as performers for this year's festival.

Austin community website Austin 360 claims that Massive Attack will attend.

The '' Austin Chronicle '' states that The Black Angels and Centro-Matic are confirmed ( April 27 , 2006 ).

2005

Lineup

Coldplay , ''' Widespread Panic ''', ''' Oasis ''', ''' The Black Crowes ''', ''' The Allman Brothers Band ''', ''' Wilco ''', ''' Roky Erickson and The Explosives ''', ''' Robert Randolph & The Family Band ''', ''' Lyle Lovett & His Large Band ''', ''' John Prine ''', ''' Lucinda Williams ''', Buddy Guy , Jet , Dierks Bentley , Thievery Corporation , The Arcade Fire , Death Cab For Cutie , Bob Mould Band , Built To Spill , Bloc Party , Steve Earle & The Dukes with guest Allison Moorer , Blues Traveler , Franz Ferdinand , Gov't Mule , The Drive-By Truckers , Kasabian , Zap Mama , Robert Earl Keen , Keane , Tortoise , Doves , The Black Keys , Kaiser Chiefs , Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon , The Walkmen , Jason Mraz , Rilo Kiley , Spoon , The Decemberists , The Bravery , Eisley , Blue October , Grupo Fantasma , Kermit Ruffins , The Dirty Dozen Brass Band , Rev. Dan Willis & The All Nations Choir, Morgan Heritage , Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca , Ruthie Foster , DeSol , The Frames , Mates Of State , Martin Sexton , The Fiery Furnaces , Aterciopelados , Asleep At The Wheel , M83 , Tegan And Sara , Mike Doughty's Band , Split Lip Rayfield , Rachael Yamagata , Bobby Bare, Jr. , MOFRO , The New Amsterdams , Ambulance LTD , Slightly Stoopid , Dios Malos , Brave Combo , Aqualung , Dave Alvin & The Guilty Men , John Butler Trio , Bruce Robison , What Made Milwaukee Famous , Kevin Fowler , Jack Ingram , Cory Morrow , Grady , The Weary Boys , Wayne "The Train" Hancock , Monte Warden , Zykos , Soundteam , Asylum Street Spankers , Pong , Oliver Future , The Real Heroes , Bukka Allen , Hairy Apes BMX , Nic Armstrong & The Thieves , The Lost Trailers , The Gospel Stars , Donna The Buffalo , The Shields Of Faith , Star Kids Yoga , The Jones Family Singers , South Austin Jug Band , The Lighthouse Singers , Kacy Crowley , Casey McPherson , Tristan Prettyman , The Massacoustics , Joe McDermott , Sara Hickman , Anthropos , The Palm Elementary School Choir, Lucas Miller , Imagination Movers , Free Sõl , Jeff Black , KJAE , Austin Hartley-Leonard , Maneja Beto , Austin Collins Band , The Biscuit Brothers , Patrick Davis , Kelley Hunt , Kate York , The Experiment Experience .

Last minute replacement acts included Deadboy And Elephantmen , The Texiles featuring members of The Iguanas , The Double , and more

Several acts were scheduled to appear, but cancelled due to transportation issues arising from Hurricane Rita, they included:
Bettye LaVette , Nine Black Alps , Kathleen Edwards , Mindy Smith , Ditty Bops , Missy Higgins , Los Aterciopelados and Naturally 7 and numerous others.

2004

The 2004 festival had eight stages, and, on the second day of the festival, a top attendance of 75,000 people.

Lineup

American Analog Set , Terry Allen , Trey Anastasio , Anthropos Arts Student Band , Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra , Asleep At The Wheel , Marcia Ball , Bobby Bare, Jr. , The Bells Of Joy , Big Head Todd And The Monsters , The Biscuit Brothers , The Blind Boys Of Alabama , Broken Social Scene , Doyle Bramhall , Marc Broussard , Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown , Solomon Burke , Henry Butler , John Butler Trio , Cake , Calexico , Roseanne Cash , Cat Power , Troy Campbell , Neko Case , Centro-matic , Cooper's Uncle , Elvis Costello And The Imposters , Sheryl Crow , Kacy Crowley , Dashboard Confessional , Howie Day , Deadman , The Dirty Dozen Brass Band , Drive-By Truckers , The Durdens , Electric Church , Joe Ely , Endochine , Franz Ferdinand , Guy Forsyth , Donavon Frankenreiter , David Garza , The Gospelaires , The Gourds , The Greencards , G. Love & Special Sauce , Gomez , Pat Green , Patty Griffin , Butch Hancock , Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals , Earl Harvin Trio , Terri Hendrix , The Holmes Brothers , The Honorary Title , Jack Ingram , Mason Jennings , Jack Johnson , The Killers , Dayna Kurtz , Ben Kweller , Los Lonely Boys , Ray Lamontagne , Tucker Livingston , Louque , Shelby Lynne , Joe McDermott , Medeski Martin & Wood , Lucas Miller , The Mighty Sincere Voices Of Navasota , Monte Montgomery , Abra Moore , Modest Mouse , MOFRO , Trish Murphy , My Morning Jacket , The Neville Brothers , New Monsoon , North Mississippi Allstars , Old 97's , Ollabelle , Palm Elementary Choir , Papa Mali , Particle , Patrice Pike , The Pierces , The Pixies , Davis Raines , Rebirth Brass Band , Reckless Kelly , Bruce Robison , The Roots , Rose Hill Drive , Josh Rouse , Bob Schneider , The Shields Of Faith , The Slip , The Soundtrack Of Our Lives , Slightly Stoopid , Sloan , Mindy Smith , Spoon , Samantha Stollenwerck , Star Kid's Yoga , The Legendary Soul Stirrers , Tea Leaf Green , Toots & The Maytals , Trout Fishing In America , J.T. Van Zandt , Rachael Yamagata , Warrior , The Wailers , Walter "Wolfman" Washington & The Roadmasters , Dale Watson , Jason White , Holly Williams , Kelly Willis , Wilco , Willy Mason

2003

Lineup

Asleep At The Wheel , The Bells Of Joy , Jane Bond , Ellida Bonet , Doyle Bramhall , Bright Eyes , Richard Buckner , Burke Sisters , Café Tacvba , Shawn Camp , Caitlin Cary , Rosanne Cash , The Charlie Hunter Trio , Cody ChesnuTT , W.C. Clark , Gary Clark, Jr. , Shawn Colvin , Corn Mo , Cowgirl Sue , Cross Canadian Ragweed , The Damnations , The Dandy Warhols , Del Castillo , Karl Denson's Tiny Universe , The Derailers , The Donavon Frankenreiter Band , Drive By Truckers , The Durdens , Steve Earle & The Dukes , Tim Easton , John Eddie , Marcus Eddie , Electric Church , Endochine , The Faithful Gospel Singers , Jay Farrar , Joe Firstman , Ruthie Foster , Michael Franti & Spearhead , G. Love & Special Sauce , Galactic , Davíd Garza , The Gospel Stars , The Gospelaires , The Gourds , Al Green , Pat Green , Patty Griffin , Wayne Hancock , Ed Harcourt , Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals , Terri Hendrix , Sara Hickman , Jack Ingram , The Jellydots , Mason Jennings , Jack Johnson , Robert Earl Keen , Justin King , Kaki King , Kings Of Leon , Jeff Klein , Ben Kweller , Jimmy Lafave , Miranda Lambert , Leftover Salmon , Los Lobos , Los Lonely Boys , The Mavericks , Joe McDermott , Kevin McKinney , Tift Merritt , Midlake , The Mighty Sincere Voices Of Navasota , Abra Moore , Ian Moore , Alexi Murdoch , Beaver Nelson , Nickel Creek , North Mississippi Allstars , O.A.R. , Old 97's , Beth Orton , Particle , Liz Phair , The Pierces , Patrice Pike , The Polyphonic Spree , Robert Randolph & The Family Band , Rebirth Brass Band , Reckless Kelly , Pauline Reese , REM , Josh Ritter , Bruce Robison , Craig Ross , Kermit Ruffins , Bob Schneider , Martin Sexton , Billy Joe Shaver , The Shields Of Faith , The Shins , Small Wonders Puppet Theatre , Mindy Smith , Soulive , Spacetruck , Spoon , Mavis Staples , String Cheese Incident , Paul Thorn , Topaz , J.T. Van Zandt , Julieta Venegas , Monte Warden , Warrior , Ween , Keller Williams , Lucinda Williams , Steve Winwood , Yo La Tengo , Dwight Yoakam , Sue Young , Yonder Mountain String Band , Natalie Zoe

2002

2002 was the inagural year of the festival. Unlike subsequent years, it was a 2-day event only.

Lineup

Ryan Adams , Asleep At The Wheel , Jon Bonamassa, Jane Bond, Blind Boys Of Alabama , Caitlin Cary, Gary Clark, Jr., W.C. Clark, Shawn Colvin , Cross Canadian Ragweed, Karl Denson , The Derailers, Durden Family Singers, Eyes Adrift , Faithful Gospel Stars, Ruthie Foster, David Garza, Gospel Stars, The Gourds, Jon Dee Graham, Pat Green , Patty Griffin , Emmylou Harris , Caroline Herring, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Kevin McKinney, Li'l Cap'n Travis, Los Lobos , Luna, James McMurtry, Mighty Sincere Voices of Navasota, Monte Montgomery, Abra Moore, Allison Moorer, The New Deal, Olospo, Original Bells of Joy, Particle, Patrice Pike & The Black Box, Robert Randolph, Rebellion, Rebirth Brass Band, Reckless Kelly, Rana, Bob Schneider, Soulive, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Spacetruck, String Cheese Incident , Topaz, Weary Boys, Gillian Welch , Kelly Willis, Wilco

CRITICISMS

Although in a very short time the Austin City Limits Music Festival has joined Bonnaroo and the Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival as the United States’ premier rock festivals it has not been beyond criticism.

Relevance to television series

The historic '' Austin City Limits '' television series focused for many years on Texas singer/songwriters, country and folk performers, and instrument specialists. That is changing as the award-winning television series now mirrors the Festival lineup and spotlights artists of every musical genre from rhythm and blues to rock, jazz, and alternative. Performers on the PBS show in recent years have included Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Etta James, Wilco, Trey Anastasio, Franz Ferdinand, John Prine, Keith Urban, Ben Harper, Elvis Costello, and many more.

Weather

Although the festival website claims the average high in Austin for the last two weeks of September is 88 degrees Fahrenheit, the highs for 2004 during the festival were 96, 96, and 93. In 2005 the highs were 98, 99, and 107. Exacerbating the problem is the lack of shade in Zilker Park . The park is grassy during the early summer, but in previous years grass is trampled during the festival and the conditions get dusty. For 2006, ACL is working with the City of Austin to install a massive irrigation system to eliminate dust concerns during the Festival. Organizers insist that the festival can not be moved into October due to conflicts with hotel room availability on UT football weekends, increased chance of rain, and the reduced chance of booking a band on a summer tour. The festival does allow attendees to bring 2 factory sealed water bottles, and has reasonably priced food and drinks compared to other festivals.

Hurricane Rita

In 2005 Houston evacuated for Hurricane Rita . Evacuees attempting to make hotel reservations in Austin found that the hotels were all booked, many of them by concert-goers. While some evacuees opted to drive as far as Tulsa and Oklahoma City for private hotel accommodations, City of Austin official determined that requisitioning hotel rooms reserved by concert-goers unnecessary because other facilities such as the Austin Convention Center provided ample space for temporary housing. Nevertheless, the festival did receive some criticism for not forcing attendees to cancel their reserved rooms. The festival considered delaying the start due to the highly unpredictable weather created by the hurricane, but were able to keep to the original schedule when meteorologists determined that severe weather was unlikely. This was not known until the day before the opening, which also attracted some criticism from out-of-towners who were uncertain about traveling. However, the festival had to be concerned with safety and it wasn't until the day before that it became apparent that the aftermath of Rita would bypass Austin. The only actual sign of Rita was t-shirts stating "Rita Hates Music".

Perspective

Austin City Limits is the must-see event in Texas for rock music fans. Major metropolitan areas Dallas and Houston are each within a 3 hour drive of Austin and have no similar events. After selling 75,000 tickets on Saturday in 2004, organizers capped attendance at 65,000 for 2005 (the cap was met on Saturday and Sunday). While a trip to Bonnaroo or the Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival most likely involves camping, Austin has plentiful cheap hotel rooms and Zilker Park is in the middle of the city.

REFERENCES

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EXTERNAL LINKS

Austin City Limits Festival