peacefulness
10-06-2009, 11:35 PM
So, of course, I saw our boys Sunday at the Austin City Limits festival. I'm going to give a very brief and possibly incoherent synopsis, as I have yet to catch up on my sleep from being out so very late Sunday evening. I am currently uploading pictures to my Myspace as I type. (Not Facebook though, as it is rather uncooperative as of late).
So my guy and I arrived at Zilker Park at about 1:30 in the afternoon - just enough time to set up and get 'comfortable' for the B-52s. After parking downtown, and walking over the river and through the woods (literally), we walked through the gates and stood before one massive mud pit. You see, Texas has been in a bit of a drought for the passed few years really... up until about mid-September. It has been raining just about everyday pretty much every since. Plus, there was a down pour most of that morning. There are pictures of some mud patches, but that won't even begin to describe the mess. This must have been what Woodstock was like in '69... only I think this was much more hot and muggy.
Anyway, after sloshing our way through the mud, we found a not-too-close-not-too-far spot to set up our chairs and the AMD stage where B-52s would be starting soon. It was fine to get comfortable, as all the bands we wanted to see would be at this stage until Pearl Jam. The B-52s came on and were great. There was a bit of mic technical difficulties at the beginning of the first song, but otherwise it was great. I suppose, for some, the B-52s are an acquired taste, but I liked it. And Mitch liked it, too... and he's hard to please. They played all the songs I wanted to hear, which happens to be all the songs I know. Hey, I like them, but I don't like them so much that I know all their songs. I know more than Love Shack, so hopefully I get brownie points there. :alien:
So after the B-52s were done, we sat and people watched for the next hour until the Arctic Monkeys came on. People had a variety of ways of transporting themselves through the muck. Most opted for the "shoeless" approach, though some had invested in mud boots. Many who had not brought chairs chose to use the pointless ponchos as "picnic blankets" to have a seat on the ground.
Eventually the crowd started condensing more and more until the Arctic Monkeys came out. I have to admit that I only know their radio stuff, but everyone seems to think they are just awesome, so I thought I'd give them a try. It was them, or the Toadies on another stage. We'd both already seen the Toadies on more than one occasion, so opted out for this. We agreed that this was quite possibly our only regret for the day. Honestly, I can't say that I was that impressed. Yet another band with a catchy song or two on the radio that don't deliver on stage. Truly unfortunate. But, everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves, so to his/her their own, right?
Next up was Ben Harper and the Relentless 7. We stuck around for this one, but didn't sit through the whole thing. Not because I don't like Mr Harper - I do - but because Pearl Jam would be on in an hour and a half on the other side of the park - through about a quarter mile of mud. Plus, I had a sneaking suspicion I would be seeing him make an appearance over their anyhow. ;) But, we did catch a couple of songs before we left and they were pretty good. I didn't know any of the songs, but I liked them. :)
So Mitch and I packed up our chairs and stuff and through it on our back and shoulders and began the long, messy trek across the park to get to the other side. Apparently, we were on a hill because when we got around the sound tent and beer garden, we found we had to walk through a lower are that was absolutely nothing but mud. But, we finally made it across and caught the end of The Dead Weather. I did not know this, but this was apparently yet another Jack White project. Can't he just take a vacation? haha! Well, I only caught the last of the last song, and from what I can tell, it's just shy of being a Led Zepplin cover band. It could be worse I guess, but all the same. It sounded good though. I'll give them that.
So we found a relatively mudless spot and were gonna set up our chairs to save our feet until the show started. However, after setting the chairs up, I looked up to find that the sound booth blocked everything. So, we packed back up and headed farther inland. Mud or not, you gotta see right? We ended up getting into the 'no chair zone' so, technically, that was suppose to mean no chairs, but that was more for if there was a band playing, which there wasn't yet. So, we sat for a bit until the crowds started moving in. Then it was time to get up and stay up for a while. We chatted for a while with an "older" couple (about my mom's age - they had son's my age give or take) who had flown down from Pennsylvania. They were pretty interesting. Apparently the B-52s were staying in their hotel, so that was interesting.
Then, finally, the lights turned down, the sun was gone, the clouds were mostly gone and the moon was ready to rock with us. The music started with a light/video intro thing that was way more - I don't know - 'techy' than the PJ I'm used to, but it was pretty cool. Then the boys came out and played like I haven't seen them play in years. Now, I wasn't uncool enough to take down the set list for you guys or anything, so I can't give you specifics in that regard. But, it was little old, little new, a Who song, and finished with Rockin in the Free World. Some highlights for me were Ed talking about how he was disappointed that he had missed the B-52s because he and Ben Harper were up till 8:30 that morning consuming mass quantities of Tequila. And that they had discovered the meaning of everything in those early morning drunken hours, but could not remember any of it to share with us. Speaking of Ben Harper, my suspicion was right. He came out and played with them on Red Mosquito. That was really awesome!!!! And perhaps my favorite surprise of the evening was near the end of the show, out comes Perry Farrell! Really?! He came out and they played "Mountain Song." It was really cool.
And then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. My only complaint is that a strict 2-hour time slot is just too short of a Pearl Jam show. But, I hope the boys enjoyed their time in Austin because it was nice for them to come see me (sorta) for once. At one point in the show, Ed said something to the effect of "apparently Austin is the 'Live Music Capital of the World' and we haven't been here since... uh... I think '95. I don't know what we were thinking." I concur.
When the show was over, it was time to return back to real life. But not before making about a mile trek back through the muddy park, then back through the woods, over the river, and back to 5th and Oakland where I had parked my car. After the 50 minute, very painful walk back to the car, off came the mud-soaked shoes and into the trunk they went, along with the chairs. After a pit stop at Taco Bell for Mitch (blegh!) and a looooong shower, I finally crawled into bed about 12:30 to awaken bright and early for real life to begin again.
And that was not as brief as I said it would be I don't think, but I hope it was at least maybe a little interesting. It gave me plenty of time to finish uploading all my photos. The following is a link. I'm keeping this album open to everyone, so even if you aren't a 'myspace friend' you should be able to see it. My pictures of the bands are more from the big screens since I was not close enough to get 'real' photos, but they turned out ok considering. Enjoy!
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=36323273&albumId=2832417
~Mel
PS: You probably know this already, but Pearl Jam recorded a show for the Austin City Limits television show on Saturday night (before Ed and Ben party all night, I guess), which airs on PBS in these parts. I have know idea when it will air, but I'm going to set my DVR to record all ACL shows again so I don't miss it. Keep an eye/ear out. Or, you'll probably tell me.
So my guy and I arrived at Zilker Park at about 1:30 in the afternoon - just enough time to set up and get 'comfortable' for the B-52s. After parking downtown, and walking over the river and through the woods (literally), we walked through the gates and stood before one massive mud pit. You see, Texas has been in a bit of a drought for the passed few years really... up until about mid-September. It has been raining just about everyday pretty much every since. Plus, there was a down pour most of that morning. There are pictures of some mud patches, but that won't even begin to describe the mess. This must have been what Woodstock was like in '69... only I think this was much more hot and muggy.
Anyway, after sloshing our way through the mud, we found a not-too-close-not-too-far spot to set up our chairs and the AMD stage where B-52s would be starting soon. It was fine to get comfortable, as all the bands we wanted to see would be at this stage until Pearl Jam. The B-52s came on and were great. There was a bit of mic technical difficulties at the beginning of the first song, but otherwise it was great. I suppose, for some, the B-52s are an acquired taste, but I liked it. And Mitch liked it, too... and he's hard to please. They played all the songs I wanted to hear, which happens to be all the songs I know. Hey, I like them, but I don't like them so much that I know all their songs. I know more than Love Shack, so hopefully I get brownie points there. :alien:
So after the B-52s were done, we sat and people watched for the next hour until the Arctic Monkeys came on. People had a variety of ways of transporting themselves through the muck. Most opted for the "shoeless" approach, though some had invested in mud boots. Many who had not brought chairs chose to use the pointless ponchos as "picnic blankets" to have a seat on the ground.
Eventually the crowd started condensing more and more until the Arctic Monkeys came out. I have to admit that I only know their radio stuff, but everyone seems to think they are just awesome, so I thought I'd give them a try. It was them, or the Toadies on another stage. We'd both already seen the Toadies on more than one occasion, so opted out for this. We agreed that this was quite possibly our only regret for the day. Honestly, I can't say that I was that impressed. Yet another band with a catchy song or two on the radio that don't deliver on stage. Truly unfortunate. But, everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves, so to his/her their own, right?
Next up was Ben Harper and the Relentless 7. We stuck around for this one, but didn't sit through the whole thing. Not because I don't like Mr Harper - I do - but because Pearl Jam would be on in an hour and a half on the other side of the park - through about a quarter mile of mud. Plus, I had a sneaking suspicion I would be seeing him make an appearance over their anyhow. ;) But, we did catch a couple of songs before we left and they were pretty good. I didn't know any of the songs, but I liked them. :)
So Mitch and I packed up our chairs and stuff and through it on our back and shoulders and began the long, messy trek across the park to get to the other side. Apparently, we were on a hill because when we got around the sound tent and beer garden, we found we had to walk through a lower are that was absolutely nothing but mud. But, we finally made it across and caught the end of The Dead Weather. I did not know this, but this was apparently yet another Jack White project. Can't he just take a vacation? haha! Well, I only caught the last of the last song, and from what I can tell, it's just shy of being a Led Zepplin cover band. It could be worse I guess, but all the same. It sounded good though. I'll give them that.
So we found a relatively mudless spot and were gonna set up our chairs to save our feet until the show started. However, after setting the chairs up, I looked up to find that the sound booth blocked everything. So, we packed back up and headed farther inland. Mud or not, you gotta see right? We ended up getting into the 'no chair zone' so, technically, that was suppose to mean no chairs, but that was more for if there was a band playing, which there wasn't yet. So, we sat for a bit until the crowds started moving in. Then it was time to get up and stay up for a while. We chatted for a while with an "older" couple (about my mom's age - they had son's my age give or take) who had flown down from Pennsylvania. They were pretty interesting. Apparently the B-52s were staying in their hotel, so that was interesting.
Then, finally, the lights turned down, the sun was gone, the clouds were mostly gone and the moon was ready to rock with us. The music started with a light/video intro thing that was way more - I don't know - 'techy' than the PJ I'm used to, but it was pretty cool. Then the boys came out and played like I haven't seen them play in years. Now, I wasn't uncool enough to take down the set list for you guys or anything, so I can't give you specifics in that regard. But, it was little old, little new, a Who song, and finished with Rockin in the Free World. Some highlights for me were Ed talking about how he was disappointed that he had missed the B-52s because he and Ben Harper were up till 8:30 that morning consuming mass quantities of Tequila. And that they had discovered the meaning of everything in those early morning drunken hours, but could not remember any of it to share with us. Speaking of Ben Harper, my suspicion was right. He came out and played with them on Red Mosquito. That was really awesome!!!! And perhaps my favorite surprise of the evening was near the end of the show, out comes Perry Farrell! Really?! He came out and they played "Mountain Song." It was really cool.
And then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. My only complaint is that a strict 2-hour time slot is just too short of a Pearl Jam show. But, I hope the boys enjoyed their time in Austin because it was nice for them to come see me (sorta) for once. At one point in the show, Ed said something to the effect of "apparently Austin is the 'Live Music Capital of the World' and we haven't been here since... uh... I think '95. I don't know what we were thinking." I concur.
When the show was over, it was time to return back to real life. But not before making about a mile trek back through the muddy park, then back through the woods, over the river, and back to 5th and Oakland where I had parked my car. After the 50 minute, very painful walk back to the car, off came the mud-soaked shoes and into the trunk they went, along with the chairs. After a pit stop at Taco Bell for Mitch (blegh!) and a looooong shower, I finally crawled into bed about 12:30 to awaken bright and early for real life to begin again.
And that was not as brief as I said it would be I don't think, but I hope it was at least maybe a little interesting. It gave me plenty of time to finish uploading all my photos. The following is a link. I'm keeping this album open to everyone, so even if you aren't a 'myspace friend' you should be able to see it. My pictures of the bands are more from the big screens since I was not close enough to get 'real' photos, but they turned out ok considering. Enjoy!
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=36323273&albumId=2832417
~Mel
PS: You probably know this already, but Pearl Jam recorded a show for the Austin City Limits television show on Saturday night (before Ed and Ben party all night, I guess), which airs on PBS in these parts. I have know idea when it will air, but I'm going to set my DVR to record all ACL shows again so I don't miss it. Keep an eye/ear out. Or, you'll probably tell me.