Eleven Messes With Texas: Austin City Limits 2010
By Nathan Moore, Photos By: Jonathan Fritz
Enabled By: American Airlines
12:30 PM – Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – Budweiser Stage
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists had the unenviable task of opening ACL’s insanely huge main stage (which Eagles fans were already camped out at), and the four band members were seemingly dwarfed by the structure the size of a small aircraft carrier. Luckily the veteran band took in the situation with good humor – “Thank you Eagles fans,” Ted Leo remarked, “for not throwing shit at us! For you, we will now play our most Eagles-y song!” before launching in to “No One Lives Forever,” which sounded absolutely nothing like the Eagles. No one seemed to mind – the Pharmacists’ punk-tinged rock was a quick pick-me-up for the hot and hungover crowd. By the time Leo and his bandmates hit the second chorus on a rousing version of “A Bottle of Buckie,” a small epidemic of head bobbing and toe tapping had spread – some of that even turning into soft headbanging as the Pharmacists’ followed with “Bottled in Cork.”
2:00 PM – Devendra Banhart and the Grogs – AMD Stage
2:20 PM – Dawes – Austin Ventures Stage
3:35 PM – The Constellations – Austin Ventures Stage
One of the problems with ACL is that every time you set out walking with a certain destination in mind, you’re bound to run in to some great band that you’ve never heard of that forces a change in plans. Such was the case as I made my way to Trombone Shorty. I instead stumbled upon the onstage party billing themselves as The Constellations. This Atlanta-based outfit mixes southern rock, dance, and hip-hop into a sonic weapon, optimally designed to force people to have as much fun as possible. A cover of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” had a smiling crowd hula-hooping and stutter stepping across the lawn.
4:17 PM – Trombone Shorty – Clear 4G Tent
Looking at it now, it seems apparent that the time from 4:17-4:24 can only contain 7 minutes, but Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue packed damn near an hour’s worth of music in it. Starting with his funky ode to day old clothes, “You Got the Same Thing On,” Shorty and his band effortlessly worked their way through fellow Mystikal’s “Shake Ya Ass,” Rebirth Brass Band’s “We Make It Funky,” the Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get it Started,” Big Tymers’ “I’m Still Fly,” and for good measure, the bassist performed an extended solo while the rest of the band performed what may be the funkiest exorcism ever, all without a moment’s pause. Though his music might be classified otherwise, make no mistake – Trombone Shorty is a rock star; no, he’s a super hero. The man can do anything: he’s one of New Orleans finest trombone and trumpet players, at one point holding a trumpet note for more than 150 seconds without a breath. If he’s not playing a horn he’s singing, and he does that like a young Stevie Wonder. If he’s not singing, he’s dancing; second lining all over the stage and getting the crowd involved. If he’s not doing any of that, he stands with his back to the audience and directs the band like the coolest conductor ever. During his first trombone solo, 400 women went weak at the knees simultaneously, leading to this exchange in the group next to me:
Girl #1: “The things he’s doing to that horn should be illegal.”
Girl #2: “Yeah – think about how strong his lips must be. Mmm.”
Girl #3: “I wanna DO him!”
Agreeing nods all around.
Shorty’s closing medley of New Orleans classics, “Saints Go Marching In” and “Fire on the Bayou,” complete with a spot-on Louis Armstrong impersonation, brought the Mardi Gras spirit a few hundred miles west and ended the show on a perfect note.
Interestingly, New Orleans and Austin have long had a strong musical connection, one that was strengthened further after Hurricane Katrina when many of the Crescent City’s music makers relocated, temporarily or permanently, to Austin. The influx added a much-welcomed new flavor to the music stew that is the city known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” and the N’Awlins sound now occupies a prominent role in the Austin scene.
4;45 PM – Midlake – Austin Ventures Stage
Note: Midlake’s final song had such an epic guitar outro that it could have brought an audience member to tears. – Jonathan Fritz
4:40 PM – The Henry Clay People – BMI Stage
6:00 PM – The Flaming Lips – AMD Stage
Before taking the stage, lead singer Wayne Coyne had an urgent PSA for the crowd. “Warning! I will be coming out in the space bubble!” Can you imagine a single other place on earth other than a Flaming Lips show where that statement is greeted not with questions, but with wild cheers? Such is life in the orbit of the mad geniuses that make up the Flaming Lips. Other bands walk on stage; the Lips were instead birthed there by a giant woman projected on their back-of-stage video screen. In honor of Austin poet Thax Douglas, who introduced the Lips pre-show with the short poem “Flaming Lips #5” (concering, I believe, the urination patterns of small children), we asked Eleven affiliate and Austin musician Joel Sadler to describe the moment of delivery: “A forty foot, chemically inducing, silhouetted female in the nude. All that is woman glowed and pulsated in vibrant rainbows. Out of that spot came the Flaming Lips. They followed the light.”
The Lips kept the show centered on their latest album, Embryonic, which meant lots of psychedelic rock jams. And, of course, the stage effects that the Lips are famous for – the aforementioned space bubble, streamer guns, a small army of tangerine clad side-stage partiers (dressed as DJ Lance Rock from Yo Gabba Gabba), a video camera inside of a microphone, a smoking megaphone, and much more. Even an acoustic guitar won’t do for these guys without first slapping on a neon yellow half dome on it. 15 seconds into “Silver Trembling Hands” – the second song – Coyne was attacked by a man in a bear suit; luckily, he fended off the assault and sang the rest of the song from the bear’s shoulders, holding on only by the nostrils, the whole time imploring the crowd to enjoy themselves even more. They certainly did when the band played “I Can Be a Frog,” an elementary school-esque sing along that had the audience roaring like a lion and spinning like a tornado, although apparently not well enough for the Lips’ standards, prompting Wayne to scold, “Cmon Austin, when you get a chance to scream like a fuckin’ monkey, you gotta do it!” Long instrumental jams on “The Ego’s Last Stand” and “Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung,” complemented by more naked, dancing females on the video screen, had the crowd seriously rocking out. An anthemic rendition of “Do You Realize” brought the whole circus to a close. As Wayne sang “Do you realize/we’re floating in space,” I finally understood what he meant; a Flaming Lips concert is the closest to an alien visit most of us will ever experience.
7:00 PM – The National – Honda Stage
The National were by far the best dressed band of the festival; although there were worries that a corporate board meeting would break out, the band managed to make it through an entire hour without making any 401k recommendations. In fact, they turn in one of the most intimate and intense hours of music of the whole weekend – serious in a good way, with the focus squarely on the music. Lead singer Matt Berninger had perfected an understated singing style that perfectly matched the surprisingly tight sonic backdrop created by seven other musicians, and when he dropped his low-key demeanor half-way through “Squalor Victoria,” falling to his knees and letting out a surprisingly full throated scream, the crowd was thoroughly impressed. As the bass drum hits flew during the bridge of the next song, “Conversation 16,” accented by the pulsating violet stage lights, the National succeeded in creating a total sensory environment, allowing their fans to immerse themselves in the band’s brooding soundscape.
8:00 PM – The Eagles – Budweiser Stage
The big topic of discourse around Austin City Limits all day Sunday was about the Eagles’ headlining show – would they pull it off? Were those famous voices still intact or had they withered with the years, ala Crosby, Stills and Nash? To the delight of the crowd, we received our answer about 30 seconds into opener “Seven Bridges Road;” four voices – Glen Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Tim Schmit – four spotlights, and one impeccably perfect a capella song. Yeah, they’ve definitely still got it. The Eagles are nearly ubiquitous – try to go the next two weeks without hearing one of their songs somewhere – and their show Sunday night served as a reminder of the group’s supreme talent as singers, songwriters and musicians. The band was warm and congenial on stage – telling several stories and thanking the crowd often – and it was joined by a fine backing band: guitarist Stuart Smith turned in several great solos, and the full horn section was a welcome addition, adding some extra oomph to “The Long Run,” in particular.
The two hour set was squarely aimed at giving the fans what they came to hear; the band played all of their big hits along with those from the members’ solo careers. The crowd response was overwhelmingly positive. Each song quickly became a mass sing along, and “Hotel California” prompted the unleashing of 75,000 air guitars. One notable aspect about The Eagles is that their music is enjoyed by fans of all ages; in fact, I saw three generations of the same family singing along together to “Peaceful Easy Feeling” while also sharing a strangely scented, hand rolled cigarette. The Eagles’ one foray into their newer material – “Long Road Out of Eden” – prompted many fans to start moving towards the exits, but most returned when the band followed with a sweet sounding “Boys of Summer.”
Of all of the main members, Joe Walsh’s voice alone has gotten somewhat thin. Luckily, his guitar playing is still otherworldly; an extended jam through James Gang’s “Funk #49” was genuine fun, with Walsh trading licks with the horn section while the rest of the band fell in behind. A vast video screen stretched across the space behind the musicians, and was filled with clips of 24-hour news channels and tabloid mags during Don Henley’s energetic version of “Dirty Laundry.” As The Eagles’ encore of “Take it Easy” and “Desperado” ended, far too quickly, a satisfied and exhausted crowd treated the band to a long ovation, and then turned to the exits to start the long trudge home. Another three days of music, fun and great weather was completed. See y’all next year.
Weekend Wrap Up
Best Song Introduction:
I thought I had this with Ted Leo’s succinct “This a song about whiskey and death,” only to see the same intro made even better by The National’s Matt Berninger. Before “Conversation 16”- “This is a song about marriage and cannibalism. Mostly marriage, some cannibalism.” – Nathan Moore
I guess this is more of a re-introduction: in the middle of an energetic cover of the Boss’ “Born to Run,” the Henry Clay People instructed the crowd to get down on one knee and stay quiet to see if we could hear any of the other bands playing nearby. “It’s a social experiment,” the singer explained from a kneeling position. The band and the audience jumped back into Springsteen’s sing-a-long chorus with a rousing “ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!” – Jonathan Fritz
Best Visual Effects:
A tie between Muse’s weapons-grade green lasers and deadmau5’s incredibly cool DJ stand, an oddly angled, LED coated technological marvel that I would have paid to see all by itself. – Nathan Moore
M.I.A.’s seizure inducing backdrop could have been an electro-clash time machine back to the mid 80s. Also, The Flaming Lips orange accented stage setup could have been a design for a Martian space station. – Jonathan Fritz
Best Set:
Kinky. Those South-of-the-Boarder rockers know how to get down. – Nathan Moore
Tough call, though I may have to hand it to LCD Soundsystem. Their slick, layered sound was immaculate. – Jonathan Fritz
Best Trend:
Horn sections were everywhere this weekend, with bands expected – Trombone Shorty, Ozomatli – and unexpected – the Eagles, Spoon – featuring some fine blowing. A good horn section adds something soulful and fresh to any live show. Extra points to Orleans Avenue for their synchronized dance moves. – Nathan Moore
Bands with multiple singers. Some of my favorite songs of the festival had hard hitting, sweeping harmonies (see: The Eagles, Dawes, Local Natives, and many others). Why just settle for one vocalist these days? – Jonathan Fritz
