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ACL: Bjork
A barefoot Björk positioned the trajectory of her atmospheric re-entry just sharp enough to land in Zilker Park for the 8:30 p.m. headlining set on the AT&T stage. Wearing gold sparkle leggings and a shiny gold and black dress that only she could get away with — her jet black Icelandic mane tossing to and fro — Björk was a sight of undeniable beauty. The electronic white noise squeals, bleeps and Timbaland-produced beats created an euphoria-inducing dance party that flowed straight from her soul into the hearts of all those within a half-mile radius.
The trippy little queen of electronica with the enormous voice and the gravity-bending growl began her Austin campaign with “The Dull Flame of Desire” off this year’s more-hits-than-misses album, “Volta.” A cold chill shimmied down the hairs on my back after her first few notes. (Correct me if I’m wrong, but Friday evening’s performance was Björk’s first return to Austin since her late ‘80s show with her first band, The Sugarcubes. They played a now-legendary gig at the Back Room back in the day, helping define the genre characteristics of alternative rock before there was such a moniker.)
Björk’s hits, new and old, began to fire out in succession: “Hunter,” “Pagan Poetry,” “Hidden Place.” A couple of the misses from “Volta” sent some audience members right out the door. Shortly after, her emotional landscape “Joga” drew the Björk die-hard fans even closer to the stage.
Other high points in the set: the cut-and-paste beat heavy remixes of “Army of Me” and “Hyperballad,” and the neon-robed all-female brass orchestra that doubled as her choir when they weren’t blowing fire. Further still, the snare-heavy revision of “I Miss You” helped transform the song into a tribal-like shuffle that translated clearly to the still-packed audience.
Björk didn’t offer much in the way of stage banter, but that was quite all right with everyone from where I was standing. True to Austin’s keepin’ it weird factor, clouds of smoke engulfed me during the set; an aging hippie said, “this is freaky … and I like it” as a green laser emanated from center stage and beamed through a splitter, up over the audience, into the sky and beyond.
After an hour and 10 minutes, Björk and band left the stage only to return for a short encore that included “Declare Independence,” the climactic centerpiece from “Volta.” Confetti rained down on the stage as Björk chanted the “higher, higher” bridge that exploded into the “Declare Independence” chorus, inducing the audience to lose themselves in the dance right along with her pixie-like self.
(Photo by Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: ACL Festival
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By man
September 15, 2007 1:57 AM | Link to this
I hate all you people that got to see her. :(
By Terry Winfield
September 15, 2007 3:46 AM | Link to this
Her pixie-self was great. Many of us have followed her weird path for a long time. Weird-Austin was a great place for her to finally have a new show. She is different…she is fun. The crowd was a mix of starving Bjork fanatics and people wanting to see something different. After waiting two hours to gain entrance, We headed for the Bjork stage. Luckily, Joss Stone was performing…we were about 200 feet away. When she left the stage, me moved to about 45 feet away and waited for Spoon. When Spoon finally finished…we only gained about an extra 10 feet and we were in mud. The Bjork faithful huddled like sardines and waited another hour. She finally sang. It was pure bliss. Every song beginning was met with an “OH MY GOD!”. Being critical, the stage set was odd with the big televisions, really odd flag-hats on the neon trash bag wearing icelandic brass gals, green lasers kewl but been there done that, not a slick production just very odd and different…like Bjork.
By Nitpicker
September 15, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this
You asked, so here it is - Bjork’s last visit here was October 27, 1995 at Liberty Lunch.
By Formotion
September 15, 2007 9:45 AM | Link to this
Great show…..
check this out:
http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2007/08/bjork_reacTable
By g
September 15, 2007 10:07 AM | Link to this
Bjork was completely amazing!!!! her voice was fantastic as alawys, and the light show was fabulous, and her outfit was incredible!!!!!!! i have never seen so many hard core Bjork fanatics in my life!!! i loved every second of it
except i couldn’t figure out why i was the only one screaming with joy when Earth Intruders came on!
By Chase
September 15, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this
Bjork has been in Austin since the Sugarcubes. She came to Liberty Lunch in 1995.
By Michael Obershan
September 15, 2007 12:23 PM | Link to this
Running on the trail on Town Lake last night, I had an unbelievable experience as I ran past Zilker Park and heard this amazing voice hovering over trumpets in what sounded almost like a jazz ballad. It was only when I later asked a group of people walking on the trail was it confirmed that it was Bjork. The slow, serene piece I heard had brass and was deeply moving. It was performed around 9:15. I would be very grateful if anyone could tell me the name of this piece and what album it comes from?
By mike
September 15, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this
Anyone noticed the canvas fire?
By jeff
September 15, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this
The speakers on the right side of the stage caught fire, that is why the band left the stage. Her set was scheduled from 8:30-10:00, leaving at 1hr 10min and coming back to finish the set can not be considered an encore. Amazing show
By JG
September 15, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this
The song was ‘The Anchor Song’ off Debut. Curiously I haven’t seen it listed on any of the setlists I’ve found online, but I know she played it!
By sharil
September 15, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this
Bjork was amazing. It was spiritual and exhilerating. I danced my little butt off.
By sharil
September 15, 2007 3:50 PM | Link to this
i meant exhilarating.
By Alex
September 16, 2007 1:55 AM | Link to this
Michael O.: Could it have been a song called Joga? I went on youtube and there is a collection of videos from the show and Joga seemed to match your description. I can’t remember the specifics of the show myself because I was in total awe in the front row.
By chris
September 16, 2007 3:00 PM | Link to this
She did not open with “Dull Flame of Desire” and she did not play it. She opened with “Innocence.” Good article but a little more research would help.
She left the stage because it was the scheduled time to leave to come back for an encore. The fact that the speaker caught fire at that same time was a coincidence.
She came back onstage and said “The speaker set fire, but we don’t care, right?” It was amazing.
By Dave
September 17, 2007 1:30 AM | Link to this
Where can I find a set list from her ACL performance?
By Matt
September 17, 2007 2:11 PM | Link to this
Actually she opened with “Innocence.” Best show of the weekend in my opinion.
By Kathleen
September 17, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this
The first song she played was “Innocence,” not “The Dull Flame of Desire.”
I find it amusing that this review doesn’t mention the fact that a speaker caught on fire.
Amazing set.
By Kathleen
September 17, 2007 4:50 PM | Link to this
I find it amusing this review doesn’t mention the fact that the speaker caught on fire…
And like previously noted, she started with “Innocence.”
The set list can be found on her website.
By jaime
September 18, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this
As others have stated, she started off with “Innoncence.”
She left the stage because that’s where she normally ends the show. “Oceania” and “Declare Independence” were encore songs.
AND SHE’S STILL FREAKING AMAZING! It wasn’t a Red Rock’s performance, but it was still AWESOME!