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ACL: Ghostland Observatory
Laser shows are usually overrated, like fireworks displays and Quentin Tarrantino movies, but it was cool to see Ghostland Observatory sink their ACL guarantee into a light show that celebrated the year they’ve had.
Last year’s ACL was a coming out for the Austin techo-rock sensations, Aaron Behrens, a pigtailed Dorothy to his Wizard of Oz, Thomas Turner. Since then they’ve become Austin’s biggest rock stars, so why not blow it all on a big hometown thank you. Even as ACL Fest moves away from local performers in favor of overseas hipsters and bearded songwriters from the northwest, it was great to see an Austin act put on perhaps the greatest show of all.
GLO still needs to make a great record, which may be iffy given that Behrens, although a go-go messiah onstage, possesses a screech that usually requires Jimmy Page-like guitar to pull off. And Turner’s time on drums, rather than behind his big board of thumping effects, shows that this band could move well in organic directions.
But for this one-year-old Austin success story, the future’s so bright, they gotta wear shades.
(Photo by Brian K. Diggs AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: ACL Festival
Comments
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By Edward
September 16, 2007 11:52 PM | Link to this
Absolutely incredible, words can not describe how good it was.
By Rodge
September 17, 2007 12:03 AM | Link to this
The best show I’ve seen in a long time, incredible…
By Dave
September 17, 2007 7:02 AM | Link to this
GLO absolutely killed at ACL. Not normally my kind of music, and even I was blown away.
By Ana
September 17, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this
Theirs was definitely the best show at ACL.
By Mac Homer
September 17, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this
I was only at the Sunday ACL, but BEST SHOW all day. I think, and I think, all that caught GLO think. Way to go guys!! Representing Austin!!
By Chris
September 17, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this
Best show of the festival, in my opinion.
By J
September 17, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this
GLO is unstoppable. They stole the entire weekend.
By David
September 17, 2007 2:04 PM | Link to this
This just in: Ghostland Observatory are still awful.
By Rachel
September 17, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this
Simply amazing show. I bought their cd today and it rocks!
By pinballio
September 17, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this
Thought I might be too old to enjoy this….but wow was i wrong. Now my 6th graders in Hutto get to enjoy GLO in the classroom.
:)
By pinballio
September 17, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this
Thought I might be too old to enjoy this….but wow was i wrong. Now my 6th graders in Hutto get to enjoy GLO in the classroom.
:)
By Phil
September 18, 2007 1:26 AM | Link to this
I was surprised by the immense turnout, but these guys held it together and were really captivating. Kudos to them - only reproach, they could add a few more “vibey” bits to the set - started out quite strongly, but hit a few weak patches later in the set. We ain’t skeered of some hard basslines…
By Craig B
September 18, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this
We knew going in that this would be a very special show but Wow! the vibe was ten fold what we expected. The band was a real pleasure to work with and all of us from High End Systems had a great time providing the SHOWGUNS on the lighting rig for the best band at ACL 2007’!
By Frank
September 19, 2007 1:42 AM | Link to this
I’ve never been soo bored in my life than I was at this show. Sooo repetitive and annoying. :(