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Scene report: Rain greets ACL fans
The much-anticipated rain greeted undeterred ACL goers Saturday morning. Fans at the west entrance got their afternoon off to a rocking start as the Henry Clay People finished up their set with a high-energy, nearly spot-on cover of T. Rex’s”Bang a Gong (Get It On)” on the Xbox 360 stage.
Nearby on the AMD stage the Virgins turned a set of bouncy, shiny dance rock. (The band is from New York, but from their music you’d swear they were from East London). Lead singer (and former model) Donald Cumming struck a few Jagger-esque poses during the band’s song “She’s Expensive.”
The festival grounds were surprisingly clean; most of the main areas were free of litter as I made my way around this morning. Beer vendors looked forlornly at the teeming masses streaming past them, more interested in a chicken cone than a cold one. The rain slowed to a polite drizzle for the Mimicking Birds on the Austin Ventures stage. The band’s moody indie rock mirrored the gray skies over Zilker Park, but was a little too gloomy for me.
The swampy, bluesy sounds of Albeta Cross drew me across the park to the Livestrong stage. The band has a Neil Young, folk-rock feel with powerful drums and heavy bass riffs. The band kept a sizeable crowd gathered even as the rain picked up around 1 p.m. and finished up their set with a song titled “ATX,” a nod to the city where the band spent three months recording their latest album. Alberta Cross’ gritty, plodding Southern rock was the perfect soundtrack for an overcast, rainy morning at the festival.
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