ACL FEST

Bliss reigns over Austin City Limits Fest

Strong performances, cool weather draw big crowds on opening day.

By Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, October 04, 2009

It might rain today and Sunday, but on Friday, approximately 65,000 music fans were blessed with the single most beautiful opening day in the eight-year history of the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

"Twenty degrees cooler," Richard Roper said, comparing the afternoon to last year's fest as he and Carissa Roper deployed their sail-like chairs right in the middle of the field. "Are you kidding? It's fantastic."

But if, as forecast, rain arrives today and Sunday, Cory Davis, a co-owner of Leander-based clothing company LocoStyle, will be prepared. Davis, who has rented space in the art market/retail area for the past four years, comes to the fest to sell some shirts, see some bands and find some new customers. This weekend, she is in the $10 poncho business. And business is good.

"We brought about 300 with us," Davis said. "We cleaned out two Academy Sports and Outdoors stores last night."

By 2 p.m. Friday, even with 76-degree weather and harmless-looking clouds, she had sold 60 or 70.

"People tell me they're going to come back tomorrow," Davis said. "I tell them, 'Um, you might want to buy one now.' "

Highlights from the rain-free first day included School of Seven Bells, whose gauzy rock recalled vintage British bands such as the Cocteau Twins; modern bluegrass act the Avett Brothers; and John Legend, the rare ACL modern R&B act. According to a stage manager, tens of thousands of people attended the 4:30 p.m. set by French rockers Phoenix, which told the audience it was the largest crowd the band had ever played to.

People who had to pay scalpers' prices for their tickets — the going price appeared to be $250 for a three-day pass and $125 for a single day — seemed to be getting their money's worth.

Headliners the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Kings of Leon, the latter perhaps the most popular American rock band in the world right now, capped off the day with massively mobbed sets. Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O took the stage in a kimono covered with stylized eyes. Kings of Leon opened with the song "Crawl"; it was all but impossible for anyone who didn't camp out early to get within 100 yards of the stage.

The only last-minute cancellation was Scandinavian band the Raveonettes, who, according to a press statement, were stuck in Copenhagen because the drummer and bassist weren't able to secure visas in time to make their ACL set today or their aftershow at the Parish.

Brooklyn/Austin synth-pop artist Neon Indian will take over the band's 1:15 p.m. slot today; Philadelphia's Dr. Dog will headline the Parish show. (The Parish will honor Raveonettes tickets; refunds are available through Front Gate Tickets.)

Though music is the main draw, food continues to be a festival highlight, mainly because of the presence of local eateries. At the 2003 fest, upscale restaurant Hudsons on the Bend had an instant hit when it debuted its Mighty Cone, tortilla-wrapped chicken in a paper drink cone.

Last year, Hudson's sold nearly 20,000 chicken or shrimp cones. Friday, Hudson's chef-owner Jeff Blank and his crew had the briskest early sales at the ACL food court; Blank expected to sell more cones this year. Wahoo's fish tacos and Belmont's pressed Cuban sandwiches were also popular.

By 9 p.m., 'Live at Seaholm,' an after-party held at the former Seaholm power plant along Lady Bird Lake, was just getting under way, with a few hundred people in attendance. Local organizers Rare magazine, Internet radio station woxy.com and entertainment company Voodoo Cowboy expected at least 4,000 people to show up and hear headliners Broken Social Scene.

Neither the Austin Police Department nor emergency services reported any arrests or transports.

Additional material from Michael Corcoran and Michael Barnes