ACL Fest: Day 1
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008This weekend it’s time again for the Austin City Limits Festival, better known as ACL Fest, an annual music festival here in Austin, Texas. And while last year’s festival line-up was one that many thought couldn’t be topped, it seems they have indeed topped it. Big names like Beck, Foo Fighters, Robert Earl Keen, Blues Traveler and The Raconteurs grace the lineup of this year’s Austin City Limits Festival. There seems to be something for everyone, really, with the large amount of musicians scheduled.
So let’s take a look at the Day 1 lineup of ACL Fest, which is Friday, September 26. Headliners include The Mars Volta, named “Best Prog-Rock Band” by Rolling Stone this year, and Manu Chao, a musician born in France that sings mostly in French, English and Spanish. The Mars Volta is known for their live shows, often having more than 10 musicians onstage at once to perform their tunes. The Mars Volta get their name from a Federico Fellini book, in which Fellini used the word “Volta” to describe a changing of a scene or a new scene. As for Mars, well, the band members just really love sci-fi. As for the meaning of the combined words, The Mars Volta invites fans to come up with their own meaning.
Don’t go thinking The Mars Volta and Manu Chao are the only performers playing ACL Fest Day 1. No way — there are a ton of other fantastic musicians and bands to check out. There’s even a special stage aimed towards kids, the appropriately-named Austin Kiddie Limits Stage. Acts lined up for ACL Fest Day 1 that are creating a lot of buzz include Hot Chip, Gogol Bordello, David Byrne and Vampire Weekend, to name a few. If there are bands on the line-up that you’ve never heard of, be sure and try to stop by to give them a shot — part of the fun of the festival is being able to see new acts and hopefully go home at night with some new favorite artists.
Whoever you’re planning on seeing at ACL Fest this year, one thing’s for sure: Don’t forget your cowboy hat. The weather is expected to be hot and sunny, so wearing a cowboy hat will not only be stylish, but it’ll help protect you from getting sunburned. We suggest a Stetson hat, but with Allens Boots’ wide selection of great Western wear, you’ll surely be able to find the perfect cowboy hat to wear to ACL Fest.
