This past weekend, I attended the Austin City Limits music festival, more commonly known (at least to people here) as ACL. It’s 3 days of a ton of music, repeated for 2 weekends, 8 stages, 130 bands. It’s a music-lover’s nirvana, with all different genres of music – rock, rap, EDM, country, even kids’ music.
I walked miles every day. It was nice to be able to walk around for so long and not have pain in my scar. The sun was pretty intense and it was pretty hot for mid-October, even in Austin. I lathered myself with sunscreen to make sure to protect my skin and wore a hat as well. The one thing that really ticks me off is that the ACL organizers prohibit spray sunscreen. I’m not really sure why you can’t bring in any kind of spray but hundreds of people managed to bring in all kinds of illegal drugs. So, my sunscreen in a spray is not OK, but having to inhale everyone else’s weed smoke is. It can’t be because they are worried about someone inhaling something they shouldn’t be. It’s dumb.
Other than being irritated that I had to remember to bring the right bottle of sunscreen and have someone else get that exposed spot on the back of my neck, the festival was a lot of fun. Highlights for me were: Royal Blood, Billy Idol, Foo Fighters, Walk The Moon, Griz, and Nero. I was disappointed in Deadmau5. He acted as if he was bored and wanted to just go home. He didn’t do a very good job of keeping the crowd pumped up either. I wasn’t impressed and I had really been looking forward to seeing his set. The Weeknd is actually really good live; but other than I Can’t Feel My Face, all of his songs sounded alike. I found myself asking my husband if the song he was playing was 27 minutes long or something.
Every night after the last show ended, we walked home rather than trying to take the bus or grab an Uber. It’s not too far from the park to our place – about 2.5 miles. I usually walk that distance or more when I go for a walk for exercise, but I’m also not standing around for hours on end and walking a ton prior either. However, it was nice to be moving. I never realized how uncomfortable my feet get just standing in one spot for so long.
You know what didn’t hurt? My scar. I was so happy to get home, put my feet up, and realize that my knee wasn’t achy and throbbing. Even after three days. Progress…
Here are some random musings that I had while at ACL:
- Is there a section at Forever 21 specifically devoted to ugly clothes that you can only wear to a music festival? And who decided that looking like a refugee from the 70s is appropriate attire for a 15-year-old in 2015?
- There are 1674 places that sell beer but only 3 water stations.
- I get frisked walking into the festival, get my face mist bottle taken, and get questioned about what I’m smuggling in my sports bra (umm, my boobs) but security has somehow managed to miss every ounce the pot smokers brought in.
- There are people who must have spent the better part of the year thinking about and creating their flags and/or signs.
- If the sunscreen bottle says it’s sweatproof what it really means is that once you apply, you will never be able to have your sweat evaporate. Instead your legs will become its own mini rainforest.
- Rap doesn’t translate well to a live outdoor show. All you hear is swearing over a thumping bass line. Wait a minute, maybe that’s just the state of rap these days.
- There is an unwritten law that two bands I really want to see will be scheduled at the exact same time on stages on the opposite side of the park, forcing my own version of Solomon’s decision.
- By the end of every night, I’m actually looking forward to the 2.5 mile walk home because my feet are killing me from standing in one spot for so long.
- At random points, I realize that I live in an awesome town that holds a festival like this and be thankful that I’m so lucky to be able to experience this, even if I complain about things.