ACL could go to 2 weekends in 2013

[BevoLJ]

Originally Posted by scm53

Curmudgeon checking in here. First, they will have to work with UT to find back to back road FB games, because the city can't handle a home game w/e AND ACL. The B12 schedule for next year isn't set yet, so the might be some flexibility, especially if the week before or after OU is a road game. Early October is usually great weather here, as well. Perfect time to have it. Will have to dodge F1 as well, which will certainly be on an away or open FB weekend.

Second, could the festival reflect the diversity of programming that IS Austin City Limits? Annually, at least 20% of the show is country. There has NEVER been a country headliner at ACL for as long as I can remember. As much as I love Old '97s and Asleep at the Wheel, they are drops in the bucket in the line up. The reason Jazz Fest is so fantastic is the diversity of the music, something ACL most decidedly isn't.

And I won't even get into my moaning about the effect on air travel in and out of town...

Go back to watching your TV old man!

Just kidding. As a Longhorn in my early 30's I would love for this to go to two weekends. The whole ACL or OU?.. is a cruel and unusual punishment! It is just cruel to ask us to make that choice. And for the last few years it has ended up where we buy the ACL 3 day in May before it sells out (or the lineup is even released, lol), and then spend May to Oct trying to talk someone out of their OU tickets. If by some miracle we do talk someone out of their OU tickets unloading the ACL is easy. But being able to see both! Ya'ay!!

They already set the date for next year to go to two weekends. Oct 4-6 and 11-13. If the Big 12 gives us a home game, it will be a mess. And in 2014. But by 2015 it shouldn't be much of a problem anymore. We have two 1,000 room hotels that are supposed to open before summer of 2015 (so they'd hopefully be open by Oct) plus other recent hotels that have recently (and some about to) open that range from 400-800 rooms. A lot of hotel rooms are being added. Downtown is already handling over 250,000 every Fri/Saturday afternoon and evening, with occasional 400,000 crowds for DT events on the weekends and 150,000 on weekdays. With a UT game of 100k, and ACL of 70-80,000 I think enough of those two crowds will be the typical DT crowd anyways I doubt it would make DT any busier than SxSW does for 10 days straight.

As for country Austin has always had some good country, but it tends to beet to a different drum than much of the country world. It'll never match the big country scenes of Cowtown or Music City. The only country stars who have headlined the ACL Fest that I can think of off the top of my head would be Willie and Alison Krauss. And when Alison Krauss did ACL it was her and Robert Plant together. I don't think of country rock when I hear the Allman Brothers or the Eagles, I think Classic Rock. But some do. They have headlined, but I really don't think they are country. Last season for the show they had Miranda Lambert, Gillian Welch and Jeff Bridges. Season before last Lyle Lovett, REK, Rosanne Cash, Hayes Carll, Alejandro Escovedo, Patty Griffin and Brandi Carlile and Bob Schneider. All of who have their own styles to country, and often venture pretty far from country. Also all of whom you can often see at the Fest. I think that is the sort of country that does best in Austin. Now if it were the "Ceder Park City Limits" or "Round Rock City Limits" rather than "Austin City Limits" then that would be a whole different story. lol. But if ACL does go to two weekends then I defiantly think some big country acts will be included. As headliners.

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by scm53

Second, could the festival reflect the diversity of programming that IS Austin City Limits? Annually, at least 20% of the show is country. There has NEVER been a country headliner at ACL for as long as I can remember. As much as I love Old '97s and Asleep at the Wheel, they are drops in the bucket in the line up. The reason Jazz Fest is so fantastic is the diversity of the music, something ACL most decidedly isn't.

If you think the ACL festival is lacking in diversity, then you most decidedly haven't been to one before. ACL specializes in alt-rock acts, but there is plenty of electronica, folk, country, hip hop, blues, and classic rock as well.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

But if ACL does go to two weekends then I definitely think some big country acts will be included. As headliners.

But again, that is my question. Who in the current Country music world would qualify as an actual headliner for ACL? George Strait? Randy Travis? I just don't think there are any country acts that fit the bill as headliners for ACL. Or do you try to go young with a Taylor Swift? I don't think putting money into a Country music headliner is going to add to ACL personally. I think they would be better off expanding their R&B offerings with people like Usher, Snoop Dogg, etc.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

Go back to watching your TV old man!

Watch it there, shipmate. I am just about certain I can pull rank on you.

Interesting discussion. Now that I have some time, let me throw out a few more thoughts. First, I think I have praised NO Jazz and Heritage festival here before as the best festival in the US. Several reasons why. First, it is undeniably about New Orleans music. I have no idea what ACL is about. Is it a "rock" fest? I don't see how Thievery Corporation is rock, and they are regulars. What ever it is, it isn't about Austin. I have a suggestion to fix that -- JazzFest always ends on the second Sunday with the Meters (quick, you Austin old timers -- what is the connection between Austin TV personalities of the past, and the Meters?). They ARE New Orleans music -- born and raised there, live there now, and their music is a blend of the stew that is NoLa. There is only one person that could close ACL in a similar way, and he should do it every year -- Willie. Willie has broad appeal, his talent -- as a musician, as a songwriter -- is irreplaceable. He did the first ACL TV show ever. He is an icon, and needs to close the show.

So, what country acts are potential headliners? Well, the country boy bands (Rascall Flatts, I am talking about you) are just as unsuited as real boy bands. Glitz like Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood just as out of place. My first candidate would be Tim McGraw. Has collaborated with Nelly and Def Leppard, and how many people can say that? I'd also think about some of the acts that make me scratch my head and wonder "what was country about that, other than the Southern accent?" Jason Aldean -- might as well be rock. Bring Eli Young, Miranda Lambert or Zac Brown back as headliners. Look, i get that there have been plenty of Austin country acts -- but there needs to be one stage, with five a day, that is nothing but -- Hayes Carrill, Dale Watson, Kevin Fowler, Randy Rogers, Asleep at the Wheel, Sarah Jarosz, etc. Django Walker and his dad. The other troubadours like REK and Pat Green.

I'd also have a stage that is nothing but Hispanic - Tejano/Conjunto/Mariachi all day and night. Yes, there have been ones in the past, but bits and pieces. Could you just imagine Vincente Fernandez and his entire orchestra as a headliner? Same thing with African American music -- the choirs they have now, but some Texas blues folks (even if they are white like Jimmie Vaughn).

What would I jettison? All the stuff that has NO connection to Austin -- M83, AVIC II, BIG K R I T, etc. I understand you can't fill the bill with nothing but Austin related music, and even that definition changes over time. Even JazzFest has acts like Jimmy Buffett, John Mayall, and the Beach Boys that have nothing to do with NoLa. But now, there is too much of that stuff and not enough related to Austin. And until that happens -- until this is mainly an AUSTIN music festival, we are just pimping out Zilker Park for two weekends.

[BevoLJ]

I can totally get behind most all your ideas there. Only thing is if you wanted the Country stage to be one of the two main stages. Like they have 7 stages (8 if you include the kids) but only two of those are main stages. Having one of the two main stages for just country I can't go with. If it was one of the other stages then totally. And I love the idea of closing with Willie every year, but on a main stage of course. =)

Only I'm just not a fan of the Nashville country. Leave those acts for Ceder Park or the Dell Diamond. They do great up there.