ACL Music Fest - Part Two

Festivus

Walking to the ACL Fest can be kind of an adventure. Unless you have a VIP parking space close by there's a good chance you're on a trek of anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. But the walk isn't boring. Street musicians, homeless people (sometimes they are one in the same), vendors selling hats and caps and pipes and earrings and water and food, plus ticket scalpers looking to sell that day's wristband. I even saw a guy selling puppies.

I happened to be backstage when John Fogerty, Mr. Creedence Clearwater himself, was preparing to go on. This guy amazes me. Big old smile on his face, guitar strapped on, waving to the small bunch of folks in the back like he's just stepping outside to pick up the Sunday paper. Then, suddenly, he's on stage singing for what looked like ten or twenty thousand people, ripping into "Travelin' Band". So much energy! "Just like a ringing a bell," as Chuck Berry used to sing. It may be true that his best material is behind him but man, what a catalog.

I shortcutted through the back of the stage and travelled to the opposite end of the fest to hear the end of Conor Oberst doing Paul Simon's classic "Kodachrome". I think I like the new Bright Eyes. Oberst's band rocked.

I listened to some of a sedate Iron & Wine set from afar before heading to who I most wanted to hear this weekend: Beck. I had been told I would be able to sit in one of the bleacher sections on the side of the stage but when I got there they had changed it to some sort of VIP only thing. By now the crowd out front was unbelievable. While hanging near the steps to the stage, some guy brushed by me and walked straight by security guard Patrick before I realized it was Lance Armstrong. A bit later Patrick introduced me to the stage manager who had me come up and stand near him, which was about as close as a non-crew person could get to the band. Okay, it was kind of behind the band, but it was still close! And to my left was Lance. Although Beck wasn't moving around much his voice was in fine form. And the band was sensational, playing a wide variety of his material which never seems to get old for me. He didn't let the crowd down with classics like "Loser", "E-Pro" and "Where It's At". But hearing stuff like "Lost Cause" from the beautiful "Sea Change" CD reminded me of what a talented songwriter he is. And I couldn't think of a better way to end the night.