Hello out there! | ACL Day One

Hello, cameracrowd is definitely still alive&well! Maybe a little under the weather with postage, but here comes the big wave of how ACL was. It is although a little belated and old news in the world of blogging, but since we're here and all, why not? It has been a week since Austin City Limits for me and I still am in the stage of peeling...yes I got sunburned, but I'm okay.

Also a little warning to readers: I used a 35mm point and shoot camera. So I am sorry for the terribleness of the photographs. I was afraid they would take up my nice digital Canon. Many apologies again!

Day One:
David Ford | Ghandia | The Dears | Guster | Stars** |Cat Power** | Ray LaMontange**

I'm going to skip a few bands I saw and jump in talking about seeing Stars, who played a beautiful set, even in Austin's unmerciful heat. Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, the two main singers of Stars, both have matching airy voices and Torquil is incredibly energetic and passionate during the preformance. I only knew a few songs off of Set Yourself On Fire, but enjoyed their whole set. The violin was hooked up to a Vox amp and resonated beautifully in the air. Torquil had a bit of a minor heatstroke, with his white buttonup shirt being soaked through and through, but he rejoined the band after a few minutes. Torquil also has such an expressive way of singing and just being so wrapped up in the set. Really makes me happy to see my fellow Canadians making such great music and being able to cross over the borders to share a breath of fresh air in music.

I rushed over to where Cat Power was going to play with Amanda. Chan Marshall snuck in onstage while her accompanying Memphis Rhythm Band was playing; she was caught up in Gnarls Barkley's set. I've heard and read so many past show reviews about her stage fright and then now about her renewed confidence and sense of fun onstage. I was pretty excited and half-relieved that Chan Marshall was in shape for a nicely lengthened set. It was my first time to see Cat Power and I am in love with the music that Chan Marshall creates.



She sang a lot of songs off her latest album, The Greatest, which was very very cool with the backup gospel-like singers and a small orchestra of violins and jazz instruments. She also played "Cross Bone Style", "I Don't Blame You", and a cover of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" which is available on her Covers record. She also sang a casual cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".

She danced to her songs and had gestures accompanying the storyline of the songs. Usually when I like a band/artist, it's because I'm infected with this energetic, pumped-up feeling during their set. To Cat Power, Chan Marshall casted this feeling of contentment and appreciation. The crowd responded back with enthusiastic clapping, whistles, smiles, laughs and even happy-crying.

We went to Ray LaMontagne after giving up on getting food from the long and treacherous lines leading to the small booths. The only song I really knew was "Jolene", but the set was nice to listen to. There were some major Ray LaMontagne fans there, screaming, singing alone and interpretive-dancing like there was no tomorrow. Somehow in my mind I didn't think Ray LaMontagne's set would draw so many people. We were close, but as I looked behind me...just a sea of people out there. This sea of people image will deja vu itself through the rest of ACL. He seemed a little modest and alone out there, with only himself and his guitar onstage. We also saw Jake Gyllenhaal and some of his friends to the side of the stage where VIPs usually are. It was neat to see him enjoying Ray LaMontagne's music and clapping to the songs.


A little sample of what I heard that day:

Reunion| Stars
Living Proof| Cat Power
Jolene| Ray LaMontagne


I will try and keep up posting! I know these posts aren't the most informational, but rather more a collection of thoughts and feelings that went through my "soul" these sets. ACL set an anchor for me this year, something to keep/hold me in place and remind me how good music is and just life in general. Now that I am a senior in high school and on the mountainous beginning of college applications and all that lovely workload of my classes and the newspaper staff I'm part of in school. Anyways! Look forward to reading about explosions in the sky and the new pornographers in the coming days!

~anne