Tuesday, October 4, 2022

ACL 2022: Saturday, Weekend One: Schedule and Thoughts

Saturday isn't a great day for the schedule.  This might be one of those years where we stay at the bar to watch the entire TX/OU game before going over to the park.  But you know what else is amazing?  My son got his drivers license earlier this year!  FREE TAXI SERVICE, BABY!!!!

A few prelude thoughts for Saturday:

  • The comments for each band are those "One Liner" things that I added to my reviews. It helps me to remember who they are (sometimes) and provides some detail on the kind of music they play.  Every once in a while they make me giggle too.
    • Honestly, sometimes those one liners are freaking hard to write.  Some of this music is super crazy forgettable and I just can't come up with anything useful to write.  "uhhh, another R&B lady with a pretty voice?"
  • I've made each band name a link so that you can go read the full review and listen to some tunes if you are unswayed by the One Liner.
  • The headliners have been pushed far back this night - Pink doesn't even start until 8:30? A few years back, GNR started at 7:30.  Kind of lame to cut back her set to only an hour and a half?
  • Overall, not a great day for me - very few things on here feel important to see.

Playlist!


Here we go:

12:00

Miller Lite
Spill Tab: Bedroom pop gal who is now going in a rockier direction that I like
BMI
Katzu Oso: Bedroom-synth pop in both English and Spanish that I already can't remember and it is currently playing right now as I write this.
Barton Springs
Mama Duke: Local rapper with a brash sound and some clean beats
 Tito's    
Disko Cowboy: DJ with a western flair, I suppose.
T-Mobile   
Walt Disco: Like a David Bowie impersonator who only listened to 3 seconds of "Heroes."

They made the two Discko artists go against each other?!?!  Sickos!  Should have just thrown the Purple Disco guy in here too and we could have finished it off.  I truly hated Walt Disco, and didn't care for Katzu.  I'd probably go with Mama Duke over Spill Tab, but I think both of those are pretty solid.

12:45/1:00
Honda
The Future X: Connecticut rapper with solid bars
Tito's (1:00)
The Past Lives: Bluesy rock outfit from Austin (I think!) without any studio music that I could find.
Kiddie (1:00)
Elena Moon Park: Kiddie music with a Hawaiian and East Asian bent.
American Express
The Ventures: Original Gangsta guitar Gods - The Band that Launched 1,000 Bands.

Of these three, I think I'd probably go watch the zombie Ventures to see the guitar fireworks.  Future X is solid too, but The Ventures feel like an important slice of rock history.  More likely?  Order another pitcher at the sports bar and hope that Texas is beating up on the Okies.

1:30
Miller Lite
Slayyyter: Kinda nasty pop lady in the mold of Paris Hilton
BMI
Jessia: Poppy singer with good songwriting chops
Barton Springs
Lido Pimienta: Spanish language critical darling doing cumbia art-pop
T-Mobile    
The Aquadolls: Surf rock like Best Coast listened to the Breeders



Aquadolls.  For sure.  Slayyyter was vying for my least favorite thing on the poster award. Just aggravatingly awful stuff.  The other two are fine but nothing special to me.

2:00/2:15
Honda
Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psicodelicos:  The guy behind Black Pumas and many other good bands playing Mexican boleros
Tito’s Tent (2:00)
Cimafunk Funky Cuban making very enjoyable tunes (I just wish I could understand them!)
American Express
The Midnight: More 80's redux schlock
Kiddie (2:45)
123 Andres: Bilingual kiddie fun times.

Cimafunk feels like the right call.  Go get sweaty in the Tito's tent grooving to some high energy, super-funky Cuban music?  Sign me up.  The Adrian Quesada project would probably be good too.  This might be the first thing we actually see this year, we'll see.

3:15
Miller Lite
Samia: Really great indie rocker with famous parents
BMI
Charlotte Sands: Pop punk from the second-most-popular Charlotte on Spotify
Barton Springs
Tyla Yaweh: More boring Autotune mumble rap/R&B songs from a friend of Post Malone
T-Mobile
Role Model: Generic bedroom pop and rapping.  Feels like the first release from a former boy band guy trying to make it on his own.

Why are all of the times off by 15 minutes?  Just start the shows on the hour!

Garbage hour right there.  Samia is my choice for sure, but that is just not a great set up of bands.  I like her sound quite a bit, but the rest of this hour is just lame.  Oh, and Omah Lay (Nigerian R&B guy with a Biebs co-sign) is playing in the Tito's Tent at 3, I missed him up there for some reason.

4:15
Honda
Conan Gray: Male Olivia Rodrigo?  Great songwriter either way.
Tito’s Tent
Maude Latour: Baby Lorde
Kiddie
SaulPaul: Acoustic hip hop (but also real beats) for the Kiddies
American Express
Wallows: B-list movie star band with great indie rock chops.

Finally, the first band of the day that I really, actually want to make sure I see.  Just a tough day overall.  Wallows for the win here, although it would be entertaining to go see Conan Gray and think about his massacre of the National Anthem at that baseball game.

5:15
Miller Lite
Sofi Tukker: Electronic dance music for the dumbing down of America
BMI
Aly & AJ: Ex-Disney actress sisters still out there making pop music
Barton Springs
Sabrina Claudio: Whispery, slinky R&B lady
T-Mobile
Manchester Orchestra: Very good indie rock (which makes it a mistake to have just also reviewed Death Cab and War on Drugs)



Easy pick here too.  Manchester Orchestra is a great band and puts on a cool live show.  I saw them a few years back and loved the energy.  I hated Tukker, didn't enjoy Claudio, and have no need to see ex-Disney pop.

6:15
Honda
Big Boi: Half of Outkast still making funky raps
Tito’s Tent
Purple Disco Machine: More 80's redux synth music, but with a little disco flair thrown in
American Express
Lil Nas X: The "Old Town Road" guy is still making insanely popular but mediocre raps

Gotta go with Big Boi, although I am surprised about two things here.  First, that they'd put two of the very few rappers against each other.  That seems crappy for the rap fans out there.  Second, that one of the eight main headliners on the initial poster gets a six o'clock slot.  Shouldn't X be the one at the end of the night?

7:20
Miller Lite
Diplo: Electronic kingpin with generally uninteresting songs
Barton Springs
Tobe Nwigwe: Houston rapper with a great range of voices who will fight you when Jesus won't
T-Mobile
The War on Drugs: Top notch indie rock band with a heavy touch of melancholy and classic rock flourishes

They really loaded up on the EDM stuff with Diplo going right before Flume.  I hope the kids are able to bring enough drugs to keep it going for two whole back-to-back shows.  Nwigwe is great fun - if you are wanting rap stuff this weekend, then this is your chance.  But I've wanted to see War on Drugs for a while and will definitely choose that show.

HEADLINERS:
Honda
Flume: EDM guy
Tito's
Lady Bird
P!nk: Pop rock star from 20 years ago

Ehhh, I guess I'd go see P!nk?  Or maybe call it a night and just head out to get a cheap drink at the house?  I just don't care all that much about EDM.  Maybe we'll run in to some friends and just chill at the back of the Flume show and let the sweet bass drops happen from afar?  Meh.

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