Michael's Texas Embrace

It's time for the Austin City Limits Music Festival again! Today was the first day, and man, it was hot (mid 90s? Upper 90s?) but it felt cool since the last day of last year was 107 with dust so thick it looked like fog (is this sounding fun?)

Today's best band was Wolf Parade
for sure. Weird keyboards, theremins, and rocking abounded.

Other highlights for me were Okkervil River, whose sloppy rocking was quite enjoyable despite the fact that I missed the first half of "No key, No Plan."

Gnarls Barkley was enjoyable in their neo-post-motown-gospel-by-way-of-indy-mash-up stage act, complete with chicks with bow ties and Cee-lo singing in a white suit.

Sparklehorse was pretty good, but still disappointing. How do you have four albums and manage to not play most of your best songs? They kept starting songs and I would think, "They're playing this song?!?"

Hey Van Morrison! When did you pick up that country band to play behind you? Because all your best old songs were rock or jazz. I don't need you to bring along lap steel and singing gospel ladies. Where the hell was "Moondance?" Or any of the other songs I know. I mean, you did "Bright side of the Road." I guess that's something. Except I wanted "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Jackie Wilson Said." How about "Wild Nights?" Argh. We heard John Mayer, he was as expected. Kind of pleasant voice, good guitar, mediocre songs.

Tomorrow will be random, but I'm looking forward to the Shins, Aimee Mann, and Explosions in the Sky. TV on the Radio should be good. I'll report back tomorrow with links to my favs. But wait for Sunday! Ween! The Flaming Lips! And the legendary Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers! Sweet!