Over my past few years of festival-going, I’ve come to realize a few things about myself:
- Crowds make me anxious.
- Loud noises scare the bejeezus out of me.
- People on odd cocktails of drugs creep me out.
- Drunk people annoy me.
- Being in the sun for anything more than 5 minutes doesn’t really agree with my porcelain skin tone.
- I’m rapidly turning into a shmendriky schmuck of an old fart.
- Music festivals probably aren’t my “thing”.
All of that being said, I really enjoy Austin City Limits Music Festival (aka ACL). It’s always been a fun time for me to sit (sitting is seriously the greatest thing ever!), have a drink (second runner up after sitting!), and listen to some great music with my friend(s).
I’ve learned that attending the festival for only a few hours at a time is crucial to my happiness… so, Saturday, my friend Danielle and I headed over to Zilker Park for 4 hours of food, fun, and festivities.
First and foremost, the food:
Upon entering the park, we made a beeline for the Austin Eats section of the festival: every booth is a local Austin food truck or restaurant. Danielle and I both decided that Mighty Cone was the way to go, each ordering a chicken and avocado cone (partially eaten, top). After literally chowing down on our cones in record time (hey, I hadn’t eaten all day!), we dashed back for round two (or lunch: the sequel) from Goodpop (above). 63 calories of frozen deliciousness was just what the doctor ordered. While Danielle noshed on the strawberry lemonade popsicle, I ate an order of the hibiscus mint. I didn’t taste Danielle’s popsicle, but we both agreed that the hibiscus mint popsicle kind of tasted like wine.
Jury’s still out on whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.
After chowing (and grabbing a round of cider to keep us “hydrated” that afternoon), we walked over to the RetailMeNot stage for our first concert: Iggy Azalea.
I knew nothing about Iggy Azalea before this concert. Well, next to nothing. I could pick her out of a lineup (maybe) and I could identify precisely one of her songs (“Fancy“… and that’s only if the chorus were playing).
I was pleasantly surprised by her skills as an entertainer.Usually, at ACL, the daytime bands are more artist than entertainer – as in, it’s very rare to see backup dancers during a day concert (or even at all at the festival!). But Iggy had them. Her music entertained and her show / performance delivered.
Our next attraction (after wandering around for a few minutes and seeing various acts, including Lucius) was Lana Del Rey.
I’m not one of those die-hard Lana Del Rey fans, but I must admit that I really like her. Her bit in The Great Gatsby was catchy, as was “Summertime Sadness“… but I never listen to the radio so that’s really all I knew of her.
Ohmygosh is she calming. She didn’t interact with the audience (except for to briefly run off the stage, into the crowd, and take selfies with fans), she was not a performer, she didn’t tell us to get out of our chairs and dance. She just stood there and serenaded us, while we sat, drank, and were pleasantly lulled by her melodies. After my stressful Friday (it took me nearly 5 hours to get from Dallas to Austin!!), Lana Del Rey was the perfect dose of relaxation and comfort. Her voice is the musical equivalent of mac and cheese – it’s like auditory comfort food.
The crowds at the festival were crazy (top). It’s estimated that over 75,000 people attend the festival every. day. That’s a whole lotta people.
The big “thing” this year was Flash Tattoos. Danielle and I (above) saw them everywhere. Seriously we were the only females at the festival between the ages of 15 and 40 who didn’t have them. We must’ve missed that memo. Me not having one really shouldn’t surprise you if you know how I feel about tattoos… even temporary ones (hint: I would never get one), but I must admit that the Flash Tattoos looked totally awesome and stylin’.
So that’s what the youngin’s were wearing, paired with Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters and whatever-the-cool-kids-wear-now everything… while I wore Lululemon with pearls. Because it’s me. At least Danielle made the two of us look somewhat cool as she sported her “I love Haters” hat.
We finished our festival of fun with the Juanes concert.
I attended Juanes’s ACL Live taping last year (and actually brought Danielle with me!). I’ve been a fan of his since I was in high school, and seeing him [again] at the festival totally made my whole day. His music just brings a smile to my face… though that might partially be because I don’t speak a lick of Spanish so I have absolutely no idea what he’s singing about 99% of the time… but I’m pretty sure it’s because Juanes’s music just makes you want to get up and dance. Danielle and I couldn’t sit still during the concert and it was the best way to end the evening!
If you’re attending ACL this year, remember to stay hydrated, be safe, be smart, and have fun!!