Good Music on a Hot Afternoon

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats performing at ACL on Sunday of Weekend 1. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
Austin City Limits Festival, Sunday afternoon, Weekend 1. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
Austin City Limits Festival, Sunday afternoon, Weekend 1. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Hot Damn. I need a drink.

I took three teenage girls to the Austin City Limits Festival. The original plan involved having another mom with me, but it didn’t go down that way. So I went, I saw, and I survived ACL.

ACl wristband
ACL one day wristband — once activated, could be used to pay for food, beverages, and merchandise.

I had a Sunday pass, but the girls had three day wristbands. My daughter and her friends are close to 18, and veterans of two years of Summer Fest in Houston, so I didn’t have to hold their hands. I just needed to be around to be sure that when they walked into the hotel suite at 11 pm each night that everything was okay.

One thing I’d say about the music. I’m lucky to have a hip kid. Alt Rock rocks, and without my daughter, I doubt I’d know any of these groups. So many of the bands — Cold War Kids, Young the Giant, Mumford and Sons, Saint Motel, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats — I really like. When Catherine rolled out the ACL weekend proposal several months ago, I thought — yes, I’m good with this plan.

Chi'lantro's Kimchi Fries.
Chi’lantro’s Kimchi Fries.

As many of my readers know, I grew up in New Orleans. That means the Jazz and Heritage Festival is part of me, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been to a music festival. I was pleasantly surprised with Austin City Limits.

ACL was very well organized, and the space for the festival in Zilker Park was amply big to hold the number of people attending. Bathrooms at music festivals are always a downer, but there were plenty of them, lines were fast — and the ones I used flushed! And they were clean. It’s the little things.

ACL wristbands could be activated with a credit card so that attendees simply swiped the wristband to pay for food, drinks, and festival merchandise; this was a very effective system, and made lines go quickly. The food was great!! Catherine had been raving about it from their first two days at the festival, so by the time I went on Sunday, I was ready. My sister, who lives in Austin, brought a good friend of hers and joined me on Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed Kimchi fries and spicy chicken tacos from Chi’lantro. Oh, so good!

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats performing at ACL on Sunday of Weekend 1. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats performing at ACL on Sunday of Weekend 1. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

I knew I wasn’t up for all day at the festival, so the band I chose to see was Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats. Man! The first time I heard his song S.O.B. I could feel the R&B, rock and even some gospel. Infectious rhythm. And as I listened to the band’s other music, I liked them even better.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iAYhQsQhSY?rel=0]

I’m not the only one who thinks this guy has got something. NPR’s Jason Heller reviewed Rateliff’s television debut on the Tonight Show last year. Here are links to their music videos: S.O.B. (warning, language), I Need Never Get Old, and Wasting Time. And for good measure, Rateliff’s second performance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

There was good music. It was a hot afternoon. I had a fine time.

And later, a couple of of these Manhattans from Fixe in Austin sure hit the spot.

Manhattan, garnished with a dried cherry and bacon, from Fixe in Austin. Photograph, Ann Fisher.
Manhattan, garnished with a dried cherry and bacon, from Fixe in Austin. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

And a closing pic of Young the Giant from my fabulous daughter, Catherine.

Young the Giant performing at ACL. Photograph, Catherine Gassiot.
Young the Giant performing at ACL. Photograph, Catherine Gassiot.

Ann in Castolon in Big Bend National Park. Photograph, Jim Stevens

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Ann Fisher

Writer, traveler, and cancer fighter. Get out there and live life!

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11 thoughts on “Good Music on a Hot Afternoon

  1. Roos Ruse November 18, 2016 at 4:43 pm

    One sadness leaving TX was missing ACL both years I lived there. *Sigh* At least I got to see Chip Gaines at the silos in Waco and take in the unique landscapes. Your new fan, Roo

    Reply
  2. Octopaul November 8, 2016 at 5:15 pm

    This looks fun!

    Reply
    1. Ann November 13, 2016 at 11:09 pm

      Oh, it was!

      Reply
  3. Fabiola Rodriguez October 17, 2016 at 11:27 pm

    This looks like it was so much fun. I love Austin!

    Reply
    1. Ann October 19, 2016 at 1:11 am

      It was fun. And Austin is such a cool city. I’m lucky that my sister lives there – so I get to go more often :-).

      Reply
  4. keebslac1234 October 17, 2016 at 11:14 pm

    Oh crap! I followed the link to the Tonight Show and now I’m hooked. I’m a sucker for big bands who can play rock, bob heads and perform with soul. The things I stumble upon reading blogs. I’ll never learn, and my reading/listening/view lists grows longer by the day. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Ann October 19, 2016 at 1:09 am

      Yes – it’s a great band. If haven’t listened to S.OB. – it’s an addictive piece – very fun.

      Reply
      1. keebslac1234 October 19, 2016 at 9:43 pm

        I did. I liked. Loved the stop-start vibe.

        Reply
  5. dray0308 October 17, 2016 at 10:29 am

    Reblogged this on DREAM BIG DREAM OFTEN and commented:
    Ann Cavitt Fisher is such a fun follow!!

    Reply
    1. Ann October 19, 2016 at 1:12 am

      Thank you, Danny!

      Reply

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