10/03/09 Austin City Limits Festival

[sozekizer]

After spending much of the afternoon in rain and dreading a repeat of the Dallas show's weather in May, I was very very happy that the rains stopped just before the band went on. I was there with friends and we were able to get pretty damned close to the stage (house right - just about 10 feet behind the blue flag w/ the beer pint on it). That's the closest I've ever been to the band so i was excited.
The band was tight, very tight, except for a couple quick mistakes during the Anyone Seen The Bridge->Too Much Fake that Dave and crew laughed about pretty clearly. The opener Don't Drink the Water was pretty standard but the rest of the show was a showcase of each and everyone of the musicians' talents. Funny the Way It Is, Why I Am and Seven sounded tighter than I've heard in any of the previous shows I've been listening to, including the Beacon Show. It was interesting that Dave did not introduce Why I Am w/ history of the song but I wonder if it was because by now everyone's heard it and maybe just maybe they are all finally moving on. I was pleased, no, ecstatic, to hear Jimi Thing and Two Step. Good God Two Step was as good as I've ever heard it played.
The show's overall feel was much more energetic than the Dallas show to me but part of that may be that i was ready to get out of the rain about 2/3 through that night. There have been a lot of complaints on the ACLFestival Facebook site that the band did not do an Encore but I disagree. They played for nearly two hours straight and as high energy as the show was, I would've been amazed had they done an encore. The other thing, for out of towners to know, is that Austin has a curfew on sound, like most cities, but the Festival always shuts down at 10pm. Two Step ended exactly 8 minutes to 10 so I don't see any realistic way to do an Encore. The band played the hell out of each and every song they played. It was, for me, a great end to a tour filled with a lot of emotion and incredible music. They will tour again soon, we all know that, but, until then, if someone did record the show, we'll get a posting sooner or later.

[subro]

was there any lightining?

[snapmcd]

Originally Posted by subro

was there any lightining?

No, there wasn't any lightning. The weather did hold out quite well. I think the ACL organizers are too ambitious with the number of stages in that space. There was another act on at the same time as DMB with enough bass to drown out some of DMB's sound. It surprised me that an act of DMB's caliber would consent to play a concert at the same time/within earshot of another band. Is that the way it goes at the other festivals they play? It certainly wasn't that way at the Mile High Music Festival last summer. They were the only reason I made the drive up there, and if they go back, I'm not sure I'll make the trip again.

The band put on a solid, tight show. Very similar to the other two shows I saw on this tour.

[JEAlex]

All I have to say is theshow was so amazing. 9th show so far, 3rd this year for me. The crowd was so totally into it, probably the most entergetic crowd I've seen at his show.

About the encore thing, most bands don't do encores at acl. 2 solid hours...who can ask for more?!

[coolestcat_99]

Awsome show. No complaints. Great time. The band was tight. I also got a few text that me and my girlfriend were on the taping that aired last night on PBS. AT the end of Shake Me. HOW F'IN AWSOME. I have on my tribute shirt to Leroi. What a great life.

[ExistenceNow]

Originally Posted by snapmcd

No, there wasn't any lightning. The weather did hold out quite well. I think the ACL organizers are too ambitious with the number of stages in that space. There was another act on at the same time as DMB with enough bass to drown out some of DMB's sound. It surprised me that an act of DMB's caliber would consent to play a concert at the same time/within earshot of another band. Is that the way it goes at the other festivals they play? It certainly wasn't that way at the Mile High Music Festival last summer. They were the only reason I made the drive up there, and if they go back, I'm not sure I'll make the trip again.

The band put on a solid, tight show. Very similar to the other two shows I saw on this tour.

Most festivals I've been two have two bands closing the night down. At Jazz Fest, Earth Wind and Fire played at the same time as DMB.

I was pretty far back from the stage, and don't really remember hearing Ghostland besides the occasional bass. It didn't drown out any DMB where I was. It might have helped that I was in line with a speaker tower (not necessarily close to it, but directly in line with it).

[sozekizer]

i can assure you i couldn't hear GLO at all from where i was. i have seen it worse though -- last year. Plant & Krauss were overpowered by Beck. This was so much better.