The route to the ACL Music Festival was pain-free. All the kinks that made it such an ugly experience last year have been fixed this year. The traffic presented no problems, the parking presented no problems and the bus ride was beyond pleasant. The only problem was the intermittent and scattered sprinkle that fell through the day and evening. It was cooler and wetter than expected but the crowd exceeded 50,000 people.
Who did we see? We got to the park at 2 PM just in time to see and hear Tift Merritt who sounded much better in person than she did in a live radio broadcast earlier in the day. Then we sauntered over to the Capitol Metro stage and listened to Los Lobos - still the best band in America. From there it was Drive By Truckers, Patty Griffin, Ruthie Foster, String Cheese Incident, and Cafe Tacuba. The high point of all this was Patty Griffin who can really stir my emotional pot. Ruthie Foster wowed the crowd and raised the roof even better than last year.
The fairies and neo-hippies were ever-present with their streaming attire and hula-hoops, juggling acts, balloon poles (long poles with assorted colorful balloons attached), and the acrid odor of grass filling the rain-sweetened air. We ran into our friend Nisa from church no fewer than three times and she finally hung with us throughout the day. You gotta know how incredibly serendipitous it was to run into someone you know multiple times in such a large crowd.
All things considered, the day was fun, fun, fun. Their was weirdness everywhere, especially the barrel-bellied skirt wearing idiot that came up to Nisa like she was his long-lost friend. He eventually got the message that she was neither his old friend nor his new friend and he disappeared into the weird Austin atmosphere that permeates such gatherings. Hey, that is part of what makes this place special- well at least different.
As I sit here this morning, the rain is heavier and steadier than yesterday. We will be better prepared this time with rain suits, an umbrella, and better chairs. Today's lineup includes Lucinda Williams, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper, among others. And they are all on the same stage. I envision setting my stakes and staying in one place today. Oh yes, it will be great again, even if a little wet. Viva Austin, and viva good music. They go together like apple pie and ice cream - can't imagine one without the other. RiverDogs out from our palace on the south san gabriel.
6:54:12 AM 
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