Issue date: 10/5/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Nicholas Badger Dave Matthews from the Dave Matthews Band, is the opening act on Saturday at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. [Click to enlarge]

The overwhelming mass of people, the overpowering smell of marijuana and the never-ending rain combined to make this year's Austin City Limits Music Festival an experience to remember. Or forget. Depending on whom you ask.

"I've had a great time," Molly Sherman, a freshman English major, said on Saturday. "I got really, really soggy today. It was soaking wet at Flogging Molly and Grizzly Bear. But it's been a lot of fun."

Although many people were able to have fun despite the less than perfect weather, not everyone appreciated their time at ACL.

Helen Hankla, Class of 2006, described her experience as "miserable."

"I'm cold. It's raining. I'm wet. I'm going home," Hankla said.

Even though most would probably agree that they could have gone without the rain, a select few festival-goers actually enjoyed the weather.

""I really liked the Airborne Toxic Event," said freshman English major Jordan Cleveland. "It started raining at the climax of their performance and it made it a memorable moment for me."

Even Dave Matthews liked the wet weather.

"Blue jeans are good in the rain because they feel so good on your body, wet," the singer said to the audience Saturday night.



In its 8th year, ACL has steadily been pushing back the date of the festival. Moving from late August to late September, this year's organizers pushed the date back once again, holding the affair in October.

"It's previously been really hot," said freshman sports management major Casey Strong. "I prefer [the cooler weather], but not the rain."

Sherman agreed.

"I really like that it's in October because I've nearly died of heatstroke in the past," Sherman said. "But I could definitely do without the rain."

A major event in the music world, ACL attracts 65,000 people from around the world each year.

This year's fete attracted musicians such as Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Ghostland Observatory, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Kings of Leon as headliners. Thievery Corporation, John Legend, Mos Def, The Decemberists, Ben Harper and the Relentless7, The Toadies and many more up-and-coming artists performed as well.

"This whole summer - the past three months - have been all festivals," said Passion Pit bassist Jeff Apruzzese. "So I feel like I'm finally getting used to it and now it's over."

So, was this exhausting, rainy weekend worth it?

It was for Passion Pit who said they would "love" to play at ACL again.

"Definitely [we would come back]," said keyboard player and guitarist for Passion Pit Ian Hultquist. "Hopefully when we come back it will be more relaxed and not super intense like it was today."

Hankla, however, felt otherwise.

"I won't be coming back," she said.

And Cleveland, who agreed that it hasn't been the festival's best year, said she still had a great time.

"Even though lots of people say it hasn't been a great ACL compared to others, it's still ACL, and I love it," Cleveland said.

About ACL
Annual 3-day event
About 130 bands on eight stages
Created eight years ago
Average 65,000 attendees a day
Its namesake is the 35-year-old television show, Austin City Limits
Ticket money goes to the city's economy, including park projects
Sponsored by Austin Parks Foundation

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