ACL FESTIVAL 10 YEARS

TRUTH BE TOLD, I HAVE ONLY ATTENDED 9 OF THE 10 YEARS OF THIS INCREDIBLE FESTIVAL. I MISSED THE FIRST YEAR, BUT HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING A PART OF THE EVOLUTION OF A GRAND EVENT FOR THE PAST 9 YEARS.

I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE HEADLINERS AS LAID OUT, WHEN THE SCHEDULE WAS PUBLISHED LAST SUMMER. I HAD EXPECTED, AS MANY MULTI-YEAR GO'ERS, THAT WE WOULD SEE SOME OLD FAVORITES....DWIGHT YOAKAM OR LUCINDA WOULD HAVE BEEN A PLEASANT THROW BACK OR WILLIE (EVEN THOUGH HE IS THERE ALL THE TIME), OR DYLAN, EITHER BOB OF JAKOB. SEEING ROSEANNE CASH A FEW YEARS AGO SIGN BLACK CADILLAC STILL IS A HIGHLIGHT.

THIS YEAR, I WAS EXCITED TO SEE STEVIE WONDER. THE MAN IS A CLASSIC IN THE R&B WORLD BARRY GORDIE HELPED TO CREATE, HIS BAND WOULD BE AWESOME AND I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SAY I SAW HIM. I DID. THE SOUND MANAGEMENT WAS AWFUL....BIG DIS-APPOINTMENT.

KAYNE WEST WAS THE FRIDAY HEADLINER. HE HAD A HUGE PRODUCTION THAT WAS OUT OF A SYFY MOVIE. KIND OF GLAD I DIDN'T FIGHT THE CROWDS.

OVER THE YEARS, THE ACLFEST HAS ALWAYS PROVIDED THE UNEXPECTED. THIS, EVEN THOUGH I ALWAYS FORGET, IS WHAT HAS DRAWN ME BACK TO THE FESTIVAL YEAR OVER YEAR. THIS YEAR WAS PROBABLY THE EPITOME OF THE "ELEMENT OF SURPRISE" WITH REGARD TO THE UNKNOWN ARTIST (AT LEAST TO ME). SO HERE YOU GO FOR THE QUICK RUN DOWN OF "LYNN'S BEST NEW ARTIST". BY THE WAY, I DO NOT PROFESS TO BE THE ECLECTIC MUSIC EXPERT LIKE MY PAL SAZ IS....THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS ENSURE I HAVE HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION WHEN I AM ON MY OWN REGARDING NEW MUSIC.

DAY 1:
FAR AND AWAY THE SURPRISE ACT OF THE DAY WAS HA HA TONKA. THESE BOYS ARE FROM THE OZARK'S. PLAYED AN ENTICING CROSS MIX OF BLUEGRASS TO PUNK ALL IN ONE SONG. AND DID IT WITH EASY, SKILL AND SOME OF THE BEST "HILL COUNTRY" HARMONY I HAVE HEARD IN A LONG, LONG TIME. YOUNG AND ON THERE WAY UP. THANKS MARK MASON OF BMI AND JILL MCGLUCKIN OWNER OF McGuckin Entertainment, (http://www.mcguckinpr.com), FOR ONCE AGAIN BEING THE GREAT HOSTS OF THE BMI STAGE. HA HA TONKA WILL BE IN SAN DIEGO ON DECEMBER 10TH @ THE SODA BAR. THIS IS A MUST SEE!! I WILL BE THERE. CHECK THESE BOYS OUT AT www.hahatonkamusic.com .

THE OTHER SURPRISE OF DAY ONE (BESIDES MAVIS STAPLES I MENTIONED A FEW WEEKS AGO) WAS DAMION "JR. GONG" MARLEY AS HE CHANNELED HIS FATHER BOB WITH "NO WOMAN, NO CRY" AND "REDEMPTION SONG". I HAD SEEN HIM AT ACL A FEW YEARS EARLIER--HE WAS ANGRY AND MILITANT. HE STILL IS BUT HE HAS GROWN TO EXPRESS THAT WITH A SOFTER TOUCH.....AND MORE EFFECTIVELY. HE STILL DID SHOW HIS STRENGTH IN HIS RADICAL, MILITANT SIDE AS WELL.

DAY 2
I HAD SEEN WANDA JACKSON DURING SXSW LAST YEAR AND LIKE MANY PEOPLE AT SXSW, WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE JACK WHITE COME ON STAGE AND PERFORM WITH HER.....HE DIDN'T THEN AND HE DIDN'T AGAIN AT ACL. THAT SAID, WANDA SEEMS TO BE GETTING YOUNGER AND MORE VIBRANT EACH TIME SHE PERFORMS. FOR A LITTLE HISTORY, WANDA IS 74 YEARS OLD AND WAS ONE OF THE LADIES OF EARLY ROCK AND ROLL. SHE BRAGS ABOUT HAVE SOME SORT OF LIAISON WITH ELVIS BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS OF TOURING WITH THE LIKE OF ELVIS, JOHNNY CASH AND JERRY LEE. SHE WAS ON THE FRONT END OF THE SURFER MUSIC. ONCE AGAIN, SHE HAD A TIGHT, TIGHT BAND WITH A THUMP FEEL OF TEXAS SWING......THEY MADE HER FEEL AND PERFORM LIKE SHE WAS 25 AGAIN. AWESOME PERFORMANCE.

DAY 3
HIGHLIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL!!!!! MARIACHI EL BRONX. EAST LA GROUP WITH TRADITIONAL MARIACHI INSTRUMENTS INCLUDING A VIOLIN, A GUITARION, A FUNK LITTLE RHYTHM SET UP IN LIEU OF A FULL DRUM KIT, 3 OR 4 OTHER ACOUSTIC GUITARS. THEY WERE IN FULL MARIACHI DRESS, ALL IN BLACK BUT NO HATS (THANK GOD). NOW FOR WHY THEY WERE THE BEST OF THE FEST.....THEIR FRONT MAN WAS ANGRY BUT INCREDIBLY HAPPY TO BE IN AUSTIN OR AS HE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN "ITS FUCKING GREAT TO BE PLAYING IN THIS GREAT FUCKING CITY FOR YOU GREAT FUCKING PEOPLE.....ONE TWO THREE FOUR...." AND OFF THEY WENT. THEIR MUSIC WAS AUTHENTIC WITH THE PERFECT MIX OF PUNK AND TRADITIONAL MARIACHI MUSIC BEST DEMONSTRATED IN THEIR ORIGINAL "HOLY" THAT COMPARES JESUS TO A BOSS IN THE MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL. THE NO FEAR ASPECT OF THEIR MUSIC WAS LIKE BREAKING A TOOTH WHILE EATING YOUR FAVORITE SPICY PORK DISH....YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP EATING IT NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT HURTS. THE BAND WAS ORIGINALLY.....THE BRONX.....A PUNK BAND OUT OF LA. HAVING RE-INVENTED THEIR SELVES AROUND 2006, THEY NOW HAVE THE RIGHT MIX OF SOUL TO YELL OUT LOUD.....AND YET MAKE YOU ENJOY THE SCREAM.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
RUBY JANE (GROWING UP AND GETTING BETTER AND BETTER).
GOMEZ (PUT THE CROWD ON THEIR FEET FROM BEGINNING TO END AND PUSHED THE LITTLE AUSTIN VENTURES STAGE OVER THE EDGE AFTER WANDA JACKSON. THEY ALSO BROUGHT IN AN INCREDIBLE STORM CLOUD TO FINISH THE SHOW)
NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALL STARS (STILL MAKE THE SLIDE SING THE OLD SOUTH BLUES AND ROCK AND ROLL)
RYAN BINGHAM (OF CRAZY HEART FAME--THIS BOY CAN REALLY ROCK--NICE SURPRISE)
RANDY NEWMAN WAS RANDY NEWMAN (THANK YOU RANDY--NICE SOLO ACT STILL)

LET US NOT FORGET THE OTHER PARTS OF 10 YEARS OF ACL FEST......THE SMELLS, THE PEOPLE, THE PEDI-CABS, THE FOOD, THE FOOD, THE FOOD, THE DRINKS, THE BEER GIRLS, THE TATTOOS, THE HAWKERS SELL ANY AND EVERY THING YOU MIGHT NEED OR WANT FROM SMOKING PIPES TO COLD WATER TO FOOD ON THE GO TO BOB MARLEY SHIRTS TO BEER ON THE RUN. SPECIAL THANKS TO CLEAN AND FRESH MEDIA (SANDEE) FOR PROVIDING, ONCE AGAIN, PERFECT HOSPITALITY!