Austin City Limits Music Festival- Day 3
Woke up Sunday a little more earlier. Sung, Jonothan's roommate woke up to go to Church like a good Korean should. I woke up and scratched my balls like I do every morning. And went out driving around Austin again checking out the neighborhoods and looking at Real Estate. This is what my life has become. I must be growing old. Anyway, around luchtime, I'm starving and I say to myself, "I'm in Austin and I'm hungry. I am going to do as the people do here. I'm going to eat at a local joint." So I found this burger place near campus that looked packed. I sat down at the counter and ordered a chocolate shake, bacon double cheeseburger and onion rings on the side. I watched as the cook grilled my burger and watched as the waiter mixed Hershey's chocolate syrup into a vanilla shake. And then I fuckin' gorged that shit down. It was awesome. I must say, one of the best burgers I've ever had. Probably 3rd to Ikeda's burgers in Auburn. Anyway, I stuffed myself with grease because I knew I was going to be at the Festival more hours and through dinner. I wasn't sure if I was going to pay the exhorbant amount of money to eat at the festival. But in hindsight, I might as well have. I paid for ice. So I made my way back to City Hall, parked and walked to the shuttle stop. Made it to the park early actually. It was blazing hot again around 3:00 and I didn't feel like standing in the sun. I went into this air-conditioned tent for AT&T stuff. They were showing some football games, so I hung out until 3:30. Then made my way to see Common. I love Common. I think he's an awesome MC. But his new stuff, I find too much like a product of Kanye's camp. He needs to get back to his roots. But anyway, his show was pretty good. He did a lot of new singles that I haven't heard. But he's always got my respect. Then I made my way across the park to catch Bloc Party. They were pretty good. Loud. But very good. Those guys seem like a cool bunch to hang with. Humble and talented and from Liverpool. Made my way back to the Dell Stage and saw Amos Lee. I love Amos Lee's music. His voice is very much like Ben Harper but his style is not as militant. He's very popish but has some sarcasm to him. Anyway, I felt a little awkward being surrounded by so many adoring female fans. But whatever, I like him anyway. Then I hit a wall. I was going to see Wilco but I couldn't move. I was just too tired and hungry to handle a 4th hour of music. I decided to take a break. I ate my dinner which was a Balance bar. I was too cheap to pay the venders. And then I made my way to the final stage of the Festival. Bob Dylan and his band. I was tired and debating whether it was worth it. I haven't heard a Dylan song since his Out of Time album. I loved that album. But apparently, he's got a new one out. But everyone was saying, "You've gotta see Dylan." I guess so. I guess before he dies, I can say I saw Bob Dylan. And I'm glad I stayed. Because he rocked. He played the slide guitar and harmonica like he was back in the 60's. He was rockin' it man. People had lined up way early in advance to get a view of him. He wore a hat that covered his head even though the sun was down. He didn't say much between songs. And the lights didn't change colors or anything. He didn't dance. He just sang/spoke in his distinctive growl and rocked that slide guitar. I feel so privileged to have seen him. My parents haven't even seen him and they grew up in Berkeley in the 60's. So that was cool. I made it back home relatively quickly again and I went straight to bed. Woke up this morning, wished my friend good-luck and thanked him. And drove back to Houston.
I must say, I enjoyed my three day vacation. Though it was rushed because there was a schedule to follow. I saw so many bands that I would never be able to see if I stayed in Houston. I took photos. But they are all shitty due to the location. But the memory of those three days will be forever burned in my brain.
I like Austin a lot. It feels like a cleaner version of Berkeley or Portland. People are very nice. But a little too proud of the Longhorns. Shut-up already about the Longhorns. They are overrated. Pay more attention to the environment like you claim to do. There was so much littering on the grass. The hills are awesome. I like the fact that there are hills in Austin unlike the rest of Texas. The live music scene is awesome. I got back to downtown each night and 6th street was flooded with people in bars and clubs. I just can't handle the weather. It's September. It's not right to be 99 degrees with clear skies. Also, aside from the college students, service industry, and homeless population, where are all the people of color? My God. That's why everyone is so nice and happy. They've kept all the black people and Mexican people east of 35. I drove there and it was the shittiest part of town. There ain't no Chinatown. Which is kinda sad because I was craving some good Chinese food. People kept saying Keep Austin Weird. It's weird because there is this big-ass elephant in the room that nobody wants to mention. Where it's nice, Austin is nice. Where it's not so nice, it's like any other city. So as long as you stay in your nice Yippie neighborhoods and listen to "cool music" you're good. But venture out and Austin sucks like any other town. So I'm still debating if I wanna settle out there. I think I might just have to head back to CA. If it's going to have the same stuff as Berkeley, I would rather be somewhere less humid.
Woke up Sunday a little more earlier. Sung, Jonothan's roommate woke up to go to Church like a good Korean should. I woke up and scratched my balls like I do every morning. And went out driving around Austin again checking out the neighborhoods and looking at Real Estate. This is what my life has become. I must be growing old. Anyway, around luchtime, I'm starving and I say to myself, "I'm in Austin and I'm hungry. I am going to do as the people do here. I'm going to eat at a local joint." So I found this burger place near campus that looked packed. I sat down at the counter and ordered a chocolate shake, bacon double cheeseburger and onion rings on the side. I watched as the cook grilled my burger and watched as the waiter mixed Hershey's chocolate syrup into a vanilla shake. And then I fuckin' gorged that shit down. It was awesome. I must say, one of the best burgers I've ever had. Probably 3rd to Ikeda's burgers in Auburn. Anyway, I stuffed myself with grease because I knew I was going to be at the Festival more hours and through dinner. I wasn't sure if I was going to pay the exhorbant amount of money to eat at the festival. But in hindsight, I might as well have. I paid for ice. So I made my way back to City Hall, parked and walked to the shuttle stop. Made it to the park early actually. It was blazing hot again around 3:00 and I didn't feel like standing in the sun. I went into this air-conditioned tent for AT&T stuff. They were showing some football games, so I hung out until 3:30. Then made my way to see Common. I love Common. I think he's an awesome MC. But his new stuff, I find too much like a product of Kanye's camp. He needs to get back to his roots. But anyway, his show was pretty good. He did a lot of new singles that I haven't heard. But he's always got my respect. Then I made my way across the park to catch Bloc Party. They were pretty good. Loud. But very good. Those guys seem like a cool bunch to hang with. Humble and talented and from Liverpool. Made my way back to the Dell Stage and saw Amos Lee. I love Amos Lee's music. His voice is very much like Ben Harper but his style is not as militant. He's very popish but has some sarcasm to him. Anyway, I felt a little awkward being surrounded by so many adoring female fans. But whatever, I like him anyway. Then I hit a wall. I was going to see Wilco but I couldn't move. I was just too tired and hungry to handle a 4th hour of music. I decided to take a break. I ate my dinner which was a Balance bar. I was too cheap to pay the venders. And then I made my way to the final stage of the Festival. Bob Dylan and his band. I was tired and debating whether it was worth it. I haven't heard a Dylan song since his Out of Time album. I loved that album. But apparently, he's got a new one out. But everyone was saying, "You've gotta see Dylan." I guess so. I guess before he dies, I can say I saw Bob Dylan. And I'm glad I stayed. Because he rocked. He played the slide guitar and harmonica like he was back in the 60's. He was rockin' it man. People had lined up way early in advance to get a view of him. He wore a hat that covered his head even though the sun was down. He didn't say much between songs. And the lights didn't change colors or anything. He didn't dance. He just sang/spoke in his distinctive growl and rocked that slide guitar. I feel so privileged to have seen him. My parents haven't even seen him and they grew up in Berkeley in the 60's. So that was cool. I made it back home relatively quickly again and I went straight to bed. Woke up this morning, wished my friend good-luck and thanked him. And drove back to Houston.
I must say, I enjoyed my three day vacation. Though it was rushed because there was a schedule to follow. I saw so many bands that I would never be able to see if I stayed in Houston. I took photos. But they are all shitty due to the location. But the memory of those three days will be forever burned in my brain.
I like Austin a lot. It feels like a cleaner version of Berkeley or Portland. People are very nice. But a little too proud of the Longhorns. Shut-up already about the Longhorns. They are overrated. Pay more attention to the environment like you claim to do. There was so much littering on the grass. The hills are awesome. I like the fact that there are hills in Austin unlike the rest of Texas. The live music scene is awesome. I got back to downtown each night and 6th street was flooded with people in bars and clubs. I just can't handle the weather. It's September. It's not right to be 99 degrees with clear skies. Also, aside from the college students, service industry, and homeless population, where are all the people of color? My God. That's why everyone is so nice and happy. They've kept all the black people and Mexican people east of 35. I drove there and it was the shittiest part of town. There ain't no Chinatown. Which is kinda sad because I was craving some good Chinese food. People kept saying Keep Austin Weird. It's weird because there is this big-ass elephant in the room that nobody wants to mention. Where it's nice, Austin is nice. Where it's not so nice, it's like any other city. So as long as you stay in your nice Yippie neighborhoods and listen to "cool music" you're good. But venture out and Austin sucks like any other town. So I'm still debating if I wanna settle out there. I think I might just have to head back to CA. If it's going to have the same stuff as Berkeley, I would rather be somewhere less humid.