Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/367813
Last year's ACL Fest was the first to take place over two weekends. Ray Benson and the rest of Asleep at the Wheel will continue their ACL Fest tradition this year. "It gets bIgger and bIgger every year. It went from a festIval that was a bIg deal In austIn to a festIval that Is a bIg deal around the world." —adrian quesada that really put Austin on the map as a destination for young people over the last 12 years," he says. By working her phone with a pleasant level of fanaticism, C3's Amy Corbin, senior promoter of the Fest, has helped lure the biggest names in the music business. Corbin, who has been with C3 since the festival's inception, is one of the main rea- sons it has evolved into such a musical heavyweight, right up there with Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Haim rocks out at at the 2013 ACL. Lollapalooza (which is also produced by C3). "We do have a game plan every year," she says. "We try to stick with some trend in music, what people are listening to." That would explain the presence of Lana Del Rey, Lorde, and Sam Smith on the bill with veteran headliners like Pearl Jam and Beck. And sometimes she mixes in a surprise. "We weren't sure if we were going to get Eminem because he wasn't doing very many dates," she admits. "That was a big get for us." For all the promotional heft that the Festival exudes, there is still the magnet of Austin itself that draws artists and fans alike. For the price of admis- sion, you get a dizzying array of acts as well as the zeitgeist of a city that is undefeated in defending its "Live Music Capital of the World" title. Quesada fondly remembers the early days of the festival, when artists could drive right up to the back of the stage. Security is tighter now. Entrances are more complicated and coordinated. Yet he embraces the exponential growth of the event. "It gets bigger and bigger every year. It went from a festival that was a big deal in Austin to a fes- tival that is a big deal around the world," Quesada explains. "As musicians, we'd be silly not to want to play in front of as many people as possible. As much as I like smaller festivals, the idea of getting in front of that many people who are paying that much attention to the music in one place is great. "This festival," he adds, "is most people's favor- ite gig." aCl music festival, october 3–5 and october 10–12, Zilker Park; aclfestival.com. weekend passes are sold out. vIP passes, $1,050; Platinum passes, $3,500; vIP and Platinum travel packages are also available. AW Crowd Pleasers Plan your fest around these not-to-be-missed acts. St. Vincent- friday, 5:15 pm: Rolling Stone calls annie Clark, who grew up outside dallas, "the most thrilling solo artist in indie rock." Beck - friday, 8:15 pm: the innovative musician returns to aCl on the heels of his frst studio album in six years. SpaniSh Gold - saturday, 12:30 pm: expect soulful rock with the right amount of groove from this super trio. tromBone Shorty & orleanS aVenue - saturday, 2:30 pm: It's impossible not to dance your heart out when trombone shorty is on stage. the aVett BrotherS - saturday, 6:15 pm: this north Carolina group has a loyal following in austin for good reason. Jenny lewiS - sunday, 5 pm: the songwriter's return with The Voyager has been a most welcome one. Spoon - sunday, 6 pm: our indie rock heroes continue to build their legend with their eighth album. the replacementS - sunday, 6 pm: they go up against spoon, so it's a good thing aCl fest is now two weekends. lorde - sunday, october 12 only, 7 pm : the new Zealand teenager will soon release the frst single from the new Hunger Games movie. pearl Jam - sunday, 8 pm: the seattle legends return after fve years to close another aCl fest. AUSTINWAY.com 59