Legends and latest bands alike at Austin City Limits Festival
By Michael Corcoran
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, May 5, 2005
* ACL Fest 2005 bands
Just a month after last year's Austin City Limits Music Festival, co-promoter Charles Attal booked Coldplay and Widespread Panic, two acts that could sell out arenas, to play this year's fourth annual fest at Zilker Park.
Over the next few months, other major acts such as Oasis, Wilco, Franz Ferdinand, the Allman Brothers, Lyle Lovett and Jimmy Cliff confirmed, and Attal admittedly had a hard time keeping the lineup to himself and his associates at Capital Sports & Entertainment.
"I was about to burst," he said with a laugh.
Well, the secret's officially out at 8 a.m. today, when the fest's Web site reveals a talent pool for the Sept. 23-25 festival that runs the gamut from jam bands (the Black Crowes, Robert Randolph, Phish's Mike Gordon with Leo Kottke), singer-songwriter icons (John Prine, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle), indie rock darlings (Death Cab for Cutie, the Arcade Fire, Sleater-Kinney, Jet, Tortoise) and even European techno (Mouse on Mars, M83). The lineup includes more than 100 bands.
Bands that made a splash at South By Southwest in March, including Bloc Party, the Futureheads, the Doves, the Frames, Ambulance Ltd. and the Bravery, are also on the bill, as are such local faves as Spoon, Blue October, Ruthie Foster and Grupo Fantasma.
"This is the most musically diverse festival in the country," said Attal, who also booked the revived Lollapalooza, which will take place at Chicago's Grant Park on July 23-24. "We're not going to get outside the eclectic model that has worked in the past."
Unlike 2004, when the Roots broke the hip-hop barrier at the ACL Fest, there are no rap acts coming this year.
"We're not opposed to booking hip-hop," Attal said, "it's just that nothing that would've made sense was available."
After complaints of overcrowding last year, when 75,000 people a day crammed into the Zilker soccer fields, promoters decided to cut capacity to 65,000 and raise the ticket prices.
With the lineup announcement, admission goes up $10 today to $95 for a three-day pass (plus $10 service charges). After an unspecified allotment at that price sells out, which Attal said could happen as early as the end of today, the price goes up to $105. Tickets are available only online at www.austincitylimits.com.
"Passes have been going three times faster than last year (when they started at $65)," Attal said. "This festival should sell out at least a month or two before the event."
A limited number of single-date tickets will go on sale in late July, when the schedule grid is released.
Acts at this year's ACL Fest
* Bukka Allen
* The Allman Brothers Band
* Dave Alvin
* Ambulance Ltd.
* Aqualung
* The Arcade Fire
* Asleep at the Wheel
* The Asylum Street Spankers
* Federico Aubele
* Bobby Bare Jr.
* Dierks Bentley
* Maneja Beto
* The Biscuit Brothers
* The Black Crowes
* The Black Keys
* Bloc Party
* Blue October
* Brave Combo
* The Bravery
* Marc Broussard
* Built to Spill
* Jimmy Cliff
* Coldplay
* Austin Collins Band
* Kacy Crowley
* Patrick Davis Band
* Death Cab for Cutie
* The Decembrists
* deSoL
* Dios Malos
* The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
* Ditty Bops
* Donna the Buffalo
* Mike Doughty
* The Doves
* Steve Earle and the Dukes
* Eisley
* Kathleen Edwards
* Franz Ferdinand
* The Fiery Furnaces
* Ruthie Foster
* Kevin Fowler
* The Frames
* Free Sol
* Oliver Future
* The Futureheads
* Inara George
* The Gospel Stars
* Gov't Mule
* Grady
* Grupo Fantasma
* Buddy Guy
* Hairy Apes
* Wayne Hancock
* Austin Hartley-Leonard
* Sara Hickman
* Missy Higgins
* Kelly Hunt
* Imagination Movers
* Jet
* The Jones Family Singers
* Kasabian
* Keane
* Robert Earl Keen
* Rilo Kiley
* KJAE
* Mike Gordon and Leo Kottke
* Bettye Lavette
* Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca
* The Lighthouse Singers
* The Lost Trailers
* Lyle Lovett
* M83
* Willy Mason
* The Massacoustics
* Mates of State
* Joe McDermott
* Casey McPherson
* Bob Mould
* Mouse on Mars
* Mofro
* Jason Mraz
* Naturally 7
* The New Amsterdams
* Nine Black Alps
* November
* Oasis
* Pong
* Tristan Prettyman
* John Prine
* Robert Randolph & the Family Band
* Split Lip Rayfield
* The Real Heroes
* Bruce Robison
* Kermit Ruffins
* Secret Machines
* Martin Sexton
* The Shields of Faith
* Sleater-Kinney
* Slightly Stoopid
* Mindy Smith
* Soundteam
* South Austin Jug Band
* Spoon
* Star Kid's Yoga
* Tegan and Sara
* Thievery Corporation
* Tortoise
* Rick Trevino
* The Walkmen
* The Weary Boys
* Widespread Panic
* Wilco
* Lucinda Williams
* Rev. Dan Willis & The All Nations Choir
* Rachael Yamagata
* Kate York
* Zap Mama
* Zykos |
