WOO HOO! Gettin' ready for ACL!

Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
edited October 2009 in The Porch
Greetings21.jpg

My prince and I will be making our yearly trek to Austin for ACL fest!

We want to welcome Pearl Jam and all PJ fans to the Lone Star State! :D
"The stars are all connected to the brain."
Post edited by Unknown User on
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  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    We’re meeting our friends from the east and left coast and one Austinite.
    A group of Who fans who all met during the 2006-2007 tour. We all like live music so we get together when we can, where we can. Here’s the Who Crew:

    ATGATE.jpg

    If you see any of these guys at the fest, just ask ‘em, “Where’s Princess?” 8-);)
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Better DanBetter Dan Posts: 5,684
    Cya there!

    austin-city-limits.jpg
    2003: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Seattle; 2005: Monterrey; 2006: Chicago 1 & 2, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Detroit; 2008: West Palm Beach, Tampa; 2009: Austin, LA 3 & 4, San Diego; 2010: Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbus, Indianapolis; 2011: PJ20 1 & 2; 2012: Missoula; 2013: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Seattle; 2014: Tulsa; 2016: Columbia, New York City 1 & 2; 2018: London, Seattle 1 & 2; 2021: Ohana; 2022: Oklahoma City
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Nice pic! Where are you? :lol:;)

    I thought I’d pull all the practical ACL info into one thread and put together some suggestions from my experience. Anybody who wants to add anything, please do! :mrgreen:

    Since ACL starts Friday and PJ isn’t playing till Sunday, I’m keeping this as general festival tips. For more specific info about PJ’s set, let’s keep it to this thread:

    http://community.pearljam.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=97958

    You know, the questions about what time are we meeting in front of the stage on Sunday, who is going to the Ames booth, transportation, pre and post shows, get togethers.

    For parking, TheLostSoul has posted some good info here: :ugeek:

    http://community.pearljam.com/viewtopic ... &start=315
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    woo-hoo!!!!! can't wait!!!! see you all there!!! 8-)
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    The ACL web site has a list of allowed/prohibited items:

    http://aclfestival.com/info/allowed_prohibited.html

    Just to make it easy I’ll copy it here:

    Guests and their belongings are subject to search upon entry or re-entry. You can help keep the lines moving quickly by leaving large bags at home. Please return for any additions or amendments.

    You may bring in the following items:
      · Blankets · Umbrellas (small hand-held style) · Soft-sided coolers (small sized only; approx. 10"L x 7"W x 7" H) · Baby Strollers · Portable/collapsible chair (individual units only; no "double-wide" connecting chairs) · Regular-size/unframed backpacks · Two factory sealed water bottles up to 1 liter each · Empty Camelbak · Empty plastic or aluminum water bottle (ie, Nalgene or Sigg bottle) · Ice in soft-sided cooler or Camelbak. (small sized cooler only; approx. 10"L x 7"W x 7" H) · Binoculars · Personal camera equipment (i.e. small digital cameras or point-and-click 35mm cameras). Cameras with any type of detachable lenses are prohibited.

    The following items are prohibited:
      · Weapons of any kind · Illegal substances (including narcotics) or drug paraphernalia · Framed or large backpacks · Alcohol (alcohol will be sold at the Festival) · Glass containers · Food or beverages, except for factory-sealed water bottles · Skateboards, scooters, or personal motorized vehicles · Bicycles inside Festival grounds (bike racks are available near each entrance) · Carts · Large chains or spiked jewelry · Fireworks · Explosives · Large umbrellas · Non-collapsible chairs · Hard-sided coolers · Tents · Pets (except service dogs) · Video equipment: No video recording will be allowed. · Professional still camera equipment (no detachable lenses, no tripods, big zooms, or commercial use rigs) · Audio recording equipment · No illegal vending is permitted. No unauthorized/unlicensed vendors allowed. · Unauthorized solicitations, handbills, sampling, give-aways, etc · Metal aerosol containers, including sunscreen
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,962
    HELL YEAH!!!! So pumped and I have all my packing to do tonight!!!! only and hour and a half left of work before my weeks is over though!!!!
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Fall is in the air.

    1072108-2-vermont-autumn.jpg

    :roll:

    But this is TEXAS.

    Texasdrought.jpg

    OK, so it's been raining the past week. So it may be 85 degrees instead of 95!
    In other words, keep watching the forecasts before you pack those hoodies.
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    flipflops.jpg

    Just because the weather is nice doesn’t mean you should wear sandals, unless you want to have blisters on top of your blisters.

    You’re going to be doing lots of walking. Hiking boots or running shoes, wear something that you can walk and dance all day in.
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    flipflops.jpg

    Just because the weather is nice doesn’t mean you should wear sandals, unless you want to have blisters on top of your blisters.

    You’re going to be doing lots of walking. Hiking boots or running shoes, wear something that you can walk and dance all day in.

    yup. we made this mistake on day one in 2007 & it was PAINFUL. lots & lots of walking!

    one quick tip...stay HYDRATED. sure, have some beers. 8-) but make sure that you're drinking water throughout the day as well. even though it won't be hell-on-earth-hot, you can still get dehydrated rather quickly. just my $0.02!
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    You’re going to need a hat. The Texas sun can be brutal.
    They will have hats for sale at the fest but you’ll save $$$ if you bring one with you.

    2916673145_abaee33ab7.jpg


    As long as it does the job, nobody’s calling the Fashion Police.

    RANDYCARO.jpg


    It may come in handy during those important ops!

    DSC03415.jpg
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    mfc2006 wrote:
    yup. we made this mistake on day one in 2007 & it was PAINFUL. lots & lots of walking!
    I am also the voice of experience. Didn't know it was possible to have SO MANY blisters.
    mfc2006 wrote:
    one quick tip...stay HYDRATED. sure, have some beers. 8-) but make sure that you're drinking water throughout the day as well. even though it won't be hell-on-earth-hot, you can still get dehydrated rather quickly. just my $0.02!
    Can't stress this enough. A girl passed out right by us last year from dehydration and the paramedics rushed over to treat her. It was really scary.
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    edited September 2009
    Don’t forget the sunscreen or you’ll end up looking like this guy:

    images.jpg

    Thanks to all the recent rain, it sounds like mosquito repellent is a good idea too.

    Other gotta haves IMHO:
      Cash (not everyone takes credit cards) ATM card (there are ATM machines throughout the park) Sunglasses Cell phone for texting Hand wipes*
    *They have stations with anti-bacterial gel by the porta-potties but there is no place to actually wash your hands! Sometimes you just want to be able to wash your hands or face:
    http://www.playtexstore.com/cgi-bin/item/PLA04723

    Even though there will be water for sale at the park, don’t forget that you can bring in 2 bottles. If you do forget, lots of people will be selling it as you are walking into the park. The price gets higher the closer you get to the entrance!

    I’ve also been told that some brands of water can be opened and emptied, with the water replaced with rum, and the cap will still look sealed. It only works with certain brands of bottled water. I haven’t tried this myself but I have listened to many conversations of “Who’s got the bottle with the rum in it?”

    As far as sitting accommodations, the Princess has tried both a blanket and a collapsible chair and much prefers the collapsible chair. If you take a chair, there is a place you can store it if you get tired of carting it around.
    Post edited by Who Princess on
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • See you mother scratchers there! :lol: Can't wait!!!!!

    ~peace~
    Never allow someone to be your Priority,
    While allowing yourself to be their Option.

    ‹^›_‹(ô¿ô)›_‹^›

    Please visit daily: www.theanimalrescuesite.com
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    When you get to the park you have lots of options.

    09Map.jpg

    If you’ve checked out the schedule, you’ve probably seen that you can customize your own schedule:

    http://2009.aclfestival.com/events/dail ... /02/1/hbha
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    You’re going to walk A LOT if you go from stage to stage.

    2916748167_10a4f53e69_m.jpg

    Maybe you've got a time slot when you're not sure who you want to hear. I've learned to go by the rule of 3. I listen to 3 songs, then move on. That allows me to hear as many artists as possible.

    I don’t always hold to that. Last year I didn’t expect to get into Gogol Bordello as much as I did and stayed for their entire set!

    On the other hand, if the band really sucks (it happens!) I may not even last 2 songs.
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,962
    Well the National Weather Service has a pretty terrible outlook for Saturday/Sunday.
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    If you looked at the picture that DS114969 posted, maybe you noticed that there isn't much shade? :lol:

    Each day, my friends and I try to get there by noon. We set up a base camp in a shady spot (if there is one) in the area of the stage where most of the acts we want to see that day are playing. We aren't all there very long. Usually at least a couple of us go stand near the stage. We split up and go see different acts. At least one person stays with the stuff although occasionally we’ve all left it. Never had any problems. You tend to get to know the people sitting around you during the day.

    In this pic I drew an arrow to the sign that says No Chairs Past This Sign. People can sit on the ground or stand in the area beyond that.

    DSC02259-1.jpg

    Regina Spektor's set was SRO. :lol:

    DSC02288.jpg
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Cliffy6745 wrote:
    Well the National Weather Service has a pretty terrible outlook for Saturday/Sunday.
    I'm afraid to ask. :shock:
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    The food is very good! Excellent selection too:

    http://www.aclfestival.com/inthepark/food.html

    I can personally recommend the fish tacos and the Guinness Steak & Potato Pie. Not enough coffee available for caffeine lovers though.

    DSCN8947Medium.jpg

    You will note that the Princess has her priorities in order, having obtained a meal, iced coffee, and water for hydration. :mrgreen:
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,962
    Cliffy6745 wrote:
    Well the National Weather Service has a pretty terrible outlook for Saturday/Sunday.
    I'm afraid to ask. :shock:

    http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.p ... +Statement

    ...HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND...

    ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE AND AN OVERRUNNING PATTERN IS EXPECTED
    TO PRODUCE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THE
    WEEKEND. SOUTHWEST WINDS ALOFT WILL TRANSPORT MOISTURE FROM A
    DEVELOPING TROPICAL DISTURBANCE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC TONIGHT
    THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO SETTLE OVER
    SOUTH TEXAS EARLY FRIDAY...PROVIDING A FOCUS FOR SCATTERED TO
    NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS WEEKEND.

    RAIN CHANCES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE RAPIDLY BY SATURDAY
    MORNING...WITH THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL EXPECTED
    TO DEVELOP SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. THIS TYPE OF HEAVY RAINFALL
    PATTERN WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINS OF 2
    TO 5 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OVER 10 INCHES.

    THOSE WITH WEEKEND PLANS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER CLOSELY...AND
    PLAN AHEAD FOR POTENTIAL FLASH FLOODING.
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Sometimes on the third day our camp is located by one stage and then we move late in the day over to where the headliner is. I know a lot of people have been worried about getting close enough to see PJ and thinking they need to set up early. Lots of people will leave before the headliner comes on. I know that sounds weird but it happens every year.

    DSCN9104Medium.jpg

    Wholigan Exodus


    DYLANCAMP.jpg

    New Camp--Time for beer and supper before the headliner!
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Cliffy6745 wrote:
    Cliffy6745 wrote:
    Well the National Weather Service has a pretty terrible outlook for Saturday/Sunday.
    I'm afraid to ask. :shock:

    http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.p ... +Statement

    ...HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND...

    ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE AND AN OVERRUNNING PATTERN IS EXPECTED
    TO PRODUCE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THE
    WEEKEND. SOUTHWEST WINDS ALOFT WILL TRANSPORT MOISTURE FROM A
    DEVELOPING TROPICAL DISTURBANCE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC TONIGHT
    THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO SETTLE OVER
    SOUTH TEXAS EARLY FRIDAY...PROVIDING A FOCUS FOR SCATTERED TO
    NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS WEEKEND.

    RAIN CHANCES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE RAPIDLY BY SATURDAY
    MORNING...WITH THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL EXPECTED
    TO DEVELOP SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. THIS TYPE OF HEAVY RAINFALL
    PATTERN WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINS OF 2
    TO 5 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OVER 10 INCHES.

    THOSE WITH WEEKEND PLANS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER CLOSELY...AND
    PLAN AHEAD FOR POTENTIAL FLASH FLOODING.
    They hold the festival, rain or shine. One of my friends is planning on taking a garbage bag to use as a poncho in case it rains. I suppose that could be added to the list of MUST-HAVES but I'm gonna wait and see. It's a little early to be predicting heavy rain for Sunday. I've lived in Texas long enough to know better, although I wouldn't be surprised to see some rain this weekend.
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Did I mention that you’ll do a lot of walking?

    2916749409_c166834869_m.jpg

    This is the main stage, where PJ will be playing Sunday night.
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    After 3 days, you will probably be worn out. So during the fest, take a break if you need to, whenever, wherever, however you can.
    You wanna be ready to rock to Pearl Jam on Sunday night, doncha?!

    DSCN9095Medium.jpg
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Besides, it’s possible to enjoy the fest while you unwind. Check out the Princess getting down to Yo La Tengo a couple of years ago:

    th_DSCN9102.jpg

    I napped last year too but I was more discrete about it. ;):lol:


    Any other ACL vets, please add your comments/suggestions to this thread!

    See ya in Austin, bitches! Pearl Jam is gonna bring it! :D:lol::D
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    all great suggestions, Carolyn!!!

    i can only echo what she's said: be ready to walk a lot, stay hydrated, it's ok to take breaks, enjoy the awesome food, be careful at the merch booth (people scope out for wallets and completely unrelated...it's easy to spend a TON of money!), get to know your surroundings, use a landmark/tent/booth/etc to use as a marker (my wife got lost last year and it took her over an hour to find us) when you go to grab a beer/take a leak, don't bring too much stuff, have fun, be respectful, SMILE, and ENJOY!!! this festival is a blast...looking forward to seeing you all there!

    PJ is going to tear it up!
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    mfc2006 wrote:
    i can only echo what she's said: be ready to walk a lot, stay hydrated, it's ok to take breaks, enjoy the awesome food, be careful at the merch booth (people scope out for wallets and completely unrelated...it's easy to spend a TON of money!), get to know your surroundings, use a landmark/tent/booth/etc to use as a marker (my wife got lost last year and it took her over an hour to find us) when you go to grab a beer/take a leak, don't bring too much stuff, have fun, be respectful, SMILE, and ENJOY!!! this festival is a blast...looking forward to seeing you all there!
    Ooooh, good points. Zilker Park is bigger than you realize and it's easy to lose track of where you are. The stages are also farther apart than you think when you start walking from one to another . . . . you can get turned around easily. I also didn't even think about the merchandise area. I've tried to stay away from there! :lol: I've noticed that it seems to be less crowded early in the day if that helps any, that's when I did my merch shopping.
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    BUMP for Thursday! :mrgreen:

    Some people probably hitting the road today!
    weenie wrote:
    There are semi-circle shaped areas in front of every stage where CHAIRS ARE NOT ALLOWED. So if you plan on being up front, you'll need to stash your chair at the American Airlines lockers. I'm not sure how much they are charging. Or, bring a blanket. The entire area was re-sodded according to someone that lives nearby Zilker Park.

    Ladies, bring tissue for when the porta-potties run out of TP.

    The mosquito repellent is for real. They come out at dusk and at night mostly but are also in shady areas.

    See you there..... can't wait to see them in my own city! :D:D:D

    Good suggestion from weenie about bringing tissue.
    The only good thing I'll say about those porta-potties is there are lots of 'em! :roll: :lol:
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • weenieweenie Posts: 1,623
    Here's some info from the ACL Roll Call thread you might be interested in:

    Just got the ACL insert from the new Chronicle delivered here to work. Found some things you all may be interested in, particularly out-of-towners:

    1. It looks like the shuttles don't start running until 10:00 a.m.
    2. Waterloo Records is going to have a tent. You can go in and sign-up to win an Ames Poster signed by all the band members. WHAT A SCORE!!!!!!! :D
    3. If you park in some of the surrounding neighborhoods, you could get towed.
    3. American Airlines WILL have a bag and chair check stand.
    4. Food Items look to be priced around $6 - $7 average. There's a vendor called Boomerang's who claims to have the fastest lines and serves meat as well as vegetarian and vegan pies. Of course there's everything else under the sun and prices go up, the more "sophisticated" your tastes are.

    Also, the music critic gave Backspacer a fairly decent review.
    go to austinchronicle.com
    ;)
    ~I want to realize brotherhood or identity not merely with the beings called human, but I want to realize identity with all life, even with such things as crawl upon earth.~
    Mohandas K. Gandhi

    ~I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by any epaulette I could have worn.~
    Henry David Thoreau
  • ComeToTXComeToTX Austin Posts: 7,926
    if you have an iphone then download the acl fest app. very useful!
    This show, another show, a show here and a show there.
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