ACL Survival Guide
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The sold-out Austin City Limits Music Festival will bring in more than 100 bands and an audience attendance likely to surpass the 50,000-mark each day to Zilker Metropolitan Park. In that mass of sweaty, swaying music fans, it’s best to have a plan and some festival preparation. 210SA’s veteran ACL-goers have created the ultimate list of things you’ll need to manage the chaos in comfort. We’ve also interviewed our top ACL picks to give you more insight into the bands you’ll be watching. In this issue, you’ll find interviews with the French indie pop rock band Phoenix, mashup electronic artist Girl Talk and Michael Franti, who crafts socially aware world music for Michael Franti & Spearhead. For live coverage, blogs, audio, video and additional Q&A’s check out MySA.com, Keyword: ACLFest.
Comfy shoes are a top priority since you’ll probably be scrambling back and forth between eight stages to hit all your bands.
Sun protection! Only a small portion of Zilker Park is shaded, so we recommend dousing yourself with non-aerosol sunscreen and bringing a hat or a small umbrella to keep the rays off. Also, expect to see lots of chunky hipster sunglasses.
Regular-size backpacks are allowed in the festival gates. We recommend you fill yours with a blanket, a point-and-shoot camera and two factory-sealed, 1-liter water bottles.
Bring your phone so you can find your friends and update your Facebook/Twitter with statuses that will make your stay-at-home friends jealous. Take that, suckas!
If you’re too good to sit on the ground, tote in a portable/collapsible chair.
Carry cash If you want to eat, drink or buy merch inside, it’s best to have some greenbacks. There are ATMs inside, but bringing your own cash will save you ATM fees and time in line.
For portable potty survival, you might want to pack your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Better safe than sloppy.
Don’t forget to plan your attack and bring your sched. To make the most of the festival, prioritize which bands you MUST see and figure out which times and on which stages you can find them. If it’s your first time, familiarize yourself with the festival grounds as soon as you get there so you know the quickest routes between stages (and beer vendors).
Stake your claim and let your friends know where you’re sitting by raising a fun flag or balloon.
Last year, thousands of feet killed most of the grass in the park, creating a dusty hazmat situation by Day 3. We recommend you bring either a bandana or a medical mask, just in case the recent sod installation proves ineffective.
For a complete list of allowed/prohibited items, visit www.aclfestival.com/ info/allowed_prohibited.html.
Jennifer Lloyd | 210SA
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