beauty in a wicked world.

Song: Falling Slowly
Artist: The Swell Season

Austin City Limits 2008. Amazing. Pure bliss. That is the best way I can describe this past weekend. Good live music, friends, beautiful weather, beer, Austin, being surrounded by hippies...how can it get any better? Finally, a weekend when I didn't have to think about ANYthing else going on in my life. On the late Sunday night drive back, all that went through my head was,"Can ACL just start all over again?" Also, the fact that I had a speech on global warming the next day, and I hadn't rehearsed it at all.

I've gone to ACL the past three years, and each time has been something special. This time was no different. One of my favorite picks for the weekend was The Swell Season (seen in the video above). Their performance was just...wow. If you haven't seen Once, or listened to the soundtrack, I suggest you do that immediately. Their performance was just spot-on and they both just seemed so damn genuine. I've seen way too many shows where the artist just performs purely because that's what they are being paid to do. Also, I've been listening to Band of Horses on repeat for the past few days. Their live performance really brought the albums to life, for me at least. Too bad Dave Grohl had to be a dick and start his set 5 minutes early during B.o.H.'s last song. Some of my other favorites of the weekend included: Beck, Delta Spirit, Colour Revolt, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Eyrkah Badu, Spiritualized, CSS, Conor Oberst, Fleet Foxes, and Okkervil River. And for those who thought the lineup was lame.....WRONG.

Every time I see a show now, all I can think of is that one day I could help put together something that meaningful. The fact that I am a senior in college has really hit me hard, and I'm just trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my life. I'm just going to go with the flow, I guess. Hopefully I won't have a nervous breakdown in the near future.