The monster weekend known as Austin City Limits is peaking it's ugly head around the corner. There was a teatering moment there after the Chicago trip where I was convinced ACL this year wasn't in the cards. But, due to some unforeseen good fortune (free tix), I am now making the trip. Will be in town tomorrow evening - looking to take it easy before the festivities on Friday. There will be some good shows to see by some great bands - specifically : Wolf Parade, Stars (playing at the same time as Wolf Parade?), Okkervil River, Iron & Wine, Ted Leo, Matisyahu, The Shins, and the great Centro-matic. There are a bunch of other bands to see (Gnarls, Ray, Thievery, Lips) but - you've gotta be realistic. Last year we saw about half the band I thought we would. I guess it would have helped to go to more than one day.
The real purpose of this blog is to try to get a little buzz going for two ACL unknowns (or relatively unknown I guess) - both of who are awesome. These two are Ghostland Observatory and Elvis Perkins. Ghostland is from Austin and they ripped it loose at SXSW - this song below is the greatest song ever. Elvis Perkins is from Oregon and is a great talent of the singer-songwriter type. The Ghostland show is at 1 30 on Saturday at the Heineken stage, and they aren't matched up with anyone really great - if you're going you should try and make it out. Elvis Perkins is matched up against The Shins and The Long Winters - so I guess that will have to be a gametime decision. All the non-ACL peeps out there should at least download both traxx - based on their shear awesomeness. The first show I am going to be at on Friday is Ted Leo + Pharmacists - see you there...

Ghostland Observatory - Silver City
Elvis Perkins - Ash Wednesday