Relive it here.

Photos by Cambria Harkey, Dave Mead, Scott Newton, Heather Lovegreen, and Brian Fitzsimmons.

Everyone had been prepared for heavy rainfall on Saturday's ACL Festival proceedings, but Hurricane Rita's eastward drift in course instead meant another hot and dry day at Zilker Park. But despite the large clouds of dirt and dust kicked up by the winds on the dry fields, the sold out crowd didn't seem to mind too much, although the lines at the free water site and misting stations seemed longer.

As for the music, my day started a bit later with the 1:30 AMD Stage appearance by Aqualung. Fronted by singer/songwriter Matt Hales, this British band pleased the early afternoon crowd with its melodic, piano-based songs. Hales also shared some personal insights, introducing "Tongue-Tied" as influenced by his life as the father of a toddler. At the same time, over on the Heinken Stage, Mike Doughty's Band kept things loose with a variation of the infectious funked-up style he has been playing since his Soul Coughing days. The crowd seemed to especially enjoy the band's cover of Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf."

Next over on the Cingular Stage, Built to Spill, (quote possibly the most influential band to ever come out of Boise, Idaho) delivered a great set of jangly indie rock that translated well in the large festival setting. Singer/guitarist Doug Martsch led the band through an especially strong version of "You Were Right," a personal favorite of mine from 1999's Keep It Like a Secret record.

I have seen the Frames a couple of times before in small clubs and always thought that this stirring Irish band would be something to see at a festival. Under the blazing sunshine, they proved me right with one of the best sets of the day in front of a crowd at the AMD Stage whose enthusiasm grew throughout the band's show. Singer Glen Hansard (who some may remember as the guitar player in the movie The Commitments) happily contrasted the show with a club gig the Frames played in Austin a couple of years ago that drew fewer than twenty people, and the crowd didn't let him down when he asked them to sing along.

Back on the Cingular Stage, Death Cab For Cutie continued its ascent from the underground favorites to mass exposure. A few years ago, it would have seemed unfathomable to think that Death Cab For Cutie would be hyped as the next big thing, but the recent release of Plans, the band's major label debut has led to exactly that. Meanwhile on the SBC Stage, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, whose career got a major boost from an appearance at the first ACL Festival in 2002, returned with another uplifting dose of funk, gospel, and blues flavored rock. Randolph again made his steel guitar cry and sing and led the band through a wicked version of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition."

From there, it was just a quick walk over to the Heineken Stage to see the Walkmen, but first came a detour to the BMI Stage. There, with a good-sized crowd taking full advantage of the shade trees in front of the stage, Bobby Bare Jr. and band provided an unexpected highlight while filling in for the Lost Trailers. Back at the Heineken Stage, the Walkmen used their set to showcase several new songs from their forthcoming follow-up to 2004's Bows + Arrows. My 5 year-old daughter gave drummer Matt Barrick high marks for both his red shirt and the way his hair flew around when he played.

With the sun beginning to dip lower in the sky, the time came for a visit to the Capital Metro Stage to enjoy some of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, although the audience far exceeded the number who could fit inside the tent that housed the stage. Drawing on the long tradition of New Orleans brass bands, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band reminded us not only of the catastrophic damage of Hurricane Katrina (and Rita as well) but also that the musical spirit of New Orleans could never be washed away. Continuing on, we were able to catch the last part of the Fiery Furnaces show on the AMD Stage. Led by the brother and sister pair of Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger, this Brooklyn-based band put on a frenetic, intense set that seemed more streamlined than their records.

As the evening began, over on the SBC Stage, Widespread Panic kicked off the first of two sets that would go all the way up to the festival's 10 pm ending time. There was no word on whether their legion of dancing fans had their enjoyment negatively affected by the heat and blowing dust, but I doubt it. Back at the Cingular Stage, Aussie rockers Jet impressed the huge crowd with their combination of muscular guitar riffs and hip-shaking rhythms. Their harder songs sounded like another band from Melbourne called AC/DC.

Declining energy kept me on the west side of the park for my last three bands of the night. First up was a terrific show by Bloc Party on the AMD Stage. The band's Silent Alarm record is among my favorites of the year, and these Londoners definitely delivered for a large crowd clearly hearing the band's rapidly growing buzz. And though they played most of their harder, high-energy songs, the performance of the splendid "This Modern Love" will certainly be one of the highlights of my ACL experience.

Of the many storylines of the ACL Festival, one of the most compelling has been the return of legendary 60's musician, Roky Erickson to the stage after a more than twenty-year absence. Erickson, who grew up in the neighborhood just south of Zilker Park and was the frontman for the influential 13th Floor Elevators, performed in front of a large crowd at the Austin Ventures Stage with great backing from his band, the Explosives. For people who have followed Erickson's career over the years, his presence on stage Saturday night was triumphant and will hopefully lead to more Erickson shows.

Oasis closed out the night on the Cingular Stage with a show that fit its stature as one of the world's biggest bands. The set included sterling versions of "(What's the Story) Morning Glory," "Live Forever" and personal favorite "Rock N' Roll Star as well as a couple of great crowd hand-waving moments on "Champagne Supernova" and "Wonderwall." Once again I listened to the last couple of songs from hillside above Barton Springs pool, which provided the perfect way to wind down from the day.

Two down and one to go and so many more great bands to see tomorrow. Energy reserves may be running low with a third hot day ahead, but the promise of another great day and night of music in the park is impossible to pass up. Don't forget your sunscreen.


- Andy Smith