Austin City Limits (ACL) has a long-standing tradition of showcasing diverse, musical talent and the just released Austin City Limits Festival: Live 2004 CD reveals just how eclectic they can get in Texas. The 2004 concert had a varied mix of artists and genres. The sixteen-track CD opens with the crowd shouting for The Pixies who performed the edgy 'Debaser'. Tracks two and three features modern rockers Dashboard Confessional and Franz Ferdinand. Female vocalist Rachel Yamagata performed the melodic 'Be Be Your Love' on the piano before the sizzling Los Lonely Boys crafted their own unique brand of Texas rock, heavy on blues riffs and rhythms. The Blind Boys of Alabama were poignant shown singing in harmony during the soulful 'Walk In Jerusalem'. The Neville Brothers were another expressive group that brought funk and horns into their soulful mix. The band Cake was innovative blending talk vocals with jazz instrumentation and snappy rhythms. Calexico was another master of mixing styles. Their music is a spicy blend of Latin grooves and west coast vocals. The CD closes with Trey Anastasio performing 'First Tube' which was a round robin-type jam.

The Austin City Limits Festival: Live 2004 DVD 2-disk set features 24 songs including some of the tracks found on the CD. The DVD has 5.1 surround sound and a photo gallery. It includes a good mix of the live performances and crowd shots at Zilker Park. The DVD captures the energy and excitement of the festival as seen through the eyes of the performers and the fans. The production and sound is strong. The lineups on both the CD and DVD are interesting with different types of musicians following one another. The mission of the ACL is to "present an authentic music experience while delivering the highest standard of discovery and production."

Both the CD and DVD are a testimony that ACL's goals are being met. Austin City Limits Music Festival Live From Austin, Texas 2004 is a super snapshot of some of the assorted artists that graced the stage during this well respected festival!

Confirmed artists for the 2005 Festival, to be held from September 23 through 25 in downtown Austin's Zilker Park were scheduled to include Coldplay, Widespread Panic, Oasis, The Black Crowes, The Allman Brothers Band, Wilco, Lyle Lovett, Kasabian, Robert Randolph, Death Cab for Cutie, Leo Kottke, The Lost Trailers, Donna the Buffalo, and more!

Related Links: For more information on Austin City Limits and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- AustinCityLimits.com | Buy DVD - 2004 | Buy CD - 2004

(Originally Published on September 10, 2005)