The set I was most excited to see at Austin City Limits Festival was, unfortunately, pretty early on the first night (the Friday of weekend two). The rest of the weekend was still enjoyable, but no other performance quite compared to the obscure perfection that is St. Vincent.
Annie Clark (her given name) caused quite a scene as she and her band of three took the stage, playing some of the most interestingly unique music my ears have ever had the pleasure of hearing. I find that the musicians who stand out the most at festivals such as ACL (and in general) are those whose music sounds like no one else. That was certainly the case for St. Vincent, with synth-bass driven grooves, explosive, complex guitar riffs and eerily beautiful vocals. Annie and her band members frequently danced choreographed moves influenced by none other than previous collaborator and music legend, David Byrne.
She finished her flawless set by climbing the stage and hanging by her arms from a dangerous height. When she came down, she played one final song adorning a hat and glasses she took from audience members in the front row. Eddie Vedder even had something to say about the incredibility that is St. Vincent, as Pearl Jam ended the festival on Sunday night.
– Submitted by Mark Cichonski, Audio Engineering