Ready for Austin City Limits? This year’s ACL is going to be an absolute riot, with one of the most diverse and promising lineups to date. The ACL 2014 roster features Pearl Jam, Eminem and Outkast leading the bill, backed by Beck, St. Vincent, Calvin Harris, Skrillex, Lorde (Weekend Two only), Foster The People, The Replacements and Zedd, among others.
If you’re heading out to either weekend of ACL 2014, there are a few key pointers to keep in mind for the sake of having the most excellent time you can. Of course, Crave will be on-site in the best damn town in Texas to bring you daily reviews, photo galleries, interviews and more throughout the festival – keep up with our coverage right here.
Interview: Arctic Monkeys at ACL
In the meantime, take a run through 8 pro-tip guidelines for making the most of your Austin City Limits experience!
Ponchos! Raincoats! Plastic Bags!
The weather forecast is all over the place, with 90 degree days split by expected periods of rain. Got your phone in a zip-lock? Get on it. Poncho up to be fully prepared in the event of a downpour, and bring a handful of rubber bands along with a bunch of plastic grocery bags to wrap your feet in. Tank tops and shorts are great in the daytime, but rocking out when you’re soaked to the bone is a little less than thrilling. Besides, there’s no better way to win points with the girl you’ve been eyeing than to offer her some protection from the elements during a festival downpour. Bring an extra-large poncho so you can fit more bodies inside, if the opportunity arises.
Interview: Reignwolf at ACL
Don’t drink till the sun goes down
The fastest way to dehydrate yourself is to start throwing ’em back while the sun’s beating down on you. Once the day starts to cool off, you can partake in the glory of a $17 beer, but there’s a reason you see dozens of faceplanted fools down for the count before Day Two even kicks off. Party when it’s time to party. Don’t burn out while the sun is still beating down.
Rent a bike
There’s little to no parking for quite a distance in any direction from Zilker park, and you’ll be competing with tens of thousands of other exhausted festivalgors for a taxi, so do the smart thing and rent a bike for the weekend. They’re relatively cheap, and with an enormous lane of bike racks just outside the main entrance to ACL you’ll have an easy time with the ins and outs (that’s what she said). If you’re intent on driving, there are complimentary shuttles that pick up and drop off concertgoers at Republic Square (Fourth Street and Guadalupe Street). Barton Springs Bike Rental, Jack & Adam’s Bicycles and Austin Bike Tours & Rentals are good places to start your search.
Eat early, eat local
Breakfast is the most important meal on a festival day, so load up for sustained energy. There’s a lot of excellent festival fare once you get inside (get ready for some BBQ goodness!), but you should keep your appetite in check until you find the Austin Eats local food vendors. With signature ACL grub such as the Hot and Crunchy Mighty Cone, vegetarian and gluten-free considerations and options far from funnel cakes or turkey legs, Austin Eats showcases the most premier Austin restaurants. Check out the full list of offerings. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll make time for P. Terry’s.
Be smart about your stash
Being casual about broadcasting your recreational plans could result in a very bad weekend for you. Texas isn’t California, and they’re less inclined to let the good times roll if you’re being flagrant about your mind-altering activities. And no matter how good the deal sounds, don’t buy anything on the fields but what grows naturally: you never know what you’re getting.
Charge up! Bring backup!
Your phone battery is going to deplete faster than you can say, “Wait, I’m not finished uploading that pic of Eminem and Lorde making out!” Twitter, Instagram and Facebook apps are energy vampires that will leave you digitally stranded in no time, so suck it up and live the experience rather than shakily document every second of it while blocking the view of everyone behind you. Keep your charger on you, keep an eye out for charging stations, and consider taking the cheap leap into the world of portable chargers.
Aftershows!
If ACL scheduling conflicts have you down, there’s a very good chance you can catch the act you couldn’t quite break away for when they play one of the official ACL bonus aftershows. Beck, J. Roddy Walson & The Business, Jenny Lewis, Spoon, Skrillex and many more have been lined up for official Late Night Shows, happening in various venues throughout Austin and beyond into Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. With ACL 2014 spanning two weekends, organizers have booked over 60 bonus shows to take full advantage of the talent flood. Check out the full list of ACL aftershows, and plan accordingly.
Water, water, water
Without it, you’re gonna have a bad time. Fall may be in full swing everywhere else, but down in Texas the temps are still hitting the 90s, and you’ll be sweating buckets by midday at Zilker Park. Stuff bottles in every pocket you can find – you’ll be thankful when you’re up front and the sweaty goddess to your left starts begging you to pour some on her.
