The weekend of October 8th – 11th, I went home to Austin, Texas to experience three days of live music at the Austin City Limits music festival. If you’ve never been to Lollapalooza or Bonnaroo, one way to look at it would be to multiply the number shows at Dillo Day by about 18 and add about 60,000 people.
While widely different in degree, ACL and Dillo Day are actually somewhat similar. Both are the kinds of events that bring out the personality of the audience, and for many people this is achieved by having a few drinks or dressing uniquely for the occasion. For example, at Austin City Limits people’s efforts to stay true to the “Keep Austin Weird” motto were apparent in the outfits like a tied bandana substituted for a shirt or the people in long skirts walking around with hula hoops. At Dillo Day the same holds true: schoolwork is forgotten. Everyone is relaxed and having a good time – the way you picture Northwestern at the end of summer when you’re ready to come back.
Incidentally, both atmospheres afford (for many) the opportunity to drink and smoke without worrying about consequences that would arise on a regular day with regular responsibilities. I personally tend to err on the side of sober (if you will), but there is only one case in which I was bothered by other people’s decision to take advantage of this opportunity.
This year, the Eagles headlined at Austin City Limits, so for the last and longest show of the weekend, my friends and I arrived at the largest stage significantly early and secured our spot just a few feet from the rail. We stood among others who were equally excited, including some who had become fans of the Eagles during their 1970’s glory days.
Our presence was also graced by a group of high school kids who had clearly come into possession of a variety of substances, the most potent of which was weed, which they stuffed eagerly into a glass pipe. When the show began they barely seemed to notice, and continued shouting obnoxiously and bumping into the people around them.
Smoking and drinking can certainly contribute to the festival’s overall atmosphere because the experience is meant to be relaxing and fun. What annoys me is when people lose sight of the event’s significance because they are too busy getting wasted. The kids near me wanted to fit the ACL-attendee model, but they were forgetting that the whole point of the event was the music.
Since last year was my first time at Dillo Day, I heard tons of stories before-hand, including ones about people who got so trashed the night before that they couldn’t even make it to the event. This may just be a matter of personal preference (like if going to concerts all day isn’t that fun to you), but I think it’s sad. Yes, live performances are a convenient time to get drunk, but honestly it’s not like you haven’t been doing that every weekend. There are so many awesome things about getting to see a band play right in front of you, so all I’m saying is don’t miss it.
Emily Alvarado is a Medill sophomore. She can be reached at [email protected].
