Big Broadcast: ACL Fest Turns 10
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Charlie Jones had a dream…and a dog. According to legend, the concert promoter was walking said dog thru the park near his house when it occurred to him. Jones pictured the park filled with stages, filled with music, filled with people as far as the eye could see.
This sort of thing had been done before, in places like Glastonbury in the UK and in New Orleans Jazz Fest. So why not here in Zilker Park, in Austin’s very own backyard?
The first ACL Fest was a two day affair and cost one and a quarter million dollars to put on. To break even they’d have to sell 60,000 tickets — 30,000 Saturday and another 30,000 for Sunday. With only days to go, it looked like they could lose their shirts.
Join Ray Benson, Ben Kweller, the guys from Ghostland Observatory and many more as we explore the history of what has become one of Austin’s musical bookends: Stages: Ten Years of ACL Fest. Hear it Friday at noon and again at 11, only on KUT 90.5.
Podcast: Download (50.9MB)
