After a beautiful first day that was kicked off into fine form by The Wombats and closed out by Australia bound The Black Keys, clouds hung ominously as over 70,000 punters descended on Zilber Park in Austin, Texas for the second day of the 2012 Annual Austin City Limits.
It would go on to indeed be a day broken up by a couple of brief rainstorms, but this did little to hamper the spirits of punters as the day continued.
The expected reunion of lone Australian artist Gotye with Kimbra was a highlight of the day for their US chart topping “Somebody I Used To Know”. Jack White kept his all-girl band (The Peacocks) on for his shorter than advertised 75 minute set at the AMD stage which included a typical myriad of White’s back catalogue, from Dead Weather’s “Blue Blood Blues” to “Seven Nation Army”, a cover of Danger Mouse’s “Two Against One” and The Raconteurs “Steady as she Goes”. The full set is at the end of this article.
Meanwhile, the names didn’t get much bigger or iconic than Neil Young who, with Crazy Horse, closed out the night on the Bud Light stage with songs that included a 15+ minute rendition of “Down By The River” and the legendary “Hey Hey, My My” as well as, naturally, tracks from their new, acclaimed record Americana. Also worth noting was the fact that Neil was donning what appeared to be the same Aboriginal flag t-shirt as seen at the Melbourne Big Day Out in 2008. A lucky festival tee perhaps?
Other crowd favourites throughout the day included Metric, The Shins, Father John Misty, Michael Kiwanuka and… wait a minute wasn’t that the Splendour in the Grass lineup? Indeed, there were more than a few familiar faces for any Australians in the crowd, including the legendary Steve Earle who last month opened up BIGSOUND with his Keynote.
They are predicting more consistent rain tomorrow, but here’s hoping the climate treats us and all the punters here a little more kind. Keep your eyes tuned to the AU review in the coming days for the full review, photo galleries, tonnes of interviews and more!
Jack White Photo Credit: Johnny Au for the AU Review.
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Jack White Setlist:
The Hardest Button to Button (The White Stripes song)
I’m Shakin’ (Little Willie John cover)
Freedom at 21
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (The White Stripes song)
Love Interruption
Hotel Yorba (The White Stripes song)
Top Yourself (The Raconteurs song)
Hypocritical Kiss
Weep Themselves to Sleep
Steady, As She Goes(The Raconteurs song)
Two Against One (Danger Mouse cover)
We’re Going to Be Friends (The White Stripes song)
Blue Blood Blues (The Dead Weather song)
Ball and Biscuit (The White Stripes song)
Catch Hell Blues (The White Stripes song)
Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes song)
