ACL Music Fest Live Shots

The Black Crowes

Zilker Park, Sept. 23

Headlining day one of ACL, reunited rawk dudes the Black Crowes proved yet again that classic hip shake never ever goes out of vogue. Ignoring surface-of-Mercury temperatures, Atlanta's throwback rock scholars were loose and limber by their second song, "Sting Me," getting the wild crowd bending their bodies with thick, bluesy riifs and a faux Jimmy Page solo behind sing-along harmonies. Chris Robinson, all bearded, with Mick Jagger stripper moves, yelled, "Austin: the only place where hippies and rednecks can get together." Feel-good and ass-shaking, the 90-minute set was filled with Stonesian snapshots like the beautiful "She Talks to Angels," which slowed things down with its soulful chorus. Closing with obligatory drum solos and pseudo-psychedelic jam mess, the Crowes went out with the bang of their debut hit, Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle," still sprinkly with organs, a white-hot groove, and thick drums demonstrating that Robinson and company still own modern-day Seventies rock & roll swagger like they invented it.