Last year, inaugural edition of the dual weekend configuration, ACL Fest felt entirely Groundhog Day. The same rave – give or take the locals and a notable act here and there – staged twice. This time around, with Lorde headlining week two only, another bit of Harold Ramis genius comes to mind: Multiplicity. For the first time since its 2002 inception, Zilker Park’s annual music occupation ponies up five legitimate marquee toppers, at least four of which could own the peak slot by themselves. Quartet also equals the number of those acts playing directly opposite one another. Catch half an EDM fry, then hit the rap, right? Or begin at “Bombs Over Baghdad” and end with “Loser.” Sure, of course. Except two of those four aren’t in any way a lock to return this way, so full sets by them might well preclude Beck or Skrillex (let’s say) by sheer necessity. That’s where Multiplicity comes in. Like Michael Keaton, you’ll need to clone yourself. More than a few Austin music fanatics already attend both weeks, and given the second coming of the Replacements, consecutive weekend ACL sets tip toward “two are better than one.” That’s certainly the Chronicle‘s position: two ACL Fest music supplements, but different performances. Some staples will overlap, but little else. And it debuts via Earache! first (austinchronicle.com/music) and on Twitter
(@AusChronMusic). Is there enough of you to go around for all this? Imagine, an 8 Mile version of you at Eminem while your glowstick side gets out-of-body at Skrillex. Possibilities short-circuit the musical mind. Sign me up for the waiver.
This article appears in October 3 • 2014.
