The last 3 months of 2021 represented the return to live music, after a long pandemic drought. I managed my first outdoor festival in more than two years (Austin City Limits). And we crammed in as many indoor live shows as time and COVID permitted. So that brought the total to a surprisingly respectable 19 shows for the year (as usual, counting each day of festivals as one).
ACL was hot, a bit wet, and nearly entirely unmasked. As usual for multi-day festivals, most of my favorite sets were early in the day, from bands I'd previously not heard of. Naturally, it was mostly the women singer-songwriters who stole my heart (Frances Forever, Gracie Abrams, girl in red). But St. Vincent delivered a fantastic "night show", separate from the festival itself, that was even better than her show at The Greek earlier this year. And Billie Eilish's headliner set made me appreciate her latest album more than I previously had. Israeli rapper Noga Erez really delivered to a small, early afternoon crowd.
An unexpected benefit reunion of the "sad girl supergroup" boygenius was definitely the biggest highlight, especially since I also was able to catch all three members in their individual concerts this year. Sadly, Austin City Limits wasn't exactly the right context for Phoebe Bridgers, and I had to miss her local show at the Greek. Sigh. Julien Baker, however, rocked The Fox.
As usual, favorites in bold.
- Austin City Limits (Friday): Joy Oladokun, Zella Day, Megan Thee Stallion, Chet Faker, George Strait, St. Vincent (night show)
- Austin City Limits (Saturday): Frances Forever, Gracie Abrams, girl in red, Phoebe Bridgers, The Hu, Alison Wonderland, Billie Eilish
- Austin City Limits (Sunday): Noga Erez, Tate McRae, Claud, 070 Shake, Marc Rebillet, Lane 8, Tierra Whack, Duran Duran
- Arlo Parks
- SF Symphony (Salonen conducting Debussy, Messiaen, Saariaho)
- Nation of Language
- Wilco
- Julien Baker
- The English Concert (performing Handel's Alcina)
- Dry Cleaning
- boygenius
- Opera Creole, Liberty Brass Band, Roger Lewis, Hot 8 Brass Band
- John Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen
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