Anyone ever been to the Austin City Limits Festival?
09-17-2009, 10:25 AM
#1
TECH Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anyone ever been to the Austin City Limits Festival? I ask because my brother (in a wheel chair) wants to go. I have never been and he was under the assumption that there was seating at the main stage (he LOVES DMB and Pearl Jam). I have done some searching on the 'net and have come to the conclusion that there is no seating and as such makes this adventure all that much more difficult to plan. Can anyone verify this for me? Anyone have any input as to how this event is run in that regards and how we should plan this?
09-17-2009, 11:25 AM
#2
I went back in '06.
I could see it being a little bit of a PITA depending on what kind of chair; it's packed and navigating through the hoards of drunks can get difficult. Additionally most of the routes you need to take to get around aren't paved paths. I don't recall seating of any kind anywhere, just hard grassy hills to plop down on at each different stage.
I would imagine it could be done though.
EDIT: also just remembered that the sanitation left a lot to be desired, just the rows of port-a-cans were the only option I ever saw there.
I could see it being a little bit of a PITA depending on what kind of chair; it's packed and navigating through the hoards of drunks can get difficult. Additionally most of the routes you need to take to get around aren't paved paths. I don't recall seating of any kind anywhere, just hard grassy hills to plop down on at each different stage.
I would imagine it could be done though.
EDIT: also just remembered that the sanitation left a lot to be desired, just the rows of port-a-cans were the only option I ever saw there.
09-18-2009, 03:41 PM
#6
On The Tree
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ACL is October 2-4 this year.
There is no permanent seating at any of the stages. There are lines around the stages where chairs are permitted behind the line and anything in front of the line is standing room only.
Last year there was a guy in one of the electric power chairs at the festival. I saw him at several of the different stages with his friends, and everyone would clear space for him to get through. With exception to the Mars Volta, he tended to stay near/behind the chair line. Something happened at TMV and security came in and carried him and his chair away from the front of the stage. I think he wound up in the middle of a mosh pit or something.
Like someone else mentioned, there are no paved pathways in the park. The grass has been recently redone and is nice right now, but I imagine it will be destroyed by October 5th. I've seen people use wheelchairs/power chairs there, so it is doable if you are willing to put up with unpaved terrain.
ACL's website had a link to some information for people with disabilities:
http://www.aclfestival.com/2009_files/ACLMF09Access.pdf
There is no permanent seating at any of the stages. There are lines around the stages where chairs are permitted behind the line and anything in front of the line is standing room only.
Last year there was a guy in one of the electric power chairs at the festival. I saw him at several of the different stages with his friends, and everyone would clear space for him to get through. With exception to the Mars Volta, he tended to stay near/behind the chair line. Something happened at TMV and security came in and carried him and his chair away from the front of the stage. I think he wound up in the middle of a mosh pit or something.
Like someone else mentioned, there are no paved pathways in the park. The grass has been recently redone and is nice right now, but I imagine it will be destroyed by October 5th. I've seen people use wheelchairs/power chairs there, so it is doable if you are willing to put up with unpaved terrain.
ACL's website had a link to some information for people with disabilities:
http://www.aclfestival.com/2009_files/ACLMF09Access.pdf
09-18-2009, 03:46 PM
#7
Teching In
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I went last year & plan on going in 2010. I could see a bit of a problem for somebody in a wheelchair. As the above poster stated, it is pretty much all hilly lawn. That's not to say it would be impossible, just a bit harder to traverse for a whole weekend.
I don't recall any seating at the stage. There is seating on the stage, but those tickets are outrageous in price. You would probably have to sit in the back where everyone that has a chair sits. (chairs aren't allowed close to the stage) It's not a bad place to sit though. That's where I spent most of my festival. If you do go, I would suggest an extra chair for you & an umbrella, or... get one of those folding chairs that has a canopy attached to it. Shade is essential when you're spending all day in the Texas sun.
The biggest problem will probably be the bathrooms. Only porta-johns. Late into the evening, those johns are not the cleanest things & the lines are usually long. I imagine that the sanitation could be a problem for someone in a wheelchair. Remember, when it's late at night, the porta-johns don't have lighting in them. I wouldn't want to have to feel my way around them.
With all that said, ACL is an awesome weekend. Hell, Austin is cool as **** w/o it being festival time. If you do go, have a good time! Keep Austin weird!
I don't recall any seating at the stage. There is seating on the stage, but those tickets are outrageous in price. You would probably have to sit in the back where everyone that has a chair sits. (chairs aren't allowed close to the stage) It's not a bad place to sit though. That's where I spent most of my festival. If you do go, I would suggest an extra chair for you & an umbrella, or... get one of those folding chairs that has a canopy attached to it. Shade is essential when you're spending all day in the Texas sun.
The biggest problem will probably be the bathrooms. Only porta-johns. Late into the evening, those johns are not the cleanest things & the lines are usually long. I imagine that the sanitation could be a problem for someone in a wheelchair. Remember, when it's late at night, the porta-johns don't have lighting in them. I wouldn't want to have to feel my way around them.
With all that said, ACL is an awesome weekend. Hell, Austin is cool as **** w/o it being festival time. If you do go, have a good time! Keep Austin weird!