Austin Kiddie Limits (ACL Music Festival) 2010: Day 2 Report

Waking up for Day 2 of the 2010 Austin City Limits Music Festival, I was really sore, stiff from the large amount of walking I did on Day 1. I mean, I normally walk a lot at ACL, but Friday's walking seemed... longer. Maybe it was the crowds, who knows, but that's advice number #1 for parents at ACL: stretch.

Anyway, my primary goal on Day 2 at the Austin Kiddie Limits stage was to get there in time to see Elizabeth Mitchell and Frances England. We caught the very last song of the Jellydots' set, then settled in. The kids, having been fortified with Cheetos at the media area, angled for the kefir at the Lifeway Kefir booth (because for them, flavored kefir = flavored yogurt = treat). And we were eager to hear Mitchell, whom we'd never seen in concert before and who'd been a part of our family's lives since Miss Mary Mack was still crawling around on the floor.

Elizabeth Mitchell's set was reasonably mellow, but not overly so. The crowd, which seemed reasonably full on Friday, was more so on Day 2 as people brought their kids on the weekend, and it brought an energy to artists' sets on the weekend.

I hadn't appreciated how much Mitchell's and husband Daniel Littleton's daughter Storey is now a part of the set. She sang on most (all?) of the songs, sometime taking lead. I wouldn't call her a pro -- that's actually praise from my perspective -- but she was poised. Ella Childs joined them for the Japanese song "The Chestnut Tree," and as I looked around, I was pleasantly surprised to see how many parents were joining along with their kids on the hand motions Mitchell, Storey, and Ella led them in or how many were attempting the Spanish-language version of "John the Rabbit" Mitchell tried out.

We had to miss Tom Freund's set on Friday, so after grabbing some lunch at the food court, we dashed back to see him play. He was a nice fit between Mitchell and England -- his fun Hug Trees album is a low-key disk for the most part. He was joined here in Austin by Abra Moore, who appeared with Freund on his album as well.

Moore had by far the most distinctive performance outfit of the AKL stage (sorry Verve Pipe guys all wearing ties) -- leis, big glasses, and a whole bunch of purple balloons, which she sported while bouncing on a big ol' pink exercise ball. By comparison, Freund (also sporting a collared shirt and tie) looked positively restrained. There was nothing revelatory about the set, but like I said, Hug Trees is fun, and so I enjoyed getting to hear the roots-pop songs live.

Next up Frances England. England (as well as Mitchell and her family) hung out a lot at the AKL stage for the weekend, seeing the other performers. In fact, generally, it was a much greater social gathering than I recall previous AKL stages being. For whatever reason, it just seemed like the performers hung out a lot more front stage (as opposed to backstage) listening to the other acts -- the Okee Dokee Brothers wanted to see Elizabeth Mitchell, for example, while Mitchell wanted to catch England's set. It was a very family vibe.

England's set was a little less of a surprise for me because I'd seen her in Brooklyn and so I knew she and her band would deliver a solid indie-folk set. England's husband, bassist John Funke, got down from the stage to lead the kids in some movement activities on one of the quieter songs, and by this point there were a fair number of kids to be led.

The special guest for Saturday was Peter DiStefano playing with AKL producer Tor Hyams. DiStefano was the guitarist with Perry Farrell in Porno for Pyros, and so, as he'd done in guest sets at Kidzapalooza, DiStefano and Tor played PFP's big hit "Pets" as well as "Sympathy for the Devil." While the renditions definitely rocked from an adult perspective, it's not entirely clear what kids get out of those songs -- between "Sympathy" and the School of Rock kids, sometimes it feels like the AKL stage is both the youngest and oldest stage at ACL. But they did do the undeniably cool thing of having a bunch of kids get up on stage to strum DiStefano's guitar and then hang out on stage while they were playing. It was fun to see a bit of the controlled chaos of the crowd/AKL area make it up there.

The final act of the day was Sugar Free Allstars. Again, I'd seen them in Brooklyn, but of course my kids hadn't, so it was a chance for my kids (or at least Little Boy Blue) to get up and dance. Perhaps more than any other AKL act, SFA worked hard at trying to get the kids in the crowd to interact -- not that the other acts ignored the kids, just that Chris Wiser and Dr. Rock have a lot of energy on stage that they're trying to transfer to the audience.

We went offsite for dinner, and the kids went back home, but I was determined to come back and see LCD Soundsystem who I also saw here back in 2007 (and who also had one of my favorite all-time quotations). I saw about 75% of James Murphy et al's set back then and the last 25% in 2010. Maybe one of these days I'll see a complete set. While his new album This Is Happening doesn't hit me quite as much as its predecessor Sound of Silver, it's still pretty darn good. And I can't stress how great they are live.

After that I sampled from various acts -- Ozomatli had a party going on under the Clear 4G tent, while Matt and Kim were incredibly hyper (which I gather is normal for them in their sets). Also, I've never seen a band pander as much to the crowd the duo did -- really, it's OK, just chill a bit. Still, they were on fire -- Kim is a toddler, energy-wise, on the drums. And I wrapped it up with 3 songs from Muse (my neighbor would have been very disappointed in me if I hadn't seen just a little bit of their act). I totally get why their live show is sometimes called the best rock show in the world right now. It had lasers, a video show, bombasticity -- like U2, except if that band had a dystopian rather than utopian bent.

But after another full day of music, it was time to head back home to recover and see my kids. So I made my way back through the Muse crowds, waited for what seemed way too long at 8:45 to catch the shuttle bus back to Republic Square, and headed home.

Producing Music for Families (Tor Hyams / Dean Jones)

I can't remember when I first realized that producing kids music was a new sub-specialty I wanted to investigate, though it couldn't have been hurt by the kids music production panel at this year's Kindiefest. But more significantly, it just seemed to me like in the past year, more artists were securing help in recording their albums, and I was curious why that might be happening.

I spoke with a couple of the producers on the panel, Tor Hyams and Dean Jones, last month, prior to their panel in Brooklyn about producing albums. Hyams has produced kids albums by Frances England, the Okee Dokee Brothers, Jim Cosgrove, and Lunch Money as well as Milkshake's Grammy-nominated Great Day and his A World of Happiness compilation. (He's also produced albums for Lou Rawls and Joan Osborne, among others.) Jones' producing credits include 5 albums for his band Dog on Fleas, 2 solo disk, Uncle Rock's The Big Picture, and the forthcoming benefit compilation Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti. He's also done work for various film, stage, and TV projects -- "an awful lot of awful work for awful TV shows," as Jones jokingly puts it. They have as much broad background as any as producing albums for families these days.

Zooglobble: What do you actually do as a producer? Does that differ from project to project?
There is no single answer, and, yes, that varies from project to project. Jones notes that "the term 'producer' is a loose one - I might do exactly the same thing for 2 different artists and be called a producer on one of the records and engineer on the other."

Hyams says,

"I typically do everything from helping to finesse the songwriting, advising on song arrangements, sitting in on band rehearsals to determine sounds and arrangements, booking the recording studio, hiring musicians (if needed), planning out the recording (the order of tracking based on number of days, overdubs, etc). Once in the recording studio, I acquire all the right sounds, from getting the right amp sounds for guitar and bass to choosing the right microphones for acoustic based instruments and vocals. During the actual recording or 'getting takes,' I will often comment and advise on performance (suggest a better or different way to play a part, come up with parts on the spot and work with the musician to execute those parts), all the while making sure the recording is sonicaly rich and, ideally, doesn't sound like anyone else. All in all, I like to help create the sound of a band/artist or, at least, bring something new the the table the artist has not produced before. The ultimate goal of producing for me, though, is to serve the singer and the song, to make the best sounding recording available given the performers.

While Jones' response isn't as technical, he makes the same point -- he serves the artist:

"I think ultimately a producer should have the overall vision of a recording project in mind, and help the artist make a great record. It really can differ from project to project. A producer may be making decisions as to what songs an artist records, or have no say in that at all. Some producers have their own "sound" that they apply to every record they do, and others try to make themselves go unnoticed.

In the producer role, I like to hear what songs an artist wants to record, and try to hone in on an overall mood and sound for the record. Should it sound loose and homey or full and layered with lots of instruments and sounds? I try to find what will make each song reach its full potential."

Hyams notes that because he's been a professional recording artist, he's "been on both sides. Musicians seem to like that I can hear when they play a wrong note or chord or comment on intonation issues (maybe not the tenth time, but certainly at first!).

And Jones' work on compilation disks such as Many Hands is another beast entirely:"It's more about emailing and waiting for emails than making music. I can see why I don't like very many compilation CDs. It's easy to be lead away from one's original vision. You have very little control. But I must say, with the Many Hands CD, I held on to a belief that the musicians would come through and be on the mark, and I was pleasantly rewarded!"

Is there a difference between producing kids' albums and albums for adults?
Yes and no, Jones and Hyams differ a bit here. Jones says, yes, that the main thing for him is "keeping them short and exciting -- kids are very receptive listeners, and they don't need to be hit over the head with tons of aural information. Too many layers of instruments and not enough breathing room will tire kids' ears out. (Mine too!!)" Hyams initially says no -- "I only know how to produce a great album to the best of my abilities and the capabilities of the act/artist" -- but subsequently notes that he is "somewhat more careful to bring out the lyric in a kindie-oriented album since kids really like to hear the lyrics so they can sing along." Another difference Hyams points out is that he's "not usually faced with issues of being or sounding 'cool' when it comes to a kids' album. Everyone on those projects just seem to want it to be pure and have good energy."

What was your favorite producing experience -- not your favorite album, just what was the best experience (kids or adult)?
Hyams recalls producing Lou Rawls, describing it as a "huge high" in his career, but also surreal:

"I remember sitting at the recording console when I was producing his vocals and, for the first time in my career, I wasn't concentrating on sound or gear or anything. I was just having a great time listening to this magical performer. Then, as if I was separted from myself, I looked over at the engineer and exclaimed 'Wow, that guy sounds exactly like Lou Rawls!'"

Hyams also credits producing Edwin McCain with changing him as a producer:

I went in, as I used to do with every album project, ultra prepared. The arrangements were done, the players were hired (including Ivan Neville!), and the studio was set. I had never been this well planned to that point. Then, Edwin said 'let's just try some stuff and see how it goes.' Basically, he threw out all my plans and only said 'I want this to be a dirty southern soul album. I want to feel like I need a shower after listening to this album.' That statement changed my life. I tossed all my preconceptions and just went along for the ride. It was a great ride! I truly learned the lesson of open-mindedness on that album. It's one of the best albums I've ever worked on."

Jones mentions Uncle Rock's recent release, The Big Picture, "banging around ideas and being really open and creative with the process." Jones did a lot of the mixing by himself and then had Uncle Rock come in to listen. Says Jones, "I like the freedom of experimenting on my own, and then having the reality check come later."

What is some of the advice you give to the artists you work with?
The producers offer advice both practical and philosophical. Practically speaking, Jones suggests that artists "find 3 or 4 songs that work really well together and build an album around them; if the other songs you have don't work with them, write more." Hyams advises that artists "practice [their] ass off before [they] even book the recording. When a musician knows their material inside and out to the point where they don't have to think about it anymore, it makes for the best recording because the artist becomes detached from their creation. They approach it in a way that is free from any previous precious feeling they had about their song or their performance."

As for the philosophical side, both producers have similar takes. Jones notes, "Stay loose. Have fun. It won't sound fun unless you're having fun." Hyams seeks energy in performances that translates to listeners -- "Savant musical talent is great, but honesty and authenticity of a performer is much more desirable. Ideally, you get both!"

Also, Jones comments on the difficulty of working with others. "I think it's good to ask yourself if you will want to hear the music you are making in 5 years, or 10 years. I find that it's easy to be butting heads with people over ideas that have no relevance to you a month or more later." In some way, this advice echoes Hyams when he says that the artists should "only concentrate on the process of performing and recording, not on the end goal or what happens after."

Has producing become easier for you over time?
It's amusing to me to see how the answers from Hyams and Jones echo each other here. They both talk technology, with Hyams saying that since "technology is constantly in flux and evolving, there is always a new piece of gear to consider and a different way to make something sound good, weird or beautiful." Jones admits to missing his tape machines, which he hasn't used for a couple of years -- "they make recording easier in some ways... or maybe not." Jones also says he enjoys mixing now, which he used to "struggle" with.

But both producers say that it's philosophical approach to producing that has made things easier. Hyams says that becauses he loves producing music, "it's never difficult -- challenging, yes, but difficult, no." He notes that the greatest part of his job is he gets to learn on every project: "When I feel like I've been though it all, something happens that proves I still have so much left to learn. So, in a sense, it does get easier, but it's less the 'job' and more the 'letting go' that gets easier." Jones feels like

"it's gotten easier to look at the big picture and not get caught up in ideas and tools that just clutter up the vision, and things that don't stand the test of time. I really, honestly try not to think. Just let everything be spontaneous and inspired. Sometimes a brilliant idea doesn't hold up the next day, but I try to go with the feeling in the moment."

That's about as serendipitous a set of responses you'll probably hear about this subject...

There's One More Austin Kiddie Limits 2010 Artist...

... it's just that nobody, not even the organizers, know who it is yet.

Remember yesterday, when I mentioned the 2010 Austin Kiddie Limits lineup and thought that that might not be the end of it?

Well, I was right. That's because you have a chance to win an Austin Kiddie Limits performing slot. Kidzapalooza producer Tor Hyams set up the contest, and the winner gets the opportunity to perform 2 20-minutes sets (par for the course there on the AKL stage), plus $1,000, all access/backstage pass, and free food. (I've seen the artists' catering -- it's pretty good.) Might not work for a full band flying in from out of state, but I bet some artists closer to the area could swing it. Entries due August 7.

(And if you're far away, perhaps you'd like to join in on a podcast with Tor.)

Austin Kiddie Limits (ACL Fest) 2009: Final Thoughts

So I've talked a lot about Austin Kiddie Limits and the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival generally. (Need proof? Here's Day 1, part 1, Day 1, part 2, Day 2, and Day 3.)

I thought I'd wrap up my coverage with a few final thoughts and suggestions for improvement about the AKL stage, plus add a few pictures.

1. The revised stage configuration of this year's AKL stage was an improvement. Less sound bleeding from the Xbox 360 stage next door meant that the AKL artists were never drowned out. Yay! And maybe it was just my imagination (or possibly the cooler weather), but the new layout seemed blessed with more shade.

2. It's still too loud between sets. Lord knows we're big fans of Romeo and his BBoy City crew (quite possibly Miss Mary Mack's favorite part of the festival this year), but they're forced to crank the volume to a point that it drives all the families away from the stage. Perhaps next year they can swap the dance stage and the pottery/kefia tents so that it's pretty close to the stage and the volume can be reduced.

3. There are probably points where the sound on the AKL stage during sets can be reduced -- I could hear 23 Skidoo's set close to half a mile away as we were crossing Lady Bird Lake.

4. Moving on to the weather -- I will gladly take a chance of (or actual) rain in return for cooler weather. I'm so glad that the festival's been gradually pushed back into October and am happy to see it further pushed back to the second week of October (Oct. 8-10, 2010) next year.

5. The guest sets have been really cool, and I'd love to see them used even more to drive families to see bands they wouldn't have seen otherwise. That was the case for me with K'Naan on Friday. I also got a chance to meet Ben Sollee backstage briefly on Sunday before heading back to Arizona, and based on this clip of Sollee covering "Wild World" later that day, I have a feeling that if I'd seen him at the AKL stage playing his cello, I'd have been sure to see him later that day on a bigger stage. (Though it should be noted, I did see him playing with Abigail Washburn the year before.)

6. The fact that the AKL stage hosted both K'Naan and Ben Sollee, both Mr. Leebot and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, speaks to the fact that the stage can handle a fair amount of diversity, which is somewhat reflective of the ACL Festival as a whole. There's obviously only so much diversity you can have when you've got just 8-10 acts playing a set or two, but I encourage Tor to continue mixing it up as much as possible.

7. Can these festivals really be done with families? Well, it's definitely hard work, but if you're willing to sacrifice some of your own needs (sorry, Karen O, maybe next time), you can definitely see a lot. I'm conflicted because I have to balance my own musical tastes with that of my kids with my need to cover the festival (and the AKL stage in particular) on the press pass with the fact that my family lives in Austin and I want to see them, too. Sometimes I felt like I did none of those things well. But the AKL stage is situated about as well as it can be to serve as a base station for families exploring the festival. (And, hey, there's always babysitters.)

8. Finally, thanks to everyone at C3, particularly Tor, for making the AKL stage (and the press area) run so smoothly. Hope everyone reading got a good sense of the weekend of fun... Pictures after the jump...

Milkshake (Friday)

BBoy City (Friday)

K'Naan (Friday)

Lunch Money (Friday)

Master of Ceremonies Tor Hyams

Ralph's World (Sunday)

Video: "The Patience Bossa" - Perry Farrell & Deborah Harry

One of the cooler tracks from the Tor Hyams-compiled (and recently re-released) A World of Happiness is the Perry Farrell-Deborah Harry duet "The Patience Bossa." As with other kids' songs, the potentially annoying fact that it's a fairly overt message song ("patience = good," natch) is very much ameliorated by the fact that it's a pretty cool song. Farrell and Harry each do a good job with their roles in the song (Farrell, unsurprisingly, is anti-patience 'til the end) and the bossa rocks. The video, directed by Gary Oldman, may have a bit too much Farrell and Harry and not quite enough, you know, kids for the whole family to adore, but it's kinda cool anyway.

Perry Farrell & Deborah Harry - "The Patience Bossa"