It seems like music festivals are 'getting ironically retro.' As opposed to booking huge bands to be the major draws, they are booking 'ironic 1990s one-hit-wonders' to take the stage. The band The Verve Pipe had one hit called "The Freshmen" which was a popular alt rock song, back in the alt rock 1990s era.

Not sure why Austin City Limits booked them. Seems like a questionable decision, like no1 will show up to their stage, or maybe people will 'walk by and not know who they are.' Then they will hear the song "The Freshmen" and possibly start laughing, or maybe they will vibe out hard and yearn for the pre-indie era.

Is the Freshman one of the best indie rock songs ever written?
Is this song the #1 buzz ballad of all time?
Will the Verve Pipe 'recover' from their commercial free fall and get tons of coverage with this festival slot?

From the official ACL blurb:

Verve Pipe’s hit “The Freshmen” was part of a wave of pop-rock that swept over modern rock radio in the mid-‘90s, washing grunge down the drainpipe of history. But to everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season, and the Michigan quintet, led by Brian Vander Ark, suffered from diminishing returns; 2001’s Underneath failed to chart, despite critical acclaim and production from Fountains of Wayne frontman Adam Schlesinger. Brian’s brother Brad left the band, and for the next seven years the band shared time with Brian’s solo career. In 2009, the now-six-member Verve Pipe came back as few could have predicted with A Family Album, an LP of original children’s songs with an adorable cranky kitty on the cover. With a new rock album in the works as well, the band splits tours between bar shows and family events.

Damn. Just googled their new children's album and streamed some of it. It was 'mad terrible.' [link]

h8 u cranky cat bro.

Is ACL an authentic music festival, or do u prefer Coachella / Pitchfork / Lollapalooza / Bonnyroos / Sasquatch / etc?

Feel like they are trying to market the festival to Austin based 'cool dads' who would pay top dollar to see The Eagles. Not sure if 20somethings have expendable income since they don't usually have jobs, so it is probably better for them to go after young kids and old adults who are 'loaded' but still want to be 'free spirited' and 'young at heart.' Worried that my dad might ruin the buzzbands that I discovered 3-5 years ago.

Who is the #1 ACL act?
MGMT? M.I.A.? The Strokes? The XX? The LCDS? Vampy Weeks? Beach Haus? Muse? Phish? The She & Him? Michael Jackson?

Is Austin City Limits 'authentic' or is it the music festival that is aimed at 'rich Texan 40 year olds'?

Worried that the Eagles headliner means that ACL is no longer oriented at my cutting edge demographic... Hope we can all get jobs, then have more money 2 spend.

Will the Verve Pipe 'recapture the magic'?
Should other festivals take chances on other forgotten alt rock bands like LEN, LIT, Eagle Eye Cherry, Crazy Town and Marcy Playground?
Will u go 2 ACL?
Should we all just 'disconnect from the internet', do a bunch of hard drugs, and overdose in our rooms as we cry out that 'we were only metaphorically Freshmen'?