Has Austin cancelled that stupid music festival yet?

[bluestateguy]

All it does is take up hotel rooms that could be used by evacuees.

[evlbstrd]

1. I hope that's sarcasm.

Yes, I want the Gulf Coast evacuees to have a place to stay.
No, I would not want the ACL Festival called off. It coincides with the march in DC. Look at the list of performers. Do you think some of those people won't shout in solidarity?

[TomInTib]

2. Oh, sure. Tell all the musicians and....

everybody else to just turn around and go home.
SXSW is huge for Austin and large for the industry at large.
If you have ever had anything to do with this you would probably have a different take.

Cancel Mardi Gras? Never.

[Gato Moteado]

3. well, actually.....

with the high possibility of a hurricane passing through austin during the weekend, it probably would be a good idea to postpone the thing.

first of all, it's not SXSW....that's in the spring. this is just the austin city limits festival. the flimsy tents and stages will be destroyed if rita retains the high winds as it passes through.

anyways, i went last year to the acl festival and though there were some great acts, it was way too hot to enjoy the thing.

[TomInTib]

4. I am such an idiot....

after moving to CA I have been out of synch.
If this is the Austin City Limits thing I take back everything I have posted on this.

Mea culpa.

[Why Syzygy]

5. Decide today

http://www.austin360.com/news/content/music/aclfest2005/22ACLRITA.html

Austin City Limits Music Festival organizers said they will announce at 6:30 p.m. today whether to cancel or reschedule portions of the nearly sold-out event because of Hurricane Rita.

Festival promoter Charles Attal insisted Wednesday that the three-day event at Zilker Park, now in its fourth year, will go on.

"No, we will not cancel," he said. "We would wait it out, but it is rain or shine. We will be fine on Friday and Sunday."

Officials with Capital Sports and Entertainment Inc., which is co-producing the festival, said they will not put their fans, musicians or staff members in danger because of high winds, high water or lightning. Yet they resisted defining the thresholds for those dangers.

~more~

[Why Syzygy]

6. Hurricane Rita-related cancellations or rescheduled events across Central

http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/stories/09/22ritacancel.html

[melissinha]

7. I finally have tickets

...man.. i never go to these things but the boyfriend's cool mom got us tickets for Sunday.

But I should hope that they take extra precaution for performers and audience..

[TexasBushwhacker]

8. They're supposed to announce at 6:30 pm today (Thursday)

at least that's what I've heard.

[sonias]

9. ACL Fest: Game On All 3 Days

http://www.austin360.com/xl/content/xl/acl2005/ACL2005.html
With Hurricane Rita's threat to Austin reduced, Austin City Limits Festival organizers said Thursday evening the three-day festival would go on as scheduled. Story to come.

Wear your raincoats on Saturday. Some band substitutions, otherwise it's a go!

Sonia

[Fleshdancer]

10. come on! evacuees NEED those hotel rooms

damn. I really hoped they would cancel.

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. There will still be some cancellations

There are some acts that have cancelled. They just don't want to chance it. Besides, Austin is just one city. One any given day, there are far more hotel rooms in San Antonio and Dallas Ft. Worth. And at this point, the traffic out of Houston is so horribly backed up that many people are turning back and going home, especially now that it looks like Rita won't be hitting Galveston/Houston directly.

A co-worker of mine picked his mother and kids up on the coast yesterday and it took him 15 hours to travel 75 miles. One thing we know for sure now; Houston is just too damn big to really be able to evacuate with just a few days notice.