A Free Alternative to ACL: Freewater Festival at Clementine's Saturday September 27th

Plutonium Farmers bring the freshest surf rock to Clementine Coffee Bar.

The Freewater Festival - Free Music, Free Water - is a good alternative to Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL Fest) , especially if you subscribe to the Poor Girl's Guide to Austin, like me. Eight bands, artists, and surprise fun on two stages, plus good coffee and food by Clementine is happening this Saturday at the darling coffee bar central/east Austin. You can probably avoid traffic from the game and festival if you skip the downtown streets and stay off IH-35.

Freewater is inspired by the once free-spirit music festival that was an offspring of the popular KLRU (PBS) series. According to a few critics, ACL Fest is quickly becoming a festival of corporate proportion, exclusively webcast by AT&T, censors of Pearl Jam, a band who dared critized Bush during a live performance last summer. There have been increased restrictions at the festival, and getting a good deal, like free water in the sometimes overbearing heat at the 3-day music fest is becoming as elusive as winning a golden ticket in a Wonka bar.  

ACL Fest is still considered a great time for many music lovers, so don't mistake my complaints for a lack of enthusiasm about many of the performances on the stages and at after-shows. I'm not attending the fest this year at Zilker Park, but I'm watching a some bands thanks to the live AT&T webcast, which I've read won't be censored like the Pearl Jam debacle. It's just nice to know at least one venue  in Austin still embraces the do-it-yourself ethic of musical talent, without a corporation to back its progress. That's part of what cultural diversity is all about - having options in the arts and entertainment, including music. 

Add the Freewater Festival to your busy Do512 calendar this weekend.

And what diverse sets! Bands and solo artists include: Plutonium Farmers, L.A. Dies, Canopy, Ella Minnow (Denton), Elisa Ferrari, Household Names,  Clint Niosi (Fort Worth) and FM Campers. Everything from newborn electro thrash to the rebirth of surf rock - and it's free.

I'm sure there are other unofficial ACL Fest after-shows going on, so support local and visiting musicians by checking out listings in your favorite weekend entertainment guide, or make Freewater your place to be this Saturday. 

Freewater Festival
5pm-12am
Clementine Coffee Bar
2200 Manor
Austin, TX 78722
(Click here for map and directions.)

Have a fun and safe weekend, no matter what you do.