ACL Band Clash, Round 4: Muse vs. Arctic Monkeys

Every fall, Austin looks forward to ACL Fest, and each year, there's always a point where two of your favorite bands are playing on different sides of the park at the exact same time. ACL Band Clash is a weekly series in which Austinist scribes Paige Maguire and Tom Thornton examine the worst ACL scheduling clashes, and try to provide good advice on finding a resolution. Well, good advice might be a stretch, but advice, anyhow. This installment tackles the Brit-rock dilemma: Devon's Muse vs. Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys.

Tom: So, Arctic Monkeys. I know it's hard to get past the silliness of the "next big thing!" hype that the British press throw on a half dozen bands a year. But the Arctic Monkeys are really something. The band members are literally 21 and 22 years old, yet they've already had two #1 albums in the UK, played hundreds of live dates, and are poster children for how MySpace and word of mouth can break a band (they were playing 2,500 seat venues before their first album was even released!) That's not something that comes from record company hype, but instead from a band connecting with their audience in a major way. I also profess some admiration for the band's dogged determination to bring back the Kinks-style story song. They're so young, they haven't written about much besides nights out at the pub, frustrations with the UK press, and trying to meet girls, but they're certainly good at writing what they know. The songwriting also moved forward a bit from album one to album two, as songs like "Florescent Adolescent" (told from the point of view of a middle-aged woman depressed at aging) show. I understand the urge to go all stadium rawk and check out Muse's flashy lights and Marty McFly-style kneeslides, but I'm going to see the Monkeys, because their tunes are just better.

Paige: I think this one is going to come down to what you're in the mood for. Arctic Monkeys offer staccato, post-pubescent jangles dressed in adorably almost-too-small clothes, while Muse bring a more epic, stadium-worthy sound in adorably almost-too-small clothes. I don't think, however, that if you're really unsure which direction to head, there's any question as to which act brings the better live show. Muse has earned a few handfuls of "Best Live Act" awards, the stage presence is on the same level as any other act in the festival, and their catalog goes quite a bit deeper. While neither band is breaking open a genre or offering a rare glimpse into their live show (both bands tour more than regularly), Muse will definitely be more satisfying for those of us looking to rock out on an otherwise relatively laid back afternoon (unless you consider Blue October a heavy hitter). Besides, you can follow up with White Stripes, who will be on the same stage an hour later, and it's probably a good idea to consider travel time and spot-picking logistics if you're torn.

Tom: Well, given that Muse sold out Wembley-freaking-Stadium this summer (twice), I can't argue that they can't rock a festival. And I'll admit that I'll be sad to miss a couple of their knock you on your ass rockers like "Plug In Baby" and "Supermassive Black Hole." But proggy is not really my thing, and that seems to be Muse's direction these days, so I've just got to go with the Monkeys. But it's close. And honestly, this is the true shame of the band clash, as these two bands appeal to exactly the same people, so you've just got to go with your gut. And mine is telling me that since I saw Muse's set at ACL '06, they're not going to throw in something unmissable. Meanwhile, the Arctic Monkeys have a new batch of songs in tow since their last appearance at Stubb's, so it's time to see what they've learned as a live act in the last year and a half. Call it a toss-up?

Paige: Yeah, definitely. Assuming there's not a Yes cover band playing a surprise set on the Keep Austin Weird stage, which would throw this whole argument on its ass.

Arctic Monkeys and Muse both play the Austin City Limits Festival on Saturday, September 15th at 6:30pm.