ACL Fest: Roky Erickson Grizzled and Decadent
Famously dissipated Austin songwriter Roky Erickson lived up to his name tonight, playing a tight set of blues-fueled rock n roll to a receptive crowd at the smallish Austin Ventures Stage. Backed up by an incredibly dapper band, Erickson wailed away on a giant silver guitar almost as big as the man himself, segueing from one chunky tune to another with the ease of a seasoned pro, which, a full 40 years after the heyday of his legendary band the 13th Floor Elevators, he certainly is. The contrast between the grizzled, bearlike singer and his starched-and-pressed band was a fair visual representation of the songs themselves, which were played fast and sharp but maintained an undercurrent of frayed decadence. Naturally, Erickson drew hordes of old-school Austinites hungry for a taste of the city's lawless (or at least condo-less) bygone era, but there was an equally sizable youth contingent drawn by the singer's legendary status. They did not leave disappointed.
Above: Austin's Black Angels take in the Erickson show.
