6th is where music lives in Austin, the street is full of bars that host music for all tastes, locals and tourists. There's tatty gift shops sat next to venues where greats were discovered.
Eastside is a place in progression, it is gritty without feeling rough, run down but there are signs of a future. Graffiti, food trucks and boarded up bars fill the sidewalks whilst the owner of Encore Record shop told me about Austin's changes, I didn't ask but that's what Austinites are like, they love to talk.
I then headed back to SoCo to check out the shops I missed yesterday. Picked some sunnies up, mine broke in the suitcase and the sun can be blinding at times. The weather is perfect, it's hot, real hot but bearable. More compliments on my clobber, SoCo loves me!
For dinner I headed to local burger place Hopdaddy. I timed my visit well, I was queuing for about 15 mins, once I had ordered my El Diablo burger, fries and coke for just $11 the queue had doubled, apparently that is small. When Austinites do something they do it amazingly and Hopdaddy, est 2010 is no different. Even the coke was local, non of that coca cola stuff! The burger was phenomenal, as were the chips and the service.
To say how good the cities food is I'm yet to see a fat person and the girls are total baes!
All the walking, food and sun wore me out so I dragged myself back to the hostel, a cool kid shouted in appreciation of my hat, I'm used to being glared at like a freak, Austin peeps are bare friendly!
After a few hours downtime and chatting with hostel buddies, who all seem to be Australian, there's gaggles of them, my night got off to a false start as I wasn't allowed to take my camera in to Stubbs, luckily the hostel was only a couple of blocks away.
Jimmy Cliff had already started when I returned and lived up to his legendary status, he was bloody brilliant. Full of energy and positivity, it would have been criminal not to love it. He played all the hits, I'm not sure if they are all his hits but hits none-the-less.
Stubbs is a cool place. Johnny Cash used to play the BBQ haunt in return for food. The place has two stages, one in the restaurant but I was outside in the open air, which smelt delicious. Around the sides are huts selling grub and booze whilst there's a steady slope infront of the stage. The sound is perfect, the atmosphere electric on the eve of ACL.
Dr Dre blasted out as Paolo and his band strolled on stage, they went straight into Caustic Love's opening track, Scream (Funk Up My Life) delivered brilliantly. It's scorchio but the resilient Scot wore his jacket for the first three songs, looking effortlessly cool.
Jenny Don't Be Hasty was given a moody face lift to fit in with his new sound, far from the pop sound heard on his debut record. Better Man was just gorgeous whilst One Day, coated in layers of discovery. I adore the new version of Pencil Full Of Lead so much! The joy was put aside as intensity came in the form of Iron Sky.
As the set neared completion Candy was sensational, the singer clapped his band off, allowing him to conclude with just an acoustic guitar for an intimate rendition of Last Request.
He looked overwhelmed by the crowds response as he left the stage one final time. As musicians go Paolo is on top of his game and he's still in his twenties!
