Live in Austin: Jon Batiste at ACL
We just had a FABULOUS live music experience! It’s the next morning, and I’m still feeling elated!
A bit of background: On our 2021 road trip, during our month in New York City, we saw a live taping of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Jon Batiste was the bandleader then, and the music was the best part of the show. I added a Jon Batiste performance to my wish list.
Austin City Limits was also on my wish list, ever since we stayed at the W Hotel next door on a short visit to Austin in 2022. So for me, seeing Jon Batiste perform at ACL Live was TWO dreams come true! And the icing on the cake was that our son Danny and his girlfriend Mei experienced it with us.
ACL has been broadcasting live music on TV since the mid-1970’s. The Moody Theater opened in 2011. We had (relatively) cheap seats up on the balcony level, accessed via an open-air staircase with great views. The seats were comfortable, there was plenty of leg room, and the sight lines from the balcony were excellent.
Jon Batiste has tons of charisma and joyous energy. He’s a brilliant musician who composes, sings, and plays multiple instruments. Throughout the performance, he danced around the stage, picking up a guitar or a saxophone, or sitting at the piano, with barely a pause in the music. It was like watching a bunch of kids at a playground having so much fun that we wanted to join in on their games. And we did, dancing in our seats and singing along. Every number was terrific, but if I had to choose my favorites, they would be “Cry,” “Drink Water,” and (the finale number) “I Need You.”
And just when we thought the concert was ending - after the third encore number - Jon walked off the stage and led the band THROUGH the audience, playing and singing. And then I realized - he’s from New Orleans, and this is a second line parade! To our surprise, the band walked all the way up to the balcony. I took these videos on my phone, and I’m a poor videographer, but you can watch as Jon plays a musical phrase on his melodica and the audience immediately starts singing. Thank you, Jon Batiste! It was a magical evening that I’ll never forget.
