1. Bruno Mars
Overall: Booming stage pyrotechnics, lots of dancing, an amazingly cohesive set, an awesome backup band, great singing, fantastic playing and overall the best show I have ever seen. The feeling of awe I had after seeing it is one that I will remember forever.
Favorite ranking: 3
Standout factor: Bruno Mars can appeal to basically anyone, from his Prince-like sexy talk, to the James Brown dancing while nailing his hit songs, leading a hugely energetic nine-piece band and playing a mean drum solo. He doesn't have to be able to dance, play guitar, play drums, write awesome songs, and sing amazingly. But he does.
Award: Best Banter Ever/Best Male Singer/Most Adorable Thing Ever/Most Cohesive Show of All Time/Best Arena Performance
2. Janelle Monae
Overall: Like Bruno Mars, an amazingly cohesive show, a great backup band, and great singing are very memorable, though Monae added plenty of additional drama with the Electric Lady and the sci-fi aspects of the show. Her energy and excitement were infectious.
Favorite ranking: 1
Standout factor: Monae is basically a female Prince...need I say more?
Award: Best Female Artist/Best Performance
Overall: The one and only reason that this wasn't the number best concert that I've been to was because the generator blew out twice, leaving the audience to wait for 30 minutes in between songs. Even so, it was one of the best shows I'll probably ever see. Everything about it screamed virtuosity and going to see them is something that everyone should experience at least once.
Favorite ranking: 5
Standout factor: Absolutely insane playing all around. I didn't even know it was possible to do some of the techniques Bellamy does and I definitely don't know how he can make so many different sounds come out of one instrument.
Award: Most Face-Melting Solos
4. Arctic Monkeys
Overall: Like Muse, these guys aren't in one of the top spots only for reasons that aren't their fault at all. Going into this concert, I hadn't really heard their music before (to be honest, I just liked their name) and because of that, I didn't fight for a spot at all. Subsequently, I was about 7 million rows back from the stage. However, going totally paid off because seeing it made me completely fall in love with their music. I haven't stopped listening to it and praying that they will come back around to Austin since. Their charisma and honesty shone in their playing and there's no denying that they, and especially frontman Alex Turner, are very talented. Also, I didn't really know where to fit this in but I felt like something needed to be said of Alex Turner's dancing.
Favorite ranking: 4
Standout factor: Like the Black Keys, I think their music could appeal to a lot of different people without having to be really poppy. It's complicated, interesting, and different music that requires talent to play while being really fun to listen to.
Award: Best Accents/Best New Album
5. Paramore
Overall: Absolute greatness. From the beginning to the end, I didn't stop smiling and shouting along the words. I don't think anyone else in the world can work a crowd like singer-songwriter Hayley Williams. Their joy and excitement were infectious but not over-the top and their genuineness and honesty shone through the whole time. "Your passion, it's stupid and incredible." Hayley's singing is about as close to flawless as you can get (even while she ran across the stage/headbanged/danced) and the other bandmembers also brought in plenty of energy.
Favorite ranking: 2
Standout factor: Hayley Williams' existence
Award: Most Energy/Best Back Flip While Playing/Best Female Singer
6. Vampire Weekend
Overall: Like Arctic Monkeys, I didn't really fight for a spot at this show, which meant that I was a zillion miles away from the stage. And trust me, I will regret those decisions for the rest of my life. Even so, this concert was great and sent me immediately buying Modern Vampires of the City (fantastic album, by the way). They were very charming and great players and I just bought tickets to see them again at Stubbs.
Favorite ranking: 7
Standout factor: Their music has a distinctive happy and fun sound, but doesn't lose any quality even so.
Award: Happiest Music/Most Likely to Randomly Wear a Flight Suit
7. Fun.
Overall: As anyone who has been reading the blog for a while now will know, I'm a pretty big fun. fan. So this concert was really, really exciting for me. But once I had wiped my tears, it was still a great concert. Both the band and the audience never stopped grinning the whole time and singer-songwriter Nate Ruess mentioned how excited he was to play at ACL maybe five times and seemed genuinely excited. The best part about this band really was the chemistry between the bandmates, from the way they were messing with each other, trying to shove and distract each other and make each other laugh and just the attitude on a whole.
Favorite ranking: 6
Standout factor: Genuine, honest excitement about being able to play and fantastic group chemistry between the band members.
Award: Best Chemistry/Most Excited Band Ever
8. Kings of Leon
Overall: Like several other bands on this list, you have to go see them for yourself to really understand. But they are all fantastic players and performers and their music was fun to dance to. There were a lot of hardcore fans shouting along to every song, but they weren't judgmental of those who didn't know all of their songs and all-in-all a nice crowd.
Favorite ranking: 9
Standout factor: Really talented players and a great singer, good bluesy rock music that didn't sound exactly like everyone else.
Award: Best Bluesy Music
9. Haim
Overall: Despite the horrifically unforgiving heat of ACL, these girls completely blew me away. When I went, I just knew a couple songs because I heard a lot of buzz about them after SXSW. I thought I would just go and see how they were. Little did I know what a good show I was in for. From their stage presence to their great playing, to their unique music, to their style and 'take it or leave it' personalities that shone through, I would definitely go see them again.
Favorite ranking: 8
Standout factor: Three strong women who all play their instruments, sing, and write their own music and are great at what they do.
Award: Coolest Girls Ever/Best Band of Siblings Ever
10. Dan Croll
Overall: He was so humble, charismatic, and adorably British, marveling at the size of his (admittedly not very large) crowd. It was a nice, relaxed concert and his music was simple and pretty. Behind round black framed glasses, Croll's golden voice shone over Afrobeat percussion and shimmering guitars, coming together to form a set of upbeat love songs.
Favorite ranking: 10
Standout factor: Sweet, laid-back indie rock music that wasn't boring to listen to.
Award: Summeriest Music/Most Stoners Ever Gathered in One Place
~Simone
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