The sixth annual Austin City Limits Festival [ tickets ] was graced with sunny skies and bearable heat throughout the massive three-day event in downtown Austin. Tens of thousands flocked to Zilker Park despite the rash of cancellations, including no-shows by Amy Winehouse, Rodrigo y Gabriela and, most surprisingly, Saturday night (9/15) headliners The White Stripes.

Unfortunately, the bad luck continued through mid-afternoon Friday (9/14) when a fire broke out on the service road just outside the festival grounds after a propane tank ignited near food-service trailers, injuring four service personnel. Thankfully, the blaze was quickly doused before it affected the throngs of concertgoers, who didn't let a little drama interrupt a weekend packed with 130 acts.

Day One: Friday, Sept. 14, 2007

John Ralston

Floridian John Ralston took to the intimate BMI Stage in the heat of the midday sun with a comfortable ease, guitar in hand and fellow band members in stride. Eager for the Oct. 2 release of his second solo album, the lanky singer/songwriter enticed the laid-back crowd with several new tracks, including "Ghetto Tested" and "When I Was a Bandage," both of which came across harder and messier than recorded versions, most likely the effects of a less-than-perfect sound set-up. Ralston continued with the Townes Van Zandt-influenced "No One Said It Was Easy" and a beautifully telling and slightly Dashboard Confessional-ish "Gone Gone Gone," both from 2006's "Needle Bed," before bowing out with the electronica-spiced "Fragile." Despite the less-than-stellar sound quality, Ralston managed to exhibit his range of songwriting styles through the handful of songs played during his scant 40-minute set.

LCD Soundsystem [ tickets ]

It didn't matter the mood of the people standing before the sun-drenched AT&T Blue Room Stage when James Murphy and company began; his enthusiasm and good humor turned any sour face around before the set ended. The mass of sweat-soaked fans moved to the funky "Daft Punk is Playing in My House" from LCD's 2005 self-titled album, before the electronica/dance/punk group transitioned into newer material, including "Time to Get Away," from its March release, "Sound of Silver." At one instance between songs, Murphy invited everyone to a friend's after-party since "he can hold 300," making light of the several thousand braving the heat before him.

Queens of the Stone Age [ tickets ]

Josh Homme--whose all-black attire and sleeveless shirt brought to mind a redheaded version of Ralph Macchio's bully, Johnny Lawrence, in the 1980s gem "Karate Kid"--took to the stage like the rock star that he is. The desert rockers dove with conviction right into "You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire" from 2002's "Songs for the Deaf," followed by another older track entitled "Do It Again." The swelling audience, dense with college students and hipsters alike, recognized the majority of the set list, which encompassed QOTSA's most popular work, including "3's & 7's," "Sick, Sick, Sick" and "Make It Wit Chu" from the group's recent June release "Era Vulgaris."

The Killers [ tickets ]

Another frontman draped in black but luckily scheduled for an after-dark performance, Brandon Flowers and the rest of the Killers finished off the first night of the festival with a safe, albeit slightly boring, set of radio hits. With Bjork playing on the opposite side of the park, the young and less experimentally-minded chose these Las Vegas exports, who pulled evenly from their 2006 release, "Sam's Town," and 2004's "Hot Fuss." "Somebody Told Me" was the first song to get the crowd singing along, followed by "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" and "Smile Like You Mean It." Flowers stirred concertgoers with "Mr. Brightside" before finishing up with "My List," "Uncle Jonny" and "This River is Wild."

Day Two: Saturday, Sept.15, 2007

Cold War Kids

It was hard not to feel for lead singer Nathan Willett, watching him perform his piano-drenched rock songs, his T-shirt soaked through and sweat dripping from his brow onto the keys. Despite the incessant heat and sad lack of shade, the California quartet rallied for the festival, focusing more on playing well than staying cool. "We Used to Vacation," a radio favorite with a catchy piano-and-rattle opening from the group's 2006 album, "Robbers & Cowards," hooked many audience members who didn't otherwise recognize the band. "Hospital Beds" and "Hang Me Out to Dry" were delivered just like the studio versions, with the same sort of contagious energy.

Andrew Bird [ tickets ]

Based out of Chicago and known as an inspiring multi-instrumentalist, Andrew Bird, looking like a cross between '70s Bob Dylan [ tickets ] and James Blunt, took the stage quietly before thousands and eased into the soothing songs from his March release, "Armchair Apocrypha," including "Plasticities" "Scythian Empires" and "Heretics." Bird focused mostly on violin and guitar, which occasionally was linked to a red, Dr. Seuss-ish rotary speaker cabinet that added Doppler effects to the guitar's output. His expert whistling on tracks like "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left," from 2005's "Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs," proved his skill sets range beyond mere physical instruments.

Damien Rice [ tickets ]

Despite having the setting sun directly in his eyes, Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice sat calmly onstage through his early evening set and delivered an emotionally charged yet fairly anticlimactic set that began with "Rootless Tree" from 2006's "9." The massive crowd remained respectful and surprisingly quiet throughout the gig, many taking the time to relax and recharge to Rice's mellow music. "Volcano," "Delicate" and "Cannonball," all from 2003's "O," were the standout tracks for many due to their heavy radio play. Rice spiced it up a bit on "Me, My Yoke & I" with a vocal-processor effect that added dimension to his already unique delivery.

Muse [ tickets ]

Although it was shocking to hear that the White Stripes cancelled their headlining gig just three days before the show, you'd have never known from watching Muse's Saturday night performance that they weren't originally slated for this cherished time slot. These English rockers brought their A game, complete with dramatic graphics, undying enthusiasm and some true musical talent. Lead singer Matthew Bellamy alternated between rock solid guitar riffs and poignant piano pieces throughout the show, which featured several tracks off of 2006's "Black Holes and Revelations," including radio favorites "Supermassive Black Hole" and "Starlight." The group reemerged for a final encore performance, but not until a snippet of a 1961 speech delivered by JFK ran, marking one of the few political moments of the three-day festival.

Day Three: Saturday, Sept. 16, 2007

Midlake

The Denton, TX natives performed a short, 45-minute set on the festival's smallest stage, which didn't fare so well for a group that specializes in mellow indie rock. Unfortunately, bits and pieces from surrounding sets, including the eclectic DeVotchKa, wafted over into Midlake's airspace, impeding the intricacies that normally stand out in the group's live shows. Nonetheless, singer/songwriter Tim Smith didn't let that stop him or the other members from doing their best. Almost halfway through the set, Smith and company paused long enough to allow a fan to propose to his girlfriend onstage before they continued on with "Young Bride" from 2006's "The Trials of Van Occupanther." The meager audience got a preview of the new album with "Children of the Ground," which featured driving drums and bass alongside Smith's polished, mellifluous vocals.

Rose Hill Drive

Hailing from Boulder, CO, this young, long-haired trio was in the minority, playing powerful Southern rock at a Southern rock festival--go figure. And, despite their recent acknowledgment by Rolling Stone magazine as a group to keep an eye on, the rockers drew a modest crowd. Regardless, they performed as if they were the headlining act, delving into their 2006 self-titled debut with the anthemic "Raise Your Hands." The hard-hitting threesome also introduced new material, including "Sneak Out" and "Burnt Out on Love," both promising radio-friendly tracks. Lead singer/bassist Jake Sproul, whose singing voice brings to mind Chris Cornell during his Soundgarden days, dealt with his problematic bass at show's end by smashing the instrument against the floor and tossing it to a fan in the audience, the perfect way to end a true Southern show.

My Morning Jacket [ tickets ]

With an island oasis as a backdrop and a decked out beachcomber, metal detector in hand, canvassing the stage, it came as no surprise when the men of My Morning Jacket walked out in random beach gear, including goggles, snorkel and even floaties. The tropical vibe immediately pacified a rambunctious crowd eagerly waiting for Dylan's later performance on the same stage. "What a Wonderful Man" from 2005's "Z" was a fitting opener with its upbeat guitar and vocal melody. "Gideon" followed, featuring multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird on violin, and soon thereafter, five exotic women in island garb took the stage with pineapples, posing randomly throughout the rest of the set; although odd, it somehow fit with the rest of the scene. The highlight of My Morning Jacket's set came when lead vocalist Jim James performed the ethereal "Golden" from 2003's "It Still Moves".

Ghostland Observatory [ tickets ]

It's been 12 short months since Austin's own Ghostland Observatory graced a smaller stage in an earlier time slot at last year's ACL fest, winning over the entire crowd with its undeniably danceable beats. The eclectic group's success has been rocket-propelled since then, leading right to its prime time slot opposite The Decemberists just prior to Bob Dylan's festival finale. Packed hundreds deep, the field in front of the AT&T Blue Room stage turned into a pseudo-rave when braided lead singer Aaron Behrens and the caped drummer/synth player Thomas Turner got their set underway. "Piano Man" and "Stranger Lover" had Behrens dancing all over like a modern-day Mick Jagger while Turner switched effortlessly between drums and synths. "Sad Sad City," by far the most well-known GLO song, drew a massive crowd response, including singing, dancing and, somehow, couples grinding.

Bob Dylan

The legendary Bob Dylan drew an unfathomable mob to the AT&T Stage as he closed out three days of sun, fun and hardcore music. Unlike Muse, the Saturday night headliner, Dylan employed no special effects or graphics to entertain the tens of thousands; instead, the crowd either listened to the music and liked it, or they left. Unfortunately for some, thousands chose to take off just a few minutes in, after Dylan began with a very gravelly, extra harsh version of "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35." Some shrugged the roughness--or near inaudibility--off to his age and his well-worn vocal cords. Luckily for those who hung in there, it appeared Dylan just needed a little warming up. As he continued on, through "It Ain't Me Babe," "Spirit on the Water," "The Levee's Gonna Break" and more, his delivery improved, although not enough to hold the attention of some in the far reaches of the crowd. For those not in the first 50 yards, a view of Bob Dylan and his talented counterparts was impossible, as Dylan wouldn't allow for more than two camera angles and absolutely no close-ups. So, despite the awesome delivery of the majority of the hour-and-a-half set, including a dynamic Dylan on harmonica and individual solos by his backing band, only the first few rows got a true taste of a Dylan concert experience.