Getting to have a few words with John Popper of Blues Traveler was also a real hoot. The guy is quick witted and actually kind of a goof. Another fortuitous meeting I had was with Austin's Mayor Will Wynn, a fellow architect who has a good grip on the importance of urban planning as a critical factor in the success and longevity of a city. Even the graphics for the festival that showed the city skyline included the multiple construction cranes that accent the horizon. In today's economy, it is impressive to see construction progress being made.

Joe Bonamassa is definitely the best blues rock guitar player I have seen in a long time. Right up there with the greats, playing it the guitar the way it should be. The River City Christianettes had the gospel sounding so good and so right, it would make anyone get up and testify. The best of all had to be watching Big Don on the Austin Kiddie Limits stage lay out his children's hip hop tunes. He has really done it right and I feel every minivan sold in this country should come with a complimentary copy of this disc; it's that good. Don Robinson came out of St. Louis and has been putting out nonviolent rap for years from Austin as MC Overlord. Watching him get the crowd of kids going was really something to see.

Let's see, other highlights, hmmm...did I mention the official beer of the event was Heineken?

The Music | Whether you have heard of them before or not, the quality of every act was there was clear. Even if you had a stylistic difference with the music, the bands were all giving it their best. Way, way too music to absorb, so here is a quick glimpse of the acts I was able to see:

Paula Nelson | Willie Nelson's daughter has beautiful stage presence all her own with a strong, soulful voice capturing a wide range of emotions, blending southern roots with a bit of bluesy grit.

The Hensley Ensemble | A stage full of talent bringing a bigger-than-life sound to upbeat and contemporary gospel. Too much fun to just sit still. Great way to start of the festival...with goosebumps.

Brotherly Luv | Perfectly harmonized, upfront and upbeat modern gospel.

Jakob Dylan and the Gold Mountain Rebels | Despite the large shadow of being the son of a legend, Jakob has shaped a style of music and expression that is uniquely his own. His music is honest, sincere and moving.

Del the Funky Homosapien | Really had a great connection to the crowd. As one of the few hip-hop acts at the festival, he was well received and had the crowd pumped and following right along with him. I still don't quite get why it is that, with that style, you don't have a live band behind you, especially with the level of funk he was going for. Either way, the crowd was loving it and was going right along for the ride.

The Paul Green School of Rock All Stars | Just like the Jack Black movie, this group of kids put on a killer rock show playing some great cover tunes. Not only did they do some great versions of songs like "Roadhouse Blues" by the Doors and "Heart of Glass" by Blondie, but they also had some shredders on board, leading them to whip out some classic metal like "Motorbreath" off of Metallica's first album and "Symptom of the Universe" by Sabbath. Nice!

Patty Griffin | A soulful vocalist whose sound helps to define a new generation of country artists.

Gogol Bordello | I could see this band hit the same audience as the next Black-Eyed Peas. A high-energy Gypsy blend of Zydeco, club music, rock and funk. With crazy outfits and sexy dancers with percussion props, they got the crowd not only on their feet, but jumping up and down and waving their arms for the whole show. They bring a strong, pulsating rhythm to exotic gypsy melodies played out skillfully on an accordion and violin.