Current Events at ACL Fest: Democrats, Republicans and Washington Mutual

“I don’t give a fuck if you’re a Democrat or Republican, just vote,” Pharrell urged. Onstage and off, current events seem to be looming over ACL far more than any other festival I’ve been to. Bukue One, rocking a red Obama T-shirt, urged everyone to vote, Democrat or Republican. Hundreds...

By Keith Plocek

September 27, 2008

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“I don’t give a fuck if you’re a Democrat or Republican, just vote,” Pharrell urged. Onstage and off, current events seem to be looming over ACL far more than any other festival I’ve been to. Bukue One, rocking a red Obama T-shirt, urged everyone to vote, Democrat or Republican. Hundreds of people were in the TV lounge for the night’s presidential debate; I was surprised to see that many people watching TV at a music festival when there wasn’t even a game on.

Of course, some of them may have been employees of festival sponsor and colossal failure Washington Mutual. I didn’t hear anyone yell, “Wa Hoo!” The bank had a photo booth with the deliciously ironic slogan “Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” But the WaMu marketing team handing out neon sweatbands didn’t seem any less forcefully cheerful. That is, until you ask the question they’d probably been hearing all day.

Me: Didn’t Washington Mutual...

Guy handing out sweatbands: Yes, yesterday.

Me: What does that mean for you?

Guy: I don’t know. Chase took over. We’ll see.

-- Jesse Hughey

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