God no longer hates the Austin City Limits Festival -- even though the festival has committed the sin of coveting too much collegiate indie-rock.

Those were the two most apparent conclusions as the eighth annual ACL Festival wrapped up Sunday in the Texas Capitol's scenic, skyline-draped Zilker Park. All three days of the fest were blessed with golden, breezy 80-degree weather, following years plagued by sweltering heat, dust storms and last year's unseemly combo of mud and (no kidding) armadillo poop.

This year didn't stink. In fact, it was easy to see why the ACL Fest quickly became one of the most popular fests in the country despite the hellacious elements, as it might be the best-run of any giant fest in the country. Food vendors sold exceptional local fare (half of which came in some form of tortilla). Volunteer crews were vehement about picking up trash (and recycling it, no less). And the stages ran like clockwork. Even the big Zync stage where MN/WI all-star band Gayngs' bus mysteriously didn't show Sunday stayed on target. I know this, because until showtime I didn't believe that makeup band Lance Herbstrong was a real act. It is, unfortunately.

That's not to say there weren't messy moments over the three-day weekend. Fest organizers underestimated the popularity of the Black Keys on opening day, resulting in 50,000 fans cramming toward a stage where drummer Patrick Carney could barely be heard over the din (whereas fans lucky enough to catch the Akron duo's ACL after-show at Stubb's BBQ were still feeling Carney's drum work after they went to sleep). Conversely, there were also problems with noise spillover from one stage to the next.


"Our goal was to come here and compete with two other bands' sound, hoping it would kick us in the ass more," Monsters of Folk co-leader Jim James quipped near the start of his all-star group's less-than-pristine set Saturday.

If I had to name a band who ruled ACL '10 more than any other, it would be LCD Soundsystem. The New York dance-rockers went on before Muse on the biggest stage Saturday night and had the enormous crowd bouncing rabidly to such repetitive, punky jams as "Dance Yrself Clean" (no problem hearing the drums in this case). Adding to the glow, the band played into a burning sunset that had frontman James Murphy repeatedly apologizing for wearing sunglasses on stage. "There's a midsize star that's [messing] me up," he said.

Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas unabashedly wore sunglasses for his band's post-sunset slot Friday opposite Phish (which drew a rather meager crowd at its stage). Casablancas finally admitted, "I can't see. I'm the [jerk] who wears sunglasses after dark." His cocky gestures aside, the Strokes made a welcome. convincing comeback.

Other highlights of the fest: The National's and Band of Horses' elegant dusk set Sunday before the Eagles (yin, yang and yuck); New Orleans funk stud Trombone Shorty bursting out of the Clear 4G tent Sunday afternoon, where Wisconsin's acidic world groovers Kings Go Forth also blew up Friday; the Black Lips' breathless garage-rock attack Saturday afternoon, and Vampire Weekend's cocksure dance party Friday night. VW singer Ezra Koening also made a memorable appearance on stage with Swedish band Miike Snow earlier Friday.

Low lights: Broken Bells were utterly dull by daylight; the Temper Trap was melodramatic and painful; M.I.A. had her moments but was a bit of a mess and overused her gunfire sound bites Saturday; Deadmau5 was a one-note gimmick in a mouse costume; and Matt and Kim, Portugal. The Man, Rebulation, the Soft Pack, the Morning Benders, White Rabbits and several more forgettable acts showed how much the fest has unfortunately turned to unimpressive, young, blogger-buoyed indie-rock bands to try to attract young, hip crowds (and maybe to counteract the Eagles). At times, the fest felt more like Austin's other big party, South by Southwest. One of those per year is enough.