ACL Weekend One Artist Write-up
Eighty-degree days and 70-degree nights? Perfect weather was icing on the festival cake last weekend at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. From the vast variety of yummy local foods, to an exceptional musical lineup, ACL lived up to every bit its hype, wowing thousands of locals and out-of-towners who gathered in our beloved city for weekend one of Austin’s most anticipated event of the year.
Friday night
Disclosure
It was one enormous dance party at the Honda Stage Friday evening as the first night of ACL came to an end. Disclosure did not disappoint. Colorful visuals of “the face” appeared on the stage’s screens, lighting up hundreds of fans, who were movin’ and groovin’ to the funky electronic beat. The British garage-house duo thrilled the crowd, shutting down with popular hit Latch, featuring vocals from Sam Smith.
Saturday
Alabama Shakes
Alabama Shakes brandished their Southern roots late Saturday afternoon. Brittany Howard, lead singer of the Alabama-based quartet, brought both rhythm and blues to the Honda Stage, singing hits Don’t Wanna Fight and Gimme All Your Love. This soul-wrenching show was a must-see, whether viewed up front in the thick of it or taking a load off on the grass.
TV on the Radio
Straight out of Brooklyn, N.Y., TV on the Radio made their presence immediately known on the Miller Lite Stage Saturday evening. Despite being considered one of the “less popular” headliners, they are notoriously known for their eclectic music, inspired by musical greats Earth Wind & Fire, the Pixies, Bad Brains (The list goes on.). This performance was chock-full of chiming synths, bounding drums and sweet melodies.
“Our music may not be the biggest thing, but someone can always pick it up and know we’re talking soul to soul,” says Jaleel Bunton, vocalist, guitarist, drummer and loops artist for TV on the Radio.
Bassnectar
The audience danced Saturday night away to the thundering bass and pulsating beats of Bassnectar. Notorious for his visuals, Bassnectar went down the rabbit hole, displaying outrageous graphics behind him while aggressively spinning his turntable. Although the current generation is better acquainted with the electronic-music genre, this crowd was surprisingly filled with a diverse demographic, embodying what ACL is about: a love of music and a passion for humanity.
Sunday
Vance Joy
It’s safe to say Vance Joy touched some souls late Sunday afternoon. His beautiful rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain was a spiritual experience. He captivated the audience by closing with his signature song, Riptide, flaunting his famed ukulele skills, strumming the music while the audience sang the lyrics. If you need to be serenaded, Vance Joy is your guy.
Alt-J
A gorgeous pink and purple sunset accompanied Alt-J on the Honda Stage Sunday evening. The indie-rock band’s unique and hauntingly ethereal sound resonated throughout the entire park. Lead singer Joe Newman further delighted his audience by belting out well-known songs Breezeblocks and Left Hand Free.
Griz
Griz (Grant Kwiecinski) took over the Tito’s Tent when he came to the stage for an awesome hour-long set. Hailed as a visionary, Griz displayed a perfect blend of profound vocals and brass instruments.
“Most of my music is created for a live experience,” he says.
Griz most certainly lived up to his words.
Nero
As the sun went down, Nero threw it down. Fans anxiously gathered around the Miller Lite Stage to witness the highly acclaimed British electronic trio. When Grammy Award-winning song Promises (a collaborative remix featuring highly acclaimed Skrillex) blasted from the speakers, the crowd went absolutely wild. It didn’t matter where festivalgoers stood in the park Sunday evening, Nero’s radiant performance could be seen and heard. If you are an EDM lover, this was the set to see.
ACL Weekend 1
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