September 30, 2013
The music festival business has its up and down like anything else, but lately the big have been getting bigger. Recently southern California’s Coachella and southern Florida’s Ultra have literally doubled in size, by adding a second weekend of virtually the same line-up – and now central Texas gets in on the act, as the famed Austin City Limits Music Festival (of the equally famed music program) goes into a second weekend.
So head to the Live Music Capitol of the World, Friday-to-Sunday, October 4th to 6th OR October 11th to 13th:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4th & 11th
| AMD/Lady Bird Stage Depeche Mode, 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM The Mode! England’s Depeche Mode (QRO photos outdoors) are the most successful electronic band in history, with over a hundred million records sold in their more than three decades worth of history. They basically began the eighties wave of synthesizers in singles like “People Are People”, “Strangelove”, “Personal Jesus” and more. Of course, time and taste turned against them in the nineties, but also of course, everything comes back around, and today the keyboard is king once more – so it’s the perfect time for Depeche Mode, who come to Austin City Limits behind their thirteenth studio full-length, this year’s Delta Machine. |
 |
| Vampire Weekend, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Overnight successes the world over should take a lesson from Vampire Weekend (QRO photos at a festival). The band went from opening for the likes of White Rabbits (QRO live review, when Vampire Weekend opened) and Tokyo Police Club (QRO live review, when Vampire Weekend opened) in 2007 to massive success after they opened the following year with their self-titled debut. This, of course, earned them (QRO live review) legions of haters, often focusing on their preppy look & history, though others just grew enraged at the music from ‘the whitest band’ (according to stuffwhitepeoplelike blog) being called ‘afro-pop’, and the comparisons with Paul Simon’s iconic Graceland (QRO deluxe edition review). They wisely slipped from view for a while, but returned to Jeff Curtin’s (QRO interview) Tree Fort Studios, faced up to the haters & the sophomore jinx to put out Contra (QRO review) in 2009, and reached #1 in the charts (only the twelfth independently-released record to do so in the last twenty years). They’ve since grown comfortable as headliners and playing the big stage, even played Down Under (QRO live review in New Zealand). Vampire Weekend come back to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival) behind this year’s new Modern Vampires of the City (QRO review) and a slew of festival appearances (QRO photos at a 2013 festival). |
 |
| fun., 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM One of the most successful new pop/rock bands recently is New York’s fun. (QRO photos at a festival), who scored a hit last year with Some Nights (QRO review) and an engaging (and yes, fun) live show (QRO live review). The young band (QRO photos at a festival) have already graduated to special events (QRO photos), international tours (QRO photos aboard) and festivals (QRO photos at festival abroad), and even headlining (QRO photos headlining a festival) – still not as big as playing The Colbert Report’s ‘Pepsi Presents Stephest ColbChella ‘012 Rocktaugustfest’ (QRO photos)… |
 |
| Court Yard Hounds, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Despite being named the ‘Dixie Chicks’, the lion’s share of the attention on that attention-grabbing country band has been on frontwoman Natalie Maines – so the equally skilled & equally Southern Martie Maguire & Emily Robison do their own side-project at Court Yard Hounds, who return to Austin City Limits Festival for the second time in three years. |
 |
| Asleep at the Wheel, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM West Virginia-born, Austin-living Asleep At the Wheel having been bringing western swing since 1970, racking up not only nine Grammy Awards, but have also appeared at every single Austin City Limits Festival! |
 |
Samsung Galaxy Stage Muse, 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM Devon’s Muse (QRO photos at a festival) are now established as full-fledged mega-stars. The trio reached for true stadium glory with 2009’s The Resistance (QRO review), as their electric bombast, which had already conquered Europe, set its sights on the States, playing Saturday Night Live (QRO Indie on Late Night TV) and headlining Madison Square Garden (QRO photos). Yet last year was the bands biggest yet, with the gigantic (in every sense of the word) The 2nd Law (QRO review) – not to mention making the official song for the London Olympics, “Survival”. The band headlines Austin City Limits Festival for the third time. |
 |
| Arctic Monkeys, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM If you’re unfamiliar with the Sheffield-native English rockers, you obviously were not paying much attention in 2006 when their much ballyhoo-ed debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am Not was being pumped out of every speaker and headphone either side of the Atlantic & more (QRO live review in Australia), thanks to an energetic MySpace fan base. Fast-forward eight years. MySpace is a shell of its former self, but the Arctic Monkeys (QRO photos at a festival) have put out three more studio albums, 2007’s Favorite Worst Nightmare (QRO review), 2009’s Humbug (QRO review), 2011’s Suck It and See (QRO review), and this year’s AM, and although the media storm that surrounded them may have subsided, they’re still one of the best acts around (QRO photos). |
 |
| Local Natives, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM Silver Lake’s Local Natives (QRO photos at a festival) have been riding the alt-country/folk wave, but seem to be doing it better than most, charting in 2010 with debut Gorilla Manor and last year’s Hummingbird (QRO review), moving up to headliner tours (QRO live review), and well-received on the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), including old England (QRO photos at an English festival). |
 |
| Jimmy Eat World, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Jimmy Eat World (QRO photos) set the standard for emo-rock in 2001 with Bleed American and “The Middle” (QRO video). Though have never lived up to that (but did play it & prior Clarity in full a few years ago – QRO live review), 2010’s Invented (QRO review) and songs like “Movielike” (QRO video) and “Coffee and Cigarettes” (QRO video) still kept the band in the top tier of emo (QRO live review) – though they’ve kept repeating themselves with this year’s Damage (QRO review) and the subsequent tour (QRO live review). |
 |
| Widowspeak, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM Brooklyn’s dream-pop Widowspeak (QRO photos at a festival) come to Austin City Limits Festival behind last year’s sophomore release, Almanac (QRO review). |
 |
| Wild Nothing, 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Sun-soaked, fuzzy, dream pop that should go well with a sun-soaked festival. Wild Nothing (QRO live review) is Jack Tatum’s wonderful solo project (QRO live review), and with Nocturne (QRO review), the follow-up to his wonderful first album Gemini (QRO album review) out last year, there’s sure to be plenty of new music afoot (QRO photos at a festival). |
 |
Austin Ventures Stage Purity Ring, 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM From north of that ‘other’ border, Montreal’s Purity Ring (QRO photos) bring some of the new indie-electronic (QRO live review). |
 |
| Wild Belle, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM Brother-sister outfit Wild Belle (QRO spotlight on) grew up in Chicago but moved out to – where else? – Brooklyn (QRO photos in NYC). Big brother Elliot Bergmann formed NOMO, but has since teamed up with little sis Natalie (QRO photos). They (QRO interview) made serious waves with hit indie-reggae single “Keep You” (QRO video), getting signed to Columbia for their debut earlier this year, Isles (QRO review) and hitting the festival circuit (QRO photos at a 2013 festival). |
 |
| Jake Bugg, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM Catch the latest overnight Brit sensation, young folkster Jake Bugg (QRO photos at a festival), who hit number one in his native land with his self-titled debut (QRO review) – those his nasal voice and less-than-impressive alt-country seems way overhyped… |
 |
| Electric Six, 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM Detroit’s Electric Six (QRO spotlight on) bring the wild & raucous to Austin City Limits Festival (QRO photos at a festival). Led by frontman extraordinaire Dick Valentine (QRO interview), Electric Six have some of the craziest concerts & crowds, whether in a classy setting (QRO live review), on a boat (QRO live review) or anywhere else (QRO live review). They’re also an incredibly prolific band, with a record a year for seven years in row until last year – 2011’s Heartbeats and Brainwaves (QRO review), 2010’s Zodiac (QRO review), 2009’s Kill (QRO review), 2008’s Flashy (QRO review) & 2007’s I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me From Becoming the Master (QRO review) & more. Wisely taking a break last year from that breakneck pace, the Electricity is back with Mustang, out the Tuesday between ACL weekends (QRO photos from the weekend before ACL). And don’t worry – they draw from all of their ever-widening discography live, from newer numbers such as “Formula 409” (QRO video), to even covering INXS (QRO video), plus, of course, early classics “Gay Bar” & “Danger! High Voltage” (QRO video). |
 |
| Shovels & Rope, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM South Carolina folk duo Shovels & Rope (QRO photos) – a.k.a. husband & wife Michael Trent & Cary Ann Hearst (QRO photos at a festival) – finally found success when they teamed up, and have been getting serious notice this year, including appearances on Late Show with David Letterman and even Austin City Limits (QRO Indie on Late Night TV). |
 |
| Also: Desert Noises, 1:20 PM – 2:00 PM Dana Falconberry (4th) / Sons of Fathers (11th), 12:20 PM – 1:00 PM Latasha Lee & The BLACKTIES (4th) / The Preservation (11th), 11:20 AM – 12:00 PM |
 |
Bud Light Stage Queens of the Stone Age, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM After the dissolution of the hard rock Kyuss, singer/guitarist Josh Homme formed what today might be the biggest ‘stoner rock’ band in the world, The Queens of the Stone Age. This is the kind of band that can put Foo Fighters (QRO album review) frontman Dave Grohl back on skins, get contributions from Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan (QRO live review) & Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top (QRO live review), and more. Maybe no record has matched Songs For the Deaf, but this year’s …Like Clockwork (QRO review) has come the closest. |
 |
| The Black Angels, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Austin’s great music scene has many dimensions, but the band that opened up the psychedelic side of the Live Music Capitol of the World is The Black Angels (QRO spotlight on). The Austin band (QRO photos), fronted by Alex Mass (QRO interview), bring the psych-rock of this year’s Indigo Meadow (QRO review) and 2010’s Phosphene Dream (QRO review) to the evening (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), after touring Europe (QRO photos in Europe). |
 |
| Pinback, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Singer/songwriter Rob Crow (QRO interview) formed Pinback (QRO live review) in San Diego fifteen years ago with fellow multi-instrumentalist Armistead Burwell Smith IV, and the rest is indie-rock history (QRO live review). Introducing some electronica into their alt-rock long before it was fashionable, the band has done well for themselves, charting with their two most recent record, 2007’s Autumn of the Seraphs (QRO review) and last year’s Information Retrieved (QRO review). |
 |
| Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Thao Nguyen (QRO interview) broke through in 2008 with We Brave Bee Stings and All (QRO review) and its fun, charming folk-rock, and followed it up the following year with Know Better Learn Faster (QRO review). After teaming up with Mirah for Thao + Mirah (QRO review), she since returned to the Get Down Stay Down (QRO spotlight on) with this year’s We the Common (QRO review). Her live shows (QRO photos outdoors) are, if anything, more engaging (QRO live review), whether in a college student center (QRO photos) or a massive converted warehouse (QRO photos). |
 |
| FIDLAR, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM Back in the long-lost eighties, punk outfits like Black Flag would prompt conflict with Commissioner Chief Daryl Gates’ pre-Rodney King LAPD – but everyone’s mellower these days, right? Not if FIDLAR (QRO photos) have anything to say about it. |
 |
Honda Stage Kaskade, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Ryan Raddon’s origins, which include a two-year mission in Japan for the Mormon Church, might sound more apropos for a country musician at Austin City Limits Festival, but he’s become a top electronic performer worldwide. |
 |
| Okkervil River, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Okkervil River (QRO live review) is an indie/folk rock band from right in Austin. The band, fronted by singer/songwriter Will Sheff (QRO photos at a festival) formed in 1998 and took its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya. Okkervil River (QRO photos at a festival) is noted for its song’s lyrics, multifaceted instrumentation, and thematic albums, including the one-two punch of The Stand-Ins (QRO review) and The Stage Names (QRO review), and songs like “Or Life Is Not a Movie Or Maybe” (QRO video) and “Unless It Kicks” (QRO video). After recording their first album in a garage, they signed with Jagjaguwar. Okkervil River (QRO photos at a festival) released six more albums, including 2011’s, I Am Very Far (QRO review), and return to Austin City Limits (QRO live review) after the release of The Silver Gymnasium (QRO review) the month before (QRO photos at a festival last month) on ATO Records. |
 |
| Smith Westerns, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Chicago’s Smith Westerns (QRO photos outdoors) have gotten some definite attention (QRO photos at a festival), but is that for their rock (QRO photos at a festival), or is it for their persona – barely old enough to drink, and notorious for having gotten kicked out of clubs for breaking that rule. Still, they come back to Austin City Limits Festival, behind this year’s Soft Will. |
 |
| Savages, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM The new band of the year for many, the quartet from London comes to beacons (QRO photos at a festival) ready to deliver their thrilling live experience of post-punk and noise, off the release of this year’s Silence Yourself (QRO review). |
 |
| The Orwells, 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Illinois’ The Orwells graduated from high school early to pursue their rock ‘n’ roll dreams, and started living up to them with last year’s debut Remember When. |
 |
Zilker Tent The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM Today’s garage-rock and party-rock revivals wouldn’t be possible without The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (QRO photos at a festival). Spencer’s also featured in other more-notorious-and-influential-than-successful acts such as Heavy Trash, Boss Hog & Pussy Galore, but he returns to explosion (QRO live review), celebrating twenty years with their first-ever compilation, Dirty Shit Rock and Roll: The First Ten Years. This is the guy (QRO photos at a festival) who played one of the first shows in NYC after Hurricane Sandy (QRO photos). |
 |
| Also: JD McPherson, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM The Blind Boys of Alabama, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM – QRO photos at a festival Pacha Massive, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM The Hensley Ensemble, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Barton Hills Choir, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
 |
BMI Stage Wick-It the Instigator (4th) / The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker (11th), 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Houndmouth (4th) / Leslie & The Sun (11th), 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM Holly Williams, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Brooke Waggoner (4th) / Andrew Duhon (11th), 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM |
 |
Austin Kiddie Limits (4th) School of Rock, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Grace London, 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM Play Date, 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM Tim & The Space Cadets with Mother Falcon, 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM Andy Z, 11:30 AM – 11:55 AM |
 |
Austin Kiddie Limits (11th) Court Yard Hounds, 4:15 PM – 4:30 PM Tim & The Space Cadets with Mother Falcon, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM The Verve Pipe, 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM Play Date, 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM Caspar Babypants, 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM School of Rock, 11:30 AM – 11:55 AM |
|
Waterloo Records Autograph Tent
Wild Belle, 7:30 PM
JD McPherson, 7:30 PM
The Black Angels, 7:00 PM
Okkervil River, 6:30 PM
Jake Bugg, 6:15 PM
Luella & The Sun (11th only), 6:00 PM
Local Natives, 6:00 PM
The Blind Boys of Alabama, 5:45 PM
Pinback, 5:00 PM
Smith Westerns, 4:30 PM
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, 4:00 PM
Holly Williams, 4:00 PM
Court Yard Hounds, 3:30 PM
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, 3:00 PM
Dana Falconberry (4th) / Sons of Fathers (11th), 1:30 PM
FIDLAR, 1:15 PM
Wild Nothing, 1:00 PM
Jimmy Eat World, 12:30 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5th & 12th
| AMD/Lady Bird Stage The Cure, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM If you’re going to Austin City Limits, do you seriously need to be told who The Cure (QRO photos headlining a festival) are?!? Fronted by the iconic Robert Smith, The Cure were on the leading edge of New Wave in the eighties, basically inventing goth as a form of music – and releasing some of the decade’s most catchy singles as well. You know ‘em, you love ‘em, you came to Austin City Limits Festival for The Cure (QRO photos headlining a festival). |
 |
| Passion Pit, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Blowing up very fast was Cambridge, Mass’ own Passion Pit (QRO photos). Single “Sleepyhead” (QRO video) found its way to MTV nominations, while debut Manners (QRO review) found its way onto the charts – and expectations are seriously high for last year’s follow-up, Gossamer (QRO review), and single “Take a Walk” (QRO review). Catch the big-name indietronica stars (QRO photos outdoors) as they return to the road (QRO photos at a festival), ‘cause they’ve moved up to the big-time (QRO photos) like Madison Square Garden (QRO live review) and headlining festivals (QRO photos headlining a festival), and aren’t playing small places – or even medium-sized (QRO photos) anymore (QRO live review). Oh, and don’t worry about the electronic playing outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), as they more than know how to do it outside (QRO live review outdoors), like at ACL ’09. |
 |
| Portugal. The Man, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM This West Coast draws from far up its shore with Alaska’s Portugal. The Man (QRO photos at a festival). The rambling grunge outfit garnered new fans with 2007 sophomore release Church Mouth (QRO review), and its unhinged alt-rock (QRO live review), though slipped somewhat since then, even while finally playing Europe (QRO photos at a European festival) and becoming a festival favorite (QRO photos at a festival). Their major label debut The Mountain In the Cloud (QRO review), is more psych-lite, but they still bring it live (QRO live review), and come to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival) after the release of follow-up Evil Friends (QRO review) and hitting the festival circuit (QRO photos at a 2013 festival). |
 |
| HAIM, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim, along with drummer Dash Hutton (QRO photos at a festival), only started putting out music last year, but have already been turning heads (QRO photos), thanks to great single “Don’t Save Me” – and come to Austin City Limits Festival just after the release of debut full-length, Forever. Also: Dan Croll, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM |
 |
Samsung Galaxy Stage Kings of Leon, 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM Kings of Leon (QRO photos) are back! Kings of Leon (QRO photos outdoors) are finally back! The Tennessee brothers & a cousin Followill emerged amidst the revival of indie-rock early in this century/millennium, with critics calling them the ‘Southern Strokes’ and hailing the return of Confederate alt-rock with 2007’s excellent Because of the Times (QRO review). The following year’s Only by the Night (QRO review) didn’t hit the same high critically, but saw them hit major highs commercially – as well as in the Grammys. Unfortunately, in rock music the highs often come with some lows. 2010 follow-up Come Around Sundown (QRO review) still found commercial success, but the rock ‘n’ roll life seemed to catch up with singer/frontman Caleb Followill, who rambled off stage at a concert, never to return. The rest of the tour was cancelled, and a six-month hiatus was announced in late 2011 – but only now is the band back on the road. Of course, they’re still headlining fests from coast to coast (QRO photos headlining a festival), and the songs are still strong in new release (QRO review), Mechanical Bull (QRO photos of Kings of Leon at Mechanical Bull listening party). |
 |
| Wilco, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM For alt-country, there’s pretty much Wilco (QRO live review outdoors), and then there’s everybody else. The Chicago stars, led by singer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy, but also featuring bassist John Stirratt, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone (the two of whom also form The Autumn Defense – QRO spotlight on), guitarist Nels Cline (QRO photos), drummer Glenn Kotche, pianist Mikael Jorgensen, and more (like “Jesus, Etc.” – QRO video), have played everywhere from Conan at home to “Far, Far Away” (QRO video). They’ve also been excellent for so long (QRO live review outdoors) that their set lists are mammoth and still can’t cover everything (QRO live review) from the late greats like “I’m the Man Who Loves You” (QRO video) to more recent material off of Sky Blue Sky (QRO review), Wilco (The Album) (QRO review), and The Whole Love (QRO review) like “Hate It Here” (QRO video). And the quintessential American band (QRO live review) returns to Austin City Limits for a fifth year (QRO photos at a festival overseas). |
 |
| Silversun Pickups, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM In 2006, Los Angeles’ Echo Lake music scene blew up in a big way – all thanks to Silversun Pickups (QRO photos) & Carnavas. In 2009, they finally followed that up with Swoon (QRO review), which charted even higher – and they (QRO live review) come to the festival circuit (QRO photos at a 2013 festival) and Austin City Limits (QRO photos outdoors) behind last year’s Neck of the Woods (QRO review). |
 |
| Walk the Moon, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM In their self-titled album, Walk The Moon (QRO review) these Ohio natives (QRO live review) became one of America’s infectious indie rock groups (QRO photos at a festival) and it’s easy to see why: their catchy guitar riffs, fun and creamy pop beats can strike a tune within any listener (QRO photos at a festival). Last year, the band (QRO photos) had the ‘song of the summer’ in “Anna Sun”, but they’re more than just that great single (QRO photos). Also: Mona, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM |
 |
Austin Ventures Stage The Bright Light Social Hour, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM More recently on the scene is Austin’s own Bright Light Social Hour, who swept the Austin Music Awards in 2011 at SXSW (QRO recap) and have just kept on going since. |
 |
| Vintage Trouble, 5:45 PM – 6:30 PM From Hollywood, Vintage Trouble (QRO photos at a festival) brings some soul & funk to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival). |
 |
| Little Green Cars, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM Dublin’s Little Green Cars (QRO photos at a festival) are already making a name for themselves (QRO photos at a festival), behind such named singles as “Harper Lee” and “John Wayne”. |
 |
| Lissie, 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM Things are on the up swing for Rock Island, Illinois’ alt-country songstress Lissie (QRO spotlight on). Elisabeth Corrin Maurs (QRO interview) had an enjoyable debut full-length in 2010 with Catching a Tiger (QRO review), and comes back to Austin City Limits before this month’s release of follow-up Back To Forever, so expect some new songs (QRO live review). |
 |
| Also: Electric Guest, 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM – QRO live review Reignwolf, 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM – QRO photos at a festival Max Frost (5th) / My Jerusalem (12th), 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM Bobby Jealousy (5th) / Whiskey Shivers (12th), 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM |
 |
Bud Light Stage The Shouting Matches, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Justin Vernon is a man who wears many hats. Around the world, he is known as alt-folk megastar Bon Iver (QRO live review on the other side of the globe) – so big that Justin Timberlake impersonated him on Saturday Night Live (and ended the show with a sign saying “I Heart Bon Iver”…), but he’s done much else besides. QRO will always remember him as touring guitarist for The Rosebuds (QRO photos with Vernon), but his other bands include GAYNGS (QRO album review), Volcano Choir (QRO live review), and The Shouting Matches. This year has been a particularly prolific one for Mr. Vernon, putting out not just the new Volcano Choir record, Repave (QRO review), but also The Shouting Matches’ own Grownass Man (QRO review), on which he comes to Austin City Limits Festival. |
 |
| The Joy Formidable, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Welsh powerhouse The Joy Formidable (QRO spotlight on) has already taken Europe (QRO photos at a European festival), Canada (QRO photos at a festival in Canada), Australia and even The States (QRO photos) by storm with expertly played opening slots alongside Passion Pit (see above), Temper Trap (QRO live review) and Editors (QRO album review). The impressive trio (QRO live review) got a killer live show (QRO live review) to go with 2010’s killer The Big Roar (QRO review), and now they’ve got follow-up Wolf’s Law (QRO review) – so be ready for a jolly good time (QRO photos at a festival)! Be sure to catch killer frontwoman Ritzy Bryan as she rocks Austin City Limits Festival (QRO photos at a festival) with bassist Rhydian Dafydd (QRO interview) and exuberant drummer Matt Thomas (QRO live review). |
 |
| Delta Rae, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM The latest female-led folk-rock outfit to capture wider notice has been Durham’s Delta Rae (QRO photos at a festival), behind last year’s Carry the Fire. |
 |
| Also: Deep Vally, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – QRO photos at a festival Parquet Courts, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM – QRO photos outdoors at a festival |
 |
Honda Stage Kendrick Lamar, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Austin City Limits welcomes a newer hip-hop hit, Kendrick Lamar (QRO photos at a festival), who got notice with his 2010 mixtape, Overly Dedicated, and lived up to the hype (QRO photos at a festival) last year with debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city – he’s got no “Fuckin’ Problems” (QRO video). |
 |
| Grimes, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Scandinavian singer/songstresses have been getting very hot in recent times, from Lykke Li (QRO album review) openers of hers like Oh Land (QRO album review) and now Grimes (QRO photos opening for Lykke Li) – though Grimes, a.k.a. Claire Boucher (QRO photos at a festival), is actually from Vancouver. Still, her ethereal indie-pop on Visions (QRO review) certainly hews to the Scando-sound (QRO live review), and she’s just as pretty and charming as any Nordic (QRO photos at a festival). |
 |
| Junip, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Piano man José González picks up his acoustic guitar, while childhood friend Tobias Winterkorn gets on the organ, as Junip (QRO photos). They come to Austin City Limits behind this year’s self-titled release (QRO review), their follow-up to 2010 debut Fields (QRO review) – and having their song in the penultimate episode & trailer for the series finale of Breaking Bad! |
 |
| Autre Ne Veut, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM New York’s Arthur Ashin brings his alternative R&B to Austin City Limits Festival as Autre Ne Veut. |
 |
| Hundred Waters, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM New indie-rock outfit Hundred Waters (QRO photos at a festival) come to Austin City Limits after great opening slots (QRO photos opening) on tours for alt-J (QRO live review, with Hundred Waters) and The xx (QRO live review). |
 |
Zilker Tent The Mavericks, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Greensky Bluegrass, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM – QRO photos at a festival True Believers, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Endurance (5th) / Tyree Morris & Hearts of Worship (12th), 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Disciples of Christ, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM The Warrior Gospel Band, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
 |
BMI Stage The Weeks (5th) / Cherub (12th), 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Wild Cub (5th) / Shakey Graves (12th), 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM Valerie June, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Colin Lake (5th) / Shannon LaBrie (12th), 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM |
 |
Austin Kiddie Limits (5th) The Verve Pipe, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Tim & The Space Cadets with Mother Falcon, 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM Andy Z, 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM Caspar Babypants, 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM The Ohmies, 11:30 AM – 11:55 AM |
 |
Austin Kiddie Limits (12th) The Verve Pipe, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM The Ohmies, 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM Play Date, 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM Tim & The Space Cadets with Mother Falcon, 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM Caspar Babypants, 11:30 AM – 11:55 AM |
 |
Waterloo Records Autograph Tent
Vintage Trouble, 7:00 PM
The Joy Formidable, 6:30 PM
Little Green Cars, 5:45 PM
True Believers, 5:30 PM
Portugal. The Man, 5:30 PM
Silversun Pickups, 5:30 PM
The Mavericks (5th only), 4:30 PM
Delta Rae, 4:30 PM
Lissie (5th only), 4:30 PM
The Shouting Matches (5th only), 4:00 PM
Passion Pit, 4:00 PM
HAIM, 4:00 PM
Walk the Moon, 3:30 PM
Deep Vally (5th only), 2:30 PM
The Weeks (5th only), 2:30 PM
Lissie (12th only), 1:30 PM
Hundred Water, 1:30 PM
My Jerusalem (5th only), 1:15 PM
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6th & 13th
| AMD/Lady Bird Stage Atoms For Peace, 7:40 PM – 9:40 PM Only Radiohead (QRO live review on Austin City Limits) frontman Thom Yorke could have a ‘side project’ as big as Atoms For Peace. After Yorke’s solo album The Eraser, he recruited an all-star live band that include longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich (also of his own Ultraísta – QRO photos at a festival), drummer Jay Waronker (who took up the skins in R.E.M. after Bill Berry left), and, oh yeah, the one-and-only Flea of the one-and-only Red Hot Chili Peppers (QRO album review)! This all could have been the case of too many cooks in the kitchen, but Yorke kept a firm hand for this year’s (admittedly Radiohead-like) AMOK (QRO review), which has vaunted Atoms For Peace into headlining Austin City Limits Festival (and got them on The Colbert Report!). |
 |
| The National, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Cincinnati-by-way-of-Brooklyn’s The National (QRO photos outdoors) hit it big in 2007 with Boxer (QRO review) and tracks like “Fake Empire”, “Mistaken For Strangers”, and “Apartment Story” (QRO video) – and again in 2008 with the Virginia EP (QRO review), but that just presaged 2011’s High Violet (QRO review), which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts (QRO expanded edition review). An impressive and much-in-demand act (QRO live review), they’re fitting in nicely as even festival headliner (QRO photos headlining a festival) or curator (QRO photos curating a festival), like at London’s All Tomorrow’s Parties last December (QRO photos). Blown up to the point that New York Times Magazine ran a feature on them & Obama used (a family-friendly) bit of “Mr. November” (QRO video at a festival) as a campaign song, The National (QRO photos at a festival) returned from an hiatus to take North America by storm (QRO photos headlining a festival) behind their new Trouble Will Find Me (QRO review), after having done so in Europe (QRO photos in Europe), the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), the European festival circuit (QRO photos at a European festival), Canada (QRO photos at a festival in Canada), Boston (QRO photos at a festival in Boston) & their own Brooklyn (QRO photos in Brooklyn). |
 |
| Grouplove, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Last year rock collective Grouplove (QRO spotlight on) have had two of the most enjoyable recent hits, “Tongue Tied” (QRO video) and “Colours” (QRO review) from the debut Never Trust a Happy Song (QRO photos at a festival). Live, they take it to another level (QRO live review), with a massive spectacle (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), and can even persevere in the rain (QRO live review in the rain). The band (QRO interview) comes to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival) on tour (QRO live review on this tour) behind last month’s follow-up, Spreading Rumors (QRO review). |
 |
| MS MR, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM New York electro-rock duo MS MR (QRO photos) comes to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival) after this summer’s release of their debut full-length, Secondhand Rapture. Also: Kodaline (6th) / Smallpools (13th), 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM |
 |
Samsung Galaxy Stage Lionel Richie, 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM Austin City Limits Festival has always had some huge-name, mainstream headliners – but Lionel Richie?!? He was barely out of Motown icons Commodores before he got his first big hit in 1982 with “Truly”, and is a mega-star not just in the States but also around the world, most recently gaining a following in the Middle East. He’s got the pipes and knows how to craft a tune, but if you come to ACL for Lionel Richie, are you even interested in anybody else at the festival?… Hey, he does have a Mogwai (QRO live review) song named after him, “You’re Lionel Ritchie” (QRO video)… |
 |
| Eric Church, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM North Carolina country music star Eric Church comes to Austin City Limits Festival behind 2011’s Chief, which garnered him not one, but two #1 singles last year, “Drink In My Hand” and “Springsteen”. |
 |
| Franz Ferdinand, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Playing the Samsung Galaxy Stage Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (QRO review). The Scottish band broke out of their native Glasgow in 2005 with Franz Ferdinand and killer single “Take Me Out”, and even if their studio output since then hasn’t matched up, they’re still a great band live (QRO live review), and come back to Austin City Limits Festival (QRO photos at a festival) touring this summer’s Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (QRO review). |
 |
| Dawes, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM An up-and-coming Americana indie outfit (QRO photos) that’s come up, Dawes (QRO photos at a festival) hail from Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon (QRO photos outdoors), out this year with third release Stories Don’t End – and neither do they (QRO photos), as they return to Austin City Limits Festival (QRO photos at a festival). |
 |
| Foxygen, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM While they formed back in 2005, Westlake Village duo Foxygen (QRO photos at a festival) only put out their first full-length last year, Take the Kids Off Broadway – but had their second, We Are the Twenty-First Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, in 2013. However, they are best known for the wild, unhinged live shows, with lead singer Sam France climbing stage equipment and more (QRO photos outdoors). |
 |
Austin Ventures Stage Neko Case, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM While she first got notice as the main lady of indie-rock collective The New Pornographers (QRO live review), Neko Case (QRO photos outdoors) has also crafted her own solo career (even had her voice on an episode of Adult Swim’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force…). Her last new release was way back in 2009 with Middle Cyclone (QRO review), but she comes back to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival) behind her new The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You (QRO review). |
 |
| Phosphorescent, 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM Alt-country/indie-folk has been booming, especially on the festival circuit and definitely at Austin City Limits, so there’s gonna be a slot for Athens, Georgia-by-way-of-Brooklyn, NY (QRO photos outdoors at a festival in Brooklyn) Phosphorescent (QRO photos outdoors). Coming back from playing Europe (QRO European tour review) behind the new Muchacho, they’re less jam & more touch than their contemporaries, and love to play outdoors (QRO photos outdoors). |
 |
| White Denim, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM Out of Austin’s own psychedelic rock scene comes White Denim (QRO live review at home in Austin), but they’re more accessible than most psych-rock (QRO photos), if also correspondingly less inspired (QRO photos at a festival). |
 |
| The Lone Bellow, 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM Zach Williams’ wife suffered temporary paralysis following or horseback riding accident, with which he responded by learning to play guitar – and has made it far enough to form his own band, The Lone Bellow (QRO photos outdoors at a festival). |
 |
| Twin Forks, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM While Chris Carrabba will always be best known for his work in genre-defining emo act Dashboard Confessional, recently he’s formed an alt-folk band, Twin Forks (QRO photos at a festival). |
 |
| Also: Roadkill Ghost Choir, 1:20 PM – 2:00 PM The Band of Heathens, 12:20 PM – 1:00 PM Courier (6th) / Not In the Face! (13th), 11:20 AM – 12:00 PM |
 |
Bud Light Stage Phoenix, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM There are a precious few bands out there who you can’t understand anyone not loving, and one of them is Phoenix (QRO live review). The Versailles outfit (QRO interview – that’s oddly where all the French indie acts come from…) built and built their indie-pop songcraft throughout this century/millennium (including getting a song on the Lost In Translation soundtrack – and singer Thomas Mars would later marry the director, Sofia Coppola), with greater and greater international success (QRO live review), but broke through into the tops (QRO live review) with 2009’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (QRO review), which saw them win such acclaims as the Grammy for Best Alternative Album – and QRO’s #1 Album of 2009. It’s been a tough wait for the band (QRO photos) to return, but return they have (QRO spotlight on), an in full force, from the new Bankrupt! (QRO review) and big shows (QRO live review) to headlining festivals from California’s Coachella to Catalonia’s Primavera Sound to fellow-Francophone Osheaga (QRO photos at Osheaga) to now all-American Austin City Limits (QRO photos outdoors). |
 |
| Toro y Moi, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM One of the ‘big names’ in ‘chillwave’, Chazwick Bundick – a.k.a. Toro y Moi (QRO photos) – had one of the new genre’s touchstone records in 2011 in Causers of This (QRO review), but has since moved to a more rock-oriented sound, especially live (QRO photos). He comes to Austin City Limits (QRO photos) behind this year’s new record, Anything In Return. |
 |
| Paper Diamond, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Colorado-based producer Alex B has begun exploring his creating & performing side as Paper Diamond. |
 |
| The Mowgli’s, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Southern California’s The Mowgli’s got attention this year for a song named “San Francisco”… |
 |
| Bear Mountain, 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Electro band Bear Mountain (QRO live review) come to Austin City Limits behind their debut EP XO, after a tour with Bloc Party (QRO album review). |
 |
Honda Stage Tame Impala, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM From halfway around the world in Perth (QRO photos at a home), Western Australia (QRO photos at a hometown festival), comes the psychedelic rock of Tame Impala (QRO live review), touring off of 2011’s Innerspeaker (QRO review) & last year’s Lonerism, whose critical acclaim has won them fans across the world (QRO photos at a festival), and an appearance at Austin City Limits, which they come to while touring with The Flaming Lips (QRO photos opening for The Flaming Lips). |
 |
| Divine Fits, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM The term ‘super-group’ is bandied about way too often these days, but one act actually living up to it is Divine Fits (QRO photos at first official show, which happened in Austin). Take Britt Daniel, the main man of Austin’s own excellent alt-rock outfit Spoon (QRO live review), add Dan Boeckner, one-half of the writing team behind Canada’s Wolf Parade (QRO live review) and Handsome Furs (QRO live review), plus drummer Sam Brown of New Bomb Turks, and you’ve got A Thing Called Divine Fits (QRO review), who are ready to rock Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival). |
 |
| Noah & The Whale, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Noah & The Whale (QRO live review) have had a curious and unique trajectory. They came out of the same London alt-folk scene as Mumford & Sons (QRO live review) and Laura Marling (QRO live review); indeed, the latter contributed to their middling debut, Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down (QRO review). Her split with not just the band (QRO photos) but singer/ex Charlie Fink brought break-up beauty & weight to the much better The First Days of Spring (QRO review). And after Spring brought serious success for the band (QRO photos at a festival), what did they do? They tapped into seventies rock and upbeat spirits for 2011’s Last Night On Earth (QRO review) and this year’s Heart of Nowhere (QRO review). The most recent Noah (QRO photos) will naturally be the most heavily featured at ACL, but all sides will be seen. |
 |
| Also: Typhoon, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM – QRO live review Aaron Behrens & The Midnight Stroll (6th only), 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM |
 |
Zilker Tent Shuggie Otis, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM Red Baraat, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – QRO photos JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM – QRO photos The McCrary Sisters (6th) / Heavenly Voices Choir (13th), 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM The Stapletones (6th) / The McCrary Sisters (13th), 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM The Durdens, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
 |
BMI Stage Shiny Ribs (6th) / Alanna Royale (13th), 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Peterson Brothers Band (6th) / X Ambassadors (13th), 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Wild Feathers, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Kristin Diable & The City (6th) / CALEB (13th), 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
 |
Austin Kiddie Limits (6th) The Verve Pipe, 4:05 PM – 4:30 PM Peter DiStefano & Tor, 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM Play Date, 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM The Q Brothers, 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM The Ohmies, 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM Caspar Babypants, 11:30 AM – 11:55 AM |
|
Austin Kiddie Limits (13th) School of Rock, 4:05 PM – 4:30 PM Peter DiStefano & Tor, 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM Grace London, 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM The Q Brothers, 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM The Q Brothers, 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM The Ohmies, 11:30 AM – 11:55 AM |
|
Waterloo Records Autograph Tent
White Denim, 6:15 PM
Divine Fits, 6:00 PM
Shuggie Otis, 5:30 PM
Franz Ferdinand, 5:30 PM
Grouplove, 5:00 PM
The Lone Bellow, 5:00 PM
Phosphorescent, 4:30 PM
Tame Impala, 4:30 PM
Phoenix, 4:30 PM
Twin Forks, 3:45 PM
Dawes, 3:30 PM
Wild Feathers, 3:30 PM
MS MR, 3:00 PM
Band of Heathens (6th only), 1:30 PM
Foxygen, 1:30 PM
Late Night Shows
Oh, and just because Zilker Park closes for an evening, that doesn’t mean the music has to stop, as Austin City Limits Festival has lined up an amazing series of official late night shows. So if you miss an artist at the festival, or just want a second dose (and there’s acts who are only playing these after-parties), buy a ticket and head to these local venues after the outdoor festivities end for the day:
Thursday, October 3rd
The Bright Light Social Hour, with Reignwolf and Walker Lukens – Emo’s Austin
Luminox, with Loudpvck – Haven
Aaron Behrens and the Midnight Stroll, with Nic Armstrong and BattleMe – Stubb’s Indoors
Friday, October 4th
Grouplove, with The Mowgli’s –Emo’s Austin
HAIM, with MS MR – Antone’s
Wild Nothing, with Autre Ne Veut – The Parish
Deap Vally – Stubb’s Indoors
Wild Belle – Lamberts
FIDLAR, with The Orwells – Holy Mountain
Saturday, October 5th
The National – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
The Black Angels, with The Joy Formidable – Emo’s Austin
The Revivalists, with Moon Taxi – The Parish
Widowspeak, with Boy Friend – Stubb’s Indoors
The Blind Boys of Alabama (‘Gospel Brunch’) – Stubb’s Indoors
JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – Lamberts
Sunday, October 6th
Paper Diamond, with Run DMT – Haven
Endurance (‘Gospel Brunch’) – Stubb’s Indoors
Wednesday, October 9th
The Shouting Matches, with The Blind Boys of Alabama (The Waller Creek Conservancy Benefit) – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Toro y Moi, with Classixx – Emo’s Austin
Thursday, October 10th
Patty Griffin – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Phosphorescent, with JD McPherson and Shakey Graves – Emo’s Austin
Wavves, with King Tuff and Jacuzzi Boys – Antone’s
Mord Fustang, with Jesse Rose – Haven
Whiskey Shivers, with Hello Wheels – Stubb’s Indoors
The Autumn Defense, with Desert Noises and Blue Bear – Lamberts
Friday, October 11th
Wilco – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
STRFKR, with Bear Mountain and Chrome Sparks – Emo’s Austin
Junip, with Valerie June – Antone’s
Mark Farina, with Blockhead, Little People, and DJ Mel – Haven
Roadkill Ghost Choir – Lamberts
Saturday, October 12th
Eric Church – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Franz Ferdinand, with Smith Westerns – Emo’s Austin
Noah & The Whale – Brazos Hall
The Growlers with Foxygen, The Cosmonauts, Gap Dream and Pangea (‘The Burgerama Tour’) – The Parish
The Blind Boys of Alabama (‘Gospel Brunch’) – Stubb’s Indoors
Red Baraat – Stubb’s Indoors
Typhoon – Lamberts
Twin Forks, with Matrimony – Holy Mountain
Sunday, October 13th
Tyree Morris & Hearts of Worship (‘Gospel Brunch’) – Stubb’s Indoors
For festival website, go here: http://www.aclfestival.com/
Categories
Features
