Austin City Limits 2014 Preview

Austin City Limits, the longest-running live music program in television history, also has one of the biggest festivals in America. Held on Friday-to-Sunday on back-to-back weekends, October 3rd to...
Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits 2014 Preview

Austin City Limits, the longest-running live music program in television history (recently celebrating its 40th anniversary – QRO photos), also has one of the biggest festivals in America. Held on Friday-to-Sunday on back-to-back weekends, October 3rd to 5th & 10th to 12th, in Zilker Park:

 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3rd & 10th

Honda Stage

OutKast, 8:15 PM – 10:00 PM

You know OutKast (QRO photos at a festival). Oh yes, you know OutKast (QRO photos at a festival). André ‘André 3000’ Benjamin and Antwan ‘Big Boi’ Patton basically brought the Hotlanta sound to break up the East Coast vs. West Coast hip-hop duopoly. Speakerboxx/The Love Below and especially ubiquitous single “Hey Ya!” were all over the airwaves (and introduced a post-film, pre-Instagram generation to the Polaroid picture). After soundtracking Idlewild in 2006, the duo went on an indefinite hiatus (QRO photos of Big Boi solo at a festival), only to make the biggest reunion of 2014. They’re headlining seemingly every festival out there, including ACL (QRO photos at a festival).
OutKast
Childish Gambino, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

The world is littered with rappers trying their hand at acting, and actors trying their hand at rapping (to say nothing of sports stars trying both) – with usually poor results. Standing out from that crowd is Childish Gambino (QRO photos), a.k.a. Donald Glover (QRO photos at a festival) of NBC’s great (but sadly cancelled) Community. Joel McHale ain’t the only one with a second job – but will Danny Pudi (QRO photo) or Alison Brie (QRO live review) be there for Troy’s return to ACL (QRO photos at a festival) for the second time in three years (QRO photos at a festival)?
Childish Gambino
CHVRCHES, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM

Scottish electro-pop outfit CHVRCHES (QRO live review) have gotten very big very fast (QRO photos at a festival), before & after the release of debut full-length The Bones of What You Believe (QRO review) – but are fronted by the tiny Lauren Mayberry (QRO photos at a festival) and some giant lights (QRO photos at a festival).
CHVRCHES
Jimmy Cliff, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM

You wouldn’t have heard of reggae without Jimmy Cliff (QRO photos at a festival). The much-honored artist (2010 Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee, only living musician currently holding The Order of Merit, Jamaica’s highest award in arts & sciences), Cliff introduced reggae to the wider world when he sang & starred in 1972’s The Harder They Come, and is now an icon in world music (QRO photos at a festival on another continent).
Jimmy Cliff
Asleep At the Wheel (10/3) / Ray Benson & MilkDrive (10/10), 12:15 PM – 1:15 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!

Asleep At the Wheel

Miller Lite Stage

The Glitch Mob, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM

Electronic outfit The Glitch Mob (QRO photos at a festival) aren’t just button-pushers, but integrate their laptops & MIDIs into their live show, making them suitable for the club or the festival. They come to Austin City Limits Festival behind this year’s charting Love Death Immortality (QRO review).
The Glitch Mob
Sam Smith, 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

Sam Smith came to notice just back in 2012, singing on hit single “Latch” by Disclosure, but has since broken out on his own with this year’s debut, In the Lonely Hour, with single “Stay With Me” an international hit (including getting him on Saturday Night Live). He’s also, randomly, third cousin of Lily Allen.
Sam Smith
Bleachers, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM

Jack Antonoff of fun. (QRO live review) recently launched his own indie-pop side-project, Bleachers (QRO photos at a festival).
Bleachers
Temples, 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM

Despite only starting two years ago, Temples (QRO live review) have received press attention in their native England after being called the best new band in Britain (QRO photos at a U.K. festival) by the likes of Noel Gallagher (QRO live review) and Johnny Marr (QRO live review). They come to ACL (QRO photos at a festival) hot on the heels of that heat and February’s debut full-length, Sun Structures (QRO review).
Temples
Young & Sick, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

California art collective Young & Sick (QRO photos at a festival) have done everything from album art (for Foster the People’s Torchessee below – Maroon 5’s Overexposed, and even Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines) to recently creating the largest mural on the West Coast. They also made headlines with their music, after turning down six-figure contracts to release single “Continuum” online.

Young & Sick

Austin Ventures Stage

Blackberry Smoke, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM

The Suthron rock of Atlanta’s Blackberry Smoke headlines the Austin Ventures Stage on Friday at Austin City Limits.
Blackberry Smoke
J. Roddy Walston & The Business, 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

Roddy Walston brings the rock to Austin City Limits for a second time, both as frontman for J. Roddy Walston & The Business (QRO photos outdoors) and solo.
J Roddy Walston & The Business
Lake Street Dive, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM

After meeting at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music (QRO photos at a Boston festival), jazz-soul outfit Lake Street Dive (QRO photos outdoors) became, “Two girls, two guys, and a whole lotta feelings.”
Lake Street Dive
Also:

Robert Ellis, 2:00 PM – 2:40 PM

The Preatures, 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM

Sphynx (10/3) / Black Pistol Fire (10/10), 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM

Arum Rae (10/3) / Penny & Sparrow (10/10), 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM

The Preatures

Bevintel (10/3) / Zilker (10/10) Stage

Ozomatli, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Ozomatli (QRO photos) bring the Latin flavor and more from Los Angeles as they mix rock, hip-hop, salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, & more (QRO photos with New York Pops) – it’s been described by the group as taking in everything one hears on a trip down all of famed Sunset Boulevard, on 2010’s Fire Away (QRO review), 2012’s kid’s album Ozomatli Presents Ozokidz, and this year’s (adult) Place In the Sun.
Ozomatli
Also:

Ana Tijoux, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM

Jon Batiste & Stay Human, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PMQRO photos at a festival

The Jones Family Singers, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM

Shields of Faith, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

The Barton Hills Choir, 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

Jon Batiste & Stay Human

BMI Stage

Jon Pardi (10/3) / Future Unlimited (10/10), 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Los Colognes (10/3) / The Lonely Biscuits (10/10), 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM

Blank Range, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM

Marc Scibilia (10/3) / Catfish & The Bottlemen (10/10), 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM

The Lonely Biscuits

RetailMeNot Stage

Belle & Sebastian, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM

While everyone raves about all the nineties acts reuniting, such as Superchunk (QRO live review) & Teenage Fanclub (QRO live review), pause for a moment to praise great bands from the last century/millennium who didn’t break up, such as Belle & Sebastian (QRO photos outdoors). The Glaswegian outfit’s ‘wistful pop’ has captured hearts for years & years now, with their latest, 2010’s Belle & Sebastian Write About Love, pretty much saying it all. They come to ACL (QRO photos at ACL Live) after last year’s second compilation record, Third Eye Centre, so look for some rarities to go with the hits.
Belle & Sebastian
St. Vincent, 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

After the one-and-only Annie Clark (QRO interview) made 2007 her break-out year, both as part of The Polyphonic Spree on The Fragile Army (QRO review) and with her own debut as St. Vincent (QRO photos), Marry Me (QRO review), she followed that up with even-better years (QRO spotlight on), gracing festivals (QRO photos at a festival), charming and surprising crowds with winning humor live (QRO live review), and bringing a stable of new songs (QRO live review). Those new songs, like “Laughing With a Mouth of Blood” (QRO video) and “Actor Out of Work” (QRO video) formed into 2009’s Actor (QRO review), which vaunted her into the even bigger time (QRO photos at a festival), including playing Lincoln Center (QRO live review) and other storied concert halls (QRO photos at a festival) & venues (QRO photos at Royal Albert Hall).

Admittedly, 2011’s Strange Mercy (QRO review) wasn’t quite as good, but then she teamed up with the one-and-only David Byrne (QRO photos at a festival together) for 2012′s Love This Giant (QRO review), and now the holy St. Vincent (QRO photos) comes back with a vengeance this year on St. Vincent (QRO review), and an absolutely stellar live show (QRO photos in Europe), with her platinum grey hair and mannequin moves shining outdoors (QRO live review outdoors), at festivals (QRO photos at a festival) and in the Old World (QRO live review in Europe). A must-see at ACL ‘14 (QRO photos at a festival).
St. Vincent
Hozier, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM

Ireland’s Andrew Hozier-Byrne comes to Austin City Limits Festival off of breakthrough single “Take Me To the Church”.
Hozier
Also:

Moats (10/3) / Saints of Valory (10/10), 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM

Night Terrors of 1927, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Night Terrors of 1927

Samsung Galaxy Stage

Beck, 8:15 PM – 9:30 PM

Beck (QRO photos at a festival) is back! Your favorite musical non-conformist (QRO photos at a festival) broke through in the mid-nineties thanks to songs like “Loser”, “Where It’s At”, and “Devil’s Haircut” off of early records Mellow Gold and Odelay (QRO deluxe edition review), mixing white boy funk with indie-rock and experimental – as well also delivering a stripped, soulful folk side to boot. After full-lengths 2008’s Modern Guilt (QRO review) and 2006’s The Information (QRO review), he took off time to work as a producer (such as on Thurston Moore’s Demolished ThoughtsQRO review – and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks’ Mirror TrafficQRO review), only releasing a few soundtrack tracks (like writing for the fictional band Sex Bob-omb in Scott Pilgrim vs. The WorldQRO soundtrack review) and a ‘song reader’. But he finally delivered a new studio album this year in Morning Phase (QRO review) – and of course it’s great. A perfect headliner for ACL ’14 (QRO headlining a festival).
Beck
Foster the People, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Los Angeles’ Foster the People (QRO photos at a festival) came out of nowhere in 2010 with viral hit “Pumped Up Kicks”, followed that up with the Top Ten debut Torches (QRO review). Their listener- and dancer-friendly electronic sounds (QRO photos at a festival) aren’t exactly revelatory, but are sure to set the crowd on fire (QRO live review). They come back to ACL (QRO photos at a festival) behind this year’s release of Torches follow-up, Supermodel (QRO review).
Foster the People
Paolo Nutini, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM

Not Italian but Scottish, the interesting and eclectic Paolo Nutini (QRO interview) hit it big with his 2006 debut These Streets, and followed it up strongly with 2009’s Sunny Side Up – and yet has been getting even better press for this year’s Caustic Love (QRO photos).
Paolo Nutini
Capital Cities, 2:15 PM – 3:15

Enjoy the exciting and excitable electro-pop of Capital Cities (QRO photos at a festival), who are coming off playing at the Statue of Liberty (QRO live review)!



Also:

James Bay, 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM

Capital Cities

Austin Kiddie Limits

Ralph’s World, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Sugar Free Allstars, 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM

Elizabeth McQueen (10/3) / School of Rock (10/10), 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM

School of Rock (10/3) / Elizabeth McQueen (10/10), 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM
Ralph's World

 

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4th & 11th

Honda Stage

Skrillex, 8:30 PM – 9:45 PM

Originally frontman for L.A. post-hardcore outfit From First to Last, Sonny Moore – a.k.a. Skrillex (QRO photos) – has since reinvented himself as the electro-house/dubstep DJ (QRO photos), headlining all sorts of festivals (QRO photos headlining a festival), and even been impersonated on Saturday Night Live.
Skrillex
The Avett Brothers, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

One of the bigger – and better – hits of today’s new Americana (QRO photos at a festival), The Avett Brothers (QRO photos at a festival) won a wide audience with 2009’s fine country of I and Love and You (QRO review), including playing on The Grammys with Bob Dylan, and now come to ACL (QRO photos at a festival), with 2012’s follow-up The Carpenter (QRO review). Their country can even fit in the big city (QRO photos at a festival), as they come to ACL for a third time.
The Avett Brothers
Interpol, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

When the Lower East Side music scene broke out at the beginning of this century/millennium, one of the biggest breakouts was neo-New Wave outfit Interpol (QRO live review) with Turn On the Bright Lights and Antics. Unfortunately, 2007 major label debut Our Love To Admire (QRO review) was a serious disappointment, leading to a hiatus (where singer/guitarist Paul Banks did his own solo thing as Julian Plenti – QRO European tour review). But 2010’s return to Matador Records Interpol (QRO review) was a return to form, and so was their live show (QRO photos), even on the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival). Of course, the following year saw another hiatus (with Paul Banks going solo again, this time under his own name – QRO album review), but the band has returned once more (QRO photos at a festival), with El Pintor out in August (QRO photos at a festival in August) and coming to ACL (QRO photos at a festival).
Interpol
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

From just west in New Orleans, Trombone Shorty (QRO photos) doesn’t just toot his horn but also integrates more modern funk and rap into his jazz.



Also:

Empires, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Miller Lite Stage

Broken Bells, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

In the middle of the last decade, two of the biggest breakout artists were The Shins (QRO live review), thanks to being featured on the Garden State soundtrack, and Danger Mouse, thanks being part of Gnarls Barkley & multiple producer/contributor credits (The Rapture, The Good, The Bad & The Queen, Beck). The Shins followed up with Wincing the Night Away (QRO review), Gnarls Barkley with The Odd Couple, but then silence – until 2010, when main Shin James Mercer teamed up with Danger Mouse as Broken Bells. Unfortunately, their self-titled debut (QRO review) was rather underwhelming, albeit from high expectations, and Mercer returned to The Shins for Port of Morrow (QRO review), while Danger Mouse returned to producer (like Portugal. The Man’s Evil FriendsQRO review).

But Broken Bells have returned this year, with the interesting, retro-futuristic After the Disco (QRO review). Their live show was too dark – literally not enough lighting (QRO photos at an Austin festival), but hopefully that, at least, can be fixed by playing in twilight (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) as they return to Austin City Limit Festival.
Broken Bells
Icona Pop, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

“I Love It” – with that song Icona Pop (QRO spotlight on) jumped from just another Swedish electro-pop act into growing stardom. Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo (QRO interview) having been bringing it live ever since, from small headlining gigs (QRO live review) to massive opening slots (QRO live review), and now their festival gigs features sprawling, over-capacity crowds (QRO photos at a festival).
Icona Pop
Kodaline, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

While this year’s In a Perfect World (QRO review) might technically be the first full-length for Dublin folk-rockers Kodaline (QRO photos), fans of their music have been rocking along to them for years by now (QRO photos at a festival). They come to ACL for the second year in a row.
Kodaline
Also:

Zoé, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

The Rosebuds, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PMQRO spotlight on

The Rosebuds

Austin Ventures Stage

Juanes, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Out of the heavy metal Ekhymosis came the Latin Cumbia-pop sensation Juanes.
Juanes
Lucius, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

The New York Times described Lucius as “The next Feist” (QRO live review) – even if you don’t believe everything The Grey Lady says, be sure to check them out (QRO photos at a festival).
Lucius
Poliça, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Minneapolis indie/electronic/R&B outfit Poliça (QRO photos at a festival) have been getting serious attention in the last few years (and not just for the ‘ç’…).
Poliça
Also:

Falls, 2:00 PM – 2:40 PM

Benjamin Booker, 1:00 PM – 1:40 PMQRO photos at a festival

Mike & The Moonpies (10/4) / The Nightowls (10/11), 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM

Blue Bear (10/4) / Riders Against the Storm (10/11), 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM

Benjamin Booker

Bevintel (10/4) / Zilker (10/11) Stage

Beats Antique, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

World fusion electronica act Beats Antique (QRO photos) not only fuses styles of music, but also styles of dance, including that of the belly (QRO photos at a festival). They come to Austin City Limits Festival for a second time.
Beats Antique
My Brightest Diamond, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

While Shara Worden (QRO photos at a festival) has shined in her collaborations, like those with National (QRO photos at a National-curated festival) spin-off Clogs (QRO photos) and Sufjan Stevens (QRO live review), she’s still best known as My Brightest Diamond (QRO photos outdoors) on albums like 2008’s A Thousand Shark’s Teeth (QRO review), 2011’s All Things Will Unwind (QRO review), and this year’s just-out This Is My Hand.
My Brightest Diamond
Also:

Tor Miller, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Nightbox (10/4) / Ashley Cleveland (10/11), 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM

The Levites, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Wesley Bray & The Disciples of Joy, 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

Tor Miller

BMI Stage

The Wans (10/4) / Beat Connection (10/11), 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Seattle’s Jordan Koplowitz & Reed Juenger mix electronics and dance as Beat Connection.



Also:

Snowmine (10/4) / Bully (10/11), 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Rey Pila, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

The Hunts (10/4) / von Grey (10/11), 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

The Wans
Beat Connection

RetailMeNot Stage

Major Lazer, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

The collaboration between DJ/producers Diplo (QRO photos) and Switch (QRO photos) made a serious breakthrough in 2009 as Major Lazer (QRO photos at a festival), with Guns Don’t Kill People. Lazers Do, but since signed to indie imprint Secretly Canadian for last year’s full-length follow-up, Free the Universe – and know how to do it at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
Major Lazer
Iggy Azalea, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Hailing from Australia, Iggy Azalea (QRO photos) has a flow like Yelawolf, the body of a model, and the attitude of Oakland’s Kreayshawn. Also, the beats she flows on would put some hip-hop producers from the south to shame, so check at her wild show & crazy crowd at Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival).
Iggy Azalea
tUnE-yArDs, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Oakland’s Merrill Garbus (QRO photos) got notice in the likes of Brooklyn (QRO photos) & Britain (QRO live review in London) as tUnE-yArDs (QRO photos outdoors), and then more and more fans behind her debut w h o k i l l (QRO review). She comes to ACL after this spring’s release of follow-up Nikki Nack (QRO review).
tUnE-yArDs
Mac DeMarco, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Some artists toil in obscurity for years, even decades, but Mac DeMarco (QRO photos at a festival) is only just old enough to drink, and already has his debut full-length, Mac DeMarco 2, and reputation for wild live shows (QRO photos at a festival) that brings him to Bumbershoot (QRO photos at a festival).
Mac DeMarco
Also:

The Chain Gang of 1974, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PMQRO spotlight on

The Chain Gang of 1974

Samsung Galaxy Stage

Eminem, 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

When The Beatles reissues came out, it launched the band to #2 on the top-selling artists of this decade/century/millennium. Who’s #1? Eminem, a.k.a. Slim Shady, a.k.a. Marshall Bruce Mathers III. The ultra-famous rap star (QRO photos headlining a festival) has had the fastest-selling hip-hop album ever, tons of Grammys, even an Oscar (for his song his semi-autobiographical starring vehicle, 8 Mile). He took a musical hiatus for a few years, but came back in 2009 with Relapse and the following year’s self-admitted comeback, Recovery, before last year’s sequel to his best-known & -loved album in The Marshall Mathers LP 2. He’s also almost as famous for his celebrity lifestyle, including feuds with just about everyone (including his mother & now ex-wife, as well as Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog…).
Eminem
Lana Del Rey, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Few have had as quick an up-and-down as Lana Del Rey. The singer (actual name: Elizabeth Woolridge Grant) toiled in obscurity until becoming Ms. Del Rey, with which she suddenly jumped from playing dingy places like Glasslands (QRO venue review) in Brooklyn to becoming the musical guest on Saturday Night Live (QRO Music on Late Night TV). That SNL performance, however, was widely panned, as was her full-length Born To Die (QRO review), earning her the reputation as just being a ‘pretty face’ (being signed as an actual model didn’t help, either…). But see & hear for yourself as she plays ACL behind follow-up, Ultraviolence.
Lana Del Rey
The Head and The Heart, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Fairly recently, things have been seriously booming for The Head and The Heart (QRO live review). The Seattle alt-folk/pop band (QRO photos outdoors) was signed by Sub Pop (QRO photos outdoors), named their city’s best new band by Seattle Weekly, opened for everybody from Dave Matthews (QRO live review) to Death Cab for Cutie (QRO album review). They’ve since graduated to headlining status (QRO live review) behind last year’s sweet Let’s Be Still (QRO review) – though their crowds won’t (QRO photos at a festival).
The Head and The Heart
Rebelution, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Bringing some reggae back to ACL is Santa Barbara’s Rebelution (QRO photos in Santa Barbara), who’ve been all over the festival circuit – and recently had an over-packed Big Apple show shut down by the FDNY!
Rebelution
Spanish Gold, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Catch the genre-bending Spanish Gold (QRO photos in Austin), who come to Austin City Limits (QRO photos) off of last May’s debut full-length, South of Nowhere.

Spanish Gold

Austin Kiddie Limits

Ralph’s World (10/4) / Steve Songs (10/11), 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Steve Songs (10/4) / Ralph’s World (10/11), 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM

School of Rock (10/4) / Elizabeth McQueen (10/11), 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM

Sugar Free Allstars, 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM
School of Rock

 

 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5th & 12th

Honda Stage

Calvin Harris, 8:00 PM – 9:15 PM

Scottish big-name DJ Calvin Harris (QRO photos at a festival) Created Disco (QRO review), has been Ready For the Weekend for 18 Months.
Calvin Harris
Spoon, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

As The Tick would shout, “Spoon!!!” Austin’s own Spoon (QRO live review outdoors) has been turning heads in the indie-sphere for a while with their trademark indie-rock, but with 2007’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (QRO review) & 2010’s Transference (QRO review), the group (QRO photos at a festival) has launched into the stratosphere, including headlining at New York’s own ultra-upscale Radio City Music Hall (QRO live review). A festival veteran (QRO photos at a festival), including headlining fests (QRO photos headlining a festival), they come home to ACL (QRO photos at a festival this summer), now behind this fall’s release of They Want My Soul (QRO review). Three cheers for “The Underdog” (QRO video)!

Oh, and they play Austin City Limits Festival for a sixth time (QRO photos at a festival)!
Spoon
Fitz & The Tantrums, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

While acts like Brooklyn’s Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (QRO live review) revive the soul sound, Los Angeles’ Fitz & The Tantrums (QRO photos) are reinventing it with an indie-pop twist (QRO photos at a festival) – and their own amazing live show (QRO live review), including at festivals (QRO photos at a festival), like ACL 2011.
Fitz & The Tantrums
AFI, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Has it really been over twenty years for AFI (QRO live review)? The band has evolved from their early snot-punk Bay Area roots (full-length debut Answer That and Stay Fashionable was produced by Tim Armstrong of Rancid and featured “High School Football Hero” and “I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won’t Let Me Get On)”) to hardcore and then post-hardcore, a dark romantic sound and style that saw them attain mainstream success. The band (QRO photos) comes to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival) after last fall’s release of their ninth studio album, Burials.



Also:

MØ, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

AFI

Miller Lite Stage

Zedd, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

German electro-house producer Zedd (real name: Anton Zaslavski) has been branching out into complextro & dubstep, as he’s become a festival regular (QRO photos at a festival).
Zedd
Phantogram, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Saratoga Springs’ dancetronica act Phantogram (QRO photos at a festival) got notice less for their debut full-length Eyelid Movies (QRO review) than their enchanting live show (QRO photos at a festival) – which works outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), when in the evening (QRO photos at a festival). They come to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival) behind their new Voices (QRO review).
Phantogram
Gramatik, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Gramatik (QRO live review) comes all the way from Slovenia (the best part of the former Yugoslavia).
Gramatik
Also:

Reuben & The Dark, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PMQRO photos at a festival

HAERTS, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PMQRO photos at a festival

HAERTS

Austin Ventures Stage

Turnpike Troubadours, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

The red dirt country-rock of Oklahoma’s Turnpike Troubadours closes out the Austin Ventures Stage at Austin City Limits.
Turnpike Troubadours
Jenny Lewis, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

If you like alternative music in the twenty-first century, chances are you already know Jenny Lewis (QRO photos). The former child star came to the music scene co-fronting Los Angeles’ Rilo Kiley (QRO album review) in the prior decade (QRO photos), before going solo with Rabbit Fur Coat and 2008’s Acid Tongue (QRO review). In 2010 she teamed up with boyfriend Jonathan Rice as Jenny & Johnny (QRO photos at a festival) for I’m Having Fun Now (QRO review). Last year, she reprised one of her many guest vocalist roles (others have included with Elvis Costello & Conor Oberst – QRO live review together) on the reunion tour of indietronica all-stars Postal Service (QRO photos – with Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie) behind the tenth anniversary edition of the ultra-acclaimed Give Up (QRO review). For her solo return to ACL (QRO photos at a festival), however, she comes to shine all on her own (QRO photos solo at a festival), with new solo album The Voyager.
Jenny Lewis
Cults, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

When Cults (QRO photos) broke out in 2010 with infectious single “We Go Outside”, they’d achieved the near impossible: being famous without anyone knowing anything about them (QRO photos outdoors). Since then, the wall of silence has broken down (QRO photos), with the catchy sixties male/female duo recruiting a band (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), playing South-by-Southwest (QRO photos), and signing to major label Sony for 2011’s Cults (QRO review). But even if you’ve got a face (QRO photos) to put to the un-Google-able name (QRO photos at a festival), they’re still a hook-laden band (QRO photos at a festival), who come back to ACL behind last year’s follow-up, Static (QRO review).
Cults
Also:

Nikki Lane, 2:00 PM – 2:40 PMQRO photos

Miniature Tigers, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PMQRO photos at a festival

Dawn & Hawkes (10/5) / Wood & Wire (10/12), 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM

Hard Proof (10/5) / Emily Wolfe (10/12), 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM

Nikki Lane
Miniature Tigers

Bevintel (10/5) / Zilker (10/12) Stage

Lettuce, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Get funky with Boston’s many-membered Lettuce!
Lettuce
Also:

Imelda May, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PMQRO photos at a festival

Jamestown Revival (10/5) / Parker Millsap (10/12), 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM

The Legendary Soul Stirrers, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM

The River City Christianettes, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Gospel Silvertones (10/5) / The Stapletones (10/12), 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

Imelda May
BMI Stage

The Last Internationale (10/5) / Melanie Martinez (10/12), 6:00 PM – 7:00 PMQRO photos at a festival

A Thousand Horses (10/5) / JOHNNYSWIM (10/12), 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Bernhoft, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

MODOC (10/5) / Colony House (10/12), 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

The Last Internationale

RetailMeNot Stage

Chromeo (10/5) / Lorde (10/12), 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

It’s been fast and furious, the success of Lorde (QRO live review). The New Zealand songstress (QRO photos) is still in her teens, but blew up in a huge way last year behind Grammy-winning single “Royals” and last fall’s debut full-length, Pure Heroine. She even performed “All Apologies” with Dave Grohl & Kurt Novoselic at Nirvana’s induction at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame! So catch the voice that’s turning heads around the world (QRO photos) and at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
Lorde
Real Estate (10/5) / Chromeo (10/12), 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

There are combos and then there are combos: Montreal’s Chromeo (QRO live review) are the electro-funk duo of Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) and P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) has been best friends since childhood (QRO live review), billing themselves as, “The only successful Arab/Jewish collaboration since the beginning of time” (but what is their stance on Québécois independence?…). And their electronica works outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), day or night (QRO live review), even at a festival (QRO photos at a festival). They come Austin City Limits (QRO photos from a festival in August) for the first time (QRO live review), now after the release of their new White Women (QRO review).
Chromeo
Jhene Aiko (10/5) / Real Estate (10/12), 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Indie-rock reviewers such as Pitchfork have long loved Ridgewood, New Jersey’s Real Estate (QRO live review), including 2012’s sophomore release Days (QRO review) and this year’s relaxed Atlas (QRO review), so see for yourself if they’re right as the band comes to Bumbershoot (QRO photos at a festival).
Real Estate
Vic Mensa (10/5) / Taylor Bennett (10/12), 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Chicago’s Vic Mensa throws down rhymes at the RetailMeNot Stage.



Also:

Nostalghia, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Vic Mensa

Samsung Galaxy Stage

Pearl Jam, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Few bands in the past quarter century have had the staying power and continued success of Pearl Jam (QRO live review). From breaking out of the Seattle grunge scene in the early nineties with Nirvana and Ten songs such as “Alive” and “Jeremy”, Pearl Jam (QRO live review) have somehow managed to stay both relevant and successful. While their original contemporaries are now on nostalgia reunion tours of old hits, Pearl Jam have toured the world numerous times, including Down Under (QRO live review in New Zealand), and have released ten studio albums, most recently last year’s Lightning Bolt (QRO review).
Pearl Jam
The Replacements, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

When the Pixies (QRO live review) reunited at Coachella in 2004, we couldn’t have known how far and how great the trend of alt-rock reunions would become in this century/millennium. There’s been Dinosaur Jr. (QRO live review), Pavement (QRO live review), and now The Replacements! The band basically originated/defined ‘college rock’ in the eighties with classic albums on local indie imprint Twin/Tone (QRO deluxe edition reviews), before graduating to major label status for the second half of their impressive discography (QRO deluxe edition reviews).

They called it quits in 1991, well after members like guitarist Bob Stinson and drummer Chris Mars had left, with only singer/guitarist Paul Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson remaining from the original line-up. Westerberg went on to a successful solo career, while Tommy Stinson (QRO solo photos) has managed to be the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll utility player, working in such outfits as Soul Asylum (QRO spotlight on) and even Guns n’ Roses (QRO photos at a festival), plus doing his own solo material (QRO solo album review). Bob Stinson unfortunately passed away in 1995, and more recently his ‘replacement’ Slim Dunlap was hospitalized from a severe stroke – which led to tons of musicians who were influenced by The Replacements to do a series of special, limited edition seven-inches in Dunlap’s benefit.

And most recently, Tommy teamed up with Westerberg and Mars for the Songs For Slim EP (QRO review) – and now a full-fledged reunion (QRO photos of first reunion appearance – though Mars seems to prefer the life off the road – or just still can’t work with Westerberg…)! It was over twenty years ago that The Replacements were one-by-one replaced by their roadies at the band’s final concert in Chicago’s Grant Park (famed as the ‘It’s Not Over ‘Til the Last Roadie Plays’ concert), and last year they returned to that stage (QRO photos at a Chicago festival) – plus, recently guest-spotting on rhythm guitar has been Billy Joe Armstrong (QRO photos of them with Armstrong at a festival)! Even if you’re too young to have caught ‘The Mats’ in their heyday, catch ‘em now, ‘cause you don’t want to be like Art Brut (QRO interview), “How have I only just discovered The Replacements (QRO photos)?!?”

(now if we can only get a reunion from ‘other’ great band from Minneapolis, Hüsker Dü – QRO spotlight on…)
The Replacements
The Gaslight Anthem, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

The newest band on today’s workingman’s punk wave, New Brunswick, New Jersey’s Gaslight Anthem (QRO photos) borrow from classic punk and more recent predecessors like Flogging Molly (QRO live review) & hometown heroes Bouncing Souls (QRO photos) – but also from the Garden State’s ultimate shining musical light (no, not Sinatra – not even Bon Jovi…), Bruce Springsteen (QRO live review). Once described as the product of some alternate history of rock, where The Boss embraced his early love of The Clash, Gaslight Anthem (QRO photos in the U.K.) have gone even more Boss-like on their most recent, American Slang (QRO review), 2012’s Handwritten (QRO review), and this year’s Get Hurt (QRO live preview review), which have catapulted them up the charts (QRO live review) and into festivals (QRO photos at a festival). Just hopefully frontman Brian Fallon has stopped talking about Axl Rose (QRO live review where he did that)…
The Gaslight Anthem
Also:

KONGOS, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

The Districts, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PMQRO photos at a festival

The Districts

Austin Kiddie Limits

Steve Songs, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Peter DiStefano & Tor, 2:30 PM – 2:55 PM

Elizabeth McQueen (10/5) / The Q Brothers (10/15), 1:30 PM – 1:55 PM

The Q Brothers (10/5) / School of Rock (10/12), 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM
The Q Brothers

 

OFFICIAL LATE NIGHT SHOWS

It’s not Austin City Limits Festival without festival acts also playing special late night shows:

Thursday, October 2nd
The Eastern Sea, with Roadkill Ghost Choir @ Holy Mountain
Beck @ Stubb’s
Black Pistol Fire, with Mirror Travel @ Stubb’s (indoor)

DiploFriday, October 3rd
The Head and The Heart, with Lucius @ Emo’s
The Preatures, with Young & Sick @ Holy Mountain
Jon Pardi, with Waterloo Revival @ Lamberts
Jenny Lewis, with The Belle Brigade @ Stubb’s
Spanish Gold, with The Rosebuds @ Stubb’s (indoor)
Tipper @ Vulcan Gas Company

Saturday, October 4th
Childish Gambino @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
Diplo, with Walshy Fire @ Emo’s
Snowmine, with Nightbox & The Belle Sounds @ Lamberts
Mac DeMarco, with Gold Beach @ Scoot Inn
The Legendary Soul Stirrers @ Stubb’s (indoors)
Tegan & Sara, with Night Terrors of 1927 @ Stubb’s
Arum Rae, with Emily Wolfe @ Stubb’s (indoors)
Temples, with The Districts @ The Parish

Sunday, October 5th
tUnE-yArDs, with MO @ Emo’s
The Bells of Joy @ Stubb’s (indoors)
Interpol, with Temples @ Stubb’s
Rey Pila @ Stubb’s (indoors)
Break Science, with Manic Focus & Space Jesus @ The Parish

 

Wednesday, October 8th
Fitz & The Tantrums, with Max Frost @ Stubb’s

Thursday, October 9th
Parker Millsap, with Possessed by Paul James @ Lamberts
Paolo Nutini, with Jimmy Cliff @ Stubb’s
Robert Ellis @ Stubb’s (indoors)

Possessed by Paul JamesFriday, October 10th
CHVRCHES, with The Range @ Emo’s
PHOX, with Reuben & The Dark @ Lamberts
Skrillex, with Alesia & David Heartbreak @ Stubb’s
The Chain Gang of 1974, with Empires @ Stubb’s (indoors)
Benjamin Booker, with Barfield the Tyrant of TX Funk & Blank Range @ The Continental Club
Poliça, with My Brightest Diamond @ The Parish
The Glitch Mob (DJ set) @ Vulcan Gas Company

Saturday, October 11th
Gramatik, with Lettuce & Late Night Radio @ Emo’s
Nikki Lane, with Blank Range @ Lamberts
The Legendary Soul Stirrers @ Stubb’s (indoors)
Spoon, with A Giant Dog @ Stubb’s
J. Roddy Walston & The Business, with Catfish & The Bottlemen @ Stubb’s (indoors)
Imelda May, with Bellfuries @ The Parish

Sunday, October 12th
The Filthy Six @ C-Boys Heart & Soul
The Durdens @ Stubb’s (indoors)

 

 

For festival website, go here: http://www.aclfestival.com/

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