acl fest - The Austinot

Austin City Limits Music Festival 2018: Photo Retrospective

October 15, 2018 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Tito’s Stage during Austin City Limits Music Festival 2018 (Credit: Brandon Navarro)

Zilker Park has been reclaimed. The massive stages torn down, ticket booths folded up. Mountains of debris, discarded AMEX swag, and unused ponchos carted away as though they never existed.

All that’s left of Austin City Limits Music Festival 2018 is in the minds and memory cards of those lucky enough to experience it. From the incredible headliners to your new favorite band, ACL Fest has always held something for anyone daring enough to brave the crowds and take it all in.

With our signature focus on the hyperlocal, here’s how The Austinot team experienced this one-of-a-kind festival, through pictures and words. [Read more…]

Ultimate Guide to Local Artists at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2018

October 1, 2018 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Cooler weather, Halloween party planning, Austin City Limits Music Festival. When I think of October, that’s what immediately springs to mind. For two weekends, Zilker Park transforms for a musical experience unmatched in our fair city and far beyond.

While headliners like Metallica and Paul McCartney dominate the headlines this year, our local music scene is well-represented for those intrepid enough to arrive early and support Austin artists. To help you navigate our local talent, here’s a rundown of every Austin artist playing ACL Fest 2018. Listen local!

For a Spotify playlist of every local artist playing ACL Fest 2018, click here! [Read more…]

10 Stories From Locals That Prove ACL Is the Best Music Festival Ever

September 19, 2018 by Samantha Saenz Leave a Comment

Get ready for two weekends of music, food, and fun! (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

Two weekends, 130 bands, eight stages. Austin City Limits Festival is the official end-of-summer party. Accordingly, festival-goers can expect lots of day drinking, dancing, and picturesque sunset moments with 70,000 ~~strangers~~ close friends.

Nothing brings people together (or sets the stage) for a good story quite like live music and local booze. To celebrate the return of the festival for another year, here are 10 quotes from Austin locals that perfectly explain why ACL is the best music festival ever.

[Read more…]

Who Wins the ACL Music Fest 2017 Superlative Awards?

October 16, 2017 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Embrace it or avoid it, the 2017 edition of Austin City Limits Music Festival was a resounding success. Good weather and great music made for a quality experience all-around, especially if you kept an eye on our local bands. To celebrate two weekends of quality showings from Austin artists, here’s our annual ACL Music Fest Superlative Awards. [Read more…]

ACL Music Fest 2017 in Photos: Weekend One

October 11, 2017 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Raise a glass for Austin City Limits Music Festival 2017 (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. In the case of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, it’s more like a novel. The size, scope, scale, and energy of ACL Music Fest 2017 can’t be captured in words alone. You need to see it to believe it. [Read more…]

Ultimate Guide to Local Artists at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2017

September 29, 2017 by Bill Tucker 2 Comments

Austin City Limits Music Festival is more than a collection of bands invading Zilker Park. It’s an expression of everything fun and vibrant in our great city. While some may dismiss it as an overblown intrusion into Austin’s fall fun, I see it as a celebration. Summer’s over; fall is here; let’s listen to a ton of good music.

As always, the festival’s early hours are chock-full of local bands. To guide and direct you through two weekends of musical madness, we give you this Ultimate Guide to Local Artists at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2017. [Read more…]

20 Things I Learned During Weekend One of ACL Fest

October 4, 2016 by Bill Tucker 4 Comments

The ACL Fest entrance welcomes music lovers from all over Austin, and the world
(Credit: John Cabuena/Flipintex Fotos)

Confession time: Weekend One of Austin City Limits Music Festival was my first ever. As a newborn at the event, I attempted to absorb as much as possible from three days of crowds, sun and mind-blowing music. Not only did I walk away with a greater appreciation for one of Austin’s most anticipated concerts, but I was re-invigorated by our community’s love for live music.

Here are 20 things I learned during Weekend One of Austin City Limits Music Festival. Maybe you’ll make similar discoveries during Weekend Two. Most of all, I hope you’ll have a memorable experience that’s uniquely your own. [Read more…]

ACL Eats Guarantees You’ll Eat Well During ACL Fest 2016

September 28, 2016 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

ACL Eats at Austin City Limits Music Festival

Welcome to ACL Eats (Credit: Lars Plougmann via Flickr CC)

When I covered SXSW last year, I felt super prepared. Comfortable shoes, sunscreen, plenty of water. Ear protection for when I found myself inches from a subwoofer in a tiny venue. Everything I needed to survive the five-day event. There was one exception: I kept forgetting to eat.

By the time my stomach started rumbling, restaurants were packed to the gills. Food truck lines stretched 30 minutes long. Finding sustenance was an utter disaster.

Austin City Limits Music Festival 2016 wants to solve this issue with ACL Eats, a dedicated home for over 30 of Austin’s finest food trucks and eateries. From burgers to Pan-Asian, burritos to popsicles, there’s a flavor for everybody at ACL Fest. Below are some of the foods I’m looking forward to most. [Read more…]

Your Ultimate Guide to Local Artists at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2016

September 19, 2016 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Gina Chavez Austin City Limits Music Festival

Gina Chavez will be lighting up the Austin City Limits Music Festival stage on opening day (Credit: Bill Tucker)

If SXSW is for tourists, then Austin City Limits Music Festival is for locals. For two weekends a year, Zilker Park transforms from an oasis of laid-back leisure into a celebration of music from around the world. From chart-toppers, to indie darlings, to oldies looking for one last chance in the spotlight, ACL Fest attracts artists like chips to queso.

But what about our hometown heroes? As headliners like Radiohead, Mumford & Sons and LCD Soundsystem grab the marquee, local talent tends to get lost in the schedule, swallowed by acts with deeper pockets and wider reach.

But no more! There’s plenty of local to love at this year’s festival, so we’ve compiled a list of every ATX artist playing over ACL Fest’s two long weekends, and the times to check them out. Listen local! [Read more…]

How to Keep It Local During Weekend Two of ACL Fest

October 6, 2015 by Edgar Barguiarena Leave a Comment

The Samsung stage features so many quality artists that folks pick a spot to camp out there all day
(Credit: John Cabuena)

Weekend One of the 14th Austin City Limits Music Festival wrapped up Sunday evening after three days of near-perfect weather. The 75,000 attendees at Austin’s annual Autumn bash were serenaded by national acts like the Foo Fighters and Drake, and nostalgia rock from Billy Idol, not to mention a growing number of local Austin bands that are starting to make a name for themselves on a national scale.

Join us as we take a quick look back at Weekend One and get you ready for Weekend Two. We’re sharing the best food to eat on site, local acts you don’t want to miss, and even ways to catch ACL musicians on the cheap outside the festival. Don’t forget to check out our list of 16 ACL pro tips that we published last week. [Read more…]