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…]

On the verge of celebrating its 13th birthday, ACL Music Festival continues to outdo itself year after year. I’ve been attending the festival for the past seven years and, each time around, I’ve either gotten a little smarter, or the festival has gotten a little better. Or maybe it’s a combination of both. ACL has become a well-oiled machine, from coordinated shuttles to the quality of local eats. Even the Porta Potties don’t (completely) stink.

In seven years, I’ve realized some unofficial do’s and don’ts for the event, such as: Don’t drink too much alcohol, and do drink plenty of water. Seems obvious, right? Wrong! It probably took me two ACLs to learn that one…the hard way.

In the interest of saving you from the difficulties I experienced the hard way, here are some of my best pro tips for enjoying ACL Music Fest, no matter which weekend you attend. [Read more…]