When COVID knocked out SXSW back in March of this year, I was crestfallen. Seven months later, my sadness seems petty, but at the time, it was crushing. And as we all know, everything else live music related fell along with it, including the other marquee music event of the year, the Austin City Limits […]
Gary Clark, Jr. Delivers a Scalding Hot Austin City Limits Taping
Austin’s red hot Gary Clark, Jr. is having the BEST YEAR EVER! The singer/songwriter released a critically-acclaimed album, “This Land,” celebrated his 35th birthday, played Saturday Night Live (subsequently disrupting the Twitterverse), and finally came home for an Austin City Limits taping on Tuesday, March 5, 2019.
Willie Nelson Delivers Classic Set During 18th Austin City Limits Taping
As I stood at an upright table overlooking 2nd Street and Guadalupe on the Moody Theater balcony, a chilling thought ran through my head: I didn’t know much about Willie Nelson. To Austinites with half an ear, the notion is blasphemy. How could any music reviewer worth his salt not know the King of Outlaw […]
The Black Angels Celebrate Latest Record With Stunning ACL Taping
Full disclosure: psychedelic music isn’t my thing. No offense to the genre, but my appreciation is closer to respect than enjoyment. Something about freeform, meandering soundscapes clashes with my drum line, percussion ensemble upbringing. In the correct headspace, it can be beautiful, but it’s not something I blast in my car during my evening commute. Or […]
Grupo Fantasma Delivers Latin Flavor to Austin City Limits
When a 10-piece Latin funk band starts their Austin City Limits taping with a rendition of “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin, you know you’re in for a special evening. Grupo Fantasma gave the energetic crowd exactly that. Delivering a powerful, body-shaking blend of samba, merengue and Latin jams, this groove-tastic Austin staple blew the roof […]
3 Austin Documentaries You Should See During SXSW Film
Austinites have to share their city during SXSW, so it only seems fair that a few featured documentary films would highlight Austin’s intriguing history with new information for both natives and newcomers to learn. “A Song For You: The Austin City Limits Story,” “Honky Tonk Heaven: Legend of the Broken Spoke,” and “Tower” make their debut […]
Gary Clark Jr. Is Austin Music Legend in the Making
Gary Clark Jr. is making Austin proud once again. In anticipation of his latest album, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, Clark performed during an ACL taping for the show’s upcoming 41st season. I cannot quite put into words how energizing and entertaining it is to watch Gary Clark Jr. perform live. But I’ll try.
Shakey Graves: From Suitcase Musician to Rising Star
With over 1,800 in attendance, Alejandro Rose-Garcia was headlining in front of his largest crowd ever. “I’m just gonna take a minute to soak all this in,” Alejandro, better known as Shakey Graves, shared with the at-capacity audience. The hometown favorite had come full circle. Since returning to Austin in 2010, Shakey Graves had taken his […]
Celebrating 45 Years of Austin Music Icon Asleep at the Wheel
What could possibly be more Austin iconic than breakfast tacos, bats and barbecue? Asleep at the Wheel is what. Since 1974, the Grammy Award winning band has called Austin home and kept the sound of country western swing alive. Led by local legend Ray Benson, Asleep at the Wheel appeared on the first official episode of […]
Before MTV, There Was…
The concept of music television existed long before MTV was created. The award winning PBS series Austin City Limits has been shaping the way we experience music for 40 years. ACL began with a vision to highlight local music and has grown into an international sensation. Musicians and fans from around the world look up to ACL’s […]