You know what? Our bad for thinking things would slow down for Weekend Two of the Austin City Limits Music Festival. We didn't mean to rely on past experience or punishing thermometer reads.
Almost everything this year felt like a highlight, so we’re glad to have two weekends to space it all out. And thank the ACL gods (Chappell Roan, Dua Lipa, Sturgill Simpson) that a few years ago we decided not to cover big stage headliners, or else we’d have to discuss Blink-182’s tween-level on-stage banter.
Maybe it was the well-balanced lineup, or maybe it was something in the air that had performers excited to play. Maybe this was just our year when it comes to personal taste. Whatever it was, here are our top highlights from Weekend Two, (roughly) in order of appearance at the festival.
More highlights from Weekend One can be found here. There are no repeats.
Friday
The golden voice of Carín León
Carín León was a name on many lips last Friday, and this week we found out why. It wasn’t just that his was potentially the only band on the ACL Fest lineup prominently featuring a tuba, nor was it the completely unnecessary, but thus even more delightful pyrotechnics. It was the expressiveness of the Mexican singer, who crushed the vocals in a number of styles, from ranchera, to soul with surprising gospel harmonies, and even to classic rock in covering Journey’s iconic “Don’t Stop Believing.” Carrying around a can of beer, presumably — or else soda — did not slow him down. In fact, it accentuated how effortless it was for León to belt out these textured, yet buttery notes; not unlike the night’s closer on the same stage, Chris Stapleton. (Just for fun, please enjoy León’s non-ACL rendition of a country classic Stapleton is famous for, “Tennessee Whiskey.”) — Brianna Caleri, CultureMap Austin editor
Great vibes and covers by Royel Otis
Anyone who’s heard Australian band Royel Otis’ “Oysters In My Pocket” could have guessed they’d be a fun festival act; consider the euphoric 80s-esque instrumentals or the easy-to-sing chorus. They did a great job keeping the energy up with original tracks as the sun went down, but two great covers caught the attention of passersby. First, a surprisingly faithful, if more organic rendition of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 tune “Murder on the Dancefloor,” which became a public obsession after its use in the 2023 thriller Saltburn. But the one that brought goosebumps to my sunscreen-slathered skin — a very rare occurrence — was a stripped down version of the Cranberries’ 1991 hit “Linger.” Maybe it was because it reminded me of the Cranberries’ performance at Woodstock in 1994, as I looked down at the crowd from higher up on the hill; or maybe it was just the sweet sincerity of it all. Either way, the rest of the audience seemed swept up in it, too. — BC
Getting introspective with Foster the People
Indie pop band Foster the People aren’t new to the ACL stage, but they sure do know how to make a grand return. Their fourth studio album Paradise State of Mindcame out in mid-August, ending a seven-year gap since the release of Sacred Hearts Club. Lead singer Mark Foster impressed with new hits like “Feed Me,” or “See You in the Afterlife,” while bringing it back to the early days with “Helena Beat” and “Houdini” from the band’s debut album Torches. As a casual listener, I was thrilled with how unique each live song sounded in comparison to the studio recordings. In between songs, Foster had some wise words (and warnings) for his audience: Specifically, the frontman warned against the danger of “predatory capitalism” (an issue he has been vocal about in the past), and advocated for supporting smaller, local artists. — Amber Heckler, CultureMap network writer
The Marías’ soft vocals and a strong presence
Make no mistake: There may only be one Maria in The Marías, but she is making a big enough impression for several more. Maria Zardoya visually stunned her audience on Friday night in a white ripped dress and black platform sandals, and she entranced listeners with her sultry, soft voice. Zardoya had the crowd jumping up and down during “Hamptons” and swaying alongside her while singing “Real Life.” She even surprised the unsuspecting festival goers with an alluring cover of The Cardigans’ ultra catchy “Lovefool.” We have a deep appreciation for a good solo, and the trumpet solo in “Un Millón” was a brilliant addition to a romantic hit. — AH
Saturday
Deep jams with Khruangbin, Balthvs, and Glass Beams
One of the best parts of this year's lineup was more challenging listening — not bebop, per se, but some entirely instrumental sets that get deep into a groove and stay there for a while. Texas' own Khruangbin led the charge on Saturday, delivering bass-driven, contemplative tunes on the American Express stage to loungers and head bobbers as far as the eye could see. (One festival-goer who clearly had no idea where she was started to dig her heels in midway through the crowd, protesting “I don't want to be in the mosh pit.”) Also on Saturday, Colombian psych funk band Balthvs, who are sometimes — and nonsensically — accused of stealing Khruangbin's style, put on a much more Latin-flavored show with driving dance tunes and a wide variety of sub-styles. Finally, on Sunday, Glass Beams wrapped it up with even more funk and disco influence, drawing a crowd in with slowly evolving vamping from everyone involved. Whoever wasn't dancing was doing it wrong. — BC
Spinall and a set full of hits
If there was one artist that kept the audience bouncing in the Saturday heat, it was Nigerian DJ Spinall, who arrived in Austin less than 24 hours after a Friday night show in New York City. This energizing producer brought a diverse array of music to the IHG stage, with plenty of Afrobeats, plus remixes of Drake, Ciara, Tyla, Sean Paul, and more. He had the crowd dancing and chanting lyrics with every seamless song transition, and snuck in a few of his own hits. What the audience couldn’t see from behind his DJ booth were a large pair of thick black boots that almost resembled Uggs, and had us questioning how he didn’t melt while on stage. — AH
Teddy Swims’ raw emotion and vocals
My brother-in-law recommended that I see Teddy Swims live, and I can confidently say that I’m so glad I braved the 95-degree direct sun for such a fantastic performance. In a very surprising (and rare) occurrence, there wasn’t a single song I didn’t love from the entire set. “All That Really Matters” was the most familiar song, but it was Swims’ “Hammer to the Heart” that really showcased his strength as a vocalist. His heartfelt performance of “Some Things I'll Never Know” had the audience tearfully following along as he sang about grappling with unanswered questions and a lack of closure. — AH
Something completely unique from Elyanna
ACL Fest had some good diversity this year in terms of genre and popularity, but Elyanna brought something I've never seen at the festival. The Palestinian-Chilean singer opened and sang most of the set in elegant, lilting Arabic, with a small amount of Spanish and English mixed in. Graceful and powerful at the same time, her four majestic dancers were in near-constant motion, in a captivating fusion of styles: Arab traditional meets American stadium, Shakira meets Beyoncé. However the style would be categorized, the hairography would be the star. The singer didn't speak much, but she did dedicate “Olive Branch (Ghosn Zeytoun),” a song she wrote with her mother and brother, to her people and hometown of Nazareth. With such a well-planned show, she certainly seems ready for a bigger stage; hopefully by then she'll have some live percussion to seal the deal. — BC
Vince Staples’ effortless performance
California rapperVince Staples may be about to embark on the second season of his eponymous TV show (or so he said during his set), but this double threat entertainer knows how to put on a minimalist live show, too. Armed with just a microphone and stand, Staples effortlessly rapped for nearly a full hour without the fuss of visual embellishments like pyrotechnics or smoke cannons (though a steady stream of fog was a nice touch). When you can command the attention of a crowd like he does, there’s no need for theatrics. When some audience members began to depart — presumably to find their way to headliners Pretty Lights or Dua Lipa — other fans started filling in gaps to get closer to the front. After Staples had finished his set and left the stage, several dedicated attendees could be heard chanting, “One more song!” over and over while remaining at the barricades. Let’s hope he heeds their calls and returns to Austin soon. — AH
The rock legend revival of Benson Boone
If I'd looked Benson Boone up before the festival, I’d have seen that people on the internet are comparing him to Freddie Mercury. But I didn't, so instead my first non-studio exposure to the singer — which happened unintentionally while I waited for Jungle to come on at the next stage over — was a complete surprise full of acrobatics, incredible falsettos, and a band on fire, ripping through a solo-filled outro. This week we went back to see more and “Beautiful Things,” at least, was nearly identical note-for-note, from the backflip, to the leap off the stage to touch hands with the audience, to the back handspring layout exit. But even more entertaining was that the internet was right for once: Boone's theatrical, stiff-armed gesturing, his orchestration of a rapt crowd, his skipping across the stage in a jumpsuit and mustache, and of course his nailing every note was worthy of the lofty comparison. He is the champion. — BC
Sunday
Crowd banter with Malcolm Todd
Artists love to talk to — and look out for — their fans, and Los Angeles musician Malcolm Todd took those treasured interactions to a new level when he looked upon his audience Sunday afternoon. After just four songs, Todd paused the music to instruct everyone both on- and off-stage to take a water break, while ACL staff passed out boxes of water among the crowd. Upon concluding “Mr. Incorrect” and spotting a sign with an unusual fan request, Todd hopped off the stage to sign his name on their face. He even called out the Millennials in the audience (including any walking by) by covering Miranda Cosgrove’s “Leave It All To Me,” the theme of the classic Nickelodeon show iCarly. His enthusiasm was a radiant gift for a sun-beaten crowd. — AH
Kevin Abstract embodies chaotic good
Kevin Abstract, a one-time San Marcos resident and a founding member of the boy band Brockhampton, really let loose for this weekend’s set, showing both his sweet side and his mischievous impulses. “I can say what I feel tonight ‘cause this sh*t ain’t being streamed,” he declared. He used that power to say words we can’t print here, to harass the crowd a bit about not reacting strongly enough to his mention of famous Austin film director Richard Linklater, and to declare that he missed both his Brockhampton collaborators and the money they made, among many other departures from the set as planned. He also coerced two of his longtime best friends onto the stage, denied someone who seemed to be wearing a shirt with Diddy on it, and hopped into the suddenly sparser audience after the Chappell Roan exodus. All that tied together with pleasant, mellow songs like “Peach” and “Texas Blue” was definitely funny, but surprisingly warm and fitting. — BC
Music becomes theater with Qveen Herby
I'll be transparent: I’m still not completely sold on the brand worshiping-bad b*tch-spiritual enlightenment combo, but Qveen Herby's use of the stage was possibly the most creative I've ever seen at ACL Fest. From the Fantasia-like introduction where the mysteriously caped and hooded rapper called forth fireworks on the screen, to all the props tying together a narrative along the way, Qveen Herby really led the audience through a stage play as well as a concert. And her showmanship wasn't just between songs; her clean and punchy flow carried the energy through every track. Turns out, social media clips can only show you so much of an artist's capacity, and Qveen Herby definitely powers up on the stage. — BC
That’s it for this year’s written highlights, but photographer Daniel Cavazos will be here later this week with more shots of the performers and crowd. We’ll be taking Misterwives’ advice and bringing this festival feeling out into the world.
