As the dust settled upon the grounds of Zilker on October 12, festival-goers checked off another successful Austin City Limits Music Festival. The final weekend brought the heat both metaphorically and physically, with buzz-worthy bands like Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and the voice behind every millennial and Gen Z’ers favorite middle school dance moments, T-Pain.
This go-around really brought out the hardcore music lovers, and they definitely brought the good vibes with them. One of the best parts of capturing the festival is seeing die-hard fans at the barricades for their favorites, whether it was Pierce the Veil, The Strokes, or someone just starting to find their core audience. Dust or no dust, ACL Fest must go on.
For more details on our favorite sets from Weekend Two — and who we think it's worth buying tickets to see in the future — check out our list here.
Tony Perry of Pierce the Veil kept the crowd on their toes with his lively stage presence and killer lead guitar riffs. Photo by Kenn Box
Barricaders are a band's best hype people. Photo by Kenn Box
Weekend Two was full of memorable moments for Strokes fans. From Julian Casablancas shouting out Sabrina Carpenter, to him abiding by the crowd's request to play “Ode to the Mets,” The Strokes' set was everything a fan could wish for. Photo by Kenn Box
Japanese Breakfast closed out the BeatBox stage with a bang of the gong. Photo by Kenn Box
As the sun sets to the left of the T-Mobile stage, the ACL Fest Box frames up the perfect portrait. Photo by Kenn Box
A full look at T-Pain's ensemble; he brought the whole saloon over to the American Express stage with a larger-than-life set design, campy costumes, and background dancers showing off killer moves. Photo by Kenn Box
Rainbow Kitten Surprise truly is for everyone. The fan-favorite band was all the rage on Sunday, with festival-goers spreading the word that they're a must-see.Photo by Kenn Box
Pride is not just holding up a flag; it’s loving yourself enough to let go, be yourself, and have fun.. Photo by Kenn Box
With an even larger crowd for Weekend Two, The Dare continued the party he started a week before with crowd favorites like “Girls,” off of his debut album, What’s wrong with New York?Photo by Kenn Box
Fujji Kaze's set was like a magnet for homemade signs and DIY accessories. He made this towel an accessory through sheer force of will.Photo by Kenn Box
Where would we be as festival-goers without the ACL volunteers? Here one captures an Insta-worthy shot.Photo by Kenn Box
Joey Valance and Brae threw an absolute rager of a set. In classic JVB fashion, the duo had the crowd opening up a pit by the third song. Photo by Kenn Box
Lawn chairs offer both a refuge and a challenge when enduring a long day in the Texas sun. Photo by Kenn Box
Always expect good vibes and a fun time at an Olivia Dean set. The English singer-songwriter played at 2:30 pm on the American Express stage before returning later in the evening to be the “Juno” arrestee at Sabrina Carpenter’s headlining set. Photo by Kenn Box
Gregory Alan Isakov played a perfect closing set for the BeatBox stage, with a beautiful light show and a starry backdrop.Photo by Kenn Box
Nothing beats putting your hands in the air with your pals.Photo by Kenn Box
The best way to get through the fest traffic isn’t by golf cart. It’s by shoulders. Photo by Kenn Box
Indie darlings Car Seat Headrest rocked the T-Mobile stage with cool visuals and great tunes. Photo by Kenn Box
Adorned in denim and rhinestones, Dizzy Fae made her festival debut on the BMI stage on Saturday. Photo by Kenn Box
The 360-degree mirror decor had fashionable folks getting all the right angles.Photo by Kenn Box
Royal & The Serpent’s energetic performance on Sunday was the perfect way to revive the audience's stamina after three days in the park. Photo by Kenn Box
On the final day of ACL Fest, the best place to be is underneath the iconic festival flags. Photo by Kenn Box