Mother Nature took solace on Austinites and travelers from all around the past two weekends by providing festival goers with the first chill of Texas autumn for this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival. To commemorate the dozens of artists who performed all over Zilker Park, The Daily Texan compiled a list of some of the most memorable sets from ACL’s two weekends.
Little Simz
With her sharp flow and exceptional execution, Little Simz raptured her audience on Friday during weekend one, and Sunday during weekend two, flying through an impressive 14-song set. Stage art projections that aided in transitioning between songs paired with Little Simz’s ability to dance and rap simultaneously provided the audience with not a festival performance but a full-bodied experience through the themes of womanhood, introversion and systemic racism.
Rina Sawayama
Rina Sawayama put on one hell of a show with a performance full of outfit changes, interactive props and some good old-fashioned Texas line dancing. Her ACL debut feature came in the form of a theatrical show full of simple, yet versatile set pieces that enhanced her and her dancers’ tight choreography. With hopefully many ACL performances to come, Sawayama left her mark on Zilker this year.
Hozier
As the beaming Sunday sun set on ACL, Irish singer-songwriter Hozier somehow managed to give an intimate performance to a crowd of thousands. Backed by a talented band of musicians and vocalists, fans sang along and grooved throughout the entire set. By giving a concert that focused on musicianship, Hozier’s contribution to the festival reminded Austin of the many ways one can appreciate sonic innovation.
Cigarettes After Sex
As the stars came out, Cigarettes After Sex provided weary festival goers a mellow finale, moving fluently through their 11-song set. With their all-black outfits and minimal stage set up, the trio stood in contrast to ACL’s distinctively vibrant character, encouraging their audience to immerse themselves in a soothing experience before heading home for the night.
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Tucker’s unapologetically Texas set captured the hearts of southerners in the T-Mobile stage crowd with her classic country sound and attitude. Tucker emerged from backstage in an white cowboy suit, standing in front of a giant glittery hot pink cowboy hat on screen. Singing hits from every decade since the 80s, Tucker’s set proved the artist’s longevity, making for an energetic performance that delighted the crowd.
The 1975
As frontman Matty Healy said, in their tenth year of being a band, The 1975 just keeps getting better. The band’s headlining set drew thousands to the Honda stage with ties, blazers, Dr. Martens and ripped fishnets in the crowd. Healy spared the ACL crowds of any of his notorious rants, focusing on delivering a well-put together performance that showcased great vocals, brilliant saxophone solos and plenty of mid 2010s synth emo.
Niall Horan
Niall Horan helped round out both ACL weekends with the feel of a beach party, proving he’s got that “one thing” without the backing of his former boy band, One Direction. Playing hits from his solo work, including his most recent album, The Show, Horan electrified a mostly young crowd and cemented himself as the next big pop rock act.
Abraham Alexander
While many attend ACL to see their favorite headliners, the festival also presents the opportunity for discovering your next on-repeat Spotify artist. Abraham Alexander undoubtedly caught the attention of new fans after bringing his smooth harmonies and jazzy, soulful songs from his debut album, SEA/SONS to the T-Mobile stage. Telling his complex story through song, the singer-songwriter, born in Greece but now living in Texas, will be someone to watch out for.
