Austin City Limits: Highlights From Weekend Two

Tweet

Photo by Roger Ho for ACL Fest

Austin City Limits: Highlights From Weekend Two

Written by Elisa Regulski

Cool breezes ruffled the trees as festivalgoers shuffled into Zilker Park. We were all here for the second weekend of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, but this wasn’t the typical feeling. Actually, it was the coldest fest on record.

Draped in a free airline blanket (given to me by my concerned Uber driver – what a sweet lady), I dashed to as many sets as I could. As always, the weekend was filled with diverse sounds and performances. As I reminisce about this little vacation from the world, these are the acts that will always stick with me.


Jenny Lewis

Photo by Sydney Gawlik for ACL Fest

Covered in dazzling pink sequins and baby blue accents, the VRBO stage looked like a nostalgic talk show TV set on Friday afternoon. When Lewis glided on to the stage, she was met with a chorus of people screaming her name.

“Get it, Jenny!”

“Jen-naaaay!”

There’s something about her presence that, even when’s she’s decked out in a sparkling pink mermaid dress, Jenny Lewis is approachable enough to be greeted by her first name. It’s like a reunion of old friends. We’ve all binged her records alone in a quiet room. Now we get to revel in the lyrics together.

In her rich alto timbre, Jenny Lewis crooned songs from her latest album On The Line. Her clarion voice pierced the air on “Wasted Youth,” “Redbull and Hennessey,” and “Do Si Do,” but it was her classic Rilo Kiley hit “Silver Lining” that revved up the crowd the most.

Thousands of listeners effortlessly swayed to the music, taken in by the sweet nostalgia. Later, Jenny Lewis pivoted to a slightly more cerebral tone in “Born Secular.” You’d think the heady subject matter would discourage a crowd of carefree festival attendees, but that was far from the case.

As Lewis ruminated on her traditional church upbringing, a JL superfan leaned in my ear to tell me a story. She said her mom worried about her because she exclusively listened to Rabbit Fur Coat as a teenager. Her mom thought she was depressed.

Unsure what to make of that, I raised my beer and said “Well, you’re still here!” And she tangoed gracefully with a sparkling festivalgoer in a flower crown next to her.

As if summoned by the heavens, pink and blue balloons floated onto the field. If you’ve never been to a Jenny Lewis concert, this sums it up perfectly – there’s a mixture of joy and sorrow, regret and optimism laden in her lyrics. And even at an escapist music festival, you’ll leave feeling like you’ve just waded in the holy waters.

Joseph

Photo by Katrina Barber for ACL Fest

A trio of sisters singing in tight, powerful harmony? Oh yes. More of this please. Every inch of their set oozed with emotion. These women show no fear, and they sent their rich tone halfway across the field on Sunday afternoon. Believe me, by the middle of their set, everyone was looking toward The American Express stage to see what they were missing.

The crowd let loose during the exuberant anthem, “White Flag.” As the buzzing energy calmed down, Joseph lured us in once again, this time without the backing band. Singer and guitarist Natalie Closner Schepman wailed on the song “Without You” as Allison and Meegan Closner supported with their perfectly balanced backup. It was impossible not to feel their strength and power.

Joseph’s latest release Good Luck, Kid is the empowering album we need right now. If you’re looking for a sonic pick-me-up, this will do the trick.

Lizzo

Just three years ago, I heard whispers of this new artist named Lizzo. Media were swirling around her backstage saying she was the next big thing. Hey, Speakers In Code even did a portrait session with her.

Portrait of Lizzo backstage at 2016 ACL Fest. Photo by Rachel Waters.

Only about 150 people showed up to her Sunday morning set in 2016. We were drained, exhausted, and beat down by the Austin heat. Yet somehow, this dynamic performer and her crew of dancers gave us the shot of adrenaline we needed.

This year, Lizzo drew a crowd of 75,000 people to the ever-so-tiny Miller Lite Stage. Due to her immense popularity from weekend one, C3 Presents decided to showcase her set on the screens near the Honda Stage (where, let’s face it, she should have been all along).

After reliving my childhood at the Third Eye Blind set, I pushed toward the Honda stage and wedged into the crowd. As I stood on top of the hill, I saw people scattering below me like a frantic swarm of ants. It was nauseating if I looked at it too long. But as soon as the screens lit up with Lizzo’s face, the energy lifted.

Lizzo’s rich voice gently reached my ears from thousands of feet away, but I still felt its power. After her opening song “Cuz I Love You,” the rest of the set was a non-stop singalong.

Complete with positive mantras of affirmation, epic twerking, and a groovy flute solo, Lizzo’s Sunday evening set was the only headliner we needed. When the lights came up and we settled back into reality, we took a bit of that inspired self love with us. Even if it’s microscopic at first, that little ray of light is going to burst and make everyone a bit brighter. There’s no doubt about this y’all: Lizzo’s changing the world.

[FEATURE] Arkells Keep Their Eyes On the Prize In New Album Rally Cry

Tweet

Photo by Matt Barnes

Arkells Keep Their Eyes On the Prize In New Album Rally Cry

Written by Elisa Regulski

It was a Tuesday night in Sheffield, and Arkells frontman Max Kerman felt the energy rushing from the crowd. Weeknight be damned. People were here for the party. Kerman soulfully wailed on his gospel-infused alt rock, and the crowd seemed to be drinking it up. As the Canadian rockers rounded out their set, they heard a strange roar rippling through the arena.

“You’re shit! You’re shit!”

“We’ve never gotten heckled that way before -- ever,” Kerman remembered. He was not totally sure why people would start doing that now, especially as the audience sang along to every chorus.

It wasn’t until after the show that Kerman realized what happened. “It turns out they were saying ‘Yorkshire,’” he laughed, “which is the area that Sheffield is in.”

Apparently, this is a common misconception.

“A bunch of people came up to me after the show and were like, ‘By the way, that was awesome. We were saying Yorkshire -- no worries,’” Kerman said.

There was no mistaking the enthusiasm at this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival. The five-piece stopped in for a whirlwind set on October 13th and quickly jetted off to tour the rest of the country. Despite waking up at 3 am to catch a flight, Max Kerman was chipper enough to discuss their new album, Rally Cry, in the bustling media tent.

“We never try to repeat ourselves,” Kerman said. “The production is very focused. I like how sharp it is.”

Photo by Matt Barnes

Fans of Arkell’s earlier records Morning Report and High Noon will undoubtedly latch on to their latest release. The tracks are both raucous and easy-going, and it’s the perfect way to recover from the post-festival doldrums.

The focal point of Rally Cry sits with the effortlessly sing-able “People’s Champ.” The anthemic hook makes you want to punch the sky and shout at the top of your lungs. The straightforward “Relentless” is an instant bop, complete with perfectly percussive hand claps on the one and the three.

The real gem, however, is tucked away at the end of the album. In “Eyes On The Prize,” Arkells find a delicate balance between radio-friendly melodies and joyous shouting from the rafters. The familiar indie melody immediately slips into your bones, making you feel like you’ve heard this hit a thousand times. Then, like a screeching U-turn, the band takes you to church. The rollicking chorus drops as Anthony Carone plays a delicate trickle across the keys. Like light through stained glass, a choir of passionate voices shine in. When the song returns to its original chorus, it has morphed into something completely new.

“We’re not that precious about who we are and who we think we ought to present ourselves as,” Kerman said. “We’re more interested in being inspired by whatever is out there that grabs our ears.”

[RECAP] Join The Revolution: 2018 Austin City Limits Music Festival (Weekend Two)

Tweet

David Byrne at the 2018 Austin City Limits Music Festival | Photo by Jason Gonulsen

Written by Elisa Regulski

Despite its proximity to the Lone Star State, Austin is not Texas. Culturally, this city sits over the rainbow. Splashes of color fill street corners and locals have a song for anything. Austinites have proven that any place can be a stage if you try hard enough, and they’re not afraid to let you know how they’re feeling.

As Austin City Limits attendees filed into Zilker Park this fall, they probably noticed something different. Maybe it was the cool breezes sweeping through the trees. Maybe it was the spacious layout and easy-going flow. Maybe it was the black-and-white Beto For Senate shirts and the unapologetic “Just Fucking Vote” signs.

This year’s music festival had an edge to it. And no, it wasn’t just thanks to Metallica’s double bass drum. At almost every set, people heard some sort of political outcry -- some more subtle than others.

David Bryne’s cover of Janelle Monae’s “Hell You Talmbout” startled people out of their mundane festival worries. The roaring parade of crashing cymbals and popping snares rang as a call to action. From Trayvon Martin to Sandra Bland, Bryne and his band made sure that we said their names.

Brandi Carlile called on Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready to finish the set with The Star-Spangled Banner. As his roaring riffs blared over the field, Carlile faced the drums and kneeled. The cameras made sure to zoom in on the words “Beto For Senate” on the back of her shirt. The image covered the screens.

Chvrches frontwoman Lauren Eve Mayberry spilled a messily eloquent statement during Saturday evening’s performance. The audience wildly cheered as she daintily referred to Ted Cruz as a “cockpopsicle.” Her cathartic monologue seamlessly slid into “Leave a Trace,” proving that, sometimes, you just have to dance it out.

Lauren Eve Mayberry of CHVRCHES | Photo by Jason Gonulsen

“No matter what we look like… or how we dress, we deserve respect in every room!” You could hardly hear the last syllable of Janelle Monae’s passionate speech over the wave of screams rushing toward the stage. Dozens of artists pleaded with the crowds to vote, but it often faded into the soundtrack like white noise. When Monae said the words, it was like a golden pink ballot box fell to the field. Her words carried weight, and people leaned in to listen.

A sparkling little gem wedged itself onto the second Sunday’s lineup, almost without a sound. Those who knew about it didn’t broadcast it. They crept to the tent early and leisurely secured their spot. While hipsters and Instagram influencers flocked to the headliners to catch some golden social media coverage, a few hundred fans waited to see The Revolution.

Yes, that Revolution.

The set swirled with purple lights and funky bass lines. The sound was delicately built, layer upon layer. I wanted to dissect their musicianship, to shrink inside the guitars and live there for a while. But this music was made for dancing, and that energy was infectious.

When The Revolution roared into “I Would Die 4 U,” the tent filled with emotion. Sweat flowed into my eyes and quickly blended with my tears. From the outside, this set looked like your average drunken debauchery. But inside the flimsy tent walls, we were joining the revolution.

A Look Back at Austin City Limits Music Festival (Weekend Two) in Photos

Tweet

ALL PHOTOS BY JASON GONULSEN

Festival season is either over or almost over. Okay, it's over. But we have photos to share. First up, a look back at the second weekend of the 2017 Austin City Limits Music Festival. All photos by Jason Gonulsen.