Austin City Limits Festival Day 2 might have been the hottest day in the festival’s history. Sweat poured down the faces of patrons as they made their way into the dry dust-filled park. The inclusion of Electrolit, a hydration beverage Company, as an official sponsor this year might have single-handedly saved quite a few people from heat exhaustion. Luckily the temperatures will cool down for the Austin, Texas festival’s second weekend.
Something Corporate came out hot on the Honda Stage. Like Blink-182, who performed the first night, the band was young and popular in the early 2000s. So, unless you’ve seen them perform recently, you wonder if they still have the same energy as they once did. Andrew McMahon, the bands frontman, proved that in the first five minute demonstrating his parkour skills around the ACL stage. The band put on a hell of a performance in the heat.
At 3:20 the scorching sun put patrons to the test. Though it was no match for fans of The Beaches. The all-female band pulled a mighty crowd to the T-Mobile Stage. This stage is unique because it allows fans that have T-Mobile as a cell phone carrier and a guest of their choosing to sit stage-side. The lead singer was optimistic about the heat stating, “They gave the hottest set of the day to the hottest girls.” The crowd agreed and they kept that energy throughout the performance and stuck around for the band to finish with their popular track “Blame Brett”.
Teddy Swims brought his gracious voice to the Honda Stage for an incredible performance. Decked out in what anyone outside of Austin would call Texas attire, he and his band captivated the large crowd singing songs that you can dance, love, cry, and smile to with a sea of others all fixated on center stage. One is sure to “Lose Control” at this performance.
Upon arriving at the Miller Lite Stage for Still Woozy, one could see the unique stage production encompassed by blue flowers and a blow-up figurine one’s own imagination could only attribute a name. There wasn’t much missing from the well-balanced set. Sven Gamsky and his band actively worked their way through their “Goody Bag” full of hits as they played their chill but lively act.
Khruangbin played on the American Express Stage at 6:20. The three-piece from Houston, Texas began to entrance the crowd with the groovy sounds they create on the bass, guitar and drums. Their songs scratch the itch for many and had patrons of young and old moving their feet, bobbing their heads and chanting the enchanting yet affirming “YES” while the band played “Evan Finds The Third Room”. As the performance started to wrap up, Leon Bridges, who performed on the first day of the festival, joined the band for their hit collaboration “Texas Sun”. It was fitting for the time slot as well as provided a sign of relief from the heat that had plagued the prior hours of the festival.
If there was one performance that stood out on Day Two of ACL it was JUNGLE at the Miller Lite Stage. The multi-instrument wielding U.K.-based band showed up to wow the crowd. Members of the band took turns executing their musical talents as the crowd sang the words to their soothing songs. It really put a smile on your face to see how much fun everyone was having. It was a connection that only can be felt in that moment and JUNGLE was the catalyst. Only moments before headline sets were about to start, fans could be seen popping beach balls over their heads, dancing without a care. The land had locked them in the moment.
Pretty Lights returned to ACL to close out the festival’s second evening. Equipped with a live band, lots of lighting and an insanely intricate soundboard that only the man himself could play. Pretty Lights brought the energy to keep the ACL party going. Hats off to the festival, the sound was everything it needed to be for his set. The bass was full and allowed everyone to hear and feel the set at the same time. It was also extremely cool to see so many live instruments being added into an electronic set. It gave it that special authentic vibe live music provides. Pretty Lights provided an experience you could just groove to. It has a lot of life to it encompassing samples of music that resonates with just about everyone with beats that enthralls you to dance. The crowd might not have been as big as Dua Lipa’s across the park at the American Express Stage, but it was full of fans who were noticeably enjoying it.
