Austin City Limits Heats up Zilker Park More Than the Texas Sun

Nick Paruch

Austin, Texas offered up a sublime weekend for musicians and patrons of the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Now in its 15th year, the fest at Zilker Park welcomed 75,000 fans per day with moderate temperatures.

For 2016, ACL organizers refined the festival layout by moving the Zilker Rock Island stage to the edge of the park, adding much-needed shade and greatly improved crowd flow through the center of the park. Austin Kiddie Limits was also relocated providing additional separation from the main festival grounds and a dedicated family entrance. The expanded Barton Springs Beer Hall produced additional shade and was the gathering spot for football fans with its banks of large screen TVs but the most notable improvement had to be the flushable toilets. 

The ACL Fest lineup covered the musical spectrum with over 130 acts featuring some of the biggest names in rock, folk, electronica, hip-hop and country. Big draw headliners Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Mumford & Sons, and LCD Soundsystem wrapped up each night with a bang but the festival is an all day party with much happening before the mic drops.

During the day ACL is easy to navigate with modest live music loving crowds traveling about the eight stages catching their favorite acts. A picnic in the park atmosphere relaxing between sets, tossing frisbees and taking selfies prevailed.

Friday’s opening festivities started out mellow until Atlanta rapper, Raury stormed the stage with his contagiously idealistic hip-hop, pop fusion.  Followed by Indie rock/rap mash-up Banks & Steelz featuring Interpol frontman Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA, with contrasting musical approaches that ignited the audience, though it was apparent that RZA was leading the charge.

Toronto’s brash Tory Lanez drove his music and crowd surfing skills to the extreme, walking across his dedicated fans within striking distance of the “no chairs” ACL border. San Diego R&B songstress Andra Day engaged the crowd with her soulful deep raspy voice while performing originals and classics. Welsh rock group Catfish & the Bottlemen returned to ACL for the second time. Frontman Van McCann worked the stage frantically to the fans delight. British duo Aluna Francis and George Reid aka AlunaGeorge performed sultry vocals over synth-pop beats that kept the crowd on edge and wanting more.

As the sun set, the fatigued and buzzed masses became revived, giving themselves over to the pulsing bass and dazzling lights. The evening started with a smash in the face from South African rave-rappers Die Antwoord. They easily won the most controversial act award with their animated hyper-sexual shock visuals and lyrics. The crowd found them utterly entertaining. Not to be outdone, Band of Horses followed and they rocked it. The charismatic and energetic frontman Ben Bridwell powered through plenty of the fans favorites and left them blissful with “The Funeral”.

But in the end, all roads led to Radiohead. Thom Yorke and his band crafted a stunning two-hour show that featured all of their greats as well as many from the new album. Fans were mesmerized and fulfilled in knowing they experienced something just short of life changing.

The energy Saturday night was decidedly different, with ScHoolboy Q prepping the crowd for Kendrick Lamar’s performance. Considered one of rap’s best live performers, he was able to engage the crowd ensuring they really knew why they were there. Next up was The Chainsmokers, whose EDM beats pulsed through Zilker Park like a sonic boom. The fans went crazy and while Halsey did not show up for “Closer,” they freaked when Desiigner joined them to perform “Panda”. The night ended with Kendrick Lamar who dominated the stage as he rolled through all songs that brought him fame and the crowd was right there with him, reveling in the glory.

Sunday morning saw a shift to Americana-country leanings. Texan Kacey Musgraves kicked it off with a sing-a-long set where the fans were active participants. A country singer with crossover, she told stories of growing up in a small town and connected with the crowd. Indie rock singer-songwriter Pete Yorn returned from a musical hiatus this year and seized the stage, and audience as if he’d never left and LA indie rockers Local Natives fired up the crowd with frontman Taylor Rice’s frenzied dance moves and guitar work.

Sunday night continued the country theme with Chris Stapleton repping Nashville. The singer-songwriter tore through his mostly original set, with his signature gruff and gravelly but expressive voice. Indie rockers Young the Giant assaulted the stage, taking the audience on an energetic ride. Lead by Sameer Gadhia, who engaged the crowd, inviting them to join his world and performing with reckless abandon.

For the final show of the weekend, fans had been staking out spots all day. It had been six years since LCD Soundsystem have played ACL and they were ready for the moon-sized disco ball to drop. LCD Soundsystem did not disappoint, performing in the forceful, quirky style that sets them apart. Frontman James Murphy calls it a family, and the fans became part of a communal groove and enchanted by a sensory spectacle of laser guns. Some would argue that this show was better than Radiohead and Kendrick Lamar. But there is always next weekend.

ACL Music Festival 2016 weekend one took over at Zilker Park, Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Weekend two takes place Oct. 7-9.