This past weekend, the Austin City Limits Festival (ACL) took over Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, for three days of music, food, and drinks. An annual tradition since 2002, ACL is one of two Austin events attended by thousands—locals and travelers alike (the other being South by Southwest). On a macro level, ACL is an eclectic festival in regards to musical stylings, spanning everything from rock to hip-hop to folk and electronic. There were mainstream artists everyone has heard of like Jay-Z or the Red Hot Chili Peppers, plus local bands filling the noon time slot like MISSIO, and everything in between. In less than two hours on Sunday, one could see performances by Vulfpeck, Eagles of Death Metal, and Foster the People, and this type of schedule was more the norm than the exception.
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On a micro level, Austin City Limits is a pleasing marriage of corporate efficiency and local stylings. Across each of the eight stages, no band ever seemed to start more than five minutes late. The lines for food and beer were acceptable, the prices were very welcomed (at least compared to the NYC area), and most of the offerings were from the Austin locale. There was plenty of free, cold water to help defeat the heat. Plus, football was playing on two giant screens non-stop in the beer hall, which created some of the loudest cheers heard throughout the weekend.
Taken in sum, ACL’s setting offered a fertile ground for the average festival goer to thrive. Of course, there was no camping or hippies selling grilled cheese, nor was there early morning yoga. ACL seemed to fit the needs of a variety people: the Austinite who wants something to do, the regional music fan who likes one-fourth of the lineup, and the “I love this band, and it’s the only time I’ll get to see them in this area, so here I am.” Some musical highlights of Austin City Limits included Goldfish, Portugal. the Man, Kitten Rainbow Surprise, Spoon, and every other rock band that played a Tom Petty cover over the weekend.
On the culinary side of things, Kababeque and P. Terry’s Burger Stand had exceptional offerings, and Karbach Brewing Co won with $9 Love Street drafts and $10 Hop Delusion cans. Lastly, a favorite “spot” was the AMEX lounge which had cool S.W.A.G., air conditioning, and nice astroturf outside. On the flip side, puzzlingly, there was no vodka or other hard liquor to be found, despite Tito’s and Don Julio being a sponsor. The heat was oppressive on Friday and Saturday, but this is Texas, so no surprise there. Plus, the commute for anyone lodging outside of the immediate downtown area proved tiring and costly, at least on the way back.
All that said, ACL presents as a well-seasoned and accessible event. It’s nice the two weekends offer similar but not identical lineups. As a local, it seems reasonable to attend both, not so much for the out-of-towner. More so, if the next lineup speaks to you and you have never visited this fair city, don’t hesitate to grab a hotel or Airbnb. You will undoubtedly have a good time.
