Home to the “biggest Whole Foods” Tyler, The Creator has ever seen and where Dua Lipa performed over 10+ shows during her early years, Austin, Texas hosted the 22nd year of Austin City Limits in Zilker Park. The gratitude and wonder of being in Austin was evident throughout the weekend from headliners and numerous performers throughout the first weekend. Headliners Tyler, The Creator and Dua Lipa and blink-182 brought an energy and enthusiasm that was infectious throughout the crowd, notable considering how many were at the festival nearly all day. The buzz surrounding the entire weekend was this year’s breakout artist, Chappell Roan, who replicated the large crowds of her past festival performances during her early evening set. The energy and excitement was also seen from the daytime performers from acts like Dasha, Reneé Rapp and wave to earth, whose audiences were singing, dancing and embodied a freeing and positive spirit.
A standout during this year’s ACL was the acknowledgement of how Austin and the music scene was instrumental in helping many artists establish their careers early on. While Tyler, The Creator joked about his amazement at how large the local Whole Foods grocery store is he spoke about cutting his teeth as a performer in Austin during the early years, performing at SXSW and smaller venues. Meanwhile, Dua Lipa also noted how she and her crew would perform many SXSW showcases and carrying around equipment to various venues around town. Friday headliners blink-182, living up to their reputation of crude jokes in-between songs, joked about “messing with Texas” while making a NSFW play on the word “city” in Austin City Limits.
Emerging acts deathbyromy, FLO and Kehlani were polished and a strong stage presence that had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand. Kehlani had an overflowing crowd at the Miller Lite stage that was reminiscent of when Lizzo played the same stage after breaking out. Earlier in the day, deathbyromy opened the same exact stage accompanied by EarthtoCheska and Jayde Hammer, who were active and engaging, performing as a veteran band with deathbyromy’s vulnerable and dark brand of metal/hard-rock.
ACL 2024 was worth braving the signature sweltering heat and humidity, as temperatures soared to 96 degrees at one point. But festival go-ers were prepared and as much as possible for the weather, donning everything from sparkles and banana costumes to pink furry cowboy hats to show their Pink Pony Club spirit on “Chappell Roan day”. With seven stages spread across the expansive Zilker Park and overlooking the Austin skyline, the ACL offered plenty of opportunities to discover up-and-coming artists as well as taking in unique and exciting one-of-a-kind performers that were as diverse as the city of Austin.
