Austin City Limits Festival weekend two took place October 11th through 13th and was spearheaded by a lineup of today’s biggest pop acts. Music boomed from every direction as festivalgoers shuffled from stage to stage in the sweltering heat. Despite the packed crowds, the energy at the Austin City Limits Music Festival felt shimmering and effervescent.
The second weekend’s lineup spanned genres, and the packed schedule caused people to make some tough choices. Despite notable performances throughout the festival, these seven acts stood out.
Norah Jones
Norah Jones made the massive Honda stage feel like a cozy listening room. The audience spanned generations and demographics, proving that her music has no age requirement.
The set sparkled with graceful piano ballads and groovy pop tunes. The crowd’s attention moved from Jones, who beamed with empathy and soul, to drummer Brian Blade, whose joyful presence reached the back of the crowd.
Jones’s set mostly consisted of tunes from her latest album, Visions, but she ended with the beloved classic “Don’t Know Why.” You could hear the crowd singing and humming along, like they were reliving fond memories and enjoying the sweet nostalgia.
Chappell Roan
If Chappell Roan’s hype meter were a thermometer, the mercury would burst through the glass. Hundreds of fans in pink cowboy hats crowded the American Express stage at 2:30 p.m. — four hours before her set. As time passed, the crowd felt less like a mob and more like a family. People shared snacks, water, and electrolyte powders; if you needed to step away for a few minutes, someone would hold your spot.
Chappell Roan stormed the stage just as the sun set, playing nothing but electrifying hits. She kicked off the set with “Femininominon,” and shouting fans shook the ground. Roan sounded raspy and tired when she spoke into the mic, but her voice was clear and powerful when she sang. Roan didn’t perform a cover of Heart’s “Barracuda” like the previous weekend, but she proved she has the chops to rival Ann Wilson.
There was hardly enough space to do the “HOT TO GO!” dance, but that didn’t stop people from trying. Roan chastised the artist pavilion for standing still, like she did toward the VIP section at the Outside Lands Festival in August. During “My Kink is Karma,” Roan told the camera operator to take off the “ugly” red filter on her face, but it didn’t put a dent in the show. Besides, Roan’s sass is part of the reason fans love her. In a society that conditions women and queer folks to stay quiet and small, Roan gives them permission to speak up, be loud, and take up space.
Katie Pruitt
Katie Pruitt turns their heart inside out and fearlessly hands it to the audience. Pruitt’s latest album, Mantras, explores themes of self-compassion and growth. It’s rare to hear that kind of vulnerability on a major festival stage, and despite the competing sounds flowing from nearby sets, Pruitt commanded attention.
The setlist included older tunes, like the heartfelt “Out of the Blue,” and newer songs, like the uptempo “All My Friends.” But it was the powerful “Worst Case Scenario” that silenced chitchat and made people absorb the lyrics. Pruitt’s brassy, resonant voice rang out in a question many people can relate to: “Why am I putting my pain on a pedestal?”
Chris Stapleton
At the start of Chris Stapleton’s Friday night set, it took the audience a few seconds to register what was happening. A familiar tune lilted through the speakers, and a warm voice crooned. Then it clicked. Sitting next to Stapleton was country music legend Willie Nelson playing his 55-year-old guitar, Trigger. The duo performed “Whiskey River” and “Bloody Mary Morning” against the shimmering Austin skyline.
After Nelson exited the stage, Stapleton surged into his tunes, which included “White Horse,” “Parachute,” and “Tennessee Whiskey.” Chris Stapleton’s voice melted perfectly with Margane Stapleton’s honeyed vocals. When the husband-and-wife duo performed together, the warmth and love was palpable.
Renee Rapp
Renee Rapp may not have the club bangers that Chappell Roan has, but her otherworldly voice commands attention. Whether she’s dexterously weaving through R&B-inspired riffs or belting stratospheric notes, Rapp oozes emotion. You could feel her passion even behind the crowds of young fans.
Rapp had a solid performance at Stubb’s last September, but her ACL set revved with fresh energy. The guitar solos pierced through the air, and the drums vibrated in people’s chests. Rapp has a new single this go-round: the sassy and singable “Not My Fault,” which Rapp recorded with Megan Thee Stallion. When Rapp bolted into this bop, the crowd jumped in time.
Kalu and the Electric Joint
Pulsing with intricate rhythms and souring with soul, Kalu and the Electric Joint’s sound is truly unique. Psychedelic tones swirled around Tito’s Vodka tent on Sunday morning as frontman Kalu James spread his message of peace, optimism, and unity.
James’s smooth, expressive voice weaved through low and high registers, but he didn’t need to show off to move the audience. The song “Mirror” almost sounded like spoken word poetry at times, which made it even more poignant. The band’s performance of “Downfall” had people shimmying their shoulders, even as the chorus thinned out and highlighted the lyrics: “One thing’s for certain: Hate will be our downfall.”
Remi Wolf
Wolf’s Saturday set was sweaty, thrilling, and cathartic. Before embarking on a rollercoaster of riffs and money notes, Wolf led what can only be described as a guided musical meditation. When Wolf commands you to shake your hips, wiggle your brain, and touch your third eye, you obey.
At one point, Wolf and her band fully improvised a song based on an audience member’s suggestion of “gymnastics.” With lyrics like “show me your floor routine” and “let’s get gym-nasty,” the song was silly, campy, and instantly catchy. Toward the end of the set, Wolf sprinted across the stage and waved two majestic pride flags in the wind.
