25 Years of Austin City Limits: From Mud Puddles to Dust Bowls

Austin City Limits’ 25th year of celebrating music has officially concluded! From a muddy weekend one to a dust bowl of weekend two ACL 2026 gave us everything we could’ve asked for and more! This year’s festival was one of celebration. ACL is an Austin and music industry staple. I’ve had the privilege of attending this festival for five years, and it was so incredible to be back at Zilker Park celebrating live music and a city that I love so much. This year’s festival was one that drew people from all over and hosted nearly 500,000 fans over the course of both weekends.

I was able to connect with fans at the festival, and it was so fun to hear about their experiences dancing in the mud with friends and their excitement to come back for a drier, dustier festival. With all the rain from weekend one, the festival had a different landscape going into weekend two than usual. There was a lot of turf laid down, mulch, and quasi dance floors added at the stages to help reduce the amount of dust in the air. This was much appreciated! Each day ACL employees and volunteers were handing out free face coverings as you walked in.

One of my favorite things about ACL is that there are so many different types of artists, which means… fashion is all over the place, and I LOVE that! You could tell who was there to have a brat time with Charli XCX, who was there to rage with Twenty One Pilots, and people who were just dressing up to feel cute while dancing with friends. This year there were so many new things – photo ops, secret espresso martini bars, the Big Chiller, (which was a shipping container that was essentially a refrigerator), andd the Aperol Day Club. These were all great spots to get a drink, cool down, and take great photos.

There were also, as always, a plethora of food vendors, sponsor booths, and tons of local shopping options! One of my favorite sponsor booths was the Defender booth. They had a car on site that we could look at, an informational video on the company and the vehicle, and a remote-controlled car station where you could drive a mini Defender through obstacles while listening to whoever was playing on the American Express stage! Something that’s consistent every year is the food! Austin is a city where foodies go to thrive, and Austin City Limits never disappoints. I had tacos from Cuantos Tacos multiple times while I was there because they’re so delicious!

I appreciated ACL’s attention to festival-goers’ needs. There were plenty of bathrooms, shady areas, and security was handing out free water at all stages as well as misting people to ensure that everyone was safe. There was a team called Safefest that had booths at all stages and people on foot walking around. This team partnered with Guest Services to ensure that everyone was having fun and, most importantly, doing it in a manner that was safe for everyone.

On day one, I arrived early to ensure I was able to explore all of the new features the festival added and to catch a few artists that played earlier in the day. The first act I was able to see perform was Faouzia. She is a Moroccan-Canadian artist. She wore a stunning lace ivory dress and stilettos! She sang some of her most iconic songs like PEACE & VIOLONCE, RIP, Love, DON’T EVER LEAVE ME, and she closed with an outstanding performance of UNETHICAL. Prior to her closing song, she exited the stage for a few moments. When she returned, she’d added a stunning lace veil to her look. As she sang, fake blood began to seep through her dress on her chest to really make it a theatrical performance.

After Faouzia completed her performance, I migrated to the Eats area to grab some food. I had intended to go see Natasha Bedingfield, however, the Tito’s Tent was so packed that it was overflowing in all directions, so I wasn’t able to get in a good spot to enjoy her iconic songs. Instead, I meandered over to The Grove to cool down, enjoy the shade, have a lemonade, and listen to a DJ at Bonus Tracks. Once I’d cooled down a bit from the Texas heat, it was time to experience some German techno! BUNT. took the stage and brought such positive energy! Very early on in his set, he mixed Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield and gave it his own special twist! This was my first time seeing BUNT. And I must say, he looked like he was having the absolute time of his life on that stage, which in turn made me have the time of my life in the crowd! His visuals were unique. He had a team in the crowd with cameras that were filming in black and white. The videographers would capture attendees dancing and singing and play them on the screen, which gave his set a very nostalgic feel. He played my favorite song TRIPPIN, which made the set complete for me. He also brought out The Chainsmokers, and the three of them played their new song, Spaces, together! To end the set, the trio did what stresses out their managers and security more than anything, I’m sure, and they got in the crowd and danced to the final drop with us!

Following BUNT.’s dance party, I relocated to the American Express stage to absorb the electronic soul music that is Labrinth. He took the stage in an all-black outfit. Sporting an incredible trench coat, a black tank, perfectly tailored pants, and silver jewelry. He played ALL of his hits. He even played some songs that I will bashfully admit I didn’t realize were his! Labrith’s stage setup was giving exposed wire industrial. He transported the crowd into his emotional expression of Thunderclouds, Formula, Jealous, Genius, Never Felt So Alone, and Still Don’t Know My Name. Labrinth expressed his gratitude to the people who were at the show as well as the festival. He shared that he loves Austin and that the festival is iconic to him and that it was an honor to be invited to play.

As the sun was setting, it was time to send it to The Chainsmokers, who came out swinging! The quintessential DJ duo drew a MASSIVE crowd to the Snapchat stage. They played songs that ranged from their older music, like #SELFIE. They also played Paris, Closer, and Roses. They kept the crowd engaged by playing a variety of different songs – original and sampled. They also had incredible pyrotechnics and lasers that got the crowd incredibly excited! Everyone was dancing with their friends and even making new friends in the crowd. At one point, the duo stated they hate when DJs only play new music because they like hearing the stuff they know, and they said they’d make sure to play things we all knew. Two songs after that statement, they did, in fact, play music that they partnered with BUNT. to produce. 

To close out night one, I split my time between Kings of Leon and Charli XCX because how was I supposed to only choose one to see?! I started at Charli XCX. She and her backup dancers were serving ALL of the attitude and sass I could’ve asked for. Her stage setup was an elaborate industrial, shadowy multilevel pyramid that had railing for her and her dancers to use. She primarily stuck to white strobe lights that brought underground club vibes. She performed songs from her newest album to introduce her rock era. This gave us a taste of the evolution of her music, and she also played songs that are classic Charli! During her set, Tinashe made an exciting guest appearance in her all-red outfit! The two performed together for multiple songs and played off of each other’s boss bitch energy. I stepped away from Charli’s set to have a big vibe change so I could catch the last bit of Kings of Leon. This band is so nostalgic for me! They are a band that I’ve been listening to for many years now. It’s always such a privilege to see them perform. Their vocals and instruments together create their unique sound. I arrived towards the end of their set and was able to hear them belt out Pyro, Knocked Up, Black Thumbnail, and of course Sex on Fire. Once they concluded, I literally ran back to the main stage to see the very end of Charli XCX.

Exiting the festival was made super easy by staff being incredibly helpful with directions, answering questions, and the festival having very clear signage helping everyone find their way out! As attendees exited Zilker Park, there were staff with signs and bullhorns to help keep the flow of foot traffic moving. There were also Safefest representatives around to help out anyone who needed it.

Day two’s lineup was the day I was personally most excited for. I arrived a little bit later on day two than I did on day one. As I walked through the gates, I could hear Balu Brigada playing So Cold, and I knew I was in for a good day! I saw the majority of Łaszewo (pronounced “Wah-sheh-voh”). The trio had a portion of their visuals that had their name in rainbow letters, and under their name said: “We don’t know how to pronounce it either.” This was their first time performing at ACL, which you’d have no clue just based on the crowd that they brought to the Miller Lyte stage. Even during their daytime set, they still brought out pyrotechnics! The California-based trio played a lot of their own original music such as THINK ABOUT US, 3am, and collide. They also played their cover of Messy, Dog Days Are Over by Florence and The Machine with the beat of Feel So Close by Calvin Harris layered in, and 2-step Nassau by GRiZ. I really enjoyed the mix of music that was included in their set.

I took a short break from Łaszewo to check out Common People at the BMI stage. I arrived at their set right as they were playing their classics like Blue Eyes. During their set, they brought out Matt Shultz from Cage the Elephant to cover Gouge Away by The Pixies. It was such a cool moment to see such a well-known musician come out and perform with Common People! The crowd was absolutely ecstatic to see Shultz join the band on stage!

On the way to grab more tacos, I passed by Suki Waterhouse at T-Mobile. Waterhouse drew a massive crowd for her midday set! I was only able to catch one song because I needed to fuel up for the dancing I was planning to do the rest of the night. Being able to pass by and hear her play Moves was amazing.

After eating, it was time to lock in for it’s murph. He was sporting a cut-off T-shirt and a cowboy hat at the Snapchat stage. He had A TON of people at his set. I was trying to meet up with a friend at this set, and she texted saying, “this crowd is THICC.” Needless to say, we didn’t find each other until after the set. It’s murph played all his hits! He also had tons of pyro on his stage. He kept the crowd engaged by playing red light, green light with us to keep the energy high! Everyone in the crowd was dancing as hard as they could. He welcomed Evalyn to the stage to sing High and I Like It live for everyone to sing along. He also welcomed Levity to the stage to play with him and get the crowd even more excited than they already were.

Next I scampered back over to T-Mobile to see the legendary Bleachers! At the beginning of the set, Bleachers used their platform and played a short clip of James Talarico reminding everyone to go vote in the election this November. Bleachers played a beautiful stripped-down version of I Wanna Get Better. It was a format that I’d not yet heard that song in, and it was incredible! The band had a lot of different instruments on stage to assist them in their phenomenal performance. During this set, I noticed the number of families that were there enjoying the music. Whenever the band played Roller Coaster, they encouraged everyone to get on someone’s shoulders. I was dancing so hard during this song that my phone flew out of its pocket onto my hydration pack, but thanks to my Clutch Loop, it didn’t get lost! I also danced so hard that my face bandana fell off of me! During this song, everyone there knew all the words, and we all sang together! There were some amazing guitar solos during this set!

As Bleachers concluded, I swiftly found myself at Levity. Levity patiently waited on stage until Bleachers finished their set. Levity then began a full hour of the most incredible set I’ve seen them perform to date! There was not a single moment I wasn’t either dancing or jumping or grabbing one of my friends and screaming because of the drop. They ate with that set and left no crumbs behind. The dubstep trio performed a truly incredible set! They had lasers, regular pyrotechnics, oh, and RAINBOW pyrotechnics. They had bass in your face for a full 60 minutes straight! They mixed the acclaimed Voulez-Vous by ABBA and made it dubstep! They also mixed in classics like I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown and Let’s Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas. Levity also played a ton of their own music and drops that are unique to them, such as Pop Off, Flip It, Postman and their remix of Nobody Can Stop Richard Finger. There were glow sticks flying and people headbanging all around! They had incredible visuals! At the end of their set, they brought out it’s murph, and the four of them did a coordinated dance together!

After having my mind melted for an hour, it was time to move on to the next set. The closers for night two created another dilemma for me. Lorde or Rufus Du Sol… so I did both because I couldn’t just do one! I started with Lorde. The New Zealand-based artist is truly an incredible musician. She had a slicked-back ponytail and was in a navy baggy jacket and pants set with a sheer red top and a triangle bikini top underneath. She began her set by filling a cup of water on stage before she began singing Royals. As her set progressed, she shared that her over year-long tour had started in Austin and that this set at ACL was her final show of the tour and that she would be taking a long break to rest. She shared that this tour has been very liberating for her because she’s no longer operating under a management company and is now a completely independent artist. Lorde shared that this has been a tour that has represented freedom for her as a musician. She became emotional on stage and then sang Liability. Lorde approached her visuals in a very artistic way. Her stage had a platform that she was dancing and singing on. At one point she was on her hands and knees, and I realized that the platform was clear and there was a camera in it, which created a very unique angle. Overall, her set was absolutely phenomenal!

Once I got my Lorde fix, I danced my way to Rufus Du Sol. The Sydney-based trio immediately set the mood with an atmospheric blend of emotional melodic house, indie-electro, and deep electronic grooves. They shared that this show was the last of their performances on their 18-month-long tour and that they’d be taking at least a 2-year break after the conclusion of ACL. Rufus Du Sol also shared that the next time we see them, they’d have a new album for us! During their set, lead singer and guitarist, Tyrone Lindqvist, reminded everyone that it was a new moon and we should all set intentions. The lights and lasers were the perfect touch to make this set so memorable. During their show, I could feel the energy that they were sharing with the crowd. It was a feeling of accomplishment. I could tell that this show was a moment that was one of closure for them. It seemed that this show was their way of closing a massive chapter in their career. This was an incredibly special thing to witness. The trio took their show to the next level when they brought out fireworks to accompany Innerbloom. Seeing Rufus Du Sol before they took their break is something I will never forget. The vibes were immaculate, and everyone was dancing!

The third and final day of the festival was amazing! The artists I saw were much more chill than the artists from the day before. I caught the end of Audrey Hobert’s incredible performance! She sang her top hits like Phoebe, Chateau, and Sue Me. Once Hobert’s set concluded, I made my way over to get… You guessed it, more tacos. Once the final tacos were obtained, I found a spot to sit and listen to Houndmouth. A very large crowd congregated around the Snapchat stage to hear them play. They sounded amazing and brought a feel-good Americana and indie roots-rock vibe. My personal favorite songs they played were Darlin’ and Sedona!

Once Houndmouth concluded, I maneuvered my way to American Express where attendees were flocking to find a spot to see the fabulous Sofi Tukker. Sofi opened the show by playing her legendary intro for Drinkee on her Gibson Flying V electric guitar. This one was a zebra print that was light brown and light orange. The duo took the stage with high energy and good vibes! They had fireworks on stage and incredible backup dancers. Throughout their set, Sofi would do coordinated dances with them. Tukker came out from behind the DJ deck to join their dances a few times. Sofi and Tukker had a best friend dance. Once they finished it, Tukker shared that he’d completely messed it up the weekend before. The duo played one of their new songs Tsunami. Sofi impressed everyone by doing an ab workout on stage while singing Their Fitness: Run, May 2022 (DJ Mix). They also played classics like Purple Hat, COOK, Best Friend, and Brazilian Soul. Their set was so much fun to dance at.

I decided to split time between Parcels and Blood Orange. Blood Orange brought an absolutely massive crowd to the Beatbox stage. The crowd filled the entire area from the stage all the way to the merch tent! I’ve never seen it so packed. Orange Blood played songs like I Wanna C U, Thinking Clean, Family, and Saint. This was such a great set to catch the beginning of. After I got my Orange Blood fix, I made my way to Parcels. I found a spot and laid my blanket out to take in all the jams. They played Tieduprightnow, Safeandsound, Gamesofluck, IknowhowIfeel, and Lightenup. The band brought groovy vibes and was perfect to sit on the ground and vibe to!

Following Parcels, I found myself in the same predicament I was in the two prior nights. Which closer to choose? I had a very hard time. So I actually kept running between the sets so I could see both. I started at Twenty One Pilots. Once I heard Heathens, I then went to see what was going on at The XX. I was able to hear them play Sunset and Fiction. After that, I went back to Twenty One Pilots and enjoyed their set for a bit before going back over to The XX where I ended up staying the rest of the night. I was able to get pretty close to their stage. I loved the lights they had on the X above their stage! They closed their set with more of their groovy songs. The whole crowd was dancing and singing along!

Overall, this year’s ACL was incredible. You can tell that this festival has been around for a while because of how well organized it is. The flow of the festival is always so good. I have two notes around things that could be improved. One, there was a sound bleed between headliners at the end of the night. I feel like that was why I had such a hard time deciding who I wanted to see between Twenty One Pilots and The XX because I could hear the other stage. The second piece of feedback I have would be around the artists that are placed in the Tito’s Tent. There were two artists, Natasha Bedingfield and Steve Aoki, that I couldn’t see because their crowds were so incredibly large and there wasn’t room to join the crowd.

This year was the year of accomplishments. There were multiple artists that were having beautiful moments in their career of closing out large tours, artists returning to Austin City Limits, and artists performing on these renowned stages. 25 years of ACL means 25 years of incredible music, sustainability, positivity, and community.

It was such a special experience being a part of such a remarkable achievement. This festival has been around for 25 years already and will absolutely be around for 25 more, and I can’t wait to go back next year!