The first weekend of Austin City Limits Festival is a wrap and we’ve got the goods! Scroll down for exclusive performance videos backstage from Julien Baker, Lewis Del Mar, Ray Benson, Andrew Bird, Kupira Marimba, Los Coast, & Israel Nash. Also, tons of great photos from all three days. See y’all out there next weekend!
Weekend One In Photos
Backstage Performances
Julien Rose Baker is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Memphis, Tennessee as well as a member of the alternative rock band Forrister. The heart-felt lyrics she sings with such precision and grace makes Julien Baker a glass of fresh water to any and all who see her perform.
Lewis Del Mar, American folk-pop duo from Rockaway Beach, New York City, first received attention in early 2015 when their debut single Loud(y) was featured in the number one spot on Hype Machine. Their inventive blend of break-beats and acoustic guitars, layered with pop vocal harmonies keeps things fresh. Check out their stripped performance of “I Won’t Live That Long” below.
Self-described “Jewish Yankee hippie” and founder of western swing band Asleep At The Wheel, Ray Benson’s career includes 10 Grammy awards with the Wheel, countless collaborations with talented musicians such as Willie Nelson, Aaron Watson, Merle Haggard and includes tours with George Strait, Bob Dylan and Dwight Yoakam. He has had one of the most successful careers in the Texas country music scene, having been named Texan of the Year (2011), Texas Musician of the Year (2004) and now hosts the Texas Music Scene. Enjoy “A Little Piece” below.
Chicago singer-songwriter Andrew Bird is unarguably one of the biggest names in modern folk. He established himself as a solo act in the early 2000’s with songs like “Imitosis” and “A Nervous Tick Motion of the Head to the Left”. Bird’s solo work could be described as jazzier than his other projects, The Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire. Catch him below in full gypsy style with a performance of “Left Handed Kisses”.
Kupira Marimba is a musical project of Rattletree founder, Joel Laviolette. While Rattletree tends to incorporate electronic influences into their music, Kupira Marimba is a purely traditional Zimbabwean style marimba band. They play ancient and sacred music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe as well as high-energy booty-shaking grooves. Enjoy a taste of Zimbabwe with their performance below.
Los Coast stylistically sits somewhere between these two spaces: there’s a sweaty, beer-soaked urgency to their brand of rock-and-soul, but also a slick professionalism. The group’s 2016 single “Simplify” is a horn-driven explosion with gospel undertones, but the synthesizer murmurs give it a spacey edge. Check ’em out below.
Born in Missouri and currently residing in Dripping Springs, Israel Nash clearly draws inspiration from late 60s and early 70s rock, folk, and country while adding distinctly modern touches. Watch a great performance of his song “Who In Time” below.
Matt the Electrician spends his full time writing and playing folk songs filled with his personal experiences. His own music mixes smokey vocals and plucky acoustic guitars and banjos with lyrics filled with love and anguish. Check out his performance of “California” right here.
Marlon Williams is a New Zealand singer-songwriter that has a wide array of influences. His vocal range is phenomenal, and the lush instrumentation creates a very unique sound that feels like a dream. Watch a gripping performance of “I’m Lost Without You” right now.
The Austin-based pop collective Wild Child has been tearing up the indie market. Releasing their first album in 2011, the group quickly built a buzz and a sizable following to match. Don’t be a fool, watch their performance of “Fools” below!
Sunglasses, beards, denim & flannels. The Quaker City Night Hawks bring a full dose of overdriven Southern Rock out of Fort Worth, TX. This performance of “Beat The Machine” proves that.
