Small Stage, Big Acts: ACL Weekend 2 Sets Worth Rearranging Your Schedule For
Weekend 2 of Austin City Limits brings acts of all shapes and sizes, but these up-and-coming artists are ready to take over the early sets with their larger-than-life sound.
Written by Valeria Mota
Illustrations by Giselle Barrera
In an ACL lineup stacked with household names like Charli xcx and Lorde, it’s easy to overlook the newer acts performing at the BMI, Beatbox, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka stages earlier in the day. Whether you’re going for one day or both weekends of the festival, the best way to get the most out of your wristband is to catch opening sets and find your new favorite artist. Ranging from moody electronic beats to scream-worthy punk, here are six artists to watch during Weekend 2 of the Austin festival.
Friday
Almost Heaven
Photo courtesy of Sebastian Saef
Austin-based duo Stefan Barraza and Jaelyn Valero might have popped into the indie-electronic scene six years ago, but that never stopped them from experimenting with emotional hits and dance-infused beats. Besides a catalog ranging from moody hits like “FEEDBACK” and club collaborations like their remix of Touching Ice’s “Prey (Pray),” Almost Heaven expanded their sonic style with the edgy RAW CRANIUM, their most recent project. Their energetic mix of songs for their 12:45 p.m. set at the Tito’s Handmade Vodka stage is a surefire way to kick off your Weekend 2 experience.
World Famous Pets
Photo courtesy of Deanie Chen
What happens when a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and an experienced drummer hit it off? You get World Famous Pets, a folk-rock collective that brings together seasoned musicians to craft intricate, improvisational tunes. The group is stacked with talent. It includes Edie Brickell of the eponymous Edie Brickell & New Bohemians; previous Soundgarden and Pearl Jam drummer Matt Chamberlain; former John Legend bassist Kaveh Rastegar; and Mason Stoops, who’s played with Mumford & Sons and Jackson Browne. The band might have released their debut album a couple of weeks ago, but their intimate tracks make listeners wonder why the artists didn’t get together sooner. Join World Famous Pets for a cozy, one-hour set at the Beatbox stage at 3:30.
sATURDAY
dON WEST
Photo courtesy of OnesToWatch
The musician and IMG model is coming all the way from the land down under to deliver his fresh take on soul. Perfect for fans of Jungle and Leon Bridges, West’s soft vocals and masterful use of drums and trumpets make for contagiously positive tracks that will undeniably find a place in your daily playlist. With hits like “Small Change” and “Send It Back,” Don West’s 3:15 performance at the Tito’s Handmade Vodka stage is set to kick off the second day of the festival with a Saturday afternoon dance party.
Arcy Drive
Photo courtesy of OnesToWatch
As the self-proclaimed founders of the “attic rock” genre, the Long Island quartet is flipping the indie-rock sound on its head with gritty vocals and clashing drums. Complete with hopeful tracks like “Time Shrinks” and rocking anthems like “Roll My Stone,” the band is stopping at ACL as part of their festival run to showcase their unique mix spanning nearly every subgenre of rock. Jam out with Arcy Drive on the Beatbox stage at 3:30 p.m. and leave with new songs to sing your heart out to.
Sunday
chELSEA joRDAN
Photo courtesy of SoundCloud
Fresh off her viral TikTok covers that catapulted her onto the road to stardom, the R&B singer is bringing her down-to-earth lyrics and soulful voice to the last day of the festival weekend. Jordan’s debut single, “The Good Parts,” cemented the Baltimore-born singer as a vulnerably grounded and modern force in the genre, with her silky vocals demanding — and successfully getting — listeners’ attention. Fall in love with Jordan’s self-assured take on soul at the BMI stage at 2. p.m.
Bad Nerves
Photo courtesy of Bad Nerves
The Austin heat is sure to get all festival attendees sweating throughout the weekend, but that’s not stopping punk-rock band Bad Nerves from coming in hot. Backed by a cosign from Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, the Essex five-piece describes themselves as the “bastard child of a Ramones/Strokes one-night stand,” and catchy ditties like “Can’t Be Mine” and “Baby Drummer” bring a ferocious energy that proves them exactly right. Fill your Sunday afternoon with Bad Nerves’ head-banging sound at 3:30 p.m. at the Beatbox stage.