Austin City Limits showcases a pair of world-class acts that hail from Texas, Leon Bridges and Khruangbin, in a new hour-long installment premiering November 6 @9pm ET/8pm CT as part of the series Season 47. Grammy-winning Fort Worth R&B artist and songwriter Leon Bridges makes his second ACL appearance with highlights from his latest, Gold-Diggers Sound, and Houston eclectic groove trio Khruangbin make their ACL debut with standouts from their global sensation Mordechai. Despite the challenges facing live music during the past year, ACL is proud to deliver a new season of performances for viewers, all recorded at ACL’s studio home in Austin, Texas in 2021, in front of limited live audiences. The program continues its extraordinary run as the longest-running music television show in history, providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for a remarkable 47 years. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings) and full episodes are made available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits immediately following the initial broadcast.
“It’s an honor to bring Gold-Diggers Sound to Austin, Texas tonight,” hails Leon Bridges. The Fort Worth native returns to the ACL stage for the first time since his 2016 debut, showcasing his third album in six years, the acclaimed Gold-Diggers Sound, named after the East Hollywood studio where it was written and recorded. One of music’s most sought-after collaborators, Bridges has captured the world’s attention with his golden vocals and intimate songwriting, and the dynamic star returns to his home state to deliver a suite of songs from his recent collection backed by an ace seven-piece band. “Make some noise if you missed live music,” says Bridges. “I know I did.” A set highlight is the powerful anti-racism anthem “Sweeter,” released in the wake of George Floyd’s death. He closes out a magnetic set with a scorcher, the timely “Bad Bad News” from 2018’s Good Thing.
The atmospheric Texan trio Khruangbin leads viewers on a spellbinding sonic journey in their ACL debut. The eclectic Houston act consisting of bassist Laura Lee Ochoa, guitarist Mark Speer and drummer Donald ‘DJ’ Johnson Jr. has generated a worldwide audience for their transportive sound that features a globally sourced sampler of psych and funk influences mixed with intoxicating grooves. The band opens with gems from their 2015 debut The Universe Smiles Upon You including “People Everywhere,” a song that highlights the stark contrast between Lee’s shimmering stage strut and Speer and Johnson Jr.’s laidback stoicism. “Still alive,” Lee repeats into the mic as an affirmation, adding the sly aside “after 2020.” Khruangbin visits their 2018 breakthrough LP Con Todo El Mundo for “Friday Morning,” an acid soul ballad that shifts from close harmony vocals to an epic guitar solo. They touch down with “First Class” from their widely-acclaimed Mordechai, an album that celebrates the city that raised them, Houston, one of the most diverse in the nation, a cultural nexus, and the hometown the band members fondly credit for their expansive sonic palette.
“This is Leon Bridges like you’ve never seen or heard him before,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “His new music is an immersive experience – both for him and the rest of us. Likewise, Khruangbin immerses themselves in musical rhythms and genres from around the globe, adding vocals for the first time. A must-see hour!”
Leon Bridges
STEAM
BORN AGAIN
MOTORBIKE
BLUE MESAS
SWEETER
BAD BAD NEWS
Khruangbin
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE (STILL ALIVE)
WHITE GLOVES
FRIDAY MORNING
FIRST CLASS
Season 47 Broadcast Line-up (second half of season to be announced separately):
October 2 Miranda Lambert with Jack Ingram & Jon Randall
October 9 Jade Bird / Dayglow
October 16 Jon Batiste
October 23 Sarah Jarosz / Billy Strings
October 30 Brandy Clark / Charley Crockett
November 6 Leon Bridges / Khruangbin
November 13 Jackson Browne
November 20 Brittany Howard
Watch live, stream anytime, and let ACL be a trusted sidekick for entertainment during these challenging days. The complete line-up for the full 13-week season, including five new episodes to air beginning January 2022, will be announced at a later date. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding live streams, future tapings and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter and IG. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits (ACL) offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. Now in its 47th Season, the program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic Austin PBS Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012.
Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, Workrise, the Austin Convention Center Department and Cirrus Logic. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.