Author: michael

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Featured Taping Announcement

The Punch Brothers tape Austin City Limits on 5/1

Chris Thile – lead singer and mandolinist of the genre-busting band Punch Brothers, who will tape a show for us on May 1 — is no stranger to the Austin City Limits stage. The virtuoso musician has appeared twice with his former band Nickel Creek and once in Dolly Parton’s backup band. The Grammy–nominated Punch Brothers, which Thile formed six years ago, has released three albums, most recently Who’s Feeling Young Now?, and is currently on a sold-out US tour. The quintet’s boundary-less mix of indie-rock, bluegrass, classical music, jazz, folk, and pop has attracted critical acclaim, a slot opening for Paul Simon, two songs on the new T Bone Burnett–produced Hunger Games album, and a loyal, growing audience, including fellow musicians like Steve Martin, Elton John, and Marcus Mumford. We’re pleased to welcome the Punch Brothers to Austin City Limits.

Keep an eye on the blog, our Facebook page and Twitter feed regularly for news on the public ticket giveaway. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter as well.

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Encore Broadcast Episode Recap News

ACL Encore: Sonic Youth & the Black Keys

This weekend Austin City Limits presents one of our most electrifying encore episodes featuring Sonic Youth and the Black Keys.

After sixteen studio albums and receiving critical acclaim in both the indie and mainstream worlds over the course of more than a quarter century, Sonic Youth really needs no introduction. With songs almost predominantly from the most recent album, The Eternal, Sonic Youth take no prisoners in this episode taped in 2010.

Watch Sonic Youth “No Way” (Preview) on PBS. See more from Austin City Limits.

Although not sharing in the same expansive catalog (yet), the Black Keys — with seven studio albums under their belts — are most certainly on their way to the same immortality. After garnering much attention from their 2010 album, Brothers, The Black Keys play most of the hits off this record, with a few older tunes mixed in.

Watch The Black Keys “Tighten Up” on PBS. See more from Austin City Limits.

While differing in genres and style, both Sonic Youth and the Black Keys have redefined the traditional sound of the guitar and have earned special places in rock history. Be sure to check your local listings for showtimes to see this special episode and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr to keep up with updates on tapings and airings!

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News

Earl Scruggs 1924-2012

We here at Austin City Limits were heartbroken to learn of the death of the great Earl Scruggs on March 28 at the age of 88. The pioneering bluegrass banjo player graced our stage three times, once during Season 2 in 1976 with the Earl Scruggs Revue (a band that included his sons) and twice during Season 25 in 2000 as the distinguished guest of both Marty Stuart and Bela Fleck.

Bill Arhos, co-creator and executive producer emeritus of Austin City Limits, had this to say about the passing of one of our favorite musicians:

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Earl Scruggs. I listened to him and Lester Flatt as a young boy growing up in East Texas. In the early 70s, we were having a Public Television meeting at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and, during a break, I heard an incredible sound of a band coming from somewhere in the hotel and proceeded to try to track it down. I can only describe the sound as Bluejazz or Jazzgrass. It was a rehearsal in the ballroom but it broke up just as I was approaching it down a hallway, whereupon a man with a really elaborate banjo came walking toward me. I said, “Gee mister, you REALLY can play that thing” and he said, “Thank you, son.” Oh dear.

That night after dinner, the MC came out and said, “Ladies and gentleman, in their first performance as a group, please welcome THE EARL SCRUGGS REVUE.” Foot in mouth, I had told Earl Scruggs he could play a banjo. Then, with the band onstage, including three of his sons, out comes Earl to the front, and a few feet farther and he fell right off the front of the stage and crashed to the floor. His son, Gary, looked down at him and said, “That’s what you call charisma!”

I can hear “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” rolling along in my head.

We here at Austin City Limits believe Earl Scruggs was a musical titan. He will be missed by all of us and by music fans everywhere.

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Episode Recap Featured News

Coldplay takes ACL to Paradise

This weekend we are excited to present a special episode featuring Coldplay.  Recorded last September, the performance features the band debuting several new songs off their latest release Mylo Xyloto, including “Paradise,” “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” and “Hurts Like Heaven,” as well as old favorites like  “Viva La Vida.”

MTV News called it a special night “when a band with a major arsenal finds a way to take its giant energy and squeeze it down into a much smaller space, without losing any of their arena-packing magic.”

Originally presented as a New Year’s Eve special to ring in 2012, the Coldplay show was a milestone for Austin City Limits. Coldplay gave us an extra-special performance, and we’re thrilled to bring it back this spring.

Coldplay performs on Austin City Limits

You can see for yourself this Saturday – check your local listings for the time your PBS station will broadcast this awesome episode. You can also go here for biographical info, pictures and the setlist. Don’t forget to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr pages and to sign up for our newsletter for more ACL TV sweet stuff. Next week: a guitar-saturated encore episode with Sonic Youth and the Black Keys.

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Taping Recap

The Shins bring their best to Austin City Limits

What a whirlwind week it’s been here in Austin, TX.  And what better way to end our SXSW experience than with a taping of ACL with The Shins. Their new album Port of Morrow is out tomorrow and the band previewed a half dozen new tunes last night for our ACL fans.

“The Rifle’s Spiral” colored an epic pop tune with keyboardist Richard Swift’s electronic blips and swoops. “September” provided some Shinsized country music – it’s in much the same vein as their older tune “New Slang” (which was also performed).  “It’s Only Life” is a simply a brilliant song. “No Way Down,” “Bait and Switch” and “Simple Song” added a trio of magnificently shiny new pop gems to The Shins’ already stuffed jewel box.

The group rolled out plenty of classics as well, kicking the show off  with “Caring is Creepy,” the first song from their first album. “Australia” (“one of my favorites,” commented singer-songwriter Mercer) and the hit “Phantom Limb” upped the bouncy pop quotient, while “Mine’s Not a High Horse” and “So Says I” mined the band’s loud rock vein. The Shins really pushed themselves on “Kissing the Lipless,” which moved from quite to blasting and back, and “One By One All Day,” which closed out with a psychedelic guitar/pedalboard solo from guitarist Jessica Dobson. The band saved the best for last, bringing the show to a close (barring a redo of “Bait and Switch”) and the crowd to a roar with an amazing “Sleeping Lessons” – as @erinegg commented, “Holy rock n roll!”

This was The Shins second appearance on the ACL stage. (They last appeared in Season 30 in 2004). Perhaps one of our Twitter followers summed it up best:  @TStorm_Warning said: “New Shins is sounding as good as old Shins.”

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Encore Broadcast News

ACL Encore: Kris Kristofferson & Steve Earle

This week’s encore episode features two Texas natives that are arguably two of the greatest singer-songwriters in American music: Steve Earle and Kris Kristofferson.

Both artists delivered remarkably intimate sets for our celebratory 35th season of Austin City Limits; Kristofferson played hits such as “Help Me Make It Through the Night” acoustically, while Earle performed tracks from his Townes Van Zandt  tribute album, Townes. There’s no doubt that these classic performers have left their mark on the music industry with their expansive careers that stretch over several decades and expansive discography and collaborations.

Check your local listings for showtimes and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr to keep up with updates on tapings and airings!