Category: Episode Recap

Howdy folks,

The new season of Austin City Limits hit airwaves last weekend featuring rocking performances by Mumford & Sons and Flogging Molly. If you missed it check it out here, but stay tuned because we’re just getting started….

Tonight, Saturday, October 8th, we cordially invite you to join us for our second episode featuring Raphael Saadiq and Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears – and it’s a killer lineup if we do say so.

Tune-in by checking your local listings for air times on PBS affiliate stations closest to you, and get in the mood with a little behind the scenes video we dug up just for you…

Veteran R&B genius Raphael Saadiq and his crack band kick things off with a set heavy on his most recent and most excellent record Stone Rollin’. Few artists translate old-school soul moves into contemporary R&B magic quite like this Oakland native.

In anticipation of tomorrow you can look forward to “Heart Attack,” “Day Dreams” and the bluesy strut “Stone Rollin,” featuring special guest Fabulous Thunderbirds’ frontman and blues legend Kim Wilson on harmonica – if your hips don’t move in a way illegal in most states, you might want to check your pulse.

Our advice: for this show keep the lights down low and your sweetheart nearby.

Also featured in episode two, get ready for Austin’s own Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears. The band’s blazing blend of North Mississippi Hill Country blues, New York punk rock and Stax/Volt soul inspires as much air guitar as dancing, especially when Joe’s overdriven Telecaster gets into it with the bursting horn section.

The Honeybears spread the love across their career with the roiling “Bobby Booshay,” the groovin’ “I’m Broke” and an amp-frying cover of the Dead Boys’ “What Love Is.” And don’t miss the epic closer “You Been Lyin,” featuring roof-raising gospel soul group the Relatives.

And yes – for our sharp-eyed viewers, you are correct – that is indeed Spoon drummer and Honeybears producer Jim Eno shaking the maracas and tambourine in the background. 

Just can’t wait until Saturday? Mosey on over to the episode page for performance and interview clips, bio info, the full set list, a pile of cool photos and more. Then hit up your local PBS listings for the broadcast date nearest you.

And don’t forget, you can get the latest and greatest ACL news by following us on Twitter and Facebook, or signing up for our snazzy monthly newsletter, and check out our “Experience ACL” Tumblr blog while you’re at it.

What’s on tap for episode 3? Tune in next week for a return engagement from jamming rock favorites who need little intro, Widespread Panic. Check back in here for more details.

Ahem… Is this thing on?

Ladies and gentlemen, the time to tune in has come. Wait no more – the season opener is upon us!

Tomorrow we proudly kick off the 37th season of Austin City Limits on PBS, and what a better way to do it than with two of the rowdiest, most enthusiastic bands around: folk rockers Mumford & Sons and Celtic punkers Flogging Molly. Both bands performed at ACL for the first time — and they did not disappoint.

The groups showed up ready to rock and they put on killer performances. It’s going to be one heck of an
inaugural episode and we highly recommend you don’t miss it.

Be sure to check your local listings to get air times for ACL on PBS affiliate stations closest to you. Here’s what you can expect…

Mumford & Sons “The Cave” from Austin City Limits on Vimeo.

Kicking off the first episode of season 37, Mumford & Sons will dazzle viewers with fan favorites “The Cave” and “Roll Away Your Stone.” Additionally, poignant ballads like “Timshel” and “Awake My Soul” will be featured. And, if you’re a super fan, you’re in for a special treat with “Lover of Light,” a previously unrecorded track.

The energy the night of the taping was truly amazing, especially considering the band was in the midst of the Railroad Revival Tour (btw, did you catch their Austin show? Remember that crazy cloud?).

Flogging Molly “Saints and Sinners” from Austin City Limits on Vimeo.

But that’s not all. Also featured in the first episode of season 37 — Flogging Molly.

Bandleader Dave King called their ACL taping “the most important live performance they’ve ever done.” During the taping Flogging Molly stormed the stage with astounding melodies and put on one amazing show with their unique brand of Celtic punk that has captured a dedicated fan base for the past decade.

We hope you tune in with us tomorrow to enjoy a lively rendition of “Requiem For A Dying Song,” “Tobacco Island,” “Devil’s Dance Floor,” and “Likes of You Again.”

If you’re a first-time ACL viewer – welcome — we’re confident these two bands will get you hooked and have you coming back to tune in for the rest of the awesome lineup we’ve masterminded this season.

Get excited ya’ll — in anticipation of the new episode we invite you to dig into video clips, special interviews, a slew of photos, set list information and more at the episode page for the show. We went ahead and included a few below for you to enjoy.

Check our blog again next week for more information on our second episode featuring a killer R&B matchup with Raphael Saadiq and local favorites Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears (October 8).

Follow us on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook for more info. Also, we also have a most-excellent, newly designed newsletter you can sign up for here. Just sayin’…

If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should visit our “Experience ACL” Tumblr where we’re spotlighting some of our best photos from the ACL vault— interestingly, we kicked it off with one of our favorite photos from the Mumford & Sons taping. The blog is a look-back at our heritage and a little walk through ACL history: http://experienceacl.tumblr.com/.