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Featured News Taping Announcement

New tapings: Sudan Archives, Robert Glasper, and Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Austin City Limits is pleased to announce a trio of highly-anticipated tapings for our upcoming Season 49 to amplify your summer. On August 10, we welcome the ACL debut of innovative violinist and singer-songwriter Sudan Archives on the heels of her buzzed-about performances at Glastonbury and Coachella. On August 24, five-time Grammy-winning producer and musician Robert Glasper brings his groundbreaking, award-winning and genre-shattering Black Radio to the ACL stage alongside special guests including multiple Grammy-nominees rapper D Smoke and singer/guitarist Emily King, along with Grammy-winning R&B singer and songwriter Yebba.  On August 28, acclaimed Grammy-and Americana Award-winning bluegrass iconoclast Molly Tuttle makes her ACL debut with her band Golden Highway.

Sudan Archives breakthrough second album Natural Brown Prom Queen is an epic record that is also her most personal, taking in race, womanhood, and the fiercely loyal, loving relationships at the heart of Sudan’s life with her family, friends, and partner. Born Brittney Denise Parks, Sudan burst onto the scene in 2017 with “Come Meh Way,” back when she was a violinist and loop maker producing beats in her Ohio bedroom. While her 2019 debut album Athena drew inspiration from divine Black feminine power, on Natural Brown Prom Queen Sudan is in character as Britt, the girl next door from Cincinnati who drives around the city with the top down and shows up to high school prom in a pink furry bikini with her thong hanging out her denim skirt. From first listen, it’s immediately apparent that Natural Brown Prom Queen is the one-woman instrumentalist’s most ambitious work to date, spanning 18 tracks – from the disco-influenced R&B of “Home Maker” to Afrocentric anthem “Selfish Soul,” hip-hop banger “OMG Britt,” the wild ride of “NBPQ (Topless)” and the ballad “Homesick (Gorgeous & Arrogant).” The acclaimed release was named an album of the year by Pitchfork, New York Times, The Guardian, The FADER, The Needle Drop, NPR, Vulture, Time Out, CNN, Slate, Paste, SPIN, Pop Matters, and many more; “Home Maker” was chosen by Barack Obama for his Favorite Songs of 2022 and Sudan Archives was handpicked by superstar Bad Bunny for Rolling Stone’s Future of Music issue. Fittingly for an album named for a homecoming event, Natural Brown Prom Queen is all about home: both Sudan’s adopted hometown of L.A. and Cincinnati, where she was raised. It’s intimate in all senses of the word, with Sudan unafraid to be vulnerable, tender and open about her insecurities. “Natural Brown Prom Queen is an album of many movements and ruminations, but almost all of them trace back to the multiple ways that a person can find and re-find home,” writes poet and Sudan’s fellow Ohio native Hanif Abdurraqib. “In flimsy, shifting geography, in the fights and triumphs that filter into interactions with beloveds and kinfolk, and, of course, the mighty work of home-making within oneself.” But the record is also about finding pleasure – after all, this is the artist who played violin upside-down on a pole in a music video. On Natural Brown Prom Queen, Sudan Archives invites you to join in and embrace shared joy.

Celebrated multihyphenate Robert Glasper is the leader of a new sonic paradigm with a career that bridges musical and artistic genres. With boundless innovation and elite technique as his signature, it’s no surprise that Glasper has an avalanche of accolades, awards, and achievements to his name—his contributions to music and culture span over two decades with 5 career Grammy wins and 12 nominations across 11 categories, along with a 2017 Emmy Award and a 2022 Peabody Award. The Houston native’s body of work is a masterclass in hip-hop, R&B and jazz fusion that sonically has influenced the decades to come. His breakout 2012 crossover album Black Radio changed the face of the genre and set a new expectation for what popular music could be. The album earned Glasper his first career Grammy for Best R&B Album and established him as the musician of choice for some of the world’s most iconic artists, notably playing keys throughout Kendrick Lamar’s landmark To Pimp A Butterfly, winning another Grammy for the elastic track “These Walls.” One of the most respected collaborators of his generation, the ongoing Black Radio series has since become Glasper’s calling card, upholding a place at the heart of a trailblazing community. In 2023 Glasper earned his fifth Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for Black Radio III.  The album’s debut single “Better Than I Imagined,” featuring H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello, previously won a 2021 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. Black Radio III celebrates Black joy, love and resilience with a host of special guests, including Common (with whom Robert Glasper appeared during ACL Season 44 as part of their supergroup August Greene), Killer Mike, Esperanza Spalding, Q-Tip, Ty Dolla $ign, De La Soul’s Posdnuos and Jennifer Hudson. For this special ACL appearance, Glasper will be joined by Black Radio III family including a pair of triple Grammy-nominated acts, rapper D Smoke, and singer/guitarist Emily King, along with Grammy-winning R&B singer-songwriter Yebba. Glasper has formed an exceptional legacy that permeates contemporary art and advocacy. Above all, Robert Glasper is an artist at the heart of a moment – and a movement – to champion Black music, Black people, and the possibility of a better future. We welcome him back to the ACL stage in his second headlining appearance.

Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician and performer Molly Tuttle and her band, Golden Highway, make their ACL debut with the release of the highly-anticipated new album City of Gold, out  July 21. The new record follows Tuttle’s acclaimed 2022 album, Crooked Tree, which won Best Bluegrass Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in 2023 and also led to a Best New Artist nomination. NPR Music calls her “a female flat picker extraordinaire with agility, speed and elegance who distinctively brings American roots music into the spotlight.” Produced by Tuttle and bluegrass legend Jerry Douglas and recorded in Nashville, City of Gold, —written primarily by Tuttle and Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show—captures the electric energy of Golden Highway’s live shows. Reflecting on the project, Northern California native Tuttle tells it best firsthand: “When I was a kid, we took a field trip to Coloma, CA to learn about the gold rush. I’ll never forget the dusty hills and the grizzled old miner who showed us the nugget around his neck. Just like gold fever, music has always captivated me, captured my heart, and driven me to great lengths to explore its depths. On my new album I dug deep as a songwriter and co-producer and surfaced with a record that celebrates the music of my heart, my life, the land where I grew up, and the stories I heard along the way. I made this record with my band Golden Highway after playing over 100 shows across the country last year. On the road and in the studio, we are inspired by artists such as John Hartford, Gillian Welch and Peter Rowan to name a few, whose records are like family albums to us. Just like them, on this album we chart some new territory along some old familiar ground. The songs span from breakdowns to ballads, fairytales and fiddle tunes, from Yosemite up to the Gold Country and out beyond the mountains. That visit to Coloma, site of California’s first gold strike is where I first heard about El Dorado, the city of gold. Playing music can take you to a place that is just as precious.” Tuttle moved to Nashville in 2015 and in the years since, the celebrated artist has been nominated for Best New Artist at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, won Album of the Year at the 2023 International Folk Music Awards, Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2022 International Bluegrass Music Awards, Instrumentalist of the Year at the 2018 Americana Music Awards and Guitar Player of the Year at the IBMAs in both 2017 and 2018, the first woman to receive the honor. Tuttle has performed around the world, including shows with Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Hiss Golden Messenger, Jason Isbell, Old Crow Medicine Show and Dwight Yoakam, as well as at major festivals including Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival and Pilgrimage. In celebration of the new music, the band will tour throughout the summer including dates supporting Dave Matthews (who guests on the new record), Tommy Emmanuel, Greensky Bluegrass, Charley Crockett and Marcus King.  

We’re thrilled to welcome these music innovators to the ACL stage. Want to be part of our audience? We will post information on how to get free passes a week in advance of the taping. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for notice of postings. The broadcast episodes will air on PBS this fall as part of our upcoming Season 49.

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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Tanya Tucker

Tanya Tucker returns to Austin City Limits on July 11, 2023. Photo by Scott Newton.

Last seen in these parts in Season 11, country icon Tanya Tucker has never slowed down, racking up hits since the seventies. Riding yet another career high thanks to the 2022 documentary The Return of Tanya Tucker and the Grammy-winning Tucker/Brandi Carlile co-write “Bring My Flowers Now,” the Seminole, Texas native – who’s finally getting inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year – returned to the Austin City Limits stage at full power, bringing with her a new acclaimed record, Sweet Western Sound. 

Before we got that LP, however, Tucker – decked out in a green leather fringed jacket and polka-dotted scarf – and her six-piece band dug into that bucket of hits, opening with the frisky top tenner “If Your Heart Ain’t Busy Tonight.” “I just wanna thank y’all for hangin’ in for so many years,” she declared – a broad hint of the next song, the old school honkytonker “Hangin’ In.” Minus drummer Toby Caldwell, the musicians then gathered at the front of the stage for an acoustic pickin’, mandolin and fiddle-powered take on her late eighties #1 hit “Strong Enough to Bend.” The hits kept on coming with 1976’s  “Don’t Believe My Heart Can Stand Another You,” a good choice for the audience’s mid-song clapping. 

The repertoire leapt forward in time to While I’m Livin’, the 2019 Brandi Carlile-produced LP that brought Tucker back to prominence. Driven by her gritty vocals, “Hard Luck” rang out with energy and swagger to big cheers. Then came the Grammy-winning killer: co-write “Bring My Flowers Now.” Backed only by piano and harmonies from singer Presley Tucker and bassist Dino Villanueva, Tucker explained the origins of the song, then delivered it with quiet dignity and expertly controlled passion as only someone feeling the weight of the years could. “If your heart is in them flowers,” she sang, “Bring ‘em on.” From the audience’s standing ovation, their hearts were deep in that garden.

That would be a tough song for anyone to follow up, but Tucker did it by dipping into Sweet Western Sound for “Kindness,” a song that fit the tenor of its predecessor, but with a faster tempo and wry humor. She followed with “When the Rodeo is Over (Where Does the Cowboy Go),” a song Carlile sent to Tucker over the phone, and the kind of classic narrative ballad only a singer of Tucker’s experience (plus co-writer and Tucker paramour Craig Dillingham on harmony) could pull off with the proper gravitas. That went doublefold for “Ready As I’ll Never Be,” a farewell to loved ones performed with solemn soul. “Losin’ your friends is hard enough,” she explained, “but when your friends are your heroes, it’s even harder.” If there was a dry eye in the house, we’d be shocked.  

The mood then changed for the rowdier, as Tucker shared a tequila with an audience member and launched her classic anthem “Texas (When I Die),” as much a showcase for her band as it was an audience party, earning her another standing O. Another tough act to follow, but once again she managed it with her early nineties bluesy strut “It’s a Little Too Late.” “It’s never too late to do the right thing,” she said. “I’m proof of that.” 

Tucker commented on how much she and the band had anticipated this ACL taping, thanked her friends and family for being there, and touched on her illustrious past, including  having met Elvis Presley. Then, of course, she closed the show the only way she could. “I’m sincere when I say I love this song,” she smiled. The familiar piano chords floated in the air, then she sang the words: “Delta Dawn/what’s that flower you have on.” Needless to say, the crowd took a chorus on their own, before Tucker ended the song with a gospel flourish. She left the stage to a final standing ovation, as well she should’ve. There’s nothing like seeing a living legend still in her prime, and Tanya Tucker lived up to the legend. You’ll see for yourself when this episode airs this fall as part of our 49th season on your local PBS station. 

Tanya Tucker on Austin City Limits, 2023. Photos by Scott Newton.

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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: DOMi & JD BECK

DOMi & JD BECK perform on Austin City Limits, July 8, 2023. Photo by Scott Newton.

Like any other venerable tradition, jazz welcomes the occasional shake-up. With hip-hop inspired rhythms, lush chords, and a singular sense of style, Grammy Best New Artist nominated jazz duo DOMi & JD BECK are the latest act to combine twenty-first century energy with old school improvisation. Supporting their highly acclaimed debut album NOT TiGHT, the duo brought virtuoso technique, accessible melodies, and an impish sense of humor to their first-ever show in Austin. 

Surrounding themselves with cherry blossoms, foliage, and grass, DOMi and BECK took the stage in pink sweats for her and overalls for him. Doubling on piano and key-bass, DOMi took the melody of “WHATUP” for a rollicking ride, as BECK played his kit like a human EDM drum machine. “This is cool,” remarked the drummer afterward. “Oddly intimate, though. But cool.” The duo then bopped their way through “the first song we ever released – the irresistibly funky, popwise “SMiLE,” with its recognizable hook. 

“What the f–k is up, Austin?” DOMi smiled. “I always wanted to curse on TV!” That was a heads-up for the brisk “Bowling,” with the pair trading vocals in place for co-writer Thundercat, who sings it on NOT TiGHT. DOMi really showed off her chops on this tune, ripping out a sparkling piano solo while still keeping the bass keys roiling. The record’s title track followed, switching between minimalist atmosphere and barnburning workouts. “This is the first song we ever wrote together,” noted BECK before they started. “So that means it’s the worst – enjoy!” Given the skill on display and the crowd’s appreciation, clearly there’s no “worst” in the band catalog.

Another early tune, “U Don’t Have to Rob Me” related the true story of a near mugging with humor and a skittering arrangement like an electronic track translated to organic technique. The duo explained that jazz legend and ACL alumnus Herbie Hancock performed on the next song, “but he’s not here.” DOMi and BECK performed the rich, luminous “Moon” perfectly fine on their own. The pair then took two of their tribute tunes – “Duke,” a nod to jazz funk icon George Duke, and “Space Mountain,” about the titular Disney ride – and made them into a medley, one that particularly highlighted BECK’s rhythm mastery and DOMI’s speed-demon chops. 

For the last song, BECK explained “DOMI’s gonna play something pretty, then the actual song starts,” with his partner adding “The actual song is called ‘You Can Sniff My Butt.’” In reality a medley of the album’s “Thank U” and “Sniff,” the tune did indeed begin with lush chords from DOMi, before BECK’s traps and her synth bass kicked the music into high gear. It was an epic finish to an excellent show, one for which the audience showed a deep and loud appreciation. It’ll make a cool episode of your favorite music television show, and we hope you tune in this fall to your local PBS station. 

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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Rodrigo y Gabriela with the Austin Symphony Orchestra

Rodrigo y Gabriela with the Austin Symphony Orchestra on Austin City Limits, July 7, 2023. Photo by Scott Newton.

Innovative guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela teams with the Austin Symphony Orchestra  to bring a wildly captivating sound to the ACL stage and live stream screens. The duo showcased their new album In Between Thoughts…A New World alongside a collection of newly released tracks to deliver a stunning performance. In Between Thoughts…A New World is an experimental and energetic departure from their classical Spanish acoustic sound that raised the Mexico City duo to meteoric fame as musical maestros. Being accompanied by the 32 piece Austin Symphony Orchestra, the performance marks a much anticipated collaboration 26 years in the making, as the Orchestra  makes its ACL debut  lead by seasoned conductor, Peter Bay. In Between Thoughts…A New World invites listeners to travel into the Rodrigo y Gabriela universe inspired by a deep dive into the spiritual interconnectedness at the core of the human experience. Expressed via speedy strumming patterns, distinctive guitar solos, and a powerful strings section, the musicians magically maintain a harmonious balance that cosmically creates the ultimate storytelling soundtrack. In between thoughts and beneath the ACL studio lights, Rodrigo, Gabriela, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra delivered a stunning  glimpse into their new world.  

Embarking on the first stop of the musical journey, the duo navigates the audience through the narrative nature of the record. The musicians include several songs that reflect the rises, falls, and pit stops along their musical tour of their new world. Spearheaded by the non dualistic themes of connection and unity that inspired the songs on the new record, phase 1 of the hero’s journey includes track “The Eyes that Dream,” featuring orchestra accompaniment. A track that serves as a testament to the musical chemistry between the guitarists, the track showcases how Rodrigo’s immense technical skills complement the energetic acoustic style of his partner. As Rodrigo switches between electric and acoustic guitar, the orchestra gracefully merges into the melody catching up to the guitarists and expanding on the impactful rhythm of the song. The track transitions swiftly into the next stop of the tour with brief interludes featuring a collection of ambient-style intros, serving as transitional “pit stops”, a thematic palette cleanser and tonal introduction to the next track. A grateful and charismatic Gabriela takes to the mic to thank the audience, speak about the album, and thank the orchestra. Briefly introducing new song “Monster” the guitarist explains the thematic roots of the song before explaining that due to its long explanation, the audience would be better off “[Coming] up with [their] own monster story.” “Monster” features a melancholic intro, softly played by both Spanish guitars, invoking a sense of unease, a sound that underlyingly expects danger to arise. The track creates a stylistic spotlight on Gabriela’s stylistic work with the body of the guitar featuring percussive slaps and her signature loose, but never sloppy technique. The duo create a sound that bounces from being small, contained, and uneasy, to a sudden shift into the quick strumming that creates a beautiful disarray. The duo spring up from their stools as the crowd cheers. Rodrigo builds on momentum by adding a psychedelic layer of  distortion to the guitar tone giving the sound movement, almost as if the sound comes in and out of the song amongst the energetic rhythmic strumming, a musical lava lamp effect. 

Tapping into their rock and roll roots, song “Broken Rage” highlights the technical talent of the former metal maestros. The orchestra’s strings weave into Rodrigo’s lead electric guitar as he takes turns connecting with Gabriela and the elated audience. As he runs across the stage under strobe-like lighting effects, the orchestra builds to an energetic peak. Expanding the sound and captivating the audience through speed, the orchestra delivers a high energy performance.

The component at the center of the Rod y Gab musical universe lies within the authenticity that comes from the musicians’ undeniable musical chemistry with each other and their own instruments. The musicians reflect a sense of organic craftsmanship so strong that it becomes central to the inherent identity of them as performers – a major piece of their signature style. Rodrigo y Gabriela grow an increasingly complex musical world from the seed of this connection that blooms bright. Observing this connection innately turns the viewer from a spectator into a voyeur, with a unique opportunity to peer into a sheer 75 minutes of intimate musical connection. Rodrigo y Gabriela do not merely perform, but display a sense of musical connection so authentic, it invites the listener to place themselves within the center of their rich musical ecosystem. 

Leading with this authenticity, the duo exits the stage after final track “In Between Thoughts…A New World” amongst a sea of standing ovations, cheering, and immense applause before returning to the stage for the final encore. Rodrigo thanks the audience and comments “The energy in here is beautiful!” As they prepare for their final song, an audience member yells out “Te amo Gabi!” As the explosive finisher “Descending to Nowhere” reaches its epic end, the maestros receive an eruption of applause by a crowd completely on their feet, yelling, cheering, and raising their heart-shaped hands at the guitarists. Gabriela excitingly smiles and laughs at the crowd, prancing around the stage waving and graciously thanking the invigorated fans. As crowds of musical travelers leave their seats, show commentary and conversation commences amongst the crowd. One fan expresses how “You feel better now, than when you came in!”, an observation of a performance that encompasses the dynamic of a musical duo that not merely coexists with each other, but thrives. 

The harmonious dynamic created between Rodrigo, Gabriela, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra created an experimental presence so captivating, it ripples across the audience inviting listeners to travel alongside the duo as they explore their new musical universe. Tune into your local public TV station this fall and witness the broadcast version of this symphonic soundtrack to human connection on ACL’s upcoming Season 49.

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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Lil Yachty

Lil Yachty on Austin City Limits, June 28, 2023. Photo by Scott Newton.

Breaking into stardom after the release of 2016 album Lil Boat featuring popular track “Minnesota”, Atlanta rapper Lil Yachty sailed into the scene with his iconic autotuned vocal style and lighthearted lyricism. Yachty makes his ACL debut with his latest album Let’s Start Here. as the centerpiece, a clear departure from his previous sound. The embodiment of a modernized pop-infused psychedelic funk album with a soul influence, the album reflects a clear tribute to the 70s soul funk scene. The innovative rap star delivered a powerful fifteen-song set backed by a six-piece band, while welcoming special guests, Teezo Touchdown, Justine Skye, and Fousheé aboard the S.S. Yachty for a thrilling musical journey. Yachty’s iconic vocals swim amongst a sea of sound being carried by the god-like vocal performance of the band’s backup singers that invoke a rich, soulful, and dynamic sound worthy of many a moment of sonically-induced goosebumps while listening. He delivered a thrilling performance reflecting the album’s musical breadth, signaling his arrival into an increasingly colorful sound inspired by meaningful musical influences—synthesizers, guitar solos, keyboards, and clap-alongs all included–welcome aboard the S.S. Yachty. 

Yachty and crew sail into the first track “the BLACK seminole.” laying the foundation of the psychedelic soul sound that will be representative of the musical foundations laid within the the new record. A slowed down, psychedelic acid jazz-type instrumental that Yachty’s reverbed vocals seemingly weave in and out of, the vocals echo into the night’s first groovy guitar solo. A track that thematically pays homage to the cultural identity of the black psychedelic funk and soul sound, Yachty sings “The black seminole, a head general…a black man with mouths to feed, embracing equality throughout greed.” The rapper takes a moment to recognize the variety of talent that is represented amongst his band–a high energy  all black, female band wearing matching black sweatsuits, bandanas, and shades. The crowd applauds as the musician asserts“I got all my sisters here with me,” indicating his intentional choice of the all-female power band with remarks on the strength of the female talent and citing how “Women rule the world.” 

Following that shot of truth, the S.S. Yachty welcomes aboard a trio of special guests. Rising into action, “the ride-”, brings an 80’s inspired synth-sounding pop track featuring vocals from upcoming Beaumont rapper, Teezo Touchdown. Yachty’s light-filled ethereal sounding vocals complement  a contrasting, in your face ‘ vocal performance by Touchdown. The Texas rapper sings holding a hand full of flowers and a head adorned with his signature wig of nails, and graces the stage in a pair of white go-go boots enthusiastically rapping into his bouquet before fist-bumping Yachty during his exit. The pair makes a playful and energetic presence on stage as they vocally bounce off each other, leading the crowd into their first wave of groovy head nodding. 

The slow psychedelic sounds of funk are back in the spotlight with “The Zone~” featuring Yachty’s blossoming, kaleidoscope-like vocals that ripple throughout the track before meeting with the funky lightness of guest artist Justine Skye’s R&B inspired vocal style. A track for sailing on auto-pilot, relaxing into the magnetic mellowness of reverbed and distorted guitar and vocal tracks, the S.S. Yachty sails onto seriously smooth waters. Before diving into the climactic disco anthem “drive ME crazy!” the Atlanta rapper singles out a pair of enthusiastic fans in the front row,  The stoked pair cheer as Yachty announces he will dedicate the disco anthem to them, a token of the Captain’s appreciation for his most sunny of sailors. The track reflects the absolute energetic force radiating from the sheer talent produced by the Yachty band. The disco anthem immediately brings an impactful wave of energetic groove amongst the crowd, uplifting the sea of Yachty youngsters. A disco groove irresistible to any seasoned rollbouncer slowly melts into the slowness of the synth sounds of “The Alchemist.”

Bringing  the performance to the  album’s musical climax, the upbeat nature of “The Alchemist.” brings an energetic presence. In typical Yachty fashion, his instinctually uplifting lyricism continues to carry as the foundation to the inherent early and current Yachty sound, singing “No need to brag, but I was built for this. I know now that most men would kill for this.” The track breaks away from the funk foundations and leans towards the pop and R&B undertones still present within the album’s influences. On the Yachty sound spectrum, the rhythmically upbeat pop influence combined with the vocals of his final guest, R&B singer Fousheé, place this track several blocks away from the intersection between psychedelic funk and soul that tends to encompass the record. 

Yachty and crew bring a soulful presence fueled by a powerfully talented band of musicians that reflect the identity of the rapper’s musical experimentation inspired by traditional sounds served up a-la-Yachty. The captivating performance mobilized a sea of sing-alongs, head banging, and sheer applause for the massive talent of Lil Yachty and the musical journey. Using his debut ACL taping to showcase a departure from the conventional Yachty style, Lil Boat and crew create waves with a newfound sound that soulfully satisfies.

All photos by Scott Newton.

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Featured Live Stream News Uncategorized

ACL live stream: Rodrigo y Gabriela with the Austin Symphony Orchestra 7/7

Jenny Lewis Live stream July 26, 2023 at 8pm central

Austin City Limits is excited to announce that we will be live streaming our upcoming Season 49 taping with Grammy-winning guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela in their first appearance in a decade, with a one-of-a-kind performance featuring the Austin Symphony Orchestra on July 7 at 8pm CT. This appearance marks the first time Austin City Limits/Austin PBS has collaborated with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, one of Austin’s oldest and most respected arts institutions. ACL offers fans worldwide the unique opportunity to watch this taping live in its entirety free  here on our ACLTV YouTube Channel. 

In an unprecedented performance, Rodrigo y Gabriela will be joined by over thirty musicians from the Austin Symphony Orchestra to bring to life their latest release In Between Thoughts…A New World on the ACL stage. For over two decades, the Mexico City-bred duo of Gabriela Quintero and Rodrigo Sanchez have created music that invites lasting transcendence, captivating audiences across the globe with their virtuosic and wildly inventive guitar playing. In Between Thoughts marks a sharp departure from the signature acoustic sound the acclaimed act first showcased on their 2006 self-titled studio debut, and finds the pair expanding their sound with an orchestra. Conceived during the pandemic, the duo worked remotely with Vienna-based composer Adam Ilyas Kuruc and The Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra, who ornamented their serpentine arrangements with lush strings and powerful percussion. Sparked from their study of Advaita Vedanta (a Hindu philosophy rooted in the concept of nondualism), In Between Thoughts…A New World arrives as one of Rodrigo y Gabriela’s most revelatory offerings to date: a spontaneously composed body of work primed to bring about the very expansion of consciousness that inspired its creation. As they delved further into the philosophy, the duo began channeling their sense of heightened awareness into song form. “The music just started flowing out, without any real intention,” says Rodrigo. “When we looked back we realized we’d come up with nine songs that told the story of our coming to understand the Advaita path, in the exact perfect order.” The album finds Rodrigo trading his acoustic guitar for electric, adding a mercurial new energy that’s elegantly amplified by the duo’s subtle use of analog synths, Mellotron, and other electronic instruments. Propelled by a fierce vitality hinting at their thrash-metal roots, the result is an album of relentless movement and endless fluidity, each moment charged with the pure thrill of discovery. “When the subject matter is something like spirituality or seeking meaning, that can very easily go along with music that’s calming or serene,” says Gabriela. “But we wanted to do something different — we wanted to bring a cinematic quality and a lot of action to the music, and make it feel as exciting as we find all this to be.” 

Join us here on July 7 at 8 p.m. CT for Rodrigo y Gabriela featuring the Austin Symphony Orchestra; the broadcast episode will air on PBS this fall as part of our upcoming Season 49. Tune in to your local PBS station on Saturday nights for fan-favorite encore episodes of Austin City Limits; watch live on PBS, or stream anytime at PBS.org.