Austin City LimitsWe’re pleased to announce that Austin City Limits will be live streaming our upcoming tapings with Jason Isbell, Dawes and Austin’s own Black Angels around the world. Tune in to the ACL YouTube channel at 8 pm CT on Aug. 19 for Isbell’s rocking literary Americana, Aug. 25 for Dawes’ shimmering folk rock and Aug. 28 for the Angels’ rumbling psychedelia. See you there!
Folk music has long been a staple of Austin City Limits. That said, to call either Fleet Foxes or Joanna Newsom simply “folk” is to do them a disservice. As you’ll see when these iconoclasts’ joint episode airs this weekend, there’s much more to these artists than just acoustic instruments.
The first half of this weekend’s episode spotlights the strong songcraft and delicate instrumental interplay of Fleet Foxes. The Seattle sextet interweaves lush vocal harmonies and arrangements that feature everything from 12-string guitar to mandolin to bass clarinet. The band emphasizes its latest record Helplessness Blues, with inspired performances of “Sim Sala Bim” and “The Shrine/An Argument.” But the Foxes’ popular first LP represents with “Your Protector” and the fan-favorite “Blue Ridge Mountains.” It’s a tight set that proves Fleet Foxes has earned their acclaim.
The second half showcases the daring experimentalism and uncommon musicality of Joanna Newsom. Wielding her harp like a paintbrush and singing like a delirious angel, Newsom leads her unique ensemble (strings, trombone, tamboura, kaval, banjo) through a set drawn mostly from her latest album Have One On Me, including the title track and the mesmerizing “Good Intentions Paving Company.” While you could throw words like “psychedelic” and “folk” and “classical” around when talking about Joanna Newsom, it’s better to simply experience her special sound and vision for yourself.
The Fleet Foxes/Joanna Newsom show hits the airwaves this weekend – check your local PBS listings for showtimes. Head over to the episode page for more goodies – pics, setlists, bio info. Don’t forget to check out our Facebook and Twitter regularly, or to sign up for our e-newsletter. Next week: Rosanne Cash and Brandi Carlile.
The wide (wild?) world of indie rock has so many disparate roads to travel it’s dizzying. But the best indie rock artists, like the best musicians in any genre, have one thing in common: good songs. And on this weekend’s encore you can see two of the best song-centric indie rock bands on Austin City Limits: The Head and the Heart and Gomez.
Seattle sextet The Head and the Heart exploded out of the Pacific Northwest with an eponymous debut that sold 10,000 copies as a self-released disk before being picked up by indie label giant Sub Pop. The group’s upbeat, harmony-rich folk pop has garnered a large, deeply dedicated fan base in a surprisingly short amount of time. Come hear why as the band plays fan favorites “Down in the Valley” and “Lost in My Mind,” among others.
U.K. quintet Gomez have fifteen years of experience behind them and show no signs of slowing down. The band’s eclectic mix of roots rock, pop, psychedelia, electronica and whatever else crosses the members’ radar has gained them a loyal worldwide audience of discerning music fans. Gomez’ seventh LP Whatever’s On Your Mind received the near-universal acclaim all their records earn, and the band shows why with performances of “I Will Take You There” and “Just As Lost As You,” as well as old favorites “Get Miles” and “In Our Gun.”
Want more details? Head over to the episode page for photos, setlists and biographical info. Don’t forget to visit – and visit often – our Facebook and Twitter pages for tidbits on ACL, or to sign up for our e-newsletter. Next week on Austin City Limits: Fleet Foxes and Joanna Newsom.
“This is a special night for us. We’re very excited!” ” proclaims Tim McGraw during his debut ACL performance. So are we to welcome one of contemporary country’s biggest stars.
In a dynamic performance, McGraw takes the ACL stage armed with both his greatest hits and brand new songs. Performing tracks from his latest record Two Lanes of Freedom, McGraw blazes through an hour-long set of his distinctive brand of rockin’ country music.
Launching into a set that has the audience on its feet from the first note, the country kingpin has his engines revving and thrills the crowd in a visceral, moving performance. From his hard-driving new single “One of Those Nights” to the feel-good hangover of “Mexicoma,” the energy level is at 11 when McGraw sings his massive career-defining anthem “Live Like You Were Dying.” He brings the show to a close and a smile to every face with the good-natured hillbilly humor of his recent huge hit “Truck Yeah,” a singalong anthem if there ever was one.
“Country Music has plenty of superstars to go around, but Tim has that special ability to make an emotional connection with his audience that is rare in any genre,” says ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona. “His first ACL appearance meant a lot to him – he told me it made him feel ‘like a real musician – not just sort of smoke and mirrors.’”
Check out the episode page for more info on this exciting show. Keep up with other ACL goings-on through our Facebook and Twitter pages and our newsletter. Next week: The Head and the Heart and Gomez.
Summer may be pounding Austin with triple-degree temperatures, but we’re still excited to have new ACL tapings to announce. First up is Dawes on August 25. Currently touring in support of their recently released third album, the acclaimed Stories Don’t End, Dawes are evolving into one of America’s most beloved young bands working today. Having already toured with the likes of Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne and Mumford & Sons, among others, and gracing the stages of the country’s most prestigious festivals, Dawes’ appeal crosses all age barriers and has no boundaries. To make Stories Don’t End, the band traveled to North Carolina and worked with producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, Norah Jones), resulting in their most diverse and accomplished record yet. Both Relix and American Songwriterput the band on their recent covers and Rolling Stone called the album “quietly gripping,” and “deceptively gleaming.” Paste noted that it’s full of “their most intricate music to date, full of colorful detours and surprising instrumental flavors” and the NY Daily News declared that it “both recalls a classic era and speaks to any.”
On Sept. 13 we welcome fun. The New York trio had a whirlwind year last year, releasing an inescapable brace of singles, the success of which contrasts with the band’s humble beginnings. Singer Nate Ruess formed fun. after the demise of his previous band, the well-regarded but commercially unsuccessful The Format, inviting Andrew Dost of Anathallo and Jack Antonoff of Steel Train to join him. Aim & Ignite, fun.’s first LP, received critical nods, but it was their second album that put the band over the top. Some Nights boasts the massive hits “Some Nights,” “Carry On” and the monster “We Are Young,” singalongs that ably demonstrate what The New York Times called “grandiose pop tunes with complex structures, soaring hooks, and pensive verses.” The group also won its first Grammys, for Best New Artist and Song of the Year for “We Are Young,” earlier this year.
Two great artists, two great tapings – we hope you can join us.
This weekend Austin City Limits is bringing you some southern twang, pink guitars, shotgun mic stands and serious country with this encore episode featuring Miranda Lambert and Jeff Bridges.
Miranda Lambert has become a household name since her appearance on Nashville Star back in 2003 and is now, undoubtedly, one of country music’s biggest names. Miranda, whose father is a singer/songwriter, admits that she wasn’t always keen on singing growing up, but once she turned 17 she realized that music was the most natural way for her to express herself. Since then Miranda has released five studio albums, won a Grammy for her song “The House That Built Me” and now has a side project with Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley called Pistol Annies, who join Lambert to sing “Hell On Wheels,” their biggest hit of their album by the same name.
The highly acclaimed actor/singer Jeff Bridges also appears in this episode, singing hits from the Grammy-winning Crazy Heart soundtrack as well as songs from his 2011 self-titled debut. Known for his prolific acting career, the Oscar-winning Bridges shows fans a different side, displaying his singing and songwriting ability. While shooting Crazy Heart, Bridges realized that he was a bit tired of the “acting thing” and wanted to go back to his original interest: music. Highlights of the performance include the songs, “Somebody Else” and “What a Little Bit of Love Can Do,” written by beloved Austin musician Stephen Bruton.
So sit back and relax this Saturday with two of country music’s most famous and talented names. Be sure to check your local listings for showtimes to see this episode and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr to keep up with updates on tapings and airings. Next week: Tim McGraw.