Category: Featured

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Featured News

Radiohead poster artist for Amnesty International

You may not recognize the name Stanley Donwood, but if you’re a Radiohead fan, you’ve undoubtedly seen his work – he provided the cover art for the band’s latest LP The King of Limbs. He also, at the band’s request, designed the poster for Tuesday night’s ACL taping with Oxford’s favorite sons.

Here’s the extra cool part. In lieu of a fee, Mr. Donwood asked us to make a donation to Amnesty International in his name. We’d like to acknowledge his generosity and progressive spirit – it’s great to know that even in the music business there are still folks who use their talents for good. We encourage you to click on his link above to support his work, and if you’d like to join him in supporting Amnesty International, you can do so here.

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Featured News

One Year at the Moody Theater

This month Austin City Limits celebrates one year of production at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. Last year on February 26, we taped the Steve Miller Band, the first taping of Season 37 and the first in our new home.

It wasn’t an easy decision to move from the comfy confines of KLRU’s Studio 6A, but it was a necessary one: the growth of the show over the years meant the outgrowth of that 320-seat space. But we worked closely with Stratus Properties on the design of our new digs, and The Moody Theater is all we ever dreamed of as a venue – the space, the sound, the lights, the multiple bathrooms on the same floors as the seats.

Of course, The Moody isn’t just a television studio. It’s also a concert hall, with a huge variety of artists coming through and a growing reputation as a first-class room. It says a lot that folks like Santana and Diana Ross who could’ve played in much bigger halls, but instead chose to come to The Moody Theater instead. Indeed, Pollstar awarded The Moody Theater Best New Major Concert Venue at the 23rd annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards. Plus the entire Block 21 complex has received LEED Silver Certification from Austin Energy’s Green Building program for commitment to sustainability.

Thanks for sticking with us through some major changes — we hope you love the new digs as much as we do. We look forward to bringing you more excellent music for many years to come!

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Featured Taping Announcement

Alabama Shakes tape ACL 3/13

It’s always a thrill to introduce the Austin City Limits audience to someone new, and we’re proud to be doing it again with the first ACL taping by the Alabama Shakes on March 13. Of course, the Athens, Alabama-spawned Shakes aren’t really new – the hard-touring band has been blazing a trail across the United States for the past year, spreading its bluesy rock & soul gospel to an ever-growing rabid fanbase. The quartet’s hard work – and fiery frontperson Brittany Howard’s powerful voice and undeniable charisma – has led to a well-received set at CMJ, a session for Seatlle’s public radio tastemaker KEXP, a slot opening for the Drive-By Truckers (at the band’s request), a post on the influential music blog Aquarium Drunkard and an appearance on Conan O’Brien’s TBS talk show. Now, with the debut record Boys & Girls poised for release in April, we’re happy to welcome the Alabama Shakes to the ACL stage on 3/13.

Keep an eye on the blog, our Facebook pageand Twitter feed regularly for news on the public ticket giveaway. This will be a special early show, starting at 6 p.m.

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Featured Taping Announcement

The Shins tape ACL on 3/18

Back in Season 30, we presented an episode  with the highly-praised indie pop band the Shins, then riding the wave of acclaim accompanying their Chutes Too Narrow LP.  It’s been a while, then, but we’re pleased to welcome the band back on March 18 in anticipation of their new album Port of Morrow (which comes out a couple of days later). Leader James Mercer’s smart songs and well-rounded guitar pop have always sounded good to us, and we’re sure they ring true in The Moody Theater.

Keep an eye on the blog, our Facebook pageand Twitter feed regularly for news on the public ticket giveaway.

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Featured Taping Announcement

Bon Iver tapes Austin City Limits 4/25

Winning two Grammy awards (including Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album) and carrying around enough critical acclaim to throw a gorilla’s back out, Bon Iver is on top of the rock world right now. So we’re pleased to invite singer/songwriter Justin Vernon and his crew to The Moody Theater on April 25 to tape their first episode of Austin City Limits. Bon Iver’s atmospheric indie pop has been taking the alt.rock world by storm since his beloved debut For Emma, Forever Ago, and we’re happy that we get to add songs from it and its Grammy-nominated successor Bon Iver, Bon Iver to the annals of ACL.

As always there will be a public giveaway.  Check our Facebook and Twitter pages – and, of course, the blog – regularly for information on how you can be a part of the action.

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Featured News

Congratulations to the 2011 Grammy winners!

The 54th annual Grammys ceremony has come and gone. While we were particularly excited this year because our own Terry Lickona co-produced the broadcast, we’d be remiss in not congratulating the winners, including upcoming ACL performers the Civil Wars, who took home trophies for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Folk Album, ACL veterans Alison Krauss & Union Station, who won Best Bluegrass Album, Season 32 performer Corinne Bailey Rae, who earned Best R&B Vocal, and Season 34 alumni Foo Fighters, who swept the rock categories in the same way Adele swept the pop headings. Congratulations also to Coldplay, Wilco, the Decemberists, Mumford & Sons and Raphael Saadiq, who may not have won anything, but in a field as crowded as today’s music world, it really is an honor just to be nominated.

Looking for a complete list of winners and nominees? The Grammy website has you covered – go here for the details.