Category: Featured

The best of ACL indie rock kings Spoon on ACL

Post author By michael
Post date January 29, 2021

photo by Scott Newton

Live music beacon Austin City Limits (ACL) spotlights one of modern rock’s premier bands, Austin’s own Spoon, with The Best of Spoon. The career-spanning hour offers a fascinating look at the acclaimed band’s evolution from their debut on the series in 2003 to the recent present via highlights from the four-time ACL veterans. The broadcast premieres Saturday, January 30 at 8pm CT/9pm ET, as part of the iconic series Season 46. The episode will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online beginning Sunday, January 31 @10am ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits. With live music on hold, ACL continues to provide viewers a front-row seat to the best in performance. The program airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings for times) and full episodes are made available online for a limited time at pbs.org/austincitylimits immediately following the initial broadcast. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding future tapings, episode schedules and select live stream updates. The show’s official hashtag is #acltv.

Spoon emerged in the early aughts and Austin City Limits is proud to present highlights from the band’s multiple appearances on the program over two decades. Pitchfork hails them as “one of the most stand-up bands of their generation” and as Rolling Stone raves of their twenty-five year streak: “It’s just been one long stretch of slow-build greatness.” The 14-song, career-wide hour is a master-class from a band that has inspired legions of diehard fans and made it strictly on its own terms: jagged guitar, tight melodies and killer hooks, as frontman Britt Daniels’ indelible vocals fuse with drummer Jim Eno’s impeccable beats to create a sound all their own.

“Austin City Limits has always been good to us, going back to when I was served underage beers in the old UT studios at the Stevie Ray Vaughan taping of 1989,” says Britt Daniel. “We’ve played the show four different times now, and it never feels less than epic to be on stage with that set of the Austin skyline.”

photo by Scott Newton

Spoon tear through early-career highlights in their 2003 ACL debut, including the gut punch “Everything Hits At Once” from their 2001 breakthrough Girls Can Tell (which marks the 20th Anniversary this year) alongside the melodic swagger of “The Way We Get By” from 2002’s Kill the Moonlight. The band makes a confident return in 2005 to perform songs from that year’s Gimme Fiction. “This feels very Austin City Limits—I’m gonna invite somebody up on the stage,” says Daniel as indie standout M. Ward joins them on guitar for the scorching “The Beast and Dragon, Adored.” Spoon showcase their bona fides in a 2010 outing filled with gems from 2007’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga and 2010’s Transference including a definitive “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb” backed by a six-piece horn section. Returning to ACL in 2015 for the fourth time, Spoon receives a hero’s welcome from the Austin crowd. The band is at the top of their game, with a catalog of hits to match, and they deliver a stellar set filled with fan favorites including “I Turn My Camera On” and highlights from their acclaimed eighth album, 2014’s They Want My Soul, thrilling with the sublime pop perfection of “Do You” and “Rainy Taxi.”

Best of Spoon setlist:

Small Stakes (2003)

The Way We Get By (2003)

Everything Hits At Once (2003)

My Mathematical Mind (2005)

The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine (2005)

The Beast and Dragon, Adored (2005)

I Summon You (2005)

Sister Jack (2005)

You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb (2010)

Written In Reverse (2010)

Jonathan Fisk (2010)

I Turn My Camera On (2015)

Do You (2015)

Rainy Taxi (2015)

Season 46 Broadcast Schedule:

January 9 Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits

January 16 The War And Treaty | Ruthie Foster

January 23 Ray Wylie Hubbard

January 30 The Best of Spoon

February 6 Texas Icons: Jerry Jeff Walker & Billy Joe Shaver

February 13 Allen Toussaint: New Orleans Legend

ACL’s Season 46 premiered in October with standout performances from 2021 Grammy nominee Rufus Wainwright, UK country-soul sensation Yola, rock and country trailblazers The Mavericks, acclaimed Austin standout Jackie Venson, salutes to late ACL legends John Prine and Stevie Ray Vaughan, a celebration of 50 years of Asleep at the Wheel and more.

Tune-in, log on, and let ACL be a trusted sidekick for entertainment during these challenging days. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding live streams, future tapings and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter, IG and TikTok. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.

For images and episode information, visit Austin City Limits press room at http://acltv.com/press-room/.

About Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. Now in its 46th Season, the program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic KLRU Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012.

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS, KLRU-TV and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, RigUp, the Austin Convention Center Department and Cirrus Logic. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

Tags Spoon

Episode Recap Featured New Broadcast News

Ray Wylie Hubbard triumphs on ACL

Post author By michael
Post date January 21, 2021

photo by Scott Newton

Austin City Limits is proud to present the long-awaited debut of cult hero Ray Wylie Hubbard in a thrilling new hour. The ‘70s cosmic-country legend is currently enjoying one of the great second acts in music and he entertains with songs and banter, sharing tunes and tales from his legendary career. The installment premieres Saturday, January 23 as part of the iconic series Season 46 and will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online beginning Sunday, January 24@10am ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits. The broadcast, recorded in October 2020, reflects a rare no-audience taping due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With live music on hold, ACL continues to provide viewers a front-row seat to the best in performance. The program airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings for times) and full episodes are made available online for a limited time at pbs.org/austincitylimits immediately following the initial broadcast. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding future tapings, episode schedules and select live stream updates.

When F. Scott Fitzgerald issued his classic conclusion ‘There are no second acts in American lives,’ he failed to envision the career of Ray Wylie Hubbard, a willing conspirator in the late seventies Cosmic Cowboy revolt that ushered in the mythical Outlaw era. Hubbard, alongside colleagues such as Willie Nelson and Jerry Jeff Walker, was a catalyst in the cultural upheaval that led to the peaceful coexistence of Lone Star music fans at opposite ends of the social and political spectrum of the time. Hell-bent for truth and texture in capturing the way outlaws live, the Texas treasure relaunched his career in the 1990s and has been recording critically-lauded work ever since. Legions of fans in his home state and beyond have requested an ACL appearance by Hubbard for years and he now kicks up some cosmic dust in this long-awaited set, amplified by first-class musicians including his son, guitarist Lucas Hubbard and longtime drummer Kyle Schneider, joined by ace Austin musicians Bukka Allen on keyboards and bassist Gurf Morlix.

“There’s no good excuse for why it took Ray Wylie to finally make his debut on Austin City Limits after 46 years,” offered ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, “but like a fine whiskey, some things just keep getting better with age. Ray Wylie is in his prime right now, and also like a fine whiskey, there’s no better antidote to a year-long pandemic!”

“I hope you’re ready for this,” teases Hubbard after opening with a pair of numbers from his 2006 release Snake Farm, including the title track, a dirty-blues anthem celebrating a Texas roadside attraction. “If this is the first time you’ve seen me perform, you’re probably a little bit nervous after those first two songs,” jokes Hubbard. Passion for the man whose outlier bona fides have made him a roadhouse saint hasn’t waned as he is revered by a new generation of performers; he explores recent songs written with Eric Church and Hayes Carll. Hubbard presents highlights from his recent, acclaimed major label debut, Co-Starring, which features an impressive array of guests, including Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, Chris Robinson and Don Was, and showcases the new gem”Rock Gods,” a salute to one of his own heroes, Tom Petty.

photo by Scott Newton

Addressing ACL viewers, Hubbard remarks with a sly smile, “You might get the idea that I’m an acquired taste — so this song should weed you out.” The renegade poet closes the set with the swamp rocker “Mother Blues” from 2012’s The Grifter’s Hymnal – the story of a stolen Les Paul Gold Top, romances rooted in an afterhours gig, and the wisdom of keeping your gratitude higher than your expectations.

Ray Wylie Hubbard setlist:

Rabbit

Snake Farm

Drunken Poet’s Dream

Bad Trick

Rock Gods

Fast Left Hand

Wanna Rock and Roll

Desperate Man

Mother Blues

Season 46 Broadcast Schedule:

January 9 Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits

January 16 The War And Treaty | Ruthie Foster

January 23 Ray Wylie Hubbard

January 30 The Best of Spoon

February 6 Texas Icons: Jerry Jeff Walker & Billy Joe Shaver

February 13 Allen Toussaint: New Orleans Legend

About Austin City Limits

Tags Bukka Allen, cosmic cowboy, Gurf Morlix, outlaw country, Ray Wylie Hubbard, rock & roll

Black Pumas celebrate presidential inauguration from ACL Live

Post author By michael
Post date January 20, 2021

photo by Scott Newton

History was made on Jan. 20 with the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden as the 46th President of the United States and Kamala D. Harris as the first female, African-American and Asian-American Vice President in our country’s history. Also, for the first time, the ACL family was part of the celebration. During the inauguration primetime special broadcast, Austin’s own Black Pumas performed their Grammy Record of the Year nominee “Colors” from ACL Live at the Moody Theater, in front of the classic Austin City Limits skyline backdrop. We can’t think of a more appropriate way to salute the incoming presidential administration. Watch the full performance below.

Tags acl live at the moody theater, Black Pumas, skyline

Episode Recap Featured New Broadcast News

ACL lifts us up with The War And Treaty and Ruthie Foster

Post author By michael
Post date January 13, 2021

photo by Scott Newton

Live music beacon Austin City Limits offers a glorious hour of uplifting music for troubled times, featuring two of live music’s most powerful voices: husband-and-wife duo The War And Treaty and 2021 Grammy nominee, singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster. The new installment premieres Saturday, January 16 as part of the iconic series Season 46 – check your local listings for showtimes. The episode will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online beginning Sunday, January 17 @10am ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits. With live music on hold, ACL continues to provide viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance. The program airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings for times) and full episodes are made available online for a limited time at pbs.org/austincitylimits immediately following the initial broadcast. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding future tapings, episode schedules and select live stream updates.

Known for a live show that’s almost revival-like in its intensity, Nashville-based breakout act The War And Treaty showcase gems from their acclaimed 2020 album Hearts Town. Named Americana Music Awards 2019 Emerging Act of the Year, partners and collaborators Michael and Tanya Trotter deliver an impassioned ACL debut with their earthy, rock-infused Southern soul. “America, it’s time to unite. We need each other,” says Trotter from his piano bench as he leads the 10-piece ensemble and the pair drive home the plea for unity in times of division on “Beautiful.” The duo shine on “Take Me In,” a stunning anthem of inclusion, adding a verse from the Ray Charles version of “America the Beautiful” to powerful effect. The dynamic act reach new heights with a show-stopping number inspired by Charles, “Hey Pretty Moon,” closing out in dazzling harmony.

Blues and soul luminary Ruthie Foster returns to ACL for the first time in nearly two decades with a career-spanning set in a radiant performance. The Austin American-Statesman hails this homegrown treasure as “a transcendent singer with uncommon power and emotion” and she shines in a sparkling set accompanied by her 4-piece band and a trio of backing vocalists. Foster’s uplifting songs blend blues, folk, gospel and soul, including the jewels “Brand New Day” and “Feels Like Freedom.” Foster fondly calls her live shows “Hallelujah Time,” and a set highlight is the feel-good empowerment anthem “Phenomenal Woman” from 2007’s The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster, showcasing her powerhouse vocals and contagious joy. She dips into the catalog of the mighty Staples Singers for “The Ghetto,” a gorgeous, piercing tune of history and social commentary.

photo by Scott Newton

“Given the troubled state of our country today, this may well be our most meaningful show of the season,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “There’s a message and a spirit behind the music that we all need to hear right now. We are also proud to once again celebrate Austn’s most passionate musical voice, Ruthie Foster.”

The War And Treaty setlist:

Five More Minutes

Beautiful

Take Me In

Jubilee

Hey Pretty Moon

Ruthie Foster setlist:

Brand New Day

Phenomenal Woman

Feels Like Freedom

The Ghetto

Runaway Soul

Season 46 Broadcast Schedule:

January 9 Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits

January 16 The War And Treaty | Ruthie Foster

January 23 Ray Wylie Hubbard

January 30 The Best of Spoon

February 6 Texas Icons: Jerry Jeff Walker & Billy Joe Shaver

February 13 Allen Toussaint: New Orleans Legend

About Austin City Limits

Tags Ruthie Foster, The War And Treaty

Episode Recap Featured New Broadcast News

Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits TV this weekend

Post author By michael
Post date January 7, 2021

photo by Scott Newton

Live music beacon Austin City Limits resumes Season 46 with an electrifying hour: Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the rock superstars and in anticipation of their 10^th studio album, Medicine At Midnight, which is set to be released on February 5th. Experience the communal magic of live music with the best, the best, the best of Foo Fighters, featuring a hit parade of classics from the powerhouse band’s two unforgettable ACL appearances, originally broadcast in 2009 and 2015. The must-see hour premieres Saturday, January 9, as ACL’s Season 46 returns with six installments. Check your local PBS listings for broadcast times. The episode will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online beginning Sunday, January 10 @10am ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits.

Get your lighters out for a head-banging, epic, joyous hour as Austin City Limits celebrates Foo Fighters with a silver anniversary salute. The 30-million-record-selling, eleven-time GRAMMY-winning band plays sold-out arenas and stadiums across the globe, but these rock and roll stalwarts took time in Season 34 — then returned for ACL’s milestone Season 40 — to carve their name in ACL history with superstar-caliber performances. The thrilling hour showcases highlights from the pair of programs as Dave Grohl & company make their ACL debut in 2009 with blistering renditions of early Foo favorites including “My Hero,” “Everlong” and “All My Life” in a fevered rock attack that captures the magnetic energy of the band. In their 2015 encore, Foo Fighters return at the height of their powers to deliver a blitzkrieg of anthems from their canon as frontman Grohl playfully ventures offstage to get close to the fans. The hard-driving band play at full tilt and drive it home with their classic “Best of You,” as the pumped-up crowd thrills to iconic riffs and the Foos close out with an epic blitz of guitar bliss in a performance for the ages.

“I’m sure I can speak for every musician when I say that being asked to come play Austin City Limits is practically like getting a medal,” says Dave Grohl. “As a musician it’s something to aspire to and if you actually achieve that then you wear it like a badge.”

Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits setlist:

All My Life (2009)

My Hero (2009)

Everlong (2009)

Monkey Wrench (2009)

The Pretender (2009)

Times Like These (2015)

Rope (2015)

Walk (2015)

Best of You (2015)

Season 46 Broadcast Schedule:

January 9 Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits

January 16 The War And Treaty | Ruthie Foster

January 23 Ray Wylie Hubbard

January 30 The Best of Spoon

February 6 Texas Icons: Jerry Jeff Walker & Billy Joe Shaver

February 13 Allen Toussaint: New Orleans Legend

About Austin City Limits

Tags Foo Fighters

K.T. Oslin R.I.P.

Post author By michael
Post date December 21, 2020

photo by Scott Newton

The Austin City Limits crew is sad to hear of the death of singer, songwriter and country hitmaker K.T. Oslin at the age of 78. The three-time Grammy-winning artist suffered from Parkinson’s disease for many years, and had been diagnosed with Covid-19 last week.

Raised in Houston, Texas, Oslin majored in drama at Lon Morris and sang in a folk trio with Guy Clark as a young adult in her hometown. She found success appearing in musical stage productions in New York City and starting writing songs in her NY apartment. Her first country singles came out on Elektra Records in the early 80s, but failed to make much of a dent in the charts. It wasn’t until 1987 when, at the age of 45, she hit with her self-penned “80’s Ladies,” her first top-ten, CMA- and Grammy award-winning single, which pushed the album of the same name to the top of the C&W charts. She continued having hits through the early nineties, including her #1 singles “Hold Me” (which won her two further Grammys), “I’ll Always Come Back,” “Come Next Monday” and “Do Ya.” She also wrote songs for the Judds and Gail Davies.

“K.T. brought an edge and an attitude that was missing in Country music in the 80’s and 90’s – especially among female singers,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “There weren’t many singers of any gender singing lyrics like ‘We were stoned rock and rollers in the 60’s.’ She helped pave the way for the new generation of women in Country to come.”

For the rest of her career Oslin alternated between acting and music, releasing six LPs in total, including 2001’s Live Close By, Visit Often, produced by the Mavericks’ Raul Malo, and her final album Simply in 2015. She appeared on Austin City Limits twice, in 1989 and 1992. Here she is with her closing number from the latter year, singing “Do Ya.”

Tags K.T. Oslin, R.I.P