For the past decade, Austin City Limits has been the best source for indie rock on television. This spring, we’ll keep that particular brand of goodness coming with new tapings featuring Grizzly Bear and Jim James. Grizzly Bear has been on the rise for all of their decade-long existence, and we’re happy to finally bring their visceral, majestic indie rock to our stage on April 10 as they support their acclaimed latest LP Shields. Brilliant My Morning Jacket leader James is no stranger to ACL – this May 5 show celebrating his eclectic, atmospheric solo album Regions of Light and Sound of God will be his sixth appearance on our stage.
We’ve got more great music on the way to our studio – stayed tuned for information on how to be in the audience for one of these tapings by following us on Facebook and Twitter and in this space.
Alright, slackers, vacation time is over. We’ve already booked some artists for the next season of Austin City Limits, which will be our 39th. We’re thrilled to announce that we’re kicking off our new taping season on March 17 with indie rock heroes Vampire Weekend, a longtime “ask” that’s finally a “get.” On April 16 we’re bringing current radio faves the Lumineers to our stage, accompanied by fast-rising critical faves Shovels & Rope. On May 6 we welcome French alt.rock troupe Phoenix to ACL.
Not a bad way to kick off an exciting new year in ACL TV history. This will be just the tip of the iceberg, of course – check in frequently with our Facebook and Twitter pages and this here blog for more taping announcements as they happen.
We’re pleased to announce two more tapings for Season 38 with a veteran and a rising star: Bob Mould on November 1 and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros on November 5.
For fans of alternative rock, Bob Mould scarcely needs any introduction. The singer/songwriter/guitarist rewrote the rules of punk rock in the 80s with his band Husker Du and defined the sound of melodic alt.rock with his 90s power trio Sugar. He’s also released a line of critically lauded solo albums that have ranged in sound from acoustic reverie to electronic dance music and everything in between. Following his highly regarded memoir See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody and a successful tour performing the classic Sugar album Copper Blue in its entirety, Mould has release his acclaimed new LP Silver Age, a high-volume reminder of Mould’s mastery of melody, power and passion. With Mould in Austin for a set at the fabulous Fun Fun Fun Fest, we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this pioneering rocker to the ACL stage.
photo by Laure Vincent-Bouleau
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros are the brainchild of singer/songwriter Alex Ebert, former frontman for the band Ima Robot. Following a relationship dissolution and treatment for addiction, Ebert began writing a book about a Messianic figure sent to Earth to heal mankind, but kept getting distracted by love. How the book evolved into a large, psychedelic folk rock ensemble remains mysterious, but the band’s impact is crystal clear: a radio hit with the infectious “Home” (from the debut album Up From Below), a spot on the inaugural Railroad Revival Tour alongside ACL vets Mumford & Sons and Old Crow Medicine Show, and a loyal audience built by heavy touring. Now, in celebration of their second album Here and a spot at Fun Fun Fun Fest, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros bring their freewheeling, hard-folking party to Austin City Limits.
Two great acts on the greatest stage on the planet in November. Keep an eye on our Tapings page for information on tickets!
As leaves turn brown and the weather grows cooler, we have more exciting tapings to announce: an ACL debut with Delta Spirit and return visits from Gary Clark, Jr. and Esperanza Spalding.
Formed in San Diego and based in Brooklyn, modern rock quintet Delta Spirit have steadily built a loyal live following over the course of seven years and three records. Originally self-released before being picked up by Rounder Records, the band’s debut Ode to Sunshine gave its earnest, spiritually-inclined guitar pop enough attention to earn it spots on Late Night With Conan O’Brien and Last Call With Carson Daly. The group’s second record History From Below hit the Billboard album chart at #174, while its current self-titled LP entered at #103 and earned the #1 slot on BB’s Heatseekers chart. As likely to include beats hammered out on trashcan lids as sprightly melodies played on the usual rock instruments, Delta Spirit has brought its sound into the light the old-fashioned way: with good records, hard work and steady touring. Come find out on November 2 why the buzz is growing.
photo by Frank Maddocks
Gary Clark, Jr. has been tearing up Austin stages since he was a teenager, and has lately made a name for himself across the country as well. Though known for his driving blues-rock guitar style, there’s more to his music than just twelve bars and guitar solos. As Rolling Stone notes, Blak and Blu, his major label debut, “[owes] as much to Kurt Cobain and the Ramones as Buddy Guy and John Lee Hooker, indebted to hip-hop and psychedelia…grounded in tradition while standing on the brink of change.” Clark has appeared on ACL before, as part of the Tribute to Bluesman Jimmy Reed with Jimmie Vaughan and Omar Dykes, impressing his fellow musicians and our viewers. On November 30, he’s coming to show Austin City Limits what his own music can do.
photo by Carlos Pericas
With one foot in jazz, the other in soul and both hands on her bass, Esperanza Spalding has become a rising star in both critical and commercial circles. A restless creative spirit, the young musician/singer/composer has absorbed everything from jazz to Brazilian pop to R&B to classical music in her creative evolution. Her most recent album Radio Music Society leans most heavily in a soul direction, with a set of original tunes, plus covers of Michael Jackson’s Stevie Wonder-penned “I Can’t Help It” and Wayne Shorter’s “Endangered Species,” featuring lyrics by Spalding herself. The former Berklee School of Music professor first appeared on ACL three years ago, where she wowed an audience unfamiliar with her music, and she continues to do so every time her show is rebroadcast. On December 2, Esperanza Spalding is back, with a whole new program, and we couldn’t be happier.
The usual lottery for taping passes will be announced on our Tapings page as we get closer to the dates. We have more exciting announcements coming soon!
ACL fans need no introduction to Norah Jones – the eclectic singer/songwriter has graced our stage twice before. Her upcoming third taping on October 18, however, comes on the heels of her acclaimed album Little Broken Hearts. Not only is Hearts a classic break-up album, but it also comes with imaginative production and co-writing from the iconoclastic Brian Burton, AKA Danger Mouse, who has himself visited ACL as part of Gnarls Barkley. Combining Burton’s otherworldly textures with Jones’ raw, heart-on-sleeve writing produces what The Boston Globe called “a striking change-up” and The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed “her best album in ages.” Meanwhile NPR notes, “Always more versatile than most people think, Jones fits all of this smart material to perfection, marking her second decade as a star while making her sound cooler and more unflappably sophisticated than ever.” We’re proud to present an ACL veteran moving in new directions. We hope you can join us.
Summer keeps heating up for Austin City Limits, as we’ve got two more tapings to announce, both from singers burning up their individual genres: Kat Edmonson on July 10 and Tim McGraw on August 6.
With a vision that’s “equal parts Billie Holiday and Bjork” (All About Jazz), Kat Edmonson seemingly came out of nowhere in 2009 to take the jazz world by storm. The Texas native grew up in Houston with a mother who introduced her to the Great American Songbook. Determined to be a singer, she auditioned for American Idol during its second season, but left Hollywood for Austin. She became a regular at the Elephant Room, Austin’s premier jazz club, building a following and making musical connections that energized her career. Her 2009 debut album Take To the Sky hit the top 20 on Billboard’s jazz charts, adding enough juice that she found herself playing gigs with Boz Scaggs, Smokey Robinson and Willie Nelson. A high-profile duet with fan Lyle Lovett on the Christmas classic “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” put her on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and set the stage for Way Down Low, her second record and first to include her own original songs. Armed with a LP that’s been called “intuitive about melody and handy with a phrase” (The New York Times) and “one of the greatest vocal albums I’ve ever heard” (The Boston Globe), Kat Edmonson now comes to our stage on July 10, ready for what’s sure to be a memorable ACL debut.
photo by Alyson Fox
Also making his debut this season is country superstar Tim McGraw. Obviously no rookie, the Louisiana native has sold over 40 million units, won three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 11 Country Music Association Awards, 10 American Music Awards, three People’s Choice Awards and numerous other honors. With 7.8 million spins at radio, he was deemed “Artist of the Decade” (2000-2010) by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. McGraw’s 11th studio album Emotional Traffic debuted at No. one on the Billboard Country Chart, making it his 13th career #1 debut. With 32 #1 singles to his credit and his current single “Better Than I used To be” tracking on the same course, McGraw’s hits include “Felt Good On My Lips,” “Southern Voice,” “Live Like You Were Dying, “Real Good Man” and many, many more. NPR notes, “With a voice that can go from earthy to angelic in a single phrase and a back catalog that shows serious growth over two decades, McGraw is a star with substance.” Come find out for yourself on August 6.
Go here for more information on ACL tapings, and check in on our Facebook and Twitter pages for the ticket announcements for these shows.
