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Taping Recap: Hurray For The Riff Raff

“This is a dream come true to finally have the honor of taping an [episode of] Austin City Limits,” said singer/songwriter Alynda Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff Tuesday night. In their debut appearance on the show, Segarra took the stage humbly, waving at the studio audience, dressed in chaps and a leather vest with a scorpion and the bold lettering of ”Colossus” on the back. Backed by a four-piece band, Segarra made the hour a dusky, nostalgic venture through Hurray’s acclaimed latest release and ninth studio album, The Past Is Still Alive, drifting through personal stories of their past and heavily influenced by the proverbial and literal “ride” life can take you on. 

Hurray kicked off the set following the album sequencing with “Alibi,” “Buffalo” and “Hawkmoon,” which Segarra declared a trans song and dedicated to “Miss Jonathan, wherever you are,” a muse of theirs whom they met in their early travels as a young runaway. Next up was a trip back in time to 2022 album LIFE ON EARTH with “RHODODENDRON,” Segarra taking pause to regard the studio audience and speak about their latest album. Next up was “Dynamo,” “Snake Plant,” and “Colossus of the Roads,” which Segarra wrote for queer people and fringe communities shortly after the Club Q shooting in Colorado. 

“The next song is over ten years old,” said Segarra as an introduction to “The Body Electric” off 2014 album Small Town Heroes. By the time the band arrived at “Vetiver,” “Hourglass,” and “The World is Dangerous” off the latest album, it truly felt like a journey had been taken across America, exposing its dark underbelly but at times managing to bring out flashes of silver linings laced with perspective only time can achieve. It comes as no surprise elements of the album were lifted from Segarra’s phase of cross-country train travel inspired by Woody Guthrie songs and a poet’s sensibility. 

Ending the evening with an encore performance of “Ogallala,” named after a city in Nebraska, Segarra soaked in the audience’s applause, bowing deeply and once again waving with gratitude to the live audience. We sure hope Hurray for the Riff Raff’s travels bring them back through Austin again one day soon. You can catch Hurray For The Riff Raff’s Austin City Limits episode when it airs on PBS later this year as part of our anniversary Season 50. 

Hurray For The Riff Raff performs on Austin City Limits, July 2, 2024. Photos by Scott Newton.

Listen to the full set list from the Austin City Limits taping below:

BAND CREDITS:

Alynda Segarra – Singer/Songwriter

Nnamdi Ogbonnaya – Bass, Backup Vocals 

Parker Grogan – Guitar, Backup Vocals

Marcus Drake – Drums 

Lynn Ligammari – Saxophone

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Taping Recap

Taping Recap: The War And Treaty

The War And Treaty perform on Austin City Limits

Backed by an incredible seven-piece band, Nashville-based husband and wife duo Michael and Tanya Trotter, AKA The War And Treaty, dazzled Austin City Limits last week for a second time. Their first performance on ACL was during the pandemic, so the Grammy-nominated duo unfortunately taped their debut episode to a limited audience. This time around, the dynamic pair took the stage to a high-energy, captivated live audience who hung on their every lyric, offering multiple standing ovations throughout the night. 

“Can we take you to church tonight?” asked Michael Trotter Jr. of the audience early in their set, kicking off the hour with “Till the Walls Fall,” and new track “Tunnel Vision,” to be released on their forthcoming album (set for a 2025 release). After a soulful, “Are you Ready to Love Me,” the duo took a breath, a crew member running out to blot the sweat from powerhouse singer Michael Trotter Jr. He then introduced “Blank Page” as the song that garnered he and Tanya  “a couple of firsts in our lives. “It got us our first Academy of Country Music Award nomination, our first Country Music Association award nomination, and first Grammy nomination…” continued Trotter Jr. As The War And Treaty continued into highlights “That’s How Love is Made,” “Yesterday’s Burn,” and “Reminisce,” it was more than apparent, from their otherworldly vocal harmonies to their onstage chemistry, that the duo is sonically synced in a way that’s deeply rooted with love for each other and for what they do. They held hands during a few of their songs. Taking a moment before “Stealin’ A Kiss” to describe their first date and how they came to fall in love, the stories the duo told behind some of their songs were equally as entertaining as the songs themselves. 

The set took a turn to introspection, as U.S. War Veteran Michael Trotter Jr. prefaced “Skyscraper” with some background on his two tours in Iraq, and the decisions in his life that led him there. Shouting out his “battle buddies,” Trotter Jr. said, “I want to dedicate this song to everyone here.” From there, the talented pair  closed out their set with the upbeat “Called You by Your Name,” featuring spirited violin from Chelsey Green, followed by “Leads Me Home.” 

“Happy 50th Anniversary, Austin City Limits,” shouted Trotter Jr. as he recognized each band member, cuing the audience for applause for each talented person. As The War And Treaty left the stage to an audience on their feet, applauding, one thing was certain: bringing them back to the Austin City Limits stage for a proper live taping was the best decision we could have made. The War And Treaty’s taping will air this fall as part of Austin City Limits’ golden 50th anniversary season. 

The War And Treaty performs on Austin City Limits, June 28, 2024. Photos by Scott Newton.

Listen to the full set list from the Austin City Limits taping below: (Note that “Till the Walls Fall,” “Tunnel Vision,” “Reminisce,” and “Skyscraper” were performed but are not currently available on Spotify.)

BAND CREDITS:

Michael Trotter, Jr. – Piano, Vocals 

Tanya Blount Trotter – Vocals 

Max Brown – Lead Guitar 

Jonathan “Bam” Holmes – Drums

Tom Davis – Bass

Terrance “Slim” Holmes – Hammond Organ 

Ben Murray – Pedal Steel Joe 

Jordan – Trumpet 

Chelsey Green – Violin

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Taping Recap: Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves on Austin City Limits, Season 50

Kacey Musgraves returned to the Austin City Limits stage for her third appearance in ten years Monday, June 3, 2024 in support of her latest release, Deeper Well. We at Austin City Limits were thrilled to have her back to the show.

“It’s good to be back here in Texas,” said Musgraves, after taking the stage with her talented band, all sporting Canadian tuxedos. She continued, “It is such an honor to be kicking off the 50th season of ACL.”

Kacey Musgraves’ performance will air as the season premiere of the 50th anniversary of Austin City Limits, the longest running music series in television history. Season 50 is slated to premiere on PBS in September 2024.

Kacey Musgraves performs on Austin City Limits, June 3, 2024. Photos by Scott Newton.

Listen to the full set list from the Austin City Limits taping below:

BAND CREDITS:

Kacey Musgraves – Vox, Guitar

John Whitt Jr. – Keys

Drew Taubenfeld – Guitar/Pedal Steel

Clif Johnson – Keys

Jon Sosin – Guitar / Background Vocals

Ben Jaffe – Guitar / Background Vocals

Tarron Crayton – Bass

Rob Humphreys – Drums

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Taping Recap

Taping Recap: Maggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers at Austin City Limits, May 2024

Maggie Rogers returned to the Austin City Limits stage for her second taping Thursday night, sporting her [now] signature sheer skirt and black leotard, the perfect ensemble for a night of impassioned dancing. And that’s exactly what she came onstage doing – dancing. Opening the hour with “It Was Coming All Along,” from her third and latest album Don’t Forget Me, the singer-songwriter’s contagious energy had the audience on their feet, dancing along throughout most of the highly anticipated performance. 

Rogers performed three more songs from Don’t Forget Me, following the album’s track list. Touted as a road trip album written from the perspective of someone leaving home for the first time, hearing the tracks in the album order was transcendent. Rogers broke up the journey through Don’t Forget Me with favorites “Want Want” and “Be Cool” from Surrender, as well as “Dog Years,” and hit single “Love You For a Long Time.” As Rogers switched from dancing with abandon to wielding an acoustic guitar for some songs, fans took the opportunity between songs to yell, “I love you Maggie,” to which she replied warmly to the intimate studio audience, “I love you too.” 

After “If Now Was Then,” the band left the stage as Maggie took to the piano for a stripped down and vulnerable performance of “I Still Do.” Overwhelmed by the emotion of the obviously very personal song, Rogers took a beat at the back of the stage to breathe deeply as her band returned to the stage, before asking the audience for three minutes to regroup backstage. Returning to an adoring crowd lifting her up with applause, Rogers was brought back to high spirits as she continued with selections from Surrender: “Anywhere With You,” and “That’s Where I Am.”

Closing out the night with “All the Same” and “Don’t Forget Me,” Rogers and her talented band took the studio audience through what felt like the nostalgic hills and valleys of a long lost relationship, but through the matured perspective of someone with clear eyes and a full tank of gas. Catch Maggie Roger’s Season 50 episode later this year on PBS, in celebration of 50 years of Austin City Limits. 

Maggie Rogers performs on Austin City Limits, May 30, 2024. Photos by Scott Newton.

Listen to the full set list from the Austin City Limits taping below:

BAND:

Maggie Rogers – Lead Vox/Guitar

Brian Kesley – MD/Bass

Bryn Bliska – MD/Keys/Guitar/Vox

Bryndon Cook – Keys/Guitar/Vox

Shannon Callihan – Guitar/Vox

Jordan Rose – Drums

Nicholas Rothouse – Percussion

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Taping Recap: Nickel Creek

Nickel Creek returned to the Austin City Limits stage Sunday, May 5 for their fourth performance over a 25-year period, in continued support for their 2023 release of fifth album, Celebrants, coming off a nine-year hiatus in releasing new material. With their debut in 1999, Terry Lickona mentioned in introducing them that “they were teenagers when they came on the show the first time,” sharing an episode from their second performance on ACL with none other than Dolly Parton. Siblings Sara Watkins (fiddle, guitar, vocals) and Sean Watkins (guitar, vocals), with Chris Thile (mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, vocals)  and Jeff Picker (bass, vocals) came onstage jumping for joy and hyping up the crowd. They began the dazzling hour with “Where the Long Line Leads,” “The Lighthouse’s Tale,” and the instrumental “Going Out…,” with Chris Thile pausing in between to reflect on their fourth visit to ACL, “We’re not teenagers anymore…” 

In title track, “Celebrants,” the band clapped rhythmically in unison, pairing that enthusiasm with whimsical licks from the mandolin, with Thile switching between the mandolin, mandola and bouzouki throughout the set. Sara Watkins wielded her fiddle with expert showmanship, with band member introductions before and after “Strangers.” Jeff Picker and Sean Watkins grounded the set with consistency and self-assurance only earned from years of growth and experience. In fact the underlying tone of the set seemed to be an introspective look at growth with a fond acceptance of where they’re currently at musically and in life, and embracing those in between moments.

The trio shared one microphone for “Water under the bridge Part 1,” with their flawless harmonies dipping and diving into low and high registers, showcasing their skillful range. Their infectious energy proved they were truly having fun onstage, which the studio audience definitely seemed to pick up on and feed off, clapping along throughout the set. 

Sara prefaced “Thinnest Wall,” with a few background notes, “We would like to address the relationship part of relationships where you’re in there dealing with all the stuff,” with the song being a look at the “beautiful monotony of the in between.” 

“To the Airport,” featured an impassioned monologue about Amy’s Ice Cream from Chris Thile, followed by a vocals-only section where the trio harmonized perfectly to a quietly intent audience. Followed by fiddle tune, “Cuckoo’s Nest,” the second half of the hour picked up in energy, leading the group to  a strong finish with “New Blood,” “Smoothie Song,” and  “The Fox,” with Sara chiming in between songs, “It’s so special to us to get to do ACL.” With that the band did a choreographed jump and bow, and walked offstage momentarily before returning to perform an encore of “When in Rome,” and “Holding Pattern.” Catch the taping of Nickel Creek later this year as part of Austin City Limits’ special 50th anniversary season. 

Nickel Creek performs on Austin City Limits, May 5, 2024. Photos by Scott Newton.

Listen to the full set list from the Austin City Limits taping below:

BAND: 

Chris Thile – Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Vocals

Sara Watkins – Fiddle, Guitar, Vocals

Sean Watkins – Guitar, Vocals

Jeff Picker – Bass, Vocals

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Taping Recap

Taping Recap: Brittany Howard

Powerhouse singer/songwriter Brittany Howard took the Austin City Limits stage for her fourth outing Monday night with an electric hour, showcasing latest album What Now, along with highlights from her acclaimed 2019 solo debut Jaime mixed into a dazzling set. Having formerly taped two episodes with her band Alabama Shakes, followed by a phenomenal solo Austin City Limits debut in 2021 for Season 47, the studio audience was buzzing with anticipation to experience new solo work from the ACL favorite. 

“We’re so happy to be here,” smiled Howard, who emerged from backstage wearing a sparkling floor-length caftan dress that shone just as bright as her onstage presence.

Brittany and band enraptured the audience right out of the gate with What Now opening tracks “Earth Sign,” and “I Don’t.” Recorded during the pandemic, What Now is an affirming genre experimentation with existential lyrics that at times take a heady psychedelic turn. Mixing in some selects off Jaime, by the time Howard pulled out crowd favorite “Stay High,” the audience was ready to sing along. Howard let out a friendly laugh mid-song at the audience’s enthusiastic recognition of the hit.

Following new tunes “Red Flags” and “Samson,” the unstoppable frontwoman forayed into playing a suite of songs from Jaime, including “Baby,” “History Repeats,” “Georgia,” and a very moody “Goat Head,” with her stellar band and longtime backing  vocalists Shanay Johnson and Karita Law fading in the meditative groove from a skillfully controlled almost-silence. Songs faded into each other, with trippy segues into meditative guitar by Alex Chakour and Brad Allan Williams piggybacked by a keys solo from Paul Horton to bookend “Georgia.” Howard let out an energetic scream in “History Repeats,” followed by a killer drum break in “13th Century Metal,” courtesy of drummer Nate Smith that inspired an audience clap-along.  

The latter portion of the set became introspective and vulnerable, with new track “To Be Still” performed with just her ace backing  vocalists and guitarist Brad Allan Williams accompanying Howard’s vocals. Her soaring voice in “Every Color in Blue,” further confirmed her status as one of music’s greatest vocalists.

“Live music is such an important thing, you know,” offered Howard as her remaining band members left her alone centerstage. Switching to an acoustic guitar, she shared, “I saw my first live band play when I was eleven years old, and it was from that moment that I decided that this was what I wanted to do. And I studied hard and I worked real hard, taught myself how to play, and I taught myself how to write songs, and now I get to be here with all of ya’ll.”  With that she launched into a heartfelt “Short and Sweet,” ending the performance and walking offstage.

The audience rhythmically clapped Brittany and band back onstage for an encore featuring a trio of songs from What Now: “Interlude,” “Another Day” and the title track, a perfect end to a transformative set. We can’t wait for you to see it when it airs this fall on PBS as part of our golden anniversary Season 50.

Brittany Howard performs on Austin City Limits, April 29, 2024. Photos by Scott Newton.

Listen to the full set list from the Austin City Limits taping below:

BAND: 

Brittany Howard – Lead guitar, vocals 

Lloyd Buchanan – Keys, Background vocals 

Alex Chakour – Guitar

Zac Cockrell – Bass

Paul Horton – Keys 

Shanay Johnson – Background Vocals 

Karita Law – Background Vocals 

Nate Smith – Drums 

Brad Allan Williams – Guitar