Category: Taping Recap

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Taping recap: Joy Oladokun

Joy Oladokun, Season 47. Photo by Scott Newton.

Melody. Intelligence. Heart. Conscience. Soul. These are the hallmarks of singer/songwriter Joy Oladokun, a singular artist from Arizona who’s made major waves with her acclaimed debut album In Defense of My Happiness. She is exactly the kind of artist – fresh, distinctive, and extraordinarily talented – that we like to capture on ACL in the early stages of their career, so we were thrilled to showcase her debut taping.

Dressed in a “black sheep” cap and an obviously beloved Prince tee shirt, the musician and her five-piece band took the stage and began with “If You Got a Problem,” a slice of reggae-tinged, devotional R&B. “It’s been a weird year,” Oladokun noted as she donned her electric guitar at the end of the song. “I’m so honored that we can do this together.” After noting that “Problem” was about her girlfriend, she set up the folk-popping next song “Smoke” by explaining her use of weed to cut through the social anxiety from which she suffers. “This is a Fleetwood Mac rip-off song,” she cheekily admitted as she and harmony singer Jaime Woods went into the intro of “Sorry Isn’t Good Enough,” another subtly reggae-influenced pop song that injected venom into its sweet melody. Oladokun switched from the personal to political with “I See America,” a song reflecting both her anger at the continuing police brutality directed at Black Americans, as well as a commentary on the cycle of violence that’s been prevalent her entire life—she was born the same year as Rodney King—with the through line to George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police. The 70s soul groove made the acid easier to ingest, though switching to electric guitar and a faithful cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” kept the rage boiling, especially when it interpolated the chorus of “I See America.” 

“This next song is about going to Thai food with an ex,” Oladokun said as she re-donned her acoustic guitar. “That’s honestly more of an intro than she deserves.” Accompanied only by her acoustic, she, Woods and guitarist Elliot Skinner sang the ballad in soulful three-part harmony. She then addressed another old pal with “Breathe Again,” taking on her previously mentioned social anxiety with a luminous ballad. Inspired by the death of her friend, the late rapper Mac Miller, she sang “Taking the Heat” as a reminder to take care of yourself and your friends and not to assume everything’s always alright. Oladokun and band then reworked a Stevie Wonder classic, turning “Jesus Children of America” into a rock/funk/country hybrid that sounded distinctly her own. To keep the good vibes coming, she presented “Look Up,” a song intended to send courage into the darkness: “You know trouble’s always gonna be there/Don’t let it bring you to your knees.” Oladokun returned to her own life experience for “Jordan,” a song that deals with growing up gay while raised in a church that didn’t recognize the legitimacy of that life path. The track sublimated gospel into its passionate folk pop to shine the light of hope into what could have been a dark time of her development. “Trauma, processed through psychedelics” was how she describe the penultimate tune “Somebody Like Me,” a catchy new song that was a plea for understanding, patience and contact for folks with anxiety and inner pain. 

Oladokun ended the show with a “smoosh” of Prince’s Sign O’ the Times anthem “The Cross” with her own spiritual examination “Sunday.” It was a one-two punch of the desire for divine love and earthly acceptance, and a perfect way to end the powerful set. Oladokun is a treasure waiting to be discovered, and we’re thrilled that viewers will get the chance when the episode airs later this year as part of our Season 47 on your local PBS station. 

Joy Oladokun tapes Austin City Limits, October 2021. Photos by Scott Newton.
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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Olivia Rodrigo

photo by Scott Newton

Few artists have had as stratospheric a rise as Olivia Rodrigo-the 18-year-old California native spent her teens writing songs, performing, acting and playing piano, so she was ready for the spotlight when it came to the smash success of “Drivers License,” her first single and first #1 hit. Her platinum-selling, self-penned debut LP Sour has turned her into a star-as reflected in her debut appearance on Austin City Limits. 

Rodrigo’s all-female five-piece band took the ACL stage and laid down an atmospheric intro before the star herself came bounding out barefoot for the defiant self-doubt of “Brutal,” the chorus of which immediately became call-and-response. The singer and band went immediately into the anthem “Déjà Vu,” on which the eager crowd became her backup singers. It was clearly time for a power ballad, which meant the heartbroken waltz “Happier” – “I hope you’re happy, but don’t be happier.” That was followed by the angry, power chord-kissed rocker “Jealousy, Jealousy,” an attack on the false expectations fueled by social media. Rodrigo introduced her all-girl band before sitting down at the piano for “the first song I ever put out, and it’s really special to me.” That, of course, meant the colossal hit “Drivers License,” amplified by delirious audience participation – adding handclaps on the build and singing a chorus on their own. 

Rodrigo remained at the piano for “Traitor,” a heart-on-sleeve piano ballad that turned into a showcase for her ability to channel her emotions into universal understanding. Guitarist Heather Baker fingerpicked her acoustic guitar, while fellow axeperson Arianna Powell moved to pedal steel for the folky “Favorite Crime,” which was clearly a crowd favorite. A crewmember brought a stool and acoustic guitar, which Rodrigo used for “Enough For You,” a compelling solo performance. She and the band ended the show with megahit “Good 4 U,” the blazing rocker that’s equalled the success of “Drivers License” on the charts and earned high-energy pogoing from the ecstatic audience. “Thank you, guys!!”, said Rodrigo, as the crowd went wild. It was a standout performance from a performer with a long and exciting career ahead of her, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs this December on your local PBS station. 

Olivia Rodrigo, Oct. 2021, Season 47. Photos by Scott Newton.
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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: St. Vincent

St. Vincent, Austin City Liimits, 2021. Photo by Scott Newton.

We’re always happy to welcome St. Vincent back to Austin City Limits. The Texas-raised Annie Clark and her renowned project have gone from strength to strength since she first alighted on our stage back in Season 35 in 2009. Her latest record Daddy’s Home may be her most acclaimed yet, and we were thrilled to have her showcase it for her third taping in an electrifying career-wide set filled with highlights.

After a brief fakeout with a trench-coated double (Arianna Henry, who would make frequent appearances as roadie and dancer), Clark joined her crack band to open the show with a slinky, groove-approved version of “Digital Witness.” They launched into the first song from Daddy’s Home, the seething funk rocker “Down,” on which Clark was joined at the front of the stage by backing singers Navonnah Holley, Stephanie Alexander and Danielle Withers. She and ace co-guitarist Jason Falkner traded dissonant licks to kick off “Birth in Reverse,” a perfect example of how she’s re-written the rules of rock & roll. After a particularly egregious dad joke, she then powered, appropriately enough, into “Daddy’s Home,” the sleazy title track of the latest album. Keyboardist Rachel Eckroth hit the familiar piano open of “New York,” with the singers leading the crowd to add handclaps to the melancholy anthem. Falkner donned an acoustic guitar as the dancer returned in a waitress outfit to serve up drinks to the musicians, leading to Clark giving a toast – “To Austin City Limits and our third time here, and to all of us being back together again!” Then she sang “…At the Holiday Party,” a sedate but acidic pop tune on which she played tabletop steel with her microphone. 

Bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen (last seen on our stage with Beck) began a synth pulse, joined by drummer Mark Guiliana’s rock-solid groove, to lay the foundation for the widescreen pop of Masseduction’s “Los Ageless” – “You know this one,” Clark said as she ripped out the signature guitar lick. She stuck with that album for the jittery glam rock of “Sugarboy,” which climaxed in an orgy of skronk, clatter and feedback.  The band then looked back to the early St. Vincent album Actor for the noisy art popper “Marrow.” The atmosphere subtly altered to a both more ethereal and more rhythmic vibe, which meant it was time for the brilliant “Slow Disco,” which showcased the singers and brought dancer Henry back onstage. After a round of band introductions, it was time for the bitter synth funk of “Pay Your Way to Pain,” which allowed Clark to remind us that she’s a powerhouse vocalist as well as a full-on guitar god. The band then took another trip to the past with the loud/soft dynamics of “Cheerleader,” from her third LP Strange Mercy, culminating with Clark and Falkner using each other’s guitars as plectrums in a hail of six-string noise. No respite for the weary, as everyone went right into the steely crunch of “Fear the Future,” which ended with more guitar raunch. 

Clark then reached way back, riding Guiliana’s pounding rhythm for the menacing “Your Lips Are Red,” hailing from St. Vincent’s very first album Marry Me. The band then ascended gently into space for the shimmering, floating “Live in the Dream,” leading the vocalists to traverse the stage in slow motion and Clark to finally indulge in some guitar heroism before ending in complete silence. Eckroth took to the Wurlitzer electric piano to begin “The Melting of the Sun,” a tribute to notable women performers from Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone and Marilyn Monroe to Clark herself. It was a great note on which to end the stunner of a set, as the crowd showed its love and the musicians took a bow. It was such a good show, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs this coming winter on your local PBS station as part of our Season 47. 

St. Vincent tapes Austin City Limits, Sept. 30, 2021. Photos by Scott Newton.
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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Jackson Browne

Jackson Browne, Austin City Limits 2021. Photo by Scott Newton.

Few singer/songwriters are as well-respected and beloved as Jackson Browne. The longtime California resident has been the envy of his peers and descendents since before his first album came out in 1972, back when other people were recording his songs and wondering when he’d become a star himself. His catalog of classic songs speaks for itself, and his latest album Downhill From Nowhere, as well-crafted and heartfelt as any he’s ever made, proves his work as potent now as it’s ever been. So we were excited to have him back on the show, nearly twenty years after his first appearance back in 2002. 

Taking the stage to a standing ovation from the eager crowd, the silver-bearded Browne and his eight-piece band (all of whom played on the new record) opened the show with “I’m Alive,”  an anthem of moving on from past sorrows that doubles as a reminder of his presence and prowess. “We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” Browne noted, before visiting Downhill From Everywhere  for “Still Looking For Something,” paying tribute to the journey rather than the destination. Browne stayed in searching mode with the folk rocking “The Long Way Around,” leading him back to his past. “Fountain of Sorrow,” from 1974’s Late For the Sky, rocked the house and allowed guitarist Val McCallum to contribute an appropriately epic solo. Browne and the band kept the energy level high with the title track of Downhill From Everywhere, an environmentally-charged rocker with a classic descending melody and gospel fervor from singer/organist Jeff Young. They stuck with the new record for “My Cleveland Heart,” the optimistic single about trading in our breakable human heart for a resilient, artificial replacement, on which Browne shares the vocals with McCallum and the riffs with steel guitarist Greg Leisz. That organ continued to occupy the stage when Browne went into “In the Shape of a Heart,” one of his most poignant and beautiful songs. 

Browne brought backup singers Alethea Mills and Chavonne Stewart to the front for “The Dreamer,” a bilingual song paying tribute to people brought to the U.S. as children and now facing deportation that earned plenty of cheers. It’s one of the new record’s most powerful tunes, both because of its topical lyrics and its Latin groove. The trio kept the themes of social justice going with the rollicking “Until Justice is Real,” another strong Everywhere track. Browne then went from the latest to the earliest with “These Days,” originally recorded in the sixties by both the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Nico (years (before Browne himself put it on his 1973 album For Everyman), and a song that holds up nicely over fifty years since its conception. Then it was back to Everywhere for the duet “A Human Touch,” for which Browne brought on co-writer and singer Leslie Mendelson, who sang it on the record. The songwriter then took to the piano for “Doctor My Eyes,” his first hit and another stone cold classic with another blazing solo from McCallum and a standing O from the audience. Browne stayed with the keyboard for the gorgeous “Late For the Sky,” still a masterpiece of tunesmithery. 

The way to follow up a song that good is with more classics: the beautifully melodic anthem “The Pretender” and the driving rocker “Running On Empty,” both of which earned wild crowd applause. Leisz, McCallum and pianist Jason Crosby traded solos before Young led the band into incorporating the Spencer Davis Group nugget “Gimme Some Lovin’.”  The band brought the original tune crashing down to a massive response from the crowd. The musicians left the stage, but there was no way they weren’t coming back. They did, of course, with “Take It Easy,” the Eagles staple that many forget Browne co-wrote – “Sing it so Glenn Frey can hear you,” the singer exclaimed. That song segued seamlessly into For Everyman’s wistful “Our Lady of the Well,” with round robin solos from McCallum, Leisz, Crosby, Young, bassist Bob Glaub (who’s been with Browne for over forty years), Mills and Stewart and handclaps from the audience. 

The band once again quit the stage, but Browne returned to the piano. This is a song that turns the tradition of the encore on its head,” he said. This is where we ask you for an encore.” Then he rang out the familiar chords to “The Load Out,” his classic song commemorating both the end of a show and the hardworking crew that keep bands on the road. The musicians returned to the stage by the second verse, and, as on the record, the song went straight into Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs’ doo-wop classic “Stay.” Mills and Young shared the vocals with Browne, before the audience itself took a chorus, singing loud and proud. “Stay!” they yelled, turning the song into a call-and-response with the band. “Come one come on come on – stay,” Browne and the singers (now including Mendelson), as the song came casually to a close. Bringing down the house once again, that was the end of a show for the ACL ages. We can’t wait for you to see it when it airs this fall on your local PBS station.    

Jackson Browne taping, 9/22/2021. All photos by Scott Newton.
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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Leon Bridges

photo by Scott Newton

It’s been six years since we first had R&B singer/songwriter Leon Bridges on the Austin City Limits stage in his debut appearance. Since that time, the Fort Worth native has earned a Grammy, alongside multiple nominations, released three acclaimed albums and become one of music’s most sought-after collaborators. Gold-Diggers Sound, his latest, is one of his most anticipated records to date, featuring a mix of twenty-first century R&B producers and jazz musicians that expands his sound far beyond the traditionalist soul of his first album. We were thrilled to have him back on the ACL stage in a magnetic 17-song career-spanning performance.

The leather-clad Bridges and his seven-piece band took the stage to some pre-recorded soul, before the singer led his musicians into “Shy,” a slinky ballad from his second LP Good Thing. “Has anyone been listening?” he asked in reference to Gold-Diggers Sound, garnering applause before launching into the sexy grooves of “Steam.” Then it was back to balladry for “Why Don’t You Touch Me,” a romantic plea done Bridges style. Next up, bassist Joshua Crumbley brought the funk for “You Don’t Know,” as Bridges was joined in the front line by backup singers Brittni Jesse and Brandon “Marcel” Mills. “It’s an honor to bring Gold-Diggers Sound to Austin, Texas tonight,” Bridges noted, reinforcing that statement with the smoldering “Born Again,” powered by axeman Brandon Thomson’s whammy-bar swells. The dreamy slow jam “Details” followed, but was nearly upstaged by the next track, the shimmering single “Motorbike.” 

“Make some noise if you missed live music,” Bridges said. “I know I did.” As the audience cheered, he and the band began the smooth come-on “Magnolias” – “Tell me what you want – let me spoil ya,” he crooned, but the crowd probably already felt spoiled. A pair of roadies then brought out a stand-up bass for Crumbly, which he played arco style to kick off the beautiful, introspective “Blue Mesas.” Crumbly went back to his electric bass, as Bridges told him, “I think Austin, Texas wants to hear something funky.” And that’s what we got, with an extended introduction leading into the groove-addicted “Lions,” from Good Thing. “That was an icebreaker,” he noted playfully. Bridges then asked if he and the group could “get a little country,” which led into “Beyond,” a Good Thing highlight that earned a big ovation. 

After that song of devotion, Bridges led the band into “Sweeter,” his soulful response to the death of George Floyd, and a clear crowd fave. After making fun of the outfit he wore during his Season 41 debut, with a good-natured “I hope I did better this time,” he rode the mellow but insistent groove of the earnest “Don’t Worry” on home, with the help of guitarist Kenneth Hollingsworth’s terse solo and keyboardist Joshua Johnson’s sinuous sax. “That’s the feeling I need more of,” Bridges asserted on the next song, the undulating “Sho Nuff.” Crumbly and drummer Brandon Combs then kicked the groove back into high gear for the jazzy, jamming “Bad Bad News,” which really worked up a head of funky steam.

As the set neared its end, it was time for Bridges to pull out the songs that put him on the map. “I guess it’s time for me to play some music off my first album,” he commented – the signal for his gold-selling single “Coming Home,” as smart and stylish an evocation of smooth old-school soul as has been recorded in the past decade. The singer then donned a guitar as the band stripped down to just Johnson and Jesse. That could only mean one thing: the final song would be the luminous, gospel-tinged “River,” a fan favorite that Bridges will likely play (happily) at every show for the rest of his career. It was a perfect way to end a world-class set, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it broadcasts November 6 on your local PBS station. 

Leon Bridges tapes Austin City Limits, Sept. 14, 2021. Photos by Scott Newton.
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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Khruangbin

photo by Scott Newton

There hasn’t been a band as unique as Khruangbin striding across the music landscape in some time. With a sonic wave that draws in disparate elements of Thai funk, classic soul, dub, hip-hop, Afghan music, psychedelia and pretty much any other sound that strikes their fancy, the Houston trio has found a huge global audience through a combination of hard roadwork and being really, really good at what they do. So it was with no small pleasure that we welcomed the group to the ACL stage for their first taping, which we streamed live around the world. 

Interestingly, Khruangbin presented a seeming career retrospective, starting with some of their earliest work before heading to tracks from last year’s critically acclaimed LP Mordechai. After Terry Lickona’s introduction, the trio took the stage with bassist Laura Lee resplendent in silver, guitarist Mark Speer casually cool in white with colored accents, and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson, Jr. in his usual black cape. The group began almost gently with “The No. 3,” from their 2014 10-inch EP The Infamous Bill, a song that serves as an introduction to the Khruangbin aesthetic: reverb-heavy psychedelic guitar, simple but singular bass grooves, and DJ’s steady-as-a-statue drum rhythms. (One live stream viewer playfully noted, “Metronomes use DJ to keep time.”)  It’s a vision both minimalist in arrangement and maximumalist in musicality. The band continue to pull from Bill for the next two songs, the groovy psych funk of “The No. 4” (a reworking of a song from their very first cassette EP) and the surf-inflected soul of the title track. The band then visited their debut album The Universe Smiles Upon You, first with the effortlessly funky, “disco country” (according to a live stream watcher) “People Everywhere (Still Alive),” a song that highlights the sly contrast between Lee’s funky strut and Speer’s laidback stoicism. “Still alive,” Lee repeated into the mic as an affirmation, adding the aside “after 2020.” Khruangbin stuck with the same record for “White Gloves,” a smouldering, starkly pretty near-ballad that would melt an ice cap. “Zionsville” followed, like an easy listening classic played by the hippest musicians in H-Town, as prelude to “August 12,” a clever blend of dub, spaghetti western soundtrack music, psychedelic funk and proto-punk.

With that, Khruangbin moved to “Friday Morning,” an acid soul ballad from their breakthrough LP Con Todo El Mundo that shifts from close harmony vocals to an epic guitar solo. With that brief stop, it was on to Mordechai, their most lauded and successful record so far. The minimal lyrics of “First Class” acted almost as another instrument to the wah-wah soaked tune, shimmering like the sun rising over the clouds. Lee’s bass took the lead for “Father Bird, Mother Bird,” a surprisingly brief but melodically languorous groover. The pace picked up considerably for the catchy Latin rock of “Pelota,” which garnered the biggest round of applause yet. The trio then went into the particularly mesmerizing, genre-defiant “Shida,” all reverbed guitar licks, DJ’s rocksteady rhythms and Lee’s enigmatic vocal interjections. The band closed the set with “So We Won’t Forget,” a disco-laced pop song that kept to the Khruangbinic virtues while saluting the good times the music brought them and the audience. With that the band quit the stage to enthusiastic applause, every clap of which they earned. It was an amazing set unlike anything else on our stage, and we can’t wait for you see it when it airs November 6 on your local PBS station. 

Khruangbin, Austin City Limits taping, Sept. 13, 2021. Photos by Scott Newton.