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Featured News

Doc Watson R.I.P.

Austin City Limits was saddened to learn last night of the passing of the great Doc Watson. Fluent in so many musical languages – folk, blues, country, bluegrass, rockabilly, gospel – the legendary singer/guitarist had an almost incalculable influence on American music. His work  affected,  in some way, everyone who ever picked up a guitar and dug deep into this country’s musical heritage.

Watson graced the ACL stage only once, in Season 3, though he was also one of the many artists to appear in the special ACL Presents: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. The wayfaring pilgrim has found his way home at last, and we mourn the loss of a musical titan. May he rest in peace.

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Encore Broadcast News

Encore: Mumford & Sons/Flogging Molly

Folk rock has a long and glorious history and this weekend, we present a pair of contemporary music’s best folk rock practitioners, as we present an encore broadcast of Mumford & Sons and Flogging Molly.

Riding high on its wave of success from the bestselling Sigh No More, Mumford & Sons dazzles with fan favorites “The Cave” and “Roll Away Your Stone” and, poignant ballads “Timshel” and “Awake My Soul.” Iif you’re a super fan, you’re in for a special treat with “Lover of Light,” a previously unrecorded track. The energy on the night of the taping vibrated the walls, and it translates directly to the screen.

Speaking of energy, Flogging Molly comes next. The band storms the stage with tuneful melodies and puts on a magnificent show with their unique brand of Celtic folk/punk. We hope you tune in to enjoy lively renditions of “Requiem For A Dying Song,” “Tobacco Island,” “Devil’s Dance Floor,” and “Likes of You Again.” Bandleader Dave King called their ACL taping “the most important live performance they’ve ever done” – hard to say if that’s true, but this show makes a strong case.

photo by Scott Newton

You can find more details on the episode page. Don’t forget that you can hit up our Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr pages for more ACL TV information. Next week: The National and Band of Horses.

Categories
Featured News

Presenting the Austin City Limits App

We’re excited to give our fans more access to Austin City Limits through the new ACL Archive app. The app features some of the best ACL performances, including influential artists like Pearl Jam, Coldplay, Willie Nelson and more.

The free app gives you access to three full episodes for your enjoyment. Additionally, for $2.99 per month (or $29.99 per year), users can subscribe to Austin City Limits and unlock access to unlimited HD-streaming of new videos (including full episodes and individual songs), high-res photos, and full-length interviews released each month.

We think this is a must have for any music lover and hope you do too!

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News

Ticket giveaway: tUnE-yArDs 5/29

Austin City Limits will be taping a performance by tUnE-yArDs on Tuesday, May 29, at 8 pm at ACL Live at The Moody Theater (310 W. 2nd Street, Willie Nelson Blvd).  We will be giving away a limited number of space available passes to this taping. Enter your name and email address on the below form by noon Wednesday, May 23. Passes are not transferable and cannot be sold. Please note, standing may be required.

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Encore Broadcast News

Encore: The Avett Brothers/Heartless Bastards

Be sure to tune in this Saturday to see two of the music industry’s hardest-working bands: The Avett Brothers and Heartless Bastards.

Deeply influenced by grunge bands while growing up in North Carolina, The Avett Brothers had experimented in other bands before solidifying their bluegrass, country, and rock ‘n’ roll blend and harmonies. In this episode we hear a mix of songs from their various albums/EPs, including their biggest hit, “I And Love And You.” With six studio albums under their belt and four EPs, The Avett Brothers have proven that they are as dedicated as they are eclectic in their sound.

Ohio-to-Austin transplants Heartless Bastards have made waves in the indie world since their 2005 debut Stairs and Elevators. Though often described as blues rock or country grunge, this group cannot be pigeonholed as simply hype. With Erika Wennerstrom’s haunting voice and the band’s carefully-crafted yet simple hooks, Heartless Bastards create something that lasts and evolves. For this performance the group plays hits from their 2009 album, The Mountain.

photo by Scott Newton

If you’re a fan, please be sure to take a listen to Heartless Bastards’ latest album Arrow, that came out earlier this year. The Avett Brothers are also slated for a new album this year, but the release date is still to be announced.

Check your local listings for showtimes to see this episode and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr to keep up with updates on tapings and airings.

Categories
Encore Broadcast News

Encore: The Decemberists and Gillian Welch

Most music aficionados categorize themselves as lyrics versus music types. Both are essential to creating one-of-kind songs, but people seem to always identify most with one or the other. Fortunately for both types, this weekend Austin City Limits is bringing you an encore episode that features two artists that are known for their eloquent lyrics as well as their beautifully crafted harmonies: The Decemberists and Gillian Welch.

Portland natives The Decemberists have graced Austin City Limits twice and each time is as memorable and heartfelt as the other with their crowd participation and musically eclectic performance. In this episode we hear mostly from the group’s 2011 album The King is Dead with special accompaniment from Gillian Welch on “Down By The Water,” and Welch and David Rawlings on the final song, “All Arise!” There’s also the appearance of “The Rake’s Song,” from 2009’s Hazards of Love,  that serves as a crowd favorite and frontman Colin Meloy’s personal favorite recording.

Going with the “less is more” approach in their music, Gillian Welch and longtime partner David Rawlings have been creating their known sparse yet haunting music for two decades. Welch is also no stranger to the Austin City Limits stage – her appearance with us in Season 37 marked her third recording. Welch and Rawling perform predominantly from their 2011 album The Harrow & The Harvest, and also perform a classic rendition of “I’ll Fly Away.”

Whether you’re all about connecting with music on a lyrical level or a purely musicianship standpoint, you won’t be disappointed this weekend with this encore episode.

Be sure to check your local listings for showtimes to see this episode and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr to keep up with updates on tapings and airings. Next week: the Avett Brothers and the Heartless Bastards.