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Episode Recap

ACL Season 37, Episode 8: The Head and the Heart/Gomez

The wide (wild?) world of indie rock has so many disparate roads to travel it’s dizzying. But the best indie rock artists, like the best musicians in any genre, have one thing in common: good songs. And on January 7 you can see two of the best song-centric indie rock bands on Austin City Limits – The Head and the Heart and Gomez.

Seattle sextet The Head and the Heart exploded out of the Pacific Northwest with an eponymous debut that sold 10,000 copies as a self-released disk before being picked up by indie label giant Sub Pop. The group’s upbeat, harmony-rich folk pop has garnered a large, deeply dedicated fan base in a surprisingly short amount of time. Come hear why as the band plays fan favorites “Down in the Valley” and “Lost in My Mind,” among others.

The Head and the Heart “Down in the Valley” from Austin City Limits on Vimeo.

U.K. quintet Gomez have fifteen years of experience behind them and show no signs of slowing down. The band’s eclectic mix of roots rock, pop, psychedelia, electronica and whatever else crosses the members’ radar has gained them a loyal worldwide audience of discerning music fans. Gomez’ seventh LP Whatever’s On Your Mind received the near-universal acclaim all their records earn, and the band shows why with performances of “I Will Take You There” and “Just As Lost As You,” as well as old favorites “Get Miles” and “In Our Gun.”

Gomez “See the World” from Austin City Limits on Vimeo.

Want more details? Head over to the episode page for photos, setlists and biographical info. Don’t forget to visit – and visit often – our Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr pages for tidbits on ACL past and present, or to sign up for our e-newsletter. Next week on Austin City Limits: Arcade Fire!

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ACL @ the Alamo

Reel Rarities: Leonard Cohen

Music legend Leonard Cohen has a new record, Old Ideas, coming out on January 31. To celebrate, we’re bringing back Cohen’s classic 1989 episode of Austin City Limits as the latest installment of Reel Rarities, our monthly series of screenings at the venerable Alamo Drafthouse. Recorded during the tour for his acclaimed comeback I’m Your Man, this hour-length show features Cohen and his skilled band performing a range of tunes from that brilliant record, as well as dipping into his back catalog. Given the scarcity of Cohen tours and TV appearances at the time, this episode was a boon to Cohen fans and is easily the most requested episode of ACL outside of Tom Waits.

But that’s not all. Cohen did another episode with us in 1993 during the tour for The Future, and we’re happy to present that half-hour alongside his original appearance. Plus our friends at Sony will be on-hand with some advance music from the new album and some special prizes. So if you’re an Austin-based Leonard Cohen fan, come check it out at the Alamo Ritz at 7 p.m. on January 23 – you can find more details here.

Reel Rarities: Handpicked Gems from the ACL Vault is an ongoing series at the Alamo Drafthouse. Tickets are $5 and the sales benefit our friends at the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians.

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News

New Year – New Episodes!

We’re halfway through the broadcasts of Austin City Limits’ 37 season and you may be asking yourself: how do we follow up shows with Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, the Decemberists, the Steve Miller Band, Miranda Lambert, Raphael Saadiq and Randy Newman (to name only a few)? With a second half equally as strong, of course.

Arcade Fire “We Used to Wait” at ACL: Behind the Scenes from Jonathan Jackson on Vimeo.

Coming up on January 7 we have Seattle up-and-comers The Head and the Heart and British veterans Gomez. On January 14 it’s the return of Album of the Year Grammy winners Arcade Fire. January 21 is ACL acid folk day with Fleet Foxes and Joanna Newsom. January 28 features the debuts of rising stars Florence + the Machine and Lykke Li. We close the season on February 7 with our old pals Wilco.

We’re as jazzed about these new episodes.  Don’t forget to watch on your favorite PBS station!

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News

Stream the Coldplay New Year’s Eve Special at 11pm!

We want you to be as excited as we are at midnight, so start streaming this video at 11pm sharp to enjoy the countdown to 2012 with Coldplay! Happy New Year from all of us at Austin City Limits. Thank you for your support in 2011, and we look forward to bringing you even more great music in 2012!

http://video.pbs.org/video/2179574429

Watch Coldplay New Year’s Eve: An Austin City Limits Special on PBS. See more from Austin City Limits.

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News

This weekend on Austin City Limits: Coldplay New Year’s Eve

When we recorded Coldplay for their second episode of Austin City Limits, we knew we had a special show on our hands. So we decided to expand our usual 60-minute show into a 90-minute special to celebrate New Year’s Eve, and we‘re thrilled to share the entire show – airing this December 31st at 11 p.m. – with the world. That’s right – the entire show, with no songs cut. There were a few nips and tucks in editing, of course, as there always are. But every song on the setlist is included, from the quintessential hits “Viva La Vida,” “Clocks” and “Yellow” to new classics “Paradise,” “Charlie Brown” and “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” And since this is a New Year’s Eve celebration, you’ll want to stick around until midnight for the traditional NYE countdown. (Not that you’ll want to change channels before then. Or afterward, for that matter.)

Coldplay “Paradise” from Austin City Limits on Vimeo.

Check out the episode page for more details – pics, setlist, etc. Visit our Facebook and Twitter pages to leave comments on the show, not to mention catch up with the latest doings in ACL world. (You can sign up for the newsletter for the latter as well.) Visit our Tumblr blog for a photographic trip down memory lane. Next week: another new episode, featuring The Head and The Heart and Gomez.

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News

ACL Staff Picks for Top Albums of 2011

Well everyone else is doing it…so why not us? Here are the 2011 releases that inspired the people behind Austin City Limits. Cheers to discovering and sharing even more great music in 2012!

Terry Lickona, Executive Producer
The Head and The Heart (self-titled)
Gillian Welch: The Harrow & The Harvest
Coldplay: Mylo Xyloto
Florence + The Machine: Ceremonial
Tom Waits: Bad As Me
Bon Iver (self-titled)
Adele: 21
Radiohead: The King of Limbs
Lupe Fiasco: Lasers
Raphael Saadiq: Stone Rollin’

Leslie Nichols, Associate Producer
The Head and The Heart – S/T
Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Wilco – The Whole Love
Wild Flag – S/T
Quiet Company – We Are All Where We Belong
Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
The Jayhawks – Mockingbird Time
Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest
Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire

Emily Joyce, Associate Producer / Digital & Interactive Director
The Head and the Heart (self-titled)
Wilco – The Whole Love
M83 – Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
Bon Iver (self-titled)
Real Estate – Days
The Antlers – Burst Apart
The War on Drugs- Slave Ambient
Blitzen Trapper – American Goldwing
Tom Waits – Bad as Me
The Jayhawks – Mockingbird Time

Tom Gimbel, General Manager Austin City Limits
1.  tUnE-yArDs – whokill
2.  White Denim – D
3.  Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
4.  Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
5.  Radiohead – The King of Limbs
6.  Motopony – Motopony
7.  TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
8.  Wilco – The Whole Love
9.  Cults – Cults
10.  M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
11.  The Black Keys – El Camino
12.  My Morning Jacket – Circuital

Maury Sullivan, Publicist
Wilco – The Whole Love
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Vetiver – The Errant Charm
Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
Jay-Z and Kanye – Watch the Throne
Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
Bill Callahan – Apocalypse
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Real Estate – Days
Destroyer – Kaputt

Ed Bailey, VP Brand Development
Blitzen Trapper: American Goldwing
Rapael Saadiq: Stone Rollin’
Jessica Lea Mayfield: Tell Me
The Echocentrics: Sunshadows
James Vincent McMorrow: Early in the Morning
A Tribute to John Martyn: Johnny Boy Would Love This
Bill Callahan: Apocalypse
Jonathan Wilson: Gentle Spirit
Johnny Nicholas: Future Blues
Robyn Ludwick: Out of These Blues

Tamra Wilson, Project Manager
1. “Blood Pressures” The Kills
2. “Let England Shake” PJ Harvey
3. “21” Adele
4. “Velociraptor” Kasabian
5. “Biophilia’ Bjork

Michael Toland, National Productions Manager
The Bevis Frond – The Leaving of London (Woronzow)
The Blurries – Paper Cuts (self-released)
The Breakers – s/t (Wicked Cool)
Brother Eye – Emotional Fingers (self-released)
The Decemberists – The King is Dead (Capitol)
The Feelies – Here Before (Bar/None)
Leatherbag – Yellow Television (self-released)
Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’ (Columbia)
Gillian Welch – The Harrow & the Harvest (Acony)
Wiretree – Makeup (self-released)