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Encore: Steve Miller Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band

We love to present new music and show off current artists hitting their prime. But we’re happy to honor the veterans and the lifers – the folks whose work has stood the test of time. In that light, we welcome the Steve Miller Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band to the ACL stage this weekend.

The Steve Miller Band needs no introduction – lauded rock guitarist Steve Miller and his various partners-in-crime have been knocking around since the late 60s, leaving a string of indelible hits in their wake. Remember “Abracadabra?” “Fly Like An Eagle?” “Space Cowboy?” Of course you do, and you’ll hear them all on Saturday in front of an enthusiastic crowd in what was the very first taping of ACL at the Moody Theater. And if you love the show, you can purchase it on DVD, including an extended interview and songs that didn’t make the final edit, here.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band has been around even longer than Miller – the group’s genesis coincides with the founding of the Hall itself back in 1961, and the style of New Orleans jazz the band plays goes back even further – history lives on in PHJB’s performances. But don’t think that means that the group is preserved in amber. Joining the band onstage are Yim Yames from My Morning Jacket, James Petralli from White Denim and the ever-elegant Del McCoury Band to add their inimitable contemporary mojo. Once you hear “St. James Infirmary” sung by a high-voiced indie rock frontdude, you’ll realize it’s what you’ve always wanted.

photo by Scott Newton

Tune in this Saturday for your classic rock ‘n’ jazz fix – as always, check your local PBS listings for the broadcast time in your area. Toggle over to the episode page for more info, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter or to click over to our Facebook, Twitter and News pages for more ACL goodies. Next week: Steve Martin and Sarah Jarosz.

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Encore Broadcast News

Encore: Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers and Sarah Jarosz

Here at Austin City Limits, bluegrass is no stranger to the stage, but rarely do we see it performed by two diverse and equally talented singer/songwriters: the one and only, banjo-picking Steve Martin and the young rising star Sarah Jarosz. Tune in this encore episode on Saturday to experience the old-time tradition performed in a way that you’ve never seen.

“It has been a longtime dream of mine to play bluegrass on Austin City Limits…and tonight I feel I am one step closer to that goal,”  joked comedian/author/actor Steve Martin after opening with the instrumental and fast-paced “Pitkin County Turnaround.” Joined onstage by current Grammy nominees the Steep Canyon Rangers, the supremely talented quintet from North Carolina that’s joined Martin for various festival performances and on record, Martin mainly plays tracks off the 2009 Grammy winning album, The Crow. But he features a song exclusively for atheists –  “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs” is a funny bone-tickling tune that adds to the fictitious Atheist Hymnal and was included on Martin’s latest release Rare Bird Alert. We guarantee that you’ll love it, regardless where you stand on matters of faith.

It was just a matter of time before Sarah Jarosz, described by many as being a “contemporary-bluegrass prodigy,” made her debut here at ACL. With a Grammy nomination under her belt for Best Country Instrumental for her song “Mansinneedof,” it’s safe to say that we can expect great things from this young multi-instrumentalist. You’ll hear tracks from her 2009 debut album, Song Up In Her Head and the beautifully-written track, “My Muse,” from her 2011 release Follow Me Down. Although her original songs were greeted with warm applause and praise, the culmination of the night occurred when Jarosz shared her take on Tim O’Brien’s, “Lands End / Chasin’ Talon,” and Tom Wait’s “Come On Up to the House.”

photo by Scott Newton

Be prepared to laugh at Martin’s humor and be blown away by Jarosz’s young yet uncommonly wise talent. Check your local listings for showtimes to see this episode and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, or sign up for our newsletter to keep up with updates on tapings and airings. Tune in next week for alternative rock supergroup, Monsters of Folk!

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Encore Broadcast Featured News

Encore: Spoon

Austin City Limits is always proud to welcome hometown heroes to our stage, as we do this Saturday with an encore performance by Spoon. It’s difficult to put that label on the band – though Britt Daniel and company have been mainstays of the Austin indie rock scene since the mid-90s, Spoon’s subsequent success on a national scale means the band belongs to everyone now, not just Central Texans.

This show from Season 36 is Spoon’s third appearance on ACL, and likely won’t be their last. The indie rockers invited some friends onstage for their first full hour, including the Honeybears’ horn section and longtime local axe-slingers Charlie Sexton and Craig Ross. The band was supporting its acclaimed LP Transference, gracing the crowd with new Spoon standards like “Trouble Come Running,” “Written in Reverse” and “Got Nuffin,” but also dipped into its vast catalog for fan faves “You Got Your Cherry Bomb,” “Nobody Gets Me But You” and “Don’t Make Me a Target.”

Check out the episode page for more info, and be sure to visit the Facebook, Twitter and e-newsletter sign-up pages to bring more ACL into your life. Next week: R&B magnificence with Raphael Saadiq and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears.

 

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Encore Broadcast Featured News

Encore: Sonic Youth and The Black Keys

This weekend Austin City Limits presents one of our most electrifying encore episodes featuring Sonic Youth and the Black Keys. Guitar heaven!

After sixteen studio albums and receiving critical acclaim in both the indie and mainstream worlds over the course of more than a quarter century, Sonic Youth really needs no introduction. The NYC quartet’s distinctive blend of avant garde experimentation and punk rock fires on all cylinders in one of its final TV appearances before its recent hiatus. With songs predominantly from what may have its final album, The Eternal, the band takes no prisoners in this episode taped in 2010. Ending with a molten take on “‘Cross the Breeze,” from its landmark LP Daydream Nation, Sonic Youth proves why it’s one of the most exciting and influential bands in alternative rock.

Although not sharing in the same expansive catalog (yet), the Black Keys – with seven studio albums under their belts – are most certainly on their way to the same immortality. The Akron duo revitalized blues rock with youthful energy and a command of classic riffs beyond most of its peers. Playing in support of their 2010 album, Brothers, the band plays most of the hits off this record, including the swampy “Howlin For You” and the amazingly catchy “Tighten Up.” But the Keys also dig deep into their bag of tunes, resurrecting “I’ll Be Your Man” from their first album and ending with their traditional closer, the incendiary “I Got Mine.”

photo by Scott Newton

While differing in genres and style, both Sonic Youth and the Black Keys have redefined the traditional sound of the guitar and have earned special places in rock history. Be sure to check your local listings for showtimes to see this special episode and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, orour newsletter to keep up with Austin City Limits happenings. Next week: Gary Clark Jr. and Alabama Shakes.

 

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Encore Broadcast Episode Recap Featured News

Encore: Sleater-Kinney and Heartless Bastards

Austin City Limits presents two of indie-rock’s finest in a must-see installment featuring Sleater-Kinney splitting the episode with Heartless Bastards.

Legendary punk group Sleater-Kinney make their inaugural appearance on the ACL stage armed with songs from their first new album in a decade, No Cities To Love. The surprise release landed on top of many 2015 year-end best lists including the New York Times’ Jon Pareles, who raved “Reunited for its first album in 10 years, Sleater-Kinney returns as joyfully rigorous as ever, sinewy and ready to grapple.” Consisting of guitarists/vocalists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein (also the co-creator/star of IFC’s Portlandia), and drummer Janet Weiss, the powerhouse trio came crashing out of the Pacific Northwest in the mid-90s, setting a new bar for punk’s political awareness and emotional impact. The seminal band perform a searing, musically thrilling, career-wide seven-song set with ferocious new material alongside classic anthems including “Dig Me Out,” the title track from their 1997 breakthrough, and songs from 2005’s The Woods.

Austin-based Heartless Bastards, fronted by dynamic vocalist Erika Wennerstrom, return for their second ACL appearance since their Season 35 debut, focusing on their acclaimed new release Restless Ones. Heartless Bastards have spent the past decade in motion, bolding pushing their unique brand of rock ‘n’ roll into new shapes over four albums and nearly non-stop touring. Rich with purpose, passion, seasoned songwriting and commanding musicianship, Restless Ones, their fifth studio album, captures the idiosyncratic band exploring their craft and soul in an effort to reach a place that’s both real and transcendent. With a voice NPR describes as “warm yet gritty, throaty yet sweet, gigantic yet intimate,” singer-songwriter-guitarist Wennerstrom opens the set with the effervescent country rocker “Hi-Line.” As she switches from acoustic to electric guitar for the garage rock gem “Black Cloud,” the rockers hit their stride, juxtaposing dark subject matter with up-tempo style. The band reach back to 2012’s Arrow for “Parted Ways,” closing out the sublime set on a pitch perfect note.

photo by Scott Newton

“This show is all about women who rock, not to mention awesome singers!” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “It took a decade for Sleater-Kinney to bring us new music, but it was worth the wait. They’re living proof that a band can keep getting better and better. Same goes for Heartless Bastards. Always hometown favorites, Erika’s voice is one-of-a-kind – raw and polished at the same time!”

Tune in this weekend for this episode, and, as always, check your local PBS listings for the broadcast time in your area. Go to the episode page for more info, and don’t forget to click over to our Facebook, Twitter and newsletter pages for more ACL info. Tune in next week for another encore episode, featuring indie rockers Father John Misty and The Black Angels.

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Encore Broadcast Episode Recap Featured News

Encore: Sarah Jarosz and The Milk Carton Kids

Join us this weekend as we present Americana music originals Sarah Jarosz and The Milk Carton Kids in a brand new episode. Both artists showcase their bona fides in an all acoustic hour with roots/folk singer-songwriter Jarosz making a return appearance on the ACL stage and newcomers The Milk Carton Kids in their ACL debut. The episode showcases the young folk acts who were both nominated for Best Folk Album at this year’s Grammy Awards.

Pushing the limits of Americana with her own distinctive style, multi-instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz takes the ACL stage for her second appearance performing highlights from her recent album Build Me Up From Bones. The incredibly talented Jarosz has already released three albums at the age of 22. With her two-piece band featuring a fiddle player and cello, Jarosz begins a stellar set with the Grammy-nominated title track in an acoustic performance that showcases her musicianship and songwriting. Switching between mandolin and banjo, Jarosz also dips into the songbooks of others, treating the audience to an accessible take on Joanna Newsom’s “The Book of Right On” and a solo rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Kathy’s Song”. She invites The Milk Carton Kids out to join her and the band for “Annabelle Lee” (based on an Edgar Allen Poe poem), displaying their complementary visions of contemporary folk music.

“We are so proud of Sarah, we feel like she’s part of the family,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “The last time she graced our stage she was on her way to college, now she’s graduated with honors and her remarkable talent has grown exponentially. We couldn’t resist having her back!”

photo by Scott Newton

The Milk Carton Kids, the L.A. acoustic folk duo consisting of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, make their ACL debut playing songs from their critically-acclaimed new album The Ash & Clay. The besuited pair “play a sweetly dazzling variation on close-harmony vocals, part Simon and Garfunkel and part Everly Brothers” (LA Times) for a sound NPR calls “gorgeous contemporary folk.” With flat-picking harmonies and a touch of twisted humor, the duo play purely acoustically on the ACL stage—no guitar amplification and one vocal mic—to beautiful effect. In a skillful performance infused with their signature wit, the Kids charm the Austin crowd with their playful, deadpan banter, exquisite guitar work, rich harmonies and timeless folk.

“I first saw Kenneth and Joey perform on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium last September, and it was obvious that they are world-class entertainers beyond their years,” says Lickona. “They are traditionalists with a modern spin and a mischievous sense of humor.”

photo by Scott Newton

Check out the episode page for more details. Be sure and visit our Facebook and Twitter pages or sign up for our newsletter for more ACL goodness. Next week: Kacey Musgraves and Dale Watson.