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Episode Recap Featured New Broadcast News

Billie Eilish reveals many dimensions on ACL’s Season 45

photo by Scott Newton

Austin City Limits spotlights newly minted five-time Grammy Award winner Billie Eilish in an epic hour.  The global pop phenomenon performs her off-kilter pop hits and songs from her acclaimed multi-platinum smash WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? 

18-year-old Los Angeles native Billie Eilish just swept the 2020 Grammy Awards, winning Best New Artist, Song, Record and Album of the Year, becoming only the second person in Grammy history to win all of the “Big Four” categories and the youngest person ever to win Album of the Year. 

Eilish’s celebrated debut album, 2019’s WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? is the centerpiece of her stunning ACL debut, and the striking neon-green clad teen commands the stage in an electrifying 14-song set, accompanied by her brother and collaborator FINNEAS, who earned his first Grammys as 2020 Producer of the Year for his sister’s debut.  

Sporting a shock of lime-green hair and an oversized t-shirt, Eilish playfully saunters onstage to the electronic pulse of her Grammy-winning, No. 1 megahit, the pop-noir smash “bad guy,” as her whisper-speak vocals lend a sinister edge to this tale of dark seduction. She thrills on the thorny world domination fantasy “you should see me in a crown,” directing the delirious crowd to “sing as loud as you possibly can.” The innately groundbreaking artist remakes pop iconography and gives voice to 21st century teen ennui with lacerating songs about Gen Z angst, recreational drug use, heartbreak and self-destruction. Eilish performs the early career highlights that launched her meteoric rise: the sparse, synthy 2016 viral hit ballad “ocean eyes” (that generated a massive online following), and the spellbinding, melancholy “idontwannabeyouanymore,” from her 2017 EP Don’t Smile At Me. 

A truly hypnotic performer, Eilish flaunts her range, singing with featherlight vocals and a lingering ache on the haunting heartbreak anthem “when the party’s over”—about going home angry and alone—before giving in to the sampled screams and grim impulses of the monster under the bed fever dream “bury a friend” for a riveting closer. The young star then descends into the rapt ACL audience, sweetly embracing her fans, enveloped in a screaming sea of hands and iPhones. 

photo by Scott Newton


“Whether you’re already a hardcore fan, or you were captivated by her mesmerizing Grammy performance, this is a rare opportunity to see the many dimensions of Billie Eilish live in concert,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “An artist like Billie comes along once in a generation. Her Grammy sweep is historic; her ACL performance is historic.”

As always, check your local PBS listings for the broadcast time in your area, and don’t forget to click over to our Facebook and Twitter pages or sign up for our newsletter for more ACL info. Join us next week for another new episode, featuring Grammy-winning Spanish star Rosalía. 

BILLIE EILISH setlist:

bad guy

my strange addiction

you should see me in a crown

idontwannabeyouanymore

copycat

when i was older

wish you were gay

xanny

all the good girls go to hell

ilomilo

bellyache

ocean eyes

when the party’s over

bury a friend

goodbye (outro)

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Featured

Bill Arhos, 1934-2015

LONGTIME KLRU STATION EXECUTIVE AND AUSTIN CITY LIMITS FOUNDER BILL ARHOS DIES
November 3, 1934 – April 11, 2015

KLRU-­‐TV, Austin PBS and the family of Bill Arhos are sad to announce the passing of the longtime station executive, who most regard as the father of Austin City Limits. Arhos died Saturday, April 11th, at the age of 80. His life’s work was devoted to KLRU, public media and music. He served in many positions during his nearly 40-­‐year career at KLRU, joining in 1961 to help launch the public television station. Over the years, Arhos served as Producer, Program Director, Vice President of Programming, Executive Producer of Austin City Limits (1975-­‐1999), and President/General Manager from 1986 until his retirement in 1999. He also served on the boards of PBS and the Country Music Association. Arhos was a proud graduate of Rice University, graduating in 1957. Rice honored Arhos in 2007 with the Association of Rice Alumni’s Distinguished Alumni Award.Arhos will always be remembered best for his vision and passion that drove Austin City Limits to become the longest-­‐running music series in American television history.  In 1974, KLRU (then KLRN) hatched the idea to create a music performance show. The pilot was shot on October 14, 1974, starring up and coming singer-­‐songwriter Willie Nelson and the rest is history.

“I’ve never met anyone like Bill Arhos,” says ACL Executive Producer and longtime colleague Terry Lickona. “He was a real character, known and loved not just in Austin but throughout the PBS system. The idea for Austin City Limits was not just his alone, but he brought it to life, and he kept the show going and growing through some difficult times. Whether they know it or not, millions of music fans, artists and PBS viewers owe a debt to him for his enormous contribution to what’s become a cultural institution.”

Called the “spirit” of the show, Arhos was inducted into the Austin City Limits Inaugural Hall of Fame last year, honored for his vision, passion and dedication. In accepting the award Arhos’ trademark wit was evident when he said: “It’s a little intimidating to be in a class of the first inductees, and three of the four have bronze statues around town.”

KLRU’s current general manager Bill Stotesbery says, “Bill Arhos was a legend in public media, respected for his creativity, energy, and persistence. From day one, he dedicated himself to building a station that was a national leader in production, and he set a standard that others seek to achieve. He will be missed greatly.”Arhos will be buried in a private ceremony at the Texas State Cemetery alongside other Texas legends. Details about his service and a celebration of his life will be forthcoming.

The family requests donations to the Bill Arhos Fund at KLRU in lieu of flowers.

Categories
Hall of Fame News

Bid on a piece of Austin City Limits History in Austin PBS’s 2023 Hall of Fame Auction

Enter the 2023 ACL Hall of Fame Auction for a Chance to Win Artist Signed Posters, Custom Guitars, and more Austin City Limits Collectibles!

As a part of the 2023 ACL Hall of Fame, honoring Trisha Yearwood and John Prine, Austin PBS and ACL have created a special online auction featuring an array of once-in-a-lifetime items and experiences. This auction marks the start of a year-long celebration of Austin City Limits’ 50th Anniversary Season in 2024.

Register to bid and view all the items featured in the auction before it opens on Wednesday, October 25 at 10 a.m. CT. 

Items include access to tapings during Season 50, a custom Collings C-10 guitar using wood from the original ACL Studio 6A stage, a Gibson Les Paul to be signed by all the Season 50 artists, signed posters from deep in the archives, autographed Soundwaves fine art honoring the honorees, private parties and screening, one-of-a-kind mementos and more. Auction closes Friday, October 27 at 10 a.m. CT. 

Proceeds from the night go directly back to the Austin PBS station to continue our work in the community, support Made In Austin productions like Austin City Limits and to celebrate Season 50 of ACL.

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Featured News

Best of Austin City Limits Season 38 DVD

Austin City Limits has just released the DVD Austin City Limits: Best of Season 38, featuring performances from Radiohead, Bonnie Raitt, Jack White, Tim McGraw, Norah Jones, The Civil Wars, Rodrigo y Gabriela and more – every great artist who appeared on the show last year, in fact.

A portion of the proceeds of the sales of Austin City Limits: Best of Season 38 DVD will benefit KLRU-TV, Austin PBS – the producing station for ACLTV. Enjoy some of the best performances from Season 38 in the comfort of your home and feel good about supporting Public Television at the same time! That’s a win-win!

This is a limited edition release with 20 artists – get the complete track listing. Order it now in the ACL shop!

 

Categories
News Taping Recap

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals’ run the musical gamut

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals staged their triumphant return to Austin City Limits supporting the brand new album Call It What It Is. Thirteen years after their first appearance in Season 29 (and seven since Harper’s last visits in Season 35 with Relentless7 and as a guest of Pearl Jam),  Harper and the six piece Criminals showcased the new LP with a diverse performance.

The band opened with the rocking “When Sex Was Dirty,” a sardonically nostalgic look back at a more repressive time. The Les Paul-wielding Harper then jumped back to the Criminals classic Burn to Shine for the blues-rocking title track. The group stuck with the same album as percussionist Leon Mobley brought out a cajon for the percolating groove of “Steal My Kisses,” augmented by crowd clapping and bassist Juan Nelson’s baritone asides. Harper took a moment to thank ACL – “it’s the most incredible music institution I know” – before moving into “Finding Our Way,” a tribute to music in a reggae style from the new album.

Settling onto a chair with his lap steel, the instrument for which he’s best known, Harper then launched into the soulful, upbeat “Shine,” adding some liquid solos. He introduced the band, including Austin’s own Jason Mozersky on guitar, before moving into the slow burning “Call It What It Is,” an explicitly political kick against the darkness. Strapping on an acoustic guitar, Harper brought on violinist Rebecca Schlappich and guitarist Kyle Crusham for a brand new, unrecorded song: the honky-tonkin’ “Bottle Wins Again.” Another reconfiguration found drummer Oliver Charles coming from behind his kit to man a set of congas, keyboardist Jason Yates on acoustic guitar and Harper himself shaking a maraca for the Latin-styled “How Dark is Gone,” enlivened an organ/guitar duel by Yates and Mozersky that drove the crowd wild.

Harper then went all the way back to There Will Be a Light, his 2004 collaboration with the Blind Boys of Alabama. Mining deep soul and gospel roots, he pulled out all the vocal stops for “Where Could I Go,” even singing part of it off- mic with little loss of power or passion. It was a show-stopping moment, and the audience loved it. Harper strapped a Telecaster on for the set-ending “Goodbye to You,” the gently melancholic closer of Call It What It Is. But the band didn’t leave it like that, returning for the title track of Harper’s 1995 second album. The funky “Fight For Your Mind” blended its defiant stance with an excerpt of Buddy Miles’ “Them Changes” and extended call-and-response solos from Nelson’s bass and Harper’s lap steel. “It really is the greatest stage in the world,” Harper said as the crowd applauded wildly. It was a fitting closer for a show that ran the gamut of Harper’s musical expression, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs this coming winter on your local PBS station.

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Episode Recap Featured News

Beck kicks off ACL anniversary season

This weekend, Beck kicks off Austin City Limits’ celebratory season 40 with an epic, career-spanning full-hour performance. One of the most creative artists of his generation, Beck shines in an exceptionally entertaining hour, showcasing a mix of vintage fan favorites and more recent gems. Promoting his mightily acclaimed LP Morning Phase, Beck and his crack band of longtime friends and collaborators shift from quiet contemplation to rousing party jams with chameleonic skill and unabashed enthusiasm. The L.A. native goes into troubadour mode for the beautiful, emotional “Blue Moon,” “Waking Light” and “Let It Go,” showcasing his depth as a songwriter. But he also blows the doors off with the dynamic, houseshaking hits “Loser” and an epic blast through his anthem “Where It’s At.”

Tune in this Saturday for this soon to be classic episode, and, as always, check your local PBS listings for the broadcast time in your area. Click over to the episode page for more info, and don’t forget to click over to our Facebook, Twitter and newsletter pages for more ACL goodies. Next week: our new season continues with Ed Sheeran and Valerie June.

photo by Scott Newton