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News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Run The Jewels

High intensity. Lyrical smartbombs. Killer beats. Those are the hallmarks of a great Run The Jewels show, and those elements were in abundance at the debut taping by the rap superstars.

“We’re gonna light this shit on fire like Willie Nelson would light a joint,” declared Killer Mike after an intro of Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” He wasn’t kidding, as he, rapping partner El-P and DJ Trackstar exploded with “Talk To Me,” as energetic an opener as any rock band could provide. Mike’s rapid-fire delivery contrasted nicely with El-P’s punk rock bluster, with Trackstar throwing in the occasional interjection. “Legend Has It” and “Call Ticketron” kept the energy high, the crowd shouting “RTJ!” during the call-and-response section for the former. After thanking the show and warning the crowd about the profanity to come (“We curse like goddamn sailors, kids!”), the band launched into “Blockbuster Night Pt. 1,” Mike showing off why he’s one of the most acclaimed MCs on earth with a stream of superspeed wordsmithery. The band showed off its sardonic sense of humor with “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry” and “36” Chain,” the latter previewed by an El-P speech about handing out invisible gold chains to the crowd with each ticket.

As if the room wasn’t vibrant enough, the duo engaged the crowd for the intro of “Stay Gold,” one of the new album’s most indelible tracks. Trackstar provided both an ambient segue and a brief but fiery scratch solo for “Don’t Get Captured,” one of the group’s most political anthems. A sampled sitar earned immediate cheers and led into “Nobody Speak,” a clear audience favorite. But that was nothing compared to what came next. After Killer Mike declared, “I don’t care what anybody says about watching too much TV – I know I’m smarter because of PBS,” RTJ launched into the booming, cheerfully profane “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck),” which drove the audience even further into a frenzy. So they were primed for a titanic “Hey!” to intro “Hey Kids.” More social commentary followed in the blazing “A Report to the Shareholders,” before El-P exposed the raw emotions underneath the group’s bravado for “Thursday in the Danger Room,” an elegy to anyone who should be with us but isn’t.  

“We’re gonna do a song now that we’ve never quite pulled off,” said El-P, as singers Joi and BGV joined RTJ for “2100.” Then, singer Boots also arrived to add his crushed velvet croon, recreating his studio parts. They definitely pulled it off. Joi joined Mike and El-P on the frontline for the empowering “Down,” as perfectly uplifting a song to end a set with as can be. The band left the stage, but the break didn’t last long. The audience cheered wildly as RTJ returned to the stage for the angry, provocative “Angel Duster,” during which Mike and El-P joined the crowd on the floor. It was an explosive performance, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs early next year on your local PBS station as part of our Season 43.

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News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Rosalía

Already a superstar in her native Spain, Rosalía has spent the last year conquering the Globe. A sensation at Coachella, Glastonbury, Lollapalooza and our namesake Austin City Limits Music Festival, winner of two 2018 Latin Grammy Awards and recent recipient of five 2019 nominations, becoming the most nominated female artist for the second consecutive year, the Catalonian singer brought her smash album El Mal Querer and its groundbreaking blend of flamenco, hip-hop, reggaeton and EDM to the ACL stage for a massive taping that thrilled a captivated audience. 

Producer Pablo Díaz Reixa (AKA El Guincho), four backup singers and six red-clad dancers took the stage first, joined, to huge cheers, by the star in her matching red sweater, adorned in safety pins. A slow build of ambient synth and choreography led to “Pienso En Tu Mirá,” which matched an atmospheric melody with doubletime flamenco handclaps. New song “Como Alí” upped the hip-hop quotient, leading to more rhythmic dancing and complex choreography. After her dancers left the stage, the charismatic performer expressed how happy she was to be present, given how far from home she was. She introduced the clap-driven ballad “Barefoot in the Park,” her hit collaboration with producer and pop star James Blake that puts the emphasis on her songbird vocals. The dancers returned for another new tune: “De Madrugá,” which proves you can still play flamenco without the traditional guitar accompaniment. The crowd went wild, and the singer looked genuinely touched by the wave of love from the audience. Rosalía then dropped all accompaniment for the first part of “Catalina,” an early twentieth century classic originally performed by legendary Spanish cantaor Manuel Vallejo. The singers eventually added handclaps and Reixa clattering percussion, but the spotlight remained on Rosalía’s voice and her firm grip on flamenco tradition. 

After a snippet of “Dio$ No$ Libre Del Dinero,” the singers began their claps again for “Que No Salga La Luna,” a dramatic tune that alternated her keening vocal and examples of her classical flamenco dance. Rosalía left the stage briefly, allowing the dancers to claim the spotlight for a segue featuring a remix of 70s Romani duo Las Grecas’ “Te estoy amando locamente,” which served as a tribute to an important influence. She returned for “A Ningún Hombre,” which found the singer harmonizing with vocoder backing vocals, which shifted directly to the more sparse “De Aqui No Sales.” Following a quick spotlight on Reixa’s beatmaking, the show shifted more firmly into dance territory, starting with “Di Mi Nombre,” which mixed urban pop with flamenco. “Bagdad” functioned as a ballad, focusing once again on the star’s singing, while “Brillo” – which Rosalía cut with reggaeton artist J Balvin – worked a more sensual groove. Another remix of a classic song – this time flamenco star Parrita’s “Embrujao” – allowed the singer and dancers to hit a hip-hop flavored groove, much to the audience’s delight. “Santería” served as a way to not only introduce the folks sharing the stage with her, but also to engage in call-and-response with the adoring crowd. 

Yet another new song, “Lo Presiento” returned to her sparse signature flamenco pop. She then prefaced the next song by asking the audience if they wanted to hear a track she performed at the VMAs, leading to “Yo X Ti, Tu X Mi,” her latest single. Then it was on to the irresistible smash “Con Altura,” the J Balvin collaboration that’s one of the songs that put her on the international map. Strobes and beats matched in an obvious buildup, before Rosalía announced she needed a much-deserved break. Producing a fan, she cooled herself off, before handing the fan off to a lucky audience member. The beats picked up where they left off and it was into “Aute Cuture,” another new single and her poppiest song yet. She and the dancers left the stage, but only for Reixa to set up another beat. Everyone returned for the overwhelmingly groovy “Malamente,” the breakout single that garnered six 2018 Latin Grammy nominations and pushed Rosalía from Spanish pop star to international sensation. It was a great way to end the show, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs early next year on your local PBS station as part of our Season 45.

  • photo by Scott Newton
  • photo by Scott Newton
  • photo by Scott Newton
  • photo by Scott Newton
  • photo by Scott Newton
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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Rodrigo y Gabriela with the Austin Symphony Orchestra

Rodrigo y Gabriela with the Austin Symphony Orchestra on Austin City Limits, July 7, 2023. Photo by Scott Newton.

Innovative guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela teams with the Austin Symphony Orchestra  to bring a wildly captivating sound to the ACL stage and live stream screens. The duo showcased their new album In Between Thoughts…A New World alongside a collection of newly released tracks to deliver a stunning performance. In Between Thoughts…A New World is an experimental and energetic departure from their classical Spanish acoustic sound that raised the Mexico City duo to meteoric fame as musical maestros. Being accompanied by the 32 piece Austin Symphony Orchestra, the performance marks a much anticipated collaboration 26 years in the making, as the Orchestra  makes its ACL debut  lead by seasoned conductor, Peter Bay. In Between Thoughts…A New World invites listeners to travel into the Rodrigo y Gabriela universe inspired by a deep dive into the spiritual interconnectedness at the core of the human experience. Expressed via speedy strumming patterns, distinctive guitar solos, and a powerful strings section, the musicians magically maintain a harmonious balance that cosmically creates the ultimate storytelling soundtrack. In between thoughts and beneath the ACL studio lights, Rodrigo, Gabriela, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra delivered a stunning  glimpse into their new world.  

Embarking on the first stop of the musical journey, the duo navigates the audience through the narrative nature of the record. The musicians include several songs that reflect the rises, falls, and pit stops along their musical tour of their new world. Spearheaded by the non dualistic themes of connection and unity that inspired the songs on the new record, phase 1 of the hero’s journey includes track “The Eyes that Dream,” featuring orchestra accompaniment. A track that serves as a testament to the musical chemistry between the guitarists, the track showcases how Rodrigo’s immense technical skills complement the energetic acoustic style of his partner. As Rodrigo switches between electric and acoustic guitar, the orchestra gracefully merges into the melody catching up to the guitarists and expanding on the impactful rhythm of the song. The track transitions swiftly into the next stop of the tour with brief interludes featuring a collection of ambient-style intros, serving as transitional “pit stops”, a thematic palette cleanser and tonal introduction to the next track. A grateful and charismatic Gabriela takes to the mic to thank the audience, speak about the album, and thank the orchestra. Briefly introducing new song “Monster” the guitarist explains the thematic roots of the song before explaining that due to its long explanation, the audience would be better off “[Coming] up with [their] own monster story.” “Monster” features a melancholic intro, softly played by both Spanish guitars, invoking a sense of unease, a sound that underlyingly expects danger to arise. The track creates a stylistic spotlight on Gabriela’s stylistic work with the body of the guitar featuring percussive slaps and her signature loose, but never sloppy technique. The duo create a sound that bounces from being small, contained, and uneasy, to a sudden shift into the quick strumming that creates a beautiful disarray. The duo spring up from their stools as the crowd cheers. Rodrigo builds on momentum by adding a psychedelic layer of  distortion to the guitar tone giving the sound movement, almost as if the sound comes in and out of the song amongst the energetic rhythmic strumming, a musical lava lamp effect. 

Tapping into their rock and roll roots, song “Broken Rage” highlights the technical talent of the former metal maestros. The orchestra’s strings weave into Rodrigo’s lead electric guitar as he takes turns connecting with Gabriela and the elated audience. As he runs across the stage under strobe-like lighting effects, the orchestra builds to an energetic peak. Expanding the sound and captivating the audience through speed, the orchestra delivers a high energy performance.

The component at the center of the Rod y Gab musical universe lies within the authenticity that comes from the musicians’ undeniable musical chemistry with each other and their own instruments. The musicians reflect a sense of organic craftsmanship so strong that it becomes central to the inherent identity of them as performers – a major piece of their signature style. Rodrigo y Gabriela grow an increasingly complex musical world from the seed of this connection that blooms bright. Observing this connection innately turns the viewer from a spectator into a voyeur, with a unique opportunity to peer into a sheer 75 minutes of intimate musical connection. Rodrigo y Gabriela do not merely perform, but display a sense of musical connection so authentic, it invites the listener to place themselves within the center of their rich musical ecosystem. 

Leading with this authenticity, the duo exits the stage after final track “In Between Thoughts…A New World” amongst a sea of standing ovations, cheering, and immense applause before returning to the stage for the final encore. Rodrigo thanks the audience and comments “The energy in here is beautiful!” As they prepare for their final song, an audience member yells out “Te amo Gabi!” As the explosive finisher “Descending to Nowhere” reaches its epic end, the maestros receive an eruption of applause by a crowd completely on their feet, yelling, cheering, and raising their heart-shaped hands at the guitarists. Gabriela excitingly smiles and laughs at the crowd, prancing around the stage waving and graciously thanking the invigorated fans. As crowds of musical travelers leave their seats, show commentary and conversation commences amongst the crowd. One fan expresses how “You feel better now, than when you came in!”, an observation of a performance that encompasses the dynamic of a musical duo that not merely coexists with each other, but thrives. 

The harmonious dynamic created between Rodrigo, Gabriela, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra created an experimental presence so captivating, it ripples across the audience inviting listeners to travel alongside the duo as they explore their new musical universe. Tune into your local public TV station this fall and witness the broadcast version of this symphonic soundtrack to human connection on ACL’s upcoming Season 49.

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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Robert Glasper

Robert Glasper and his band perform on Austin City Limits, Aug. 24, 2023. Photo by Scott Newton.

Keyboardist Robert Glasper runs on parallel paths, one in which he’s one of the most celebrated jazz pianists of the last couple of decades, and the other in which he’s an award-winning R&B producer and bandleader. Combining his passions, his Black Radio series with the Robert Glasper Experiment racked up Grammys, and found the Houston native collaborating with singers and rappers from across the musical spectrum, from Lalah Hathaway and Yasiin Bey to H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello. Supporting Black Radio III, Glasper and his three-piece band brought a trio of guest artists with them for his second appearance on the ACL stage, following his 2019 appearance as a member of August Greene. 

“Austin, what up?” Glasper announced when he took a place behind his instruments, his sunglasses reflecting his keyboards. “I used to watch this show when I was a kid, so it’s an honor to be here.” After introducing his bandmates – drummer Justin Tyson, bassist Burniss Travis, and DJ Jahi Sundance – the bandleader led the musicians into the atmospheric intro of “Find You,” an organic blend of R&B melodies, jazz harmonies, and shapeshifting polyrhythms from the Experiment album Artscience. “Your feelings cannot be trusted!” declared the samples from Sundance’s turntables. Neither could our ears, with Glasper dropping in verses from Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and Buddy Miles’ “Them Changes” over the groove. Glasper plucked another tune from Artscience with “No One Like You,” a lush meditation that gave the drummer some by putting the solo spotlight on Tyson before Glasper’s synthesizer solo got the tune’s pulse racing. Sundance flew in Erykah Badu’s vocal from “Afro Blue” as icing on the cake. 

“Me and my brother Derrick Hodge were fortunate enough to score this series Run the World,” explained Glasper. “It finally gave me a chance to work with this person I’ve been meaning to work with forever.” He then brought out singer/songwriter Emily King for the gorgeous ballad “What Love Can Do.” Glasper and King then revisited their Black Radio III collaboration, turning the free-flowing “Invitation” into audience participation during the breakdown. After King left the stage, Glasper noted that, while he came to Austin for jazz camp as a high schooler, he’s from Houston, and while he was in elementary school, he and some friends used to ride their bikes over to the next neighborhood outside of ZZ Top’s house, waiting for them to possibly appear. Cue Sundance bringing out a few bars of the Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” – a running joke from then on. Apropos of nothing, really, but still a humorous breather before the next tune. 

For that, Glasper improvised a fleet-fingered piano intro that led into “Shine,” his collaboration with singer Tiffany Gouche – present as a sampled voice – and rapper D Smoke, who appeared in the flesh. Glasper explained how both the song and the album came to be during the pandemic, scoring a Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Album with music recorded in a homemade, self-built studio in his landlord’s old apartment behind his building. This led into praise for late producer/musician J Dilla, which in turn fed into the band performing a rewritten (on the fly?), energy-filled take on Dilla’s “Wild.” After Smoke quit the stage and the crew brought on a voice modulator, Glasper introduced “my sister” Yebba, who arrived to sing the smoky R&B song “Distance” from her debut album Dawn. Interpolating verses from Natalie Cole‘s “Everlasting Love,” her voice soared into the stratosphere on the wings of her self-manipulated electronic modulations. 

That, of course, meant it was time for Yebba’s contribution to Black Radio III. Conceived at a soundcheck, as Glasper explained, the majestic “Over” filled the room with funky grooves and barely-controlled vocal emotion – a feeling that was heightened by the reappearance of King and Smoke, who added harmonies and freestyle rapping, respectively. “Hoping that this love ain’t over” went from hook to mantra, ending the song to wild applause from the crowd. A soulful ending to a soulful show, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs as part of our upcoming Season 49 on your local PBS station. 

Robert Glasper, with special guests Emily King, D Smoke, and Yebba, perform on Austin City Limits, August 2023. Photos by Scott Newton.
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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Robert Earl Keen

Robert Earl Keen's final ACL taping, April 27, 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

It may be a “say it ain’t so” moment for Austin City Limits fans, but it’s true: Robert Earl Keen’s seventh time on our storied stage will apparently be his last. We first welcomed him in Season 14, thirty-four years ago, and have been diehard fans ever since. While the Houston native won’t be retiring from live performances until September, he still threw himself and his legions of fans a hell of a goodbye party with an epic set traversing his entire career. 

As the sparkly-jacketed Keen took a seat centerstage, he noted that ACL has been a big part of his career arc, in part due to meeting his wife at a Nanci Griffith taping back in 1983. Then, backed by his five-piece band – stalwart rhythm section Bill Whitbeck (with Keen for 27 years) and Tom Van Schaik (25), guitarists Brian Beken and Noah Jeffries, and his longtime friend and ACL Hall of Famer Lloyd Maines on the pedal steel – Keen opened with a one-two punch of classic tunes: “Feeling Good Again,” from 1998’s Walking Distance, and “Gringo Honeymoon,” from the 1994 album of the same name. Keen then introduced the band, before going into the warm folk rocker “For Love I Did It,” from 2005’s What I Really Mean. Due to a technical snafu, we had to run “Gringo Honeymoon” again – the amiable Keen offered the audience the option to redo it right then, or “cram us all in your mini-van and do it then.” The redo got even bigger applause than the first take, especially when the audience got to sing “We ain’t never comin’ back!” themselves. “We might just double down on the whole set,” Keen grinned. 

The songwriter noted that the next song was the unofficial theme song for his popular Americana Podcast—the appropriately melody-rich “Let the Music Play.” After paying tribute to a genre, Keen honed in on a specific musician, telling the story of visiting the late Levon Helm’s combination venue/studio/residence the Ramble in upstate NY, which inspired his fan favorite “The Man Behind the Drums.” He then switched from stories of great musicians to tales of the criminal element with “Shades of Gray,” a hidden gem from 1997’s major label bow Picnic. Contrary to its title, “Dreadful Selfish Crime” didn’t continue the theme, but instead addressed the sin of wasting one’s life – despite its sobering message, the crowd responded to it with wild applause. Keen then revisited one of his certified classics, giving “Corpus Christi Bay” a rocked-up arrangement, garnering another round of hurrahs. 

Keen talked about his early days as a songwriter, first moving to Austin in 1980, then trying his luck in Nashville at the urging of friend Steve Earle, before returning and settling in Bandera, Texas. There he met a co-worker named Mariano, who lent his name to the eponymous minor-key song found on Keen’s second LP, 1989’s West Textures, and given an earnest reading here. Speaking of earnestness, he followed that up with “I’ll Be There For You,” from the 1998 LP Walking Distance, and as heartfelt a ballad as he’s likely ever written.  He then leapt forward thirteen years to 2011’s Ready For Confetti, his most recent studio album of original material, for “Black Baldy Stallion,” a tribute of sorts to a horse he once owned, telling a story about playing that song for the late Guy Clark, whose only response was to roll a cigarette, blow a plume of smoke and note, “Too many fuckin’ words.” “I cried all the way home,” Keen said, only half joking. 

He led the band and crowd into the home stretch with “Sinnerman,” a tune he hasn’t yet recorded himself, but was recorded by the Stryker Brothers. After that he lightly strummed some chords before singing “Sherry was a waitress at the only joint in town,” to which the audience responded with a cheer. It was, of course, “The Road Goes On Forever,” Keen’s signature anthem from early-career breakout West Textures, and one on which the crowd sang along, sometimes louder than its writer. Needless to say, band and audience went wild, taking a minute to settle down enough for the next song. Keen reiterated his retirement, adding that he was sitting in the chair “to practice a little bit,” logically preceding Gringo Honeymoon’s  “I’m Comin’ Home,” a sentiment that evolved into a full audience singalong. Fittingly, Keen ended the show with the jaunty “I Gotta Go,” because, well, he did. “You can take this one with ya,” he told the fans. They did as he stood up center stage, raised his guitar, and poignantly took a bow, letting the band play him offstage. 

But it wasn’t quite over, as Keen almost immediately came back. “Somebody backstage told me he’d missed one of our Christmas shows,” he explained, “and he gave me five bucks, so what am I gonna do?” That, obviously, meant “Merry Christmas From the Family,” his Christmas classic eight months early. It became another singalong, of course, as well it should have. It was a truly special performance from an ACL favorite, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs this fall on your local PBS station as part of our Season 48. 

Robert Earl Keen on Austin City Limits, April 2022. Photos by Scott Newton.
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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Ray Wylie Hubbard

photo by Scott Newton

Forty-six years in the making, the long-awaited taping of the great Texas songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard was worth the wait. One of the original Texas outlaws, Hubbard is arguably best known for his early ‘70s composition, the much-recorded anthem “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother.” The Oklahoma native/longtime Lone Star resident relaunched his career in the nineties, and in one of music’s most remarkable second acts, has been prolifically recording critically-lauded work ever since. So we were thrilled to finally have the revered Texas troubadour on our stage for his first-ever headline appearance in a rousing performance that was livestreamed around the world. 

Hubbard and his ace four-piece band, which includes his son Lucas on guitar, drummer Kyle Schneider, Bukka Allen on keyboards and Gurf Morlix on bass, kicked things off with the bluesy “Rabbit,” on which he declares that, while he doesn’t know what “between the devil and the deep blue sea” mean, “maybe it means I’m funky and cool – maybe it means I’m on Austin City Limits!” “So that’s what a smattering of applause sounds like,” said the jovial raconteur, noting the lack of a live audience due to the pandemic. The songwriter drove his band even deeper into the swamp with “Snake Farm,” the title track to his 2006 album. After band intros, Hubbard launched into “Drunken Poet’s Dream,” a co-write with Hayes Carll the pair performed together during Carll’s ACL appearance in Season 36. Hubbard then turned his attention to Co-Starring, his acclaimed recent major label debut, featuring guest appearances from titans Joe Walsh, Ringo Starr, Chris Robinson and more. He showcased a trio of tracks from the record in a row, including the bluesy grind of “Bad Trick,” a song penned with his wife Judy. He donned a 12-string for “Rock Gods,” a heartfelt tribute to Tom Petty and his peers who’ve entered the Pearly Gates, and a meditation on how death comes to us all. After those sobering thoughts, Hubbard led the band into the funky rocker “Fast Left Hand,” highlighted by earthy solos from Allen’s Hammond organ and the younger Hubbard’s guitar.

“If this is the first time you’ve seen me on Austin City Limits, you might get the idea that I’m an acquired taste,” Hubbard remarked. “So this song should weed you out.” That bon mot dropped, the singer/songwriter pulled out the outlaw swamp rocker “Mother Blues” from 2012’s The Grifter’s Hymnal – the story of a stolen Les Paul Goldtop, two romances rooted in an afterhours gig, and the wisdom of keeping your gratitude higher than your expectations. He and the band launched into his 2017 classic “Tell the Devil I’m Gettin’ There As Fast I Can,” a “kind of rock & roll fable” that, as Hubbard explained with a wink in the intro “hopes God grades on a curve.” Longtime drummer Schneider then thumped out the rumbling groove of an anthem, “Wanna Rock and Roll,” the album closer from 1992’s Lost Train of Thought, a tune later recorded by the red dirt rockers Cross Canadian Ragweed that earned Hubbard enough royalties “to buy a fence. That’s very important where I live.” 

Hubbard ended the show with “Desperate Man,” a song he co-wrote with country superstar Eric Church (and the title track of Church’s 2018 LP) – a bluesy rocker that encapsulates as well as any his characters’ outlaw ethos. It was a great way to end a great show, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs early next year as part of our Season 46 on your local PBS station. 

photos by Scott Newton