Tag: Season 39

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News Taping Recap

Portugal. The Man’s glorious set

Continuing Austin City Limit’s efforts to showcase the best in indie rock, we were happy to host the ACL debut of Portugal. The Man. The Portland quintet put a fresh coat of paint on the house of indie, with a blend of new wave, psychedelia, alternative pop and anything else that came to their attention. “I love the blending of psychedelic, synths, and guitars,” declared Scott Wright on YouTube during the livestream of tonight’s taping. “It’s just perfect.”

Unsurprisingly, the band drew heavily from its most recent work, particularly In the Mountain In the Clouds and its acclaimed Danger Mouse-produced LP Evil Friends. The funk-infused “All Your Light (Times Like These)” kicked things off by seguing its synth-pop into burly rock, working itself into an almost progressive rock epic. “The Sun” and “Sea of Air” incorporated a subtle Beatles feel, updating classic 60s psych pop for a new generation. The back-to-back pairing of “Modern Jesus” and “Hip Hop Kids” created a sugary rush moderated by Gourley’s clever, sardonic lyrics. In another callback to the classics, Portugal. The Man started its set-ender “Purple, Yellow, Red & Blue” with the first verse and chorus of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2,” a mashup that worked wonderfully due to the similarity between the rhythm guitar parts. One of the biggest surprises was “Dayman,” taken from the TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, used as the middle portion in a mini-suite that began with Evil Friends’ title track and ended with the widescreen coda of “So American.” “I love how they mashup their own songs during live performances,” commented qwertyqwerty1230 from YouTube. “It makes each show unique.”

The band encored with the fan favorite “Sleep Forever,” sending the audience out with a lighter-waving classic rock anthem. It was a fitting end to a glorious set. We can’t wait for you to see it early next year – watch this space for broadcast details.

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Featured News Taping Announcement

New taping: Nine Inch Nails

Austin City Limits is pleased to announce a new taping on November 4 with Nine Inch Nails.

Nine Inch Nails deliver one of the best live shows on the planet, are considered a pioneer in the industrial music movement and have been highly influential in the evolution of electronic music.  The band just released their first album in five years, the critically-acclaimed Hesitation Marks, which Spin called “the most important artistic statement from Reznor since the late 90s” and Rolling Stone hailed “one of his best” in a four-star lead review. We’re thrilled to welcome Nine Inch Nails to the ACL stage.

The band debuted in 1989 with its first single “Down In It,” racking up an impressive series of hits over the course of 20 years, from “Head Like a Hole,” “Closer” and “Hurt” (later recorded to much acclaim by Johnny Cash) to “The Hand That Feeds,” “Only,” and “Survivalism.” Along the way the band were awarded Grammys for “Wish” and “Happiness in Slavery” and sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Building on their long history of soundtrack work, Nine Inch Nail’s Trent Reznor, with partner Atticus Ross, became an Oscar-winning composer, with credits including The Social Network and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Want to be part of the audience for this taping? You can enter here for a chance to win a pair of passes to attend the show. (UPDATE: giveaway is now over) On 11/1 we will conduct a random drawing to determine the winners. You will be notified via email if you have won tickets; the email will contain further instructions. Each winner receives two passes per person. No need to enter multiple times – you may only win once. Tickets are non-transferable – meaning you cannot sell them or give them to a friend. For more information on attending tapings of Austin City Limits, click here.

And remember we only honor tickets that we distribute. If you purchase tickets on eBay, Craiglist etc. that claim to be for this or any other ACL taping they are counterfeit and will NOT be honored.

 

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News

Giveaway: Nine Inch Nails 11/4

*Giveaway is now over.

Austin City Limits will be taping a performance by Nine Inch Nails on Monday, November 4th, 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 9 am Friday, November 1.

Passes are not transferable and cannot be sold. Standing may be required.

No photography, recording or cell phone use in the studio.

Categories
Featured News Taping Announcement

New taping: Sarah Jarosz and The Milk Carton Kids

Austin City Limits is proud to announce a new taping on November 10, featuring singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz and folk duo The Milk Carton Kids.

Sarah Jarosz first appeared on ACL in 2010, supporting her debut album Song Up in Her Head. Though only 18 at the time, the Wimberly resident already had nearly a decade of performing experience under her belt, starting as a bluegrass prodigy but quickly expanding her horizons to include folk, jazz and pop. “I never became a bluegrass snob,” she told Texas Music. “ I was always open to everything.” Following her rising star turn on ACL, she left Austin to attend the New England Conservatory, releasing her second LP Follow Me Down along the way. Now graduated with honors from the Conservatory, Jarosz moved to New York City and dedicated herself to pushing the limits of her art, as her new record Build Me Up From Bones asserts. “Jarosz makes music that’s all over the spectrum,” noted PopMatters, “but puts her own imprint on it through her distinctive style.” All Music Guide declares that the album “reflects not only her growth as a songwriter but her willingness to push the boundaries of country, folk, and Americana to discover connections not necessarily considered before.” Join us to witness this exciting young artist’s evolution.

photo by Andrew Paynter

Flat-picking harmony duo The Milk Carton Kids have emerged in the last three years as a powerful voice defining the continuing folk tradition. A refreshing alternative to the foot-stomping grandeur of the so-called “folk revival,” an understated virtuosity defines The Milk Carton Kids to the delight of traditionalists and newcomers to the folk movement alike. Indeed, Garrison Keillor has called them “absolute geniuses in close-harmony,” while cultural purveyors like T Bone Burnett and Billy Bragg continue to refer the importance of The Milk Carton Kids among a group of new folk bands expanding and contradicting the rich tradition that comes before them. The Los Angeles Times lauds their latest Anti- Records release The Ash & Clay as displaying “absolute mastery of their craft” while Paste emphasizes the “intellectual sophistication of their songs, making The Milk Carton Kids an option for purists unsatisfied with some of the pop tendencies seeping in to the genre.” This young new duo caught ACL’s eye performing as nominee for Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2013 Americana Music Awards. We hope you join us to see why The Milk Carton Kids are getting our attention, too.

Information on passes to this show will appear here. We hope to see you there!

 

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Episode Recap Featured New Broadcast News

Vampire Weekend and Grizzly Bear continue ACL’s new season

This weekend, Austin City Limits shines the spotlight on two of indie rock’s most innovative bands, with the ACL debuts of Vampire Weekend and Grizzly Bear.

Vampire Weekend kicks off an exuberant performance with “Diane Young” from their latest album, Modern Vampires of the City.  The band formed in 2006 at NY’s Columbia University and “quickly became one of the most important New York bands of this millennium” (NY Times). Vampire Weekend’s dynamic, high-energy performance offers a window into their unique sound. The group perform tracks from their three albums, including the massive hit “Cousins,” from their 2010 sophomore release Contra, which earned the band a Grammy Award nomination for Best Alternative Album.  Displaying their impressive musicianship by playing the tricky polyrhythms and intricate melodies that are a hallmark of their sound, the four-piece band keeps their well-crafted choruses and melodies flowing throughout for a memorable debut.

“Vampire Weekend are festival favorites for good reason – everybody loves their music!” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “They have an easy-going approach that almost makes it feel like they’re playing in somebody’s backyard instead of to thousands (or in this case, on national TV). Their songs are intoxicating.”

photo by Scott Newton

With their sweeping, psychedelic indie rock in full effect, Grizzly Bear turns in a stellar set as well. Grizzly Bear has been steadily ascending throughout their decade-long career, garnering raves for their special blend of visceral, majestic indie rock. Pitchfork says, “the Brooklyn four-piece make pop music for the ambient, asking us to notice the importance in detail, the beauty of texture, and the foregrounds that exist all across our spectrum of perception.” The band takes the ACL stage performing songs primarily from their acclaimed recent album Shields, which Rolling Stone named one of the year’s best. Grizzly Bear features two singers, Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen, who are also the main songwriters, and the band’s emphasis on collaboration is front and center as they trade off vocals, delivering gorgeous, elaborate, haunting compositions.

“There’s almost something spiritual, or at least ethereal, about Grizzly Bear’s music,” says ACL’s Lickona. “Their sweet harmonies can be hypnotic, and overall there’s this low-key kind of excitement about them that just leaves you wanting more!”

Check out the episode page here and tune in this Saturday to see the show for yourself. Click over to our Facebook and Twitter pages or our newsletter for the latest ACL skinny. Next week: Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell.

 

Categories
Episode Recap Featured New Broadcast News

The Lumineers and Shovels & Rope keep Austin City Limits’ new season rolling

Austin City Limits celebrates the best in Americana music today, with The Lumineers and Shovels & Rope making their ACL debuts. Denver’s Lumineers perform their breakthrough hits including “Ho Hey” and “Stubborn Love,” while Charleston, South Carolina’s Shovels & Rope perform songs from their acclaimed debut O’ Be Joyful. The new episode, part of ACL’s just-launched Season 39, premieres October 19th.

The broadcast offers a deeper look at two acts that have been receiving well-deserved attention for their recent releases. Leading off the hour is The Lumineers, a folk-rock trio that play traditional but original heart-on-the-sleeve music. Of the band The Austin Chronicle writes, “There’s nothing precious or affected here, just three dedicated artists opening their hearts.” The group’s breakthrough hit “Ho Hey” was one of the most-played songs of 2012, earning them a performing slot on 2013’s Grammy Awards telecast, in addition to two Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best Americana Album. The Lumineers’ uplifting ACL debut is filled with heart-swelling stomp-and-clap acoustic rock, classic pop and front-porch folk. Their set includes an inspired take on a Dylan classic, while the tambourine driven beat of “Ho Hey” brings the crowd to its feet and the performance closes with a crowd sing-along on “Stubborn Love.”

“There’s more to The Lumineers than just the song that seemed to have the whole world singing along to this year,” notes executive producer Terry Lickona. “There aren’t many bands that can engage an audience the way they do, and watching their ACL performance is the next best thing to being there.”

photo by Scott Newton

The second half of the episode introduces Shovels & Rope, the husband and wife roots duo of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst. The dynamic pair channel country, bluegrass and blues to create folk music with raw energy. The NY Times raves, “While they are country, there is an edgy, punk, raucous side to go with their beautiful harmonies.” NPR agrees, “Seeing Hearst and Trent perform live together—as they conjure images of country-singing couples like Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash—renders them almost impossible to resist.” The first-time nominees were big winners at this year’s recent Americana Music Awards, taking home top honors for Emerging Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. The couple’s creative chemistry is on display in their ACL debut, an irresistible performance that’s a potent mix of Southern gothic and country rock and deftly showcases their soulful harmonies.

“It doesn’t get more basic than Shovels & Rope,” says Lickona, “but they rock out more than a stage full of musicians, and there’s something refreshingly authentic about their live performance that just makes you feel good.”