ACL 2016: Porter Robinson and Madeon

Sunday at 7pm.  HAIM is in this slot but the other choice is this duo of producers, from North Carolina and France, that have teamed up.  Each is a successful solo artist apparently.  They united based on their shared appreciation for Daft Punk.  This is the only song they've released so I'm not sure what else they are going to play live.  This is more pop but perhaps they'd be a good lead-in to LCD Soundsystem.  I assume that's why ACL has them here.  Strange to have only one song to your credit and get booked to play ACL on Sunday at 7pm.  I guess ACL blew all their band money on Radiohead and Kendrick Lamar.

Shelter

ACL 2016: Gregory Porter

Sunday at 6pm in the tent.  This is opposite Chris Stapleton and Miike Snow so I'm sure we'll be splitting up.  It's the last act in the tent which is usually reserved for extra special bands.  I sure wish this was at 7pm instead so there would be no question who I'd see.  It's a jazz singer originally from Sacramento that's now in Brooklyn.  He has won Grammys and international acclaim in the jazz realm and has even crossed over to mainstream success.

A great finale for the tent and for those that like to avoid the big stages.

Be Good (Lion's Song)

ACL 2016: Bob Moses

Sunday 5pm.  A couple more bands to get through before I try to summarize the weekend.  This is a duo originally from Vancouver that has been playing all the festivals lately.  I like this song.  Pretty mellow.

Tearing Me Up

ACL 2016: Oh Wonder

Sunday at 5pm.  There are a few choices here.  I'll start with this duo out of London that has exploded over the last year thanks to the power of the Internet.  This interview describes how they decided to release a song a month on Soundcloud for a year, then release an album.  Before they ever did a live show they already had a huge fan base through word-of-mouth on social media.  So as a new band they've already played Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and now the 5pm Sunday slot at ACL.

Nice mellow pop songs.  I like what I've heard.

Technicolor Beat

ACL 2016: Quaker City Night Hawks

Sunday at 4pm.  We're getting to the recognizable bands so I'll skip the 3pm previews.  I like Margo Price but I'd be happy seeing Pete Yorn as well.  The other act at that time is the white Christian rapper NF.  Oh boy.

At 4pm is Local Natives or Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats.  I prefer the latter but another option is this band out of Fort Worth that was selected as "Best Band" in 2015 by the Dallas Observer.  Vice described them as: "The overall impression of a gang of scifi-obsessed ZZ Top superfans who've gone rogue."

I'll share two songs.  The first is a mellow rocker and the second is straight-up Rock&Roll.  Both are really good.

Something to Burn


Liberty Bell 7

ACL 2016: Basia Bulat

Sunday at 2pm.  I know, there's no need to introduce her.  It's just that there's nothing special at 1pm to preview.  There's Austin-based Wild Child who we've seen at least twice.  I liked their last show so that's probably my first choice.  There's also Wild Belle who played ACL back in 2013 on the Austin Ventures stage right after Jake Bugg.  I don't remember much about that set.  The other options are rapper/member of Odd Future Domo Genesis and singer Avery*Sunshine.  Neither were my cup of tea.

So now 2pm.  There are three great options at this time.  I saw Marlon Williams at SXSW at Lambert's and liked him.  Kacey Musgraves will be the big draw and I would love to see her.  However, Basia Bulat is playing the small BMI stage.  Her set at Gingerman during SXSW was one of my favorites.

This is probably the biggest conflict of the festival for me.  One of the few this year.

Fool


Infamous