ACL 2024: Pre-festival summary

Here is my ranked schedule from Friday through Sunday in order of appearance. This should make it easier to review each band before they go on stage. Click the name to see the preview. To see the spreadsheet in full-page click here.

ACL 2024: Dom Dolla

 Sunday at 7:45pm.  A DJ and producer.  Per Wikipedia:

Dominic Matheson, better known by his stage name Dom Dolla, is an Australian house music producer, DJ, songwriter and remixer, acclaimed for his distinct style of house music and high-profile collaborations.

It has a list of his singles that have gone Gold and Platinum and a lot have gone #1 of the ARIA Club Chart. I guess if you're into that music he's a big deal.

"Take it" is one of his hits.

Here's another of his number one songs.

 

ACL 2024: Qveen Herby

 Sunday at 7:45pm on the Barton Springs stage. Per Wikipedia:

Amy Renee Heidemann Noonan (born April 29, 1986), better known professionally as Qveen Herby, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. Born and raised in Seward, Nebraska, she first gained fame as part of the music duo Karmin, with which she released two studio albums. Following the duo's hiatus in 2017, she began the solo project, Qveen Herby, which incorporated R&B and hip hop influences.

Most of her stuff is typical hip hop.  "Sade in the 90s" is an older song that is different. It's good. It reminds me of Caroline Rose.

This is her most streamed song.

ACL 2024: Kehlani

Sunday at 7:25pm. Three bands on at this time.  This is the only one I recognize but only her name thanks to your niece. ACL is definitely catering to a different crowd nowadays. 

Per Wikipedia:

Kehlani Ashley Parrish (born April 24, 1995) is an American singer and songwriter. They[a] are originally from Oakland, California, and achieved initial fame as a member of the teen pop group PopLyfe in 2011...They were adopted and raised by their aunt when their mother, who had a drug addiction, served time in jail. Kehlani's father, who also had a drug addiction, died when they were a toddler. During their teenage years, they attended the Oakland School for the Arts, where they initially practiced dance, particularly ballet and modern dance.

They have opened for Demi Lovato and Halsey.

R&B.

Here's their Tiny Desk Concert.

"Gangsta" has 441M views.

This is off the new album. Nice chill tune.

ACL 2024: mike.

Sunday at 6:25pm. This was a late addition to the schedule. He has the unenviable position of playing against Chappell Roan. He has an interesting back story.  Per Wikipedia:

Michael Francis Seander (born October 30, 1988), known professionally as Mike (stylized as mike.; formerly Mike Stud), is an American rapper, singer and former baseball player...In 2006, Seander graduated from St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, Rhode Island...he lettered in both baseball and basketball and was named Rhode Island's 2006 Gatorade Player of the Year, earning him an athletic scholarship to Duke University...In 2007, Seander saved nine games in 28 appearances and earned a 1.61 ERA (lowest in Duke University baseball history).

He had to get Tommy John surgery on his arm then transferred to Georgetown and continued pitching.  He also earned a graduate degree in sports management. 

While recovering from surgery he took to music and put out a few singles. Since then he has released 9 albums and multiple mixtapes.

"Life Got Crazy" is good.

"Swish" is an older song when he still went by Mike Stud.

This is his biggest hit.

ACL 2024: Chappell Roan

 Sunday at 6:45pm.  Her name is everywhere so I guess I should learn a little about her. Per Wikipedia:

Kayleigh Rose Amstutz (born February 19, 1998), known professionally as Chappell Roan, is an American singer and songwriter...she was born in Willard, Missouri, the oldest of four children..the majority of her music is inspired by 1980s synth-pop and early 2000s pop hits. Her aesthetic is heavily influenced by drag queens, and her music and performing style have been described as "campy".

It says she was signed to Atlantic Records around 2017, released an EP, then was dropped by Atlantic Records in 2020. She then signed with Island Records and came out with her first LP (The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess) in 2023. It didn't do much at first but gathered a cult following and critical acclaim.  Earlier this year she opened for Olivia Rodrigo on tour.

She did a NPR Tiny Desk Concert in February. It's really good. You should listen to it.

In the last few months she has EXPLODED.  ACL had her on a small stage on Friday and moved her to Sunday on the big stage due to her surge in popularity. I'm glad they learned their lesson after the Lizzo and Noah Kahan overcrowding of past years when they played small stages.

These are her big hits:

"HOT TO GO!" has a sing-along chorus that I'm sure all the kids will be chanting.

"Red Wine Supernova" has a good beat. 

"My Kink is Karma" has a similar style.

This is her breakthrough. It was released as a single after her album came out. It has 690M streams on Spotify.

ACL 2024: That Mexican OT

 Sunday at 5:45pm.  Per Wikipedia:

Virgil René Gazca (born February 2, 1999), known professionally as That Mexican OT, is a Mexican-American rapper from Bay City, Texas...That Mexican OT's music takes influence from hip-hop and Chicano rap.

It says he supports Donald Trump.

This is his breakout song.

 

ACL 2024: San Holo

Sunday at 6pm on the Tito's stage right before Silent Disco.  Per Wikipedia:

Sander van Dijck (born 26 November 1990), better known by his stage name San Holo, is a Dutch DJ, musician, songwriter and record producer...In September 2014, Walt Disney Pictures threatened a lawsuit against Van Dijck. They thought his stage name San Holo was too similar to Han Solo, a character in the Star Wars movies. However, he won the case and was allowed to continue using the name.

This is his big hit.  Good song but not something I care to see.

 

ACL 2024: Kevin Abstract

Sunday at 5:45pm.  Per Wikipedia:

Clifford Ian Simpson (born July 16, 1996), known by his stage name Kevin Abstract, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter known for his role as a founding member of Brockhampton...Abstract was born in Corpus Christi, Texas.

"Empty" is one of his most streamed songs.

This is his biggest hit. Nice mellow tune.

ACL 2024: Jess Glynne

Sunday at 5:25pm. Five bands on in this time slot. Tyler Halverson is playing the BMI stage. We saw him at Luck Reunion this year. He played the BMI Songwriter's showcase with two other singers. Preview here along with some of his songs. 

This singer played ACL in 2016. Preview here. I don't think we saw her.

She has opened for Leon Bridges and Spice Girls.

"These Days" is her biggest hit. It's a song by Rudimental but she is a featured vocalist along with Macklemore. 

This is one from her 2018 album.

ACL 2024: David Shaw

Sunday at 4:45 on the Tito's stage. The lead singer of the Revivalists.  He was at SXSW.  Preview here. We didn't get to see him.  

The preview had "Soulfight",  "Alabama" and "Heavy Soul".

Here's a song by a jazz-funk sextet out of New Orleans called Naughty Professor where he is the featured singer. 

ACL 2024: Cannons

Sunday at 4:45pm.  Orville Peck is on at this time as well. Two other options. You know Cannons. Synth-pop out of L.A. 

Their big hit reminds me of Hælos.  "Fire for You". Really good song.

"Bad Dream" is good.

This is a newer one. Nice beat. Good swaying music.

ACL 2024: Bakar

Sunday at 3:45. One more male singer-songwriter. From Wikipedia:

 Abubakar Baker Shariff-Farr (born 12 February 1994), better known as Bakar, is an English singer...Bakar grew up in Camden in North London and attended a state school before being sent to a boarding school in Surrey by his mother. He is of Yemeni and Tanzanian descent.

It says his music is a  "melting pot of indie, rap, rock, and punk" and it has been compared to Bloc Party.

"Alive" is good. Love the video.

"1st Time" must be getting airplay. I recognize it.

I definitely know this song. It has been everywhere.

This may be my first choice.

ACL 2024: Myles Smith

 Sunday at 3:45pm. According to Wikipedia:

Myles Smith (born 3 June 1998) is a British singer and songwriter from Luton, England. Smith was born to a British Jamaican family and raised in an ethnically diverse community. 

It says he achieved notoriety by posting covers on TikTok and that viral fame got him signed to RCA Records. He just has an EP out and a few singles.

"My Home" is nice.

"Solo" has 11M streams.

This song is already platinum and it was just released in May. I think he's on the way to being an arena performer.

 

ACL 2024: Vlad Holiday

 Sunday at 3:25pm. Another singer-songwriter.  According to Wikipedia:

Holiday was born in Bucharest, Romania, on May 24, 1989, and moved to America in 1999. He spent a lot of his musical career in New York City, before moving his home base to Nashville, Tennessee...He began his solo career in 2017, blending multiple styles across genres including lo-fi, bedroom pop, psych rock, and jazz, often over hip-hop-inspired drums. 

 "So Damn Into You" is live. 

"Artificial Paradise" is one of his most streamed songs. 

I'm not sure how to classify his music. Lo-fi indie is probably close. 

This is his most recent single. It features Kacey Musgraves. 

ACL 2024: Medium Build

Sunday at 3:25pm.  4 bands on at this time. First option is the moniker of Nicholas Carpenter, a singer-songwriter who grew up in Georgia, spent some time in Nashville but moved to Alaska in 2016.  According to Wikipedia he has toured with Tyler Childers and FINNEAS.

All I've heard is mostly mellow, heartfelt singer-songwriter tunes. 

"Cuz of You" is good. 

His first "hit" was a duet with X Ambassadors: "Friend for Life". The original version is rocking. I like this version better.

This is one of his most streamed songs. Pretty mellow.

ACL 2024: Glass Beams

Sunday at 3pm on the Tito's stage. Instrumental psych/funk from Melbourne, Australia. Definite Khruangbin vibes. They just have 2 EPs out. No albums yet.

Here's a live performance on KEXP. Very chill.

"Rattlesnake" is pretty cool.

This is the second song from that performance.  It's their most streamed song.

ACL 2024: flipturn

 Sunday at 2:45pm. According to Wikipedia:

Flipturn, stylized as flipturn, is an American indie rock band from Fernandina Beach, Florida formed in 2015. The band consists of founding members Dillon Basse (vocals), Tristan Duncan (guitar) and Madeline Jarman (bass) who founded the band as high school seniors. After their college years at the University of Florida, they picked up guitarist and synthesizer player Mitch Fountain, and drummer Devon VonBalson...Flipturn gained traction in 2018 with their EP Citrona.[4] The band signed to Dualtone Records in June 2022. They released their debut album Shadowglow in August 2022, which received positive reception. The album release was followed by a tour through the United States in late 2022 into 2023 and the prestigious lineups of Lollapalooza, Governor’s Ball, Bonnaroo, Shaky Knees & SXSW.

Here is an Audiotree live session.  They remind me a little of Kings of Leon on the first song. Their second song "Glistening" is good. 

"Space Cowboy" is one of their newer songs.  

Bad Monkey seems to like playing covers of Tom Petty songs. Being from Florida I guess they got picked to cover "Don't Do Me Like That".

This is their biggest hit. I like it.

ACL 2024: MisterWives

Sunday at 2:25pm.  This band was at SXSW in 2015 (my preview here) so they've been around awhile.  They were touring on their first single which is still their biggest hit, "Reflections". 

"Superbloom" reminds me of Sir Woman.

"Nosebleeds" is a single from their latest album. Nice beats.

This is off their second album. Fun festival tunes.

ACL 2024: Malcolm Todd

 Sunday at 2pm.  Per this article:

Malcolm Todd is a twenty year old artist from Los Angeles that makes Indie/Alternative/R&B music. He began making music in 2022 and released Demos Before Prom-EP in which his song, Out of Bounds began to gain some attention. From then on he began to attract a fan base which slowly grew as he promoted his music on TikTok. His real breakthrough happened during the release of his song Art House in 2023. His fan base grew exponentially from then and he started to release more hits such as, Sweet Boy and Roommates in the same year.

It's always TikTok.  

Here is his first breakout: "Art House".  Starts slow but picks up.

"Sweet Boy" is the other song mentioned in that article.

This is his most streamed song on Spotify.

ACL 2024: Petey

Sunday at 2pm on the Barton Springs stage. We saw Petey at SXSW in 2022. It was Wednesday at Mohawk right after Horsegirl. He was quite entertaining on stage as I recall.  Here is the preview.

I shared "Don't Tell the Boys" then. It's a good song.

"The River" is off their latest album. Nice song and video.

"Haircut" is played with Miya Folick who was at ACL last year. We saw Pony Bradshaw at that time instead.

His musical style varies between songs. This has an LCD Soundsystem vibe. I like it.

This might be my first choice.

ACL 2024: Deyaz

 Sunday at 1:40pm on the BMI stage.  According to this bio:

21-year-old multidisciplinary artist Deyaz is, in his own words, a “non-confined musician”. Raised in East Ham, London, and of Jamaican/Syrian heritage, his innate connection to music helped him find solace during his turbulent teenage years...Deyaz earned a coveted scholarship to London’s Guildhall music school, a place he would eventually give up in pursuit of a more organic connection to music-making. By 16, through a combination of conservatoire education and self-teaching, Deyaz had developed a broad technical knowledge of jazz and classical music, and proficiency in piano, bass and drums. 

His cover of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes' "Home" went viral on the socials.

"Dylan" is nice. I wonder if he'll have a band or just play acoustic. 

Here's an original. Pretty mellow.

ACL 2024: FLO

 Sunday at 1:40pm. Per Wikipedia:

Flo (stylised in uppercase) are a British girl group from London, consisting of members Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer. They formed in 2019 and signed with Island Records. The group gained popularity on social media with their debut single "Cardboard Box". They released their debut EP, The Lead, in 2022. They topped the BBC's Sound of 2023 poll and won the 2023 Brit Award for Rising Star.

Dance/R&B. They've released 4 EPs but their debut album isn't coming out until November. 

They performed "Fly Girl" on The Tonight Show.

Here is their most streamed song.

 

ACL 2024: West 22nd

 Sunday at 1:30pm. Five bands on at this time. This band from UT is playing on the Tito's stage. The Daily Texan says:

When Logan Madsen, Gabe Acevedo and Jeremy Ancheta wanted to make their musical trio a full-fledged band last year, they said they went about their search the old-school way: posting flyers on telephone poles around West Campus...The melodies began last year when Acevedo’s guitar talents caught the eye of fellow guitarist Ancheta at an open mic night by the 26th Street food trucks. Ancheta, who also connected with singer Madsen, said he reached out to Acevedo after realizing they all lived in The Callaway House. The trio quickly went from buddies to bandmates, naming the group after the street where they lived and discovered their musical chemistry. 

They opened for Midland at Longhorn City Limits and are now playing ACL. KUTX has an interview with them that is pretty good.

"Let Down" is them live.  Nice Americana sound.

They have an EP out. "Sunny Jones" is on it.  It's pretty good.

"Hangman" is getting airplay on KUTX.

This is their most streamed song. It even has a video. Catchy.

ACL 2024: Empress of

 Sunday at 1:15pm.  According to Wikipedia:

Lorely Rodriguez (born October 19, 1989), known professionally as Empress Of, is a Honduran-American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer based in Los Angeles, California...After completing a sound engineering degree at Boston's Berklee College of Music in 2011, Rodriguez moved to New York City and quickly broke into the local music scene.

She did a live performance on KEXP from her newest release.

"Dance for You" is good. 

This was her first single released from her debut album 9 years ago. She opened for Purity Ring then. Good fit.

Nice sound. I like it.

ACL 2024: Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners

 Sunday at 12:55pm. According to their bio:

Balancing folk songwriting, rock ‘n’ roll energy, raw instrumentation, and sonic wanderlust, the Seattlebased musicians comprising Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners—Mitch Cutts, Nic Haughn, and Jakob Ervin— draw inspiration from the friendship between them. What began as a high school passion project in Colorado Springs has quietly translated to billions of streams and packed crowds. 

One site says they are now in Seattle but another says Bozeman, MT. 

They have blown up on TikTok and have since collaborated with Mt. Joy and Caamp. 

"Lake Missoula" is one of their most streamed songs on Spotify. Here is their version with Mt. Joy.

"Laramee" is one of their newer songs. This is a solo acoustic version live.

"Northstar" is a newer song. It's a little more uptempo. I like it.

This is their most streamed song and the TikTok breakout. No video for it. They released a new version with Caamp as well.  It's here: "Evergreen"

 This may be my choice.