ACL 2023: Gus Dapperton

Saturday at 3pm.  Basically 5 artists on at this time. Calder Allen is playing the Tito's stage and Ben Kweller is on the Miller Lite stage. I'm fine with either of them.  

This is the moniker of Brendan Patrick Rice.  He's originally from New Jersey but moved to NYC and now resides in L.A. 

He's called bedroom pop. His new stuff is more straight-up pop in the Justin Timberlake style, though.  Listen to his new song "Homebody" then compare it to his older hit below.  It has a Smiths guitar groove and more of a bedroom pop sound.

ACL 2023: Declan McKenna

Saturday at 2pm. Another English singer/songwriter. I previewed him before SXSW in 2016. 

According to Wikipedia: "He is a vegan and supports Tottenham Hotspur F.C." 

Indie pop/rock. His first hit was "Brazil". It's nice.  He was a kid then.  

"Beautiful Faces" has a very Kinks sound while "Be An Astronaut" is very Bowie sounding.

He just released this new single and has a new album coming out soon.

ACL 2023: Jessie Ware

Saturday at 2pm. Three acts on at this time.  Angel White is on the Tito's stage at 1:45pm. I previewed him for SXSW and we saw him at Luck Reunion. He was entertaining.

This is an English singer/songwriter with 5 albums out. Dance/pop. She seems to be popular in England. According to Wikipedia: "Ware has been nominated for a total of six Brit Awards including one for Best New Artist and four for British Female Solo Artist."

Her latest single is "Free Yourself". Nice throwback dance beats. 

She did a Tiny Desk Concert as well. The stripped-down sound highlights her voice. 

This is her biggest hit from 11 years ago.

ACL 2023: Eddie Zuko

Saturday at 1:30pm on the Barton Springs stage.  The title of this article sums it up: "Meet Eddie Zuko, the Mexican-American Singer Mixing Hip-Hop, Reggae & Rock en Español". 

"Still" went viral on Tiktok and I guess it's what got him recognized. He has been playing for years but hasn't released a full album yet.

This was the best I heard. Others have a more reggae beat.

ACL 2023: Eloise

Saturday at 1:15pm.  Rattlesnake Milk and Devon Gilfillian are both playing at this time. The third choice is this singer born in London but raised in rural Normandy, France.  Her bio calls her music "breezy, acoustic soul...entrancing, jazz-tinged cadence...honeyed tones."  Ones to Watch calls it "a trip to the sublime, a momentary escape from this world into an ethereal dreamscape."

Mellow tunes. She would be great to see in a small, quiet venue.  Of course ACL put Rattlesnake Milk on the BMI stage across from her so the sound bleed could be distracting. I still don't understand why they moved the BMI stage to that location.

 "Enough" is good.