Editor’s note: Check back next Thursday for more free ACL shows!
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The Austin City Limits Music Festival is upon us once again, and with a line-up that includes The Replacements, Outkast, Beck, Eminem, Pearl Jam, and Jimmy Cliff, it’s no wonder both weekends of this long-awaited event are completely sold out.
Sold out may sound like a bummer, but it could be worse. With or without a wristband, and thanks to this handy guide, anyone in Austin over the next couple weeks can still enjoy some of the best musicians in the world. We can’t help you with navigating all the traffic out there, but we can help you enjoy a little bit of ACL, without the crowds.
Saints of Valory at Threadgill’s
October 4th, 11 AM
Start the Festival off right with KGSR’s Live Morning Broadcast at Threadgill’s, which runs from 8 am to noon on Friday and Saturday, October 3rd and 4th. The highlight of this live show will be Austin natives Saints of Valory who have been making gorgeous music for the past four years. Entrance is just $5, which will go to benefit the Heath Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM). With their dramatic take on alternative rock, they have become national indie favorites with masterful songs like “Neon Eyes” and “Providence.” After they take the stage at ACL Fest, they’ll embark on a tour across the country in support of their new EP, “V.” Be sure to catch them at Austin’s iconic venue before they leave town . Fans who attend will also have the chance to enter to win passes to Weekend 2 of the Festival.
Spanish Gold at Stubb’s
October 3rd, 11:30 PM
Featuring Patrick Hallahan of My Morning Jacket, Dante Schwebel of Hacienda / City and Colour, and Adrian Quesada of Brownout, Spanish Gold is one of the hottest and most unique bands to come out of Texas in along time. Tinged with Seventies groove and Sixties soul, their music is the perfect accompaniment to a party atmosphere. The band has been featured in Rolling Stone, who proclaimed them “the real deal.” They are indeed, and their show at Stubb’s is guaranteed to be one of the best of the week.
Spoon at Stubb’s
October 11th, 8 PM
It’s only fitting that Austin’s most beloved and renowned rock band would play a show that non-festival goers can also enjoy. Spoon will be headlining both weekends of the festival before heading to California and Europe in support of their new album, “They Want My Soul.” Tickets are sure to sell out fast, so order them before the week is over.
Mike and the Moonpies and Not in the Face! at Holy Mountain
October 9th, 9PM
Austin’s favorite Outlaw country band joins forces with one of the best rock bands in town to celebrate the second anniversary of Holy Mountain. Mike and the Moonpies will play the first weekend of ACL Fest and then take the stage at one of our city’s coolest clubs for what promises to be an amazing night of music. Not in the Face! played ACL Fest last year, and their star has been on the rise ever since, landing them a feature in Rolling Stone and radio play all over the country. Come party with two of Austin’s hottest bands and toast the owners of the mighty Holy Mountain.
Arum Rae and Emily Wolfe at Stubb’s
October 4th, 11:00 PM
With her sexy, bluesy, powerful voice, Austin singer Arum Rae often sounds like Cat Power in her earlier years. Her new EP “Waving Wild” releases in November and it’s already creating buzz in national press outlets like Entertainment Weekly. With her impressive range, she can move from ballads to hard rock in an instant. Joining her at the show will be Austin singer/songwriter Emily Wolfe.
