{"id":2075116,"date":"2025-10-07T15:45:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:45:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2075116"},"modified":"2025-10-07T15:45:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:45:31","slug":"the-best-25-performances-we-saw-during-acl-fest-2025-weekend-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/the-best-25-performances-we-saw-during-acl-fest-2025-weekend-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The best 25 performances we saw during ACL Fest 2025, weekend 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

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T<\/span>hree days. Nine stages. More than 100 bands. Your American-Statesman coverage team was all over weekend one of Austin City Limits Music Festival. We rocked, we rapped, we danced in the sun.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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These are the 25 best sets we saw:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

25. MJ Lenderman<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"MJ<\/picture><\/div>
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MJ Lenderman performs at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park in Austin, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Mikala Compton\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Weary, north-of-30 festival attendees found their safe space at the\u00a0BeatBox stage \u2014 <\/em>at least on Friday, as guitar hero MJ Lenderman played conspiracy crank and jammed on \u201cHangover Game,\u201d a skeptical look at Michael Jordan\u2019s infamous flu game. (In which the Chicago Bull transcended space and dominated while sick as a dog.) In the recent \u201cLast Dance\u201d documentary, Jordan said that an apparent Utah Jazz fan and pizza delivery guy poisoned him in his hotel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But Jordan was also known for his unrivaled love of partying on school nights, so…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt wasn’t a pizza that poisoned him in Utah,\u201d the other\u00a0MJ, Lenderman, howled at patrons while possibly defaming His Airness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

24. Hozier<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Hozier performs at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u00a0Hozier put on a sublime headline performance<\/a> Friday night. Songs such as “Francesca,” “Take Me to Church” and “De Selby (Part 2)” reverberated with irresistible rhythm. The raucous crowd fell silent as he sang “Cherry Wine,” his guitar and husky voice echoing through the grounds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But peel back the folk and soul in Hozier’s songs, and his beliefs stand starkly in the lyrics. He went a step further at ACL. Inspired by musicians who advocated for social justice during the American civil rights movement of the 1960s, he spoke about supporting the rights of workers, migrants, women,\u00a0transgender people and gay people. The crowd responded with cheers of affirmation each time he took a breath.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The heart of his impassioned speech was a simple message.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“At the core of it, I believe it’s so (expletive) simple,”\u00a0Hozier said. “I believe that people are good.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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23. Passion Pit<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Passion Pit performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Jay Janner\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Debuting a new iteration of his band, Passion Pit singer Michael Angelakos seemed nervous, at one point restarting a song and apologizing to the Tito\u2019s tent fans on Sunday. \u201cWe\u2019re recording this. Let\u2019s try that one again,\u201d he said. They had canceled a string of shows last month leading up to this tour, which officially kicked off Friday in Houston. The millennial band peaked commercially in 2012, and hasn\u2019t released a new album since 2017.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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So here we are: a big name on a small stage, and T-Pain\u2019s set is booming outside the sardine-crammed tent, sounding mighty inviting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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That\u2019s when the Cambridge, Massachusetts band known for pensive electronic pop dipped into its bag of tricks. Hits like \u201cCarried Away\u201d got curious, nostalgia-minded peers bursting with enthusiasm. Old friends sang into each other\u2019s phones. I mean, entire friend groups, recognizing one synth line after another, rushed in for a closer look.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

22. Riize<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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RIIZE performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Jay Janner\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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K-pop, one of the world\u2019s most popular genres, finally had some representation at the ACL Fest\u00a0on Saturday. Seoul\u2019s\u00a0Riize debuted at the BeatBox stage<\/a>, becoming the first K-pop group to play the festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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They danced with machine-like violence, perfectly in unison like pistons pumping in a V6 \u2014 like the \u201cBye Bye Bye\u201d video, but for more continuous minutes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The\u00a0K-pop faithful \u2014 about 150 passionate fans at the front of the stage \u2014 came alive, gleefully cheering on their idols with reckless abandon.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

21. MK.Gee<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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MK.Gee performs at Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 5, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Pooneh Ghana\/Provided by C3 Presents<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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I\u2019m disappointed in this young man. You\u2019re a buzzy indie-rock heartthrob who performed on \u201cSaturday Night Live,\u201d playing a coveted night slot with thousands of new potential fans walking by your stage after\u00a0T-Pain and before the Killers, and you go full dark mode?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s hard to connect with what\u2019s going on here because I can\u2019t see him,\u201d a friend of mine who had never heard of Mk.Gee, told me a few songs into his Lady Bird stage set.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Indeed, it was a silhouette set full of dark lighting where you\u2019d see a guitar player and some dude on a computer. And then you\u2019d hear a ton of guitar feedback and too many songs without a beat. The set felt like a rehearsal where your buddy spaces out and tries to take a chord progression somewhere different but gives up after 10 minutes, while the bass player stares into space, eating Cheerios.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The technically proficient studio wizard, born Michael Todd Gordon, writes catchy yacht rock that he runs through several layers of pedals and samples. Think Bon Iver meets Frank Ocean, with a little Phil Collins flair baked into the ethos. It\u2019s exceptional. And when he tapped into his best grooves, like on \u201cRockman\u201d or the set-closing \u201cAlesis,\u201d his soulful voice lit up the park.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Let\u2019s tighten the set, though, fellas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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20. John Summit<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Aerial view of John Summit’s headline set at Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 5, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Chad Wadsworth\/Provided by C3 Presents<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Before John Summit came on, the stage went pitch black \u2014 no lights, no projections, just anticipation from a crowd that looked straight out of a frat party. Then: beat drop. Fire. Dancers behind cage doors.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He remixed everything from Kesha\u2019s \u201cDie Young\u201d to “Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious)” to “Hollaback Girl” (yes, seriously), and somehow it felt like something you’d hear at Latchkey? The crowd loved it. Light-up balloons bounced through laser beams, kids chanted \u201cFree Palestine\u201d over the drop.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Someone next to me said he was \u201cspiritually grounding\u201d himself before the set. Between the people clearly on mood enhancers and the laser-lit set, it was the least-phones-out crowds at ACL weekend one. Just vibes and woot-woots.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

19. Dr. Dog<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Dr. Dog performs on Friday, Oct. 3 at Austin City Limits Music Festival.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Taylor Regulski \/Provided by C3 Presents<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Dr. Dog opened their sunset ACL Fest set with \u201cShadow People,\u201d as predicted. The band may be from Pennsylvania, but they sound and feel so Austin. Maybe it\u2019s the authenticity and wholesome messages in their songwriting? Maybe it\u2019s the curveballs they throw our way every so often \u2014 like with “Midi Swamp” (2013). Listen to \u2018Shadow People,\u2019 and tell me it doesn\u2019t sound so Austin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Scott McMicken and Toby Leaman are two of my favorite sentimental songwriters. The highlight was \u201cThat Old Black Hole.\u201d The song was a top live moment in a set packed with standout power ballads. And just when things couldn\u2019t get better, they brought out a marimba \u2014 for good fortune and good measure.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

18. Joey Valence & Brae<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Joey Valence and Brae perform at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Jay Janner\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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I think great music really boils down to friends having fun together and Joey Valence & Brae exemplify that. They quickly took control of their mid-sized crowd just by dancing and working off each other\u2019s energy. I believe that these two could be performing at the MTV VMAs in three to five years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Their live presence and dance moves match the old-school style and flow that they are bringing back to the mainstream. No background dancers or filler are really needed \u2014<\/em> they can hold down the fort just goofing off as a pair. Besides the big headliners, I didn\u2019t see an audience as engaged with a show during weekend one than I did during this set. Go see Joey Valence & Brae if you’re heading to weekend two of the fest. Out of all the acts I saw this\u00a0weekend, they were by far my favorite.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

17. Haute & Freddy<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Haute & Freddy performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Jay Janner\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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One of\u00a0ACL\u2019s unexpected delights came early Sunday. This\u00a0L.A. duo\u2019s dance-pop hit \u201cShy Girl\u201d was their set closer. But the backing track went out on the American Express stage. So Haute, one half of a band that makes Madonna-grade pop anthems, got creative.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Chappell Roan-like front-woman belted \u201cShy Girl\u201d a\u00a0cappella, since her microphone was still on. It has an enormous, singalong-friendly chorus which helped. And at the end Freddy joined on drums, and it was so in sync you’d think for a second they planned the audio malfunction.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

16. Magdalena Bay<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Magdalena Bay performs at Austin City Limits Music Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Roger Ho\/Provided by C3 Presents<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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On Saturday, the Lady Bird stage felt like a TikTok feed come to life. College kids and teens \u2014 decked in ruffled microshorts, long jorts and scuffed slip-on Converse \u2014 crowded in for\u00a0Magdalena Bay, the hyperpop duo that\u2019s mastered the art of going viral. As Marina\u2019s \u201cHow to Be a Heartbreaker\u201d drifted over from another stage, it felt like Tumblr 2014 had reloaded itself in 4K.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Mica Tenenbaum \u2014 half of the duo, alongside Matthew Lewin \u2014 opened \u201cImage\u201d with a blue-painted face and a synth-fueled grin\u00a0before shredding a keytar like it was 1986. Fans finger-clapped \u2014 a ballroom-born gesture turned TikTok trend \u2014 as the celestial stage pulsed like a cosmic Windows 1.0 desktop\u00a0screensaver. Songs like \u201cSecrets\u201d and \u201cVampire in the Corner\u201d built from slow-burn yearning to euphoric release. In that crowd, the internet wasn\u2019t a void; it was breathing and dancing back.\u00a0\u2014 <\/em>A.G.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

15. Luke Combs<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Luke Combs performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Jay Janner\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u201cIt feels like a honky tonk in here,\u201d Luke Combs told the festival faithful Friday night at the American Express stage<\/a>. Given the multitude of cowboy boots, hats and frilly white skirts, the 35-year-old singer wasn\u2019t wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The show was a retrospective. Combs mentioned his first tour in Texas, which he said coincided with when he began dating his now-wife. He played early hit “Hurricane” and the Tracy Chapman cover, “Fast Car.”\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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That\u2019s the key to Combs\u2019 appeal. He doesn\u2019t hide behind pyrotechnics \u2014 <\/em>though yes \u2014 <\/em>there were onstage fireballs. He\u2019s an optimistic populist. One who likes “Whiskey River” on the jukebox and still believes in a thing called love.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThey say nothing lasts forever but they ain\u2019t seen us together,\u201d he opines on \u201cForever After All.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You believe him every time.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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14. Cage the Elephant<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Cage the Elephant performs at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park in Austin, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Mikala Compton\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Lead singer Matt Shultz exploded onto the American Express stage like an atomic bomb on Friday, defying the Texas heat in a long-sleeve, chocolate brown turtleneck. The band delivered a well-balanced setlist of new material and old favorites, all performed with\u00a0Shultz\u2019s trademark conviction \u2014 so intense it looked as if a blood vessel in his neck might burst at any moment. It\u2019s one thing to have the manic charisma and onstage intensity that make him a perfect front man but Shultz also has songwriting chops in spades. What\u2019s remarkable is how steady he keeps his voice despite his wildly dynamic stage presence. And we can\u2019t overlook the importance of Brad Shultz, whose inventive guitar work mirrors his younger brother\u2019s intensity with unconventional flourishes executed perfectly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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13. Rainbow Kitten Surprise<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Rainbow Kitten Surprise performs on the third day of Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park, Sunday October 5, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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It turns out people born in the \u201890s can still have nostalgia for rock ‘n’ roll. Rainbow Kitten Surprise, a charismatic North Carolina indie band, sang passionate love songs on Sunday. And across Zilker Park, half-tuned-in viewers collectively went, \u201cOh I know this one\u201d before tracks like \u201cGoodnight Chicago\u201d from a decade ago,and \u201cPainkillers\u201d from 2018, when the band was at its biggest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It\u2019s like how every romantic relationship has three components: Person No. 1, Person No. 2, and the relationship itself. So is a good\u00a0ACL set bolstered by the passion it elicits from sun-fried travelers. And here it was more than nostalgia \u2014 <\/em>\u00a0it was a visceral feeling that served as an instant reminder of how resonant Rainbow Kitten Surprise\u2019s songs are. How classy they still sound.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The band made headlines in 2022 when singer\u00a0Ela Melo came out as a trans woman. She left T-Mobile stage patrons with sage advice at the end, too: \u201cLive and let live,\u201d she told Zilker.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

12. The Killers<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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The Killers headline Austin City Limits Music Festival on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Chris Phelps\/Provided by C3 Presents<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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They opened with a heartfelt homage to Texas music as\u00a0frontman Brandon Flowers broke into a rock-infused rendition of \u201cWhiskey River\u201d \u2014 the traditional set opener of Austin icon Willie Nelson \u2014 complete with an electrifying harmonica solo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Flowers\u2019 showmanship stole the night. He\u2019s a perfect frontman \u2014 charismatic and magnetic, harnessing the energy of Liberace with the self-assured swagger of a contemporary rock star.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He blossomed while revisiting the band\u2019s hits like \u201cAll These Things That I\u2019ve Done\u201d and \u201cWhen You Were Young.\u201d His vocal tone and inflections recalled David Bowie or David Byrne, packaged in the powerhouse delivery of Tom Jones.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Just when you thought the performance couldn\u2019t get more meaningful, Flowers launched into a stunning rendition of Willie\u2019s \u201cAlways on My Mind.\u201d It was a moment tailored just for us \u2014 intimate, soulful, and deeply Texan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Flowers\u2019 passion and conviction exceeded every expectation, and he constantly expressed thanks to the audience, flashing a grin that never left his face.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The band’s synergy onstage was undeniable but a special mention goes to guitarist Ted\u00a0Sablay, whose precision and skill were on full display throughout the performance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The encore brought \u201cSpaceman\u201d and, of course, \u201cMr. Brightside.\u201d Even in the final moments, Flowers made sure to connect with fans on every side of the stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

11. Olivia Dean<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Olivia Dean performs on the second day of Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park, Saturday October 4, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Olivia Dean exudes effortless grace and genuine warmth \u2014 <\/em>rare qualities among singers today. In her ACL debut, she attracted thousands of festival-goers to the American Express stage, where she danced as she sang with vibrant depth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Performing with a full band, her music brings to mind the classically inspired\u00a0Laufey and the raw soul of legend Amy Winehouse, paired with true joy that transcends both.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The set’s sweetest moment was \u201cCarmen,\u201d an ode to her grandmother\u00a0\u2014 <\/em>an immigrant from the Caribbean, whose bravery, Dean said, inspires her to this day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe only place I want to stand is holding on to grandma\u2019s hand,\u201d she sang, before saying all immigrants should be celebrated \u2014 <\/em>to a loud cheer from the audience. As fan Dean Domingo, 26, said, \u201cShe\u2019s like\u00a0Dua Lipa’s little sister, (and) she’s on her way up.\u201d \u2013Lily Kepner<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

10. Dylan\u00a0Gossett\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Dylan Gossett performs at Austin City Limits Music Festival on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Izzy Nuzzo\/Provided by C3 Presents<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Rising country singer-songwriter Dylan\u00a0Gossett could easily become the next Morgan Wallen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Born and raised in Austin,\u00a0Gossett has only been performing for about five years yet has already landed a midday slot on the biggest stage of Austin\u2019s biggest music festival \u2014 a rare feat, as most local acts are typically relegated to sparsely attended morning performances. It feels like Austin is experiencing a new country revival, fitting given the city\u2019s deep roots in the genre through legends like Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker and, of course, Willie Nelson. Gossett leans a bit more rock and Americana, but check out his July 2025 release \u201cWestward,\u201d and look for him on more big stages soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

9. Panda Bear<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Panda Bear performs at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park in Austin, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Mikala Compton\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Panda Bear got the Beatbox stage singing in color on Friday. Finally! After a morning of watching embryonic stars-in-waiting like Spill Tab and Jensen McRae, Panda Bear showed that when your flirtation with pop success comes 27 years into a career of making heralded experimental records, your muscle memory is a mismatch \u2014 especially when you\u2019ve got a taste for \u201cPet Sounds\u201d and a shiny Telecaster.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWait, I thought Panda Bear was a DJ?\u201d an\u00a0indie rock colleague who should know better asked me afterward. No dude, this is Brian Wilson playing The Who. Layered, sunny vocals and stripped-down-to-the-nuts-and-bolts guitar rock.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Baltimore-raised singer, born Noah Benjamin Lennox, strummed textbook, familiar grooves like \u201cPraise.\u201d He accentuated them with four-part vocal harmonies, splashed with samplers. Reddit onlookers have clocked his backup singers performing with a Hologram Chroma Control, which produces all sorts of rad, vintage distortion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

8. Feid<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Feid performs at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park in Austin, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Mikala Compton\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Zilker Park looked more like Medell\u00edn when Feid hit the stage on Sunday. The crowd shimmered in yellow, blue and red sombreros vueltiaos \u2014 some even dyed\u00a0Feid\u2019s signature neon green. Colombia was loudly present. Everywhere you turned, someone was yelling \u201cFERXXO!\u201d (pronounced \u201cfer-cho\u201d) or waving a flag.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I met\u00a0Briana Levario and Tonny Trocha Morelos, who plays for the Colombian national basketball team. They told me about his roots and her first visits to Colombia, swapping notes on food, slang and why Colombian Spanish just sounds sexier. Another guy, Derek Puerta, spotted me with my flag,\u00a0and somehow we ended up forming a mini Colombian block party. People were groseros \u2014 loud-mouthed, in the best way \u2014 and totally lit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Feid sprinted from one side of the stage to the other with wild breath control, rapping hits like \u201cPerro Negro\u201d (with Bad Bunny), \u201cLa Inocente,\u201d and \u201cHey Mor.\u201d Green flames shot up, sparkles rained down and a massive green face hovering above the stage\u00a0grinned back at us. When he pointed at the moon, the crowd screamed \u201c\u00a1LUNA!\u201d Honestly, same. Feid\u2019s set wasn\u2019t just a show; it was a love letter to Colombia. And everyone there knew the words.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

7. Role Model<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Role Model performs at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park, Saturday October 3, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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When Role Model appeared on the T-Mobile stage Friday, fans let out the kind of scream usually reserved for pop superstars \u2014 or a Hinge match who actually texts back. Dressed in\u00a0Miu Miu glasses, a white cowboy hat and a white tank that showed off tattooed arms, he looked every bit the self-declared internet alter ego \u201cSaint Laurent cowboy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Beyond the peak excitement of a Hilary Duff cameo<\/a> on “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out,” it was one of Friday\u2019s most crowded sets. Fans twirled each other to \u201cSlip Fast\u201d and \u201cThe Longest Goodbye,\u201d a song that sounds like Randy Newman\u2019s \u201cYou\u2019ve Got a Friend in Me\u201d \u2014 if it had commitment issues. He even slipped in a cover of The 1975\u2019s \u201cSomebody Else,\u201d announcing, \u201cWe\u2019re the 1965\u201d to a chorus of laughter.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

6. T-Pain<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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T-Pain performs on the third day of Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park, Sunday October 5, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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T-Pain\u00a0admitted to the crowd Sunday evening that at 41 years old, he\u2019s not as spry as he used to be. He said his knees ached simply seeing the size of the American Express stage. After a few songs, the Tallahassee, Florida native ditched his cowboy hat and his leather, Wild-West themed motorcycle jacket.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He said he’d made the mistake of designing his ACL Fest outfit in air-conditioned comfort.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But the artist\u2019s energy was unmatched among the performers from this weekend. T-Pain glided across the stage, each body part moving as if it had a mind of its own. His hit songs had unique twists \u2014 from \u201cUp Down\u201d being played over the beat from Kendrick Lamar\u2019s \u201cNot Like Us,\u201d to mixing in Travis Scott\u2019s \u201cFein\u201d with \u201cKiss, Kiss.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Unlike some other artists,<\/a> T-Pain\u2019s one-of-a-kind performance had his audience bumping from the moment he stepped out of his saloon set-piece. Not bad for a 20-year industry vet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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5. The Dare<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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The Dare performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Jay Janner\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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When The Dare hit the stage Saturday, it wasn\u2019t just a set \u2014 it was the party. And yes, everyone was invited.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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His crowd started loose but by the end, you couldn\u2019t move without bumping into someone dancing, jumping or hitting a\u00a0vape. Noey DiFueia said he saw the artist, also known as Harrison Smith, perform at\u00a0Coachella in the spring, where he spotted Charli XCX at the barricade. Honestly, makes sense. The Dare is that cool. Like, how-many-times-can-I-say-cool-before-it-loses-meaning cool.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He opened with \u201cYou\u2019re Invited,\u201d swung his\u00a0mic like a weapon, sipped, spat, dropped to the floor and rose again \u2014 all while swapping between keys and\u00a0soundboards. When his glasses fell off, the crowd cheered. When he said, \u201cYou look good,\u201d they screamed. It\u2019s indie sleaze 2.0 \u2014 sure, some might say LCD Soundsystem, but The Dare is 2025 energy: dirty, sexy, self-aware chaos.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Somewhere between \u201cSex\u201d and \u201cI Can\u2019t Escape Myself,\u201d people began losing it. One person was even evacuated. The Dare didn\u2019t miss a beat. Literal mic drop. The epitome of \u201chot people dancing at 3 p.m.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

4. Wet Leg<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Wet Leg performs at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park in Austin, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Mikala Compton\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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They played ACL Fest in 2022, but Wet Leg have exploded in popularity since then. Rhian Teasdale came out with her guns blazing, flexing her toned biceps before launching into \u201ccatch these fists\u201d from their new album \u201cmoisturizer,\u201d released in July.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The other half of Wet Leg, Hester Chambers, struggles with social anxiety on stage. She shredded guitar riffs with her back turned to the crowd for most of the set. The duo played their hits early, then treated us to live versions of their newer songs, shipped all the way from the UK\u2019s Isle of Wight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Teasdale stole the show in a pink bikini top and silver ruffled hot pants, calf-high socks and sneakers with wings on the sides like Apollo. She wore silver Playboy bunny earrings, and a brace swaddled her left knee. Accompanied by Chambers\u2019 masterful guitar work, Teasdale has all the raw dominance and unbridled sensuality to be the next Courtney Love. They are ushering a new wave of \u201chardened femininity\u201d into the mainstream pop music landscape.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

3. Doechii<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Doechii performs on the second day of Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park, Saturday October 4, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Before the music even started, Doechii drew an eager roar from the audience simply saying her name into the\u00a0mic. That energy never wavered, and the crowd howled as if watching a lion devour a warrior in the Roman Colosseum with every booty shake. The rapper also known as Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon, has mastered her flow, spitting smooth, intentional rhymes. She understood and appreciated the power she was wielding onstage and\u00a0puppeteered the mass of concertgoers with a wag of her gold-braceleted wrist.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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She commanded the crowd to scream \u201cAlter Ego\u201d to usher in her 2024 song of the same name that she made with JT. The track began with a house music structure, then built up an irresistible bounce as the heavy bass set in. At the peak of the song,\u00a0Doechii leaned backwards, as if about to do a backbend, and paused upside down to soak in the moment: a sunset Saturday performance on ACL’s most coveted stage. Thousands of screaming fans cheered her on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Tyler, the Creator held a similar space on\u00a0ACL Fest\u2019s big stage last year, but even his magnetism couldn\u2019t fill out the space quite like Doechii, who\u2019s only onstage company was a DJ. Her control of rhythm, presence and audience was all-encompassing. We were hers. Completely. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

2. Empire of the Sun<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Empire<\/picture><\/div>
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Empire of the Sun performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Jay Janner\/Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Empire of the Sun turned ACL into a neon daydream \u2014 equal parts mystic ritual and Tumblr-era revival \u2014 on Friday night. Vocalist Luke Steele appeared in a bright red kimono and half-sun headpiece, framed by two massive sculpted faces and a stage scattered with bonsai trees and temple projections. Dancers shimmered behind masks, smoke curled at the edges and chimes transitioned songs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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By sunset, the Texas sky had gone full cinematic \u2014 egg-like red lamps pulsed as Steele bowed toward the crowd, then climbed back up to lead hits like \u201cWalking on a Dream,\u201d \u201cWe Are The People,\u201d \u201cThe Spin\u201d and \u201cAlive.\u201d Neon face paint, weed haze and joy filled the field. It was theatrical, nostalgic and a little unhinged.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

1. Sabrina Carpenter<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Sabrina<\/picture><\/div>
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Sabrina Carpenter wears gingham for her performance at Austin City Limits on Saturday Oct. 4, 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Provided by Alfredo Flores \/ ACL Festival 2025<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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When the lights dropped to usher in a special guest during Sabrina Carpenter\u2019s Saturday set, the crowd roared with the kind of anticipation usually reserved for a Taylor Swift concert \u2014 only to see Shania Twain strut onstage instead. The two launched into \u201cThat Don\u2019t Impress Me Much,\u201d and just like that, Sabrina Carpenter turned surprise into supremacy. It wasn\u2019t Taylor\u2019s era anymore \u2014 it was hers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Gone were the sparkles of \u201cShort n\u2019 Sweet.\u201d In their place: cowgirl curls and gingham print.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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She cracked jokes \u00a0\u2014 \u201cEverything\u2019s bigger in Texas\u201d \u2014 line-danced through \u201cManchild,\u201d and made fans scream back the words to \u201cGood Graces.\u201d Around her, girls gasped over texts and breakups. It was Sabrina\u2019s world, in real time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Shania\u2019s cameo was the showstopper \u2014 with the crowd\u2019s collective gasp, and a duet that bridged generations of pop-country power. From there, it was pure confidence\u2014\u201cNonsense,\u201d \u201cFeather,\u201d a steamy \u201cBed\u00a0Chem\u201d remix of Ginuwine\u2019s \u201cPony\u201d and a cheeky\u00a0shoutout to Djo (Joe Keery) in the crowd.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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By the time \u201cEspresso\u201d closed the night \u2014 fireworks, lights, and thousands singing every word \u2014 Sabrina Carpenter had done what few at\u00a0ACL could: turned a festival set into a main-character moment. The year\u2019s biggest pop star didn\u2019t just headline the weekend. She owned it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.statesman.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three days. Nine stages. More than 100 bands. Your American-Statesman coverage team was all over weekend one of Austin City Limits Music Festival. We rocked, we rapped, we danced in the sun.\u00a0 These are the 25 best sets we saw: 25. MJ Lenderman MJ Lenderman performs at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2075117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2075116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-best-25-performances-we-saw-during-ACL-Fest-2025.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2075116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2075116"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2075116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2075118,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2075116\/revisions\/2075118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2075117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2075116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2075116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2075116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}