The sun rose over Zilker Park in Austin on Oct. 2, casting the skyline in an amber glow. People of all ages flooded through the gates for the Austin City Limits music festival, eager to enjoy a day of live music and excitement.
For the headliners, Charli XCX kicked off the festival on Friday with a techno pop set that was a top-notch production. On Saturday, Lorde sang some nostalgic hits, and Rüfüs Du Sol closed out the night with melodic house music and lasers. On Sunday, Twenty-One Pilots ended the weekend with an unforgettable set of alternative rock.
“Seeing Rüfüs Du Sol play ‘Innerbloom’ was amazing,” said junior Saira Mamdani. “All the lights were really cool, and I was close to the stage, so it was a great experience.”
“Innerbloom” is known as Rüfüs Du Sol’s most popular song. To celebrate the performance of this song, fireworks were released as the beat dropped during the set.
During the daytime other artists such as the Chainsmokers, Bella Kay and Audrey Hobert performed.
“Hearing the Chainsmokers was very nostalgic,” said sophomore Amrita Madhavanur. “I felt so connected to a lot of their songs, and it brought me back to my childhood.”
The Chainsmokers were one of the most popular performances of the weekend, with electronic dance music that is well-suited for festivals like ACL.
“ACL is different than other concerts I’ve been to because there are so many people and sometimes you have to wait in the crowd between two different performers you want to see,” Mamdani said. “Overall, it was really fun, and definitely worth all the walking around.”
The music festival format allows fans to leave during the middle of one set and walk only a few steps to see another artist.
“It’s really fun to see multiple artists within the span of one day and dress up with your friends,” said junior Avery McGraw.
Many fans left ACL feeling what is commonly referred to as “post-concert depression”, where the excitement from the concert leaves fans reminiscing on those moments afterwards.
“ACL was so amazing and the music was really impactful to hear live. It was one of the best experiences of my life,” said Madhavanur.
