Concert Review: Austin City Limits Festival 2023

ACL returned to Zilker Park for its 22nd edition in 2023. Featuring high-profile headliners like Kendrick Lamar and Foo Fighters and a plethora of indie and local acts, Austin’s staple festival knocked it out of the park.

Written by Afterglow Editors

Photo courtesy of Ismael Quintanilla III

Amid discourse about ACL’s weaker lineup and a whirlwind of setbacks, the festival found itself marred in uncertainty by its first weekend. Despite mishaps like Kendrick Lamar’s shortened performance and Kali Uchis’ last-minute drop-out from ACL, C3 still managed to deliver an unforgettable experience with its curation of industry veterans and show-stopping newcomers alike. Here’s some of the highlights from this year’s contentious festival.

Weekend 1

Hozier

“Moment of conscience please for the person who spent time out of their day, or possibly week, to print out an enormous flag that says ‘I heart dilfs’ on it,” beamed Andrew Hozier-Byrne (Hozier), halfway through his early evening performance. With a hint of humor and a whole lot of emotional churning, the Irish folk singer belted his creamy vocals and poetic, intelligent lyrics to a massive crowd barrelling into the near-center of Zilker Park. With an initial buzzing build-up into the spunky “De Selby (Part 2),” Hozier dazzled the crowd at the American Express stage with stunning, angelic belts. The audience’s sing-along grew louder as he passionately sang the folk-adjacent hits “Jackie and Wilson” and “To Be Alone,” both from his debut album. Before returning to nostalgic tunes “Cherry Wine” and “Work Song,” he slowed things down with Unreal Unearth’s heart-wrenching ballad, “Francesca.” A hush fell over the crowd as Hozier softly sang the song’s elegiac opening lyrics: “Do you think I’d give up / That this might’ve shook the love from me?” Once the drums cascaded into the song’s climax, the crowd’s pent-up emotions unraveled into a roaring yell of chorus. He continued the thematic descent into Dante’s “Inferno” with the deliciously evil-sounding “Eat Your Young.” The crowd’s mood lightened as Hozier trickled into some of his thematically lighter tracks, including his sophomore album’s “Almost (Sweet Music),” which boasts snappy instrumentals and upbeat guitar riffs. The stand-out of Hozier’s ACL performance was when he ran out into the crowd during the queer religious reclamation “Take Me to Church.” The song’s black-and-white music video flashed on the stage’s big screen as the impassioned musician borrowed a gay pride flag from an audience member and held it up victoriously. Hozier’s bellowing “amens” reckoned the excited, emotional crowd before he took a bow with his bandmates and back-up singers. — Heather Stewart

half・alive

“Who put sunscreen on?” grinned Josh Tyler as a brisk breeze swept through Half Alive’s effervescently abstract alt-pop show, juxtaposing the sonic echoes of summer and seemingly waving goodbye to the sweltering Texas heat. Half Alive’s vibrantly spirited ACL weekend one experience opened with the Twenty-One-Pilots-esque fan favorite “The Fall,” and followed suit with “Summerland,” transporting audience members to a beachy summer soundscape through sunny lyrics and a perky drum-set bedrock. With a tambourine in hand, the Long Beach native danced vivaciously to “Back Around” as a pair of curly-headed dancers ran out onstage and stole the spotlight with their alluring, narrative movements. Before the last note sounded, the bouncing frontman commanded, “Everybody get down,” to which the song diminished before erupting again, compelling the crowd to spring up and burst into a daytime rave scene. After barreling through hits like “What’s Wrong,” “Hot Tea,” and “Subliminal,” the beaming bandleader questioned, “Who’s never seen this before?” to which pockets of screams exploded amidst the crowd. Bringing the 56-minute production to an end with the popular anthem “still feel.,” Half Alive’s summer-soaked set dazzled the T-Mobile stage and introduced festival attendees to a world full of interpretative dance, warm-toned soundwaves, and sunblock. — Catalina Perez

Ivan Cornejo

Mexico’s favorite dañado took the Miller Lite stage to tug at his fans’ heartstrings with his breakup anthems. Dressed simply in a black button-up and a matching bandana to protect from the sweltering midday heat, Ivan Cornejo delivered tunes that were similarly simple but nonetheless arresting. At 5:15 p.m., the stage’s screen lit up as a narrator announced the beginning of the singer’s set, likening it to a therapy session. As he walked onstage and performed breakout 2021 single “Llamadas Perdidas” (“Lost Calls”), Cornejo waved a Mexican flag to the crowd’s proud cheers. Despite the heart-wrenching nature of his songs, the 19-year-old offered chipper Spanish-language banter to lighten up the mood: “Se que estamos dañados pero también somos locos!” (“I know we’re broken but we’re also crazy!”). After performing sister songs “Está Dañada” (“She is Broken”) and “Está Dañado” (“He is Broken”), Cornejo switched things up with the only English track — a cover of Plain White T’s “Hey There Delilah.” Almost a capella save for his acoustic guitar, the singer-songwriter delivered a rendition so heartfelt that it seemed like an original track. Accompanied only by three guitarists and the occasional keyboardist, the rising king of regional Mexican music brought a much-needed break from the festival’s swirling noise. — C.S. Harper

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

No Capes! Karen O’s bedazzled bell bottom unitard, jet black bowl cut, and red embroidered sheer black cape echoed that of a flamboyant Edna Mode, but it was her superhero power stances and droning techno sonics that stole the show. Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ electric ACL Sunday night set opened with “Spitting off the Edge of the World” from their 2022 release, Cool It Down. As the song took its last breath, the famed frontwoman launched into a twirling session with crimson, elbow-length, fringed gloves clutching her cape. An inhaled microphone, a vertical spit take, and a pair of blown-up eyeballs bouncing through the crowd remained the optic spotlights as the band moved through a barrage of career-spanning releases including, “Cheated Hearts,” “Pin,” and “Y Control.” “This is the Yeah Yeah Yeahs love song” declared a beaming Karen O as guitarist Nick Zinner launched into the iconic high-pitched riff in “Maps.” Recognized by the mere utterance of a perfectly pitched “OH,” the iconic synth driven track “Heads Will Roll” lit the audience ablaze as a fiery fever of jumping and fist-pumping broke out.The 54-minute experience concluded with the club-bumping banger, which seemed to resonate with teenagers and seniors alike, as hundreds left the Honda Stage dancing and buzzing about the New York trio’s impressionistic performance. — Catalina Perez

Death Grips

Death Grips made no haste to begin their performance after taking the IHC stage at 7:15 p.m. sharp. Red light bathed the band members so that only their silhouettes were visible, giving the set a primitivist feel. Thunderous drumming and discordant keys accompanied frontman MC Ride’s blood-curdling shrieks during the group’s live rendition of “System Blower.” The trio, ever the enfants terribles, defied performance conventions by playing all 17 tracks of the setlist medley-style without any breaks in between. Despite never stopping to acknowledge the audience or deliver banter, the elusive MC Ride still carried an enigmatic stage presence, pausing in between verses to emphatically flick his wrists and headbang. Meanwhile, the crowd became seemingly possessed by the music, contributing to the hellish nature of the set. Separating the barricade and the rest of the crowd was a mosh pit so rowdy it would put any metal show to shame. Outside of the pit, sweaty bodies thrashed around and collided amid the ear-splitting noise as beer cans soared in the air, spraying the crowd with alcoholic rain. Thankfully, no one peed at the show, but the raucous energy of Death Grips’ set made for one of the most memorable performances of weekend one. — C.S. Harper

WEEKEND 2

Niall Horan

The well-loved Irish lad made his afternoon set “The Show” to attend. Niall Horan came out beaming as bright as the blazing sun to a crowd more than ready to greet him. He began with “Nice To Meet Ya,” a rock single that he forgot the first few lines to because of his immediate amazement by the massive crowd. His fist was constantly pumping the air in excitement, and he started a “weekend 2” chant, hinting that this weekend’s crowd beat last weekend’s. The ex-boy band member uttered the first line of “Story of my Life” to raucous cheers and frantically recording phones, transporting Zilker Park to the 2010s when One Direction dominated stadiums and fans’ hearts. But those fans haven’t disappeared — many of them showed up with shirts and posters referencing the iconic boy band. Horan picked up the pace with songs from his sophomore album Heartbreak Weather and a cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” that would make Tears for Fears proud. Horan also expressed his admiration for Hozier, another Irish singer who would grace the American Express stage an hour after his set, which felt more and more like a dance party with each song. Although Horan was the one to confess, “If you leave me / Oh, I think that I just might lose it completely” (“If You Leave Me”), his joyful performance had the audience thinking the same. In the singer’s words, it was “absolutely incredible.” — Carolyn Parmer

GloRilla

Decked head to toe in rhinestoned purple camo, GloRilla brought a taste of Southern charm to the T-Mobile stage with her gritty and glamorous take on hip-hop. The entire stage was alive, with animated backup dancers performing perfectly synchronized interpretations of the rapper’s baddie-positive music. Practically speedrunning through the setlist, the Tennessee native spotlit almost every song from her discography. Her rendition of breakout TikTok hit “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” had fans adamantly singing along as she got in formation with her dancers during the infectious chorus, her raven mane swishing along. Shortly thereafter, the rapstress called for all the “big booty hoes” in the crowd to twerk along as a crunk beat signified the start of her recent Collective Music Group collaboration, “Pop It.” Emphatically clapping along to Mike WiLL Made-It’s ad-libs, hip-hop’s latest Southern darling made sure to have fun in between verses. However, the biggest highlight of the set came when the words “Cheese, his name is Cheese” rang through the stage. Fans roared with their immediate recognition of the Cardi B-assisted track “Tomorrow 2,” and GloRilla delivered the performance of a lifetime. Big Glo never missed a beat, showcasing her impressive breath control with her unrelenting flow in every repetition of the chorus. She made sure to pay homage to her New York contemporary, playing Cardi’s meme-worthy verse in its entirety while she danced with her entourage. Despite just having come to prominence in 2022, GloRilla’s set had the energy of a seasoned performer, showcasing exactly why she is one of the most promising rappers to rise to fame in recent memory. — C.S. Harper

Noah Kahan

Powerful chants of “Noah” and a 10-second countdown arose from a tightly packed crowd at the T-Mobile stage, and the energy didn’t die down once the New England folk singer came out. With his signature braids, playful attitude, and songs that make you want to simultaneously cry, dance, and rip your heart out, Noah Kahan kicked off his set with “Northern Attitude” from Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), which was released exactly a year prior to the singer’s ACL debut. The self-proclaimed “Prozac Lin-Manuel Miranda” strode onto the stage and immediately mounted a speaker to get a closer view of his adoring crowd, filled with faces smiling as brightly as Kahan himself and his bandmates. True to his sarcastic fashion, Kahan said this happiness was “pissing him off” and flowed straight into “New Perspective,” a song about dragging others down to avoid coupling misery with loneliness. Jokes and therapy comments infused his set, which included devastating songs such as “Call Your Mom” — with a Mumford & Sons appearance — and, of course, “Stick Season.” With a pining voice that could be heard halfway across Zilker Park and a crowd that spilled out from the sides of the stage, Kahan proved that his many titles attesting to his influence on folk music and beyond were well earned. — Carolyn Parmer

Ethel Cain

The girls and gays’ favorite Floridian Americana darling took the IHG stage to a packed audience at 3:25 p.m. sharp. Accompanied by video clips of rustic life, the singer-songwriter brought prairie-core aesthetics to a festival full of rave fashion. Rather than starting off with a poppier track, the ever-subversive Ethel Cain began the setlist with a shortened version of "House in Nebraska," a moody, near eight minute track about a house with a murderous backstory. The songstress’ whispery voice — especially her lower register vocals — was often drowned out by the overpowering instrumentals, a recurring issue throughout her set. Nevertheless, she delivered immaculate vocalizations as she entered the crowd during “American Teenager,” bringing a front-row fan to tears. Her heartwarming stage presence and fan interactions made for an intimate set, as she asked the audience to give her a “big Texas yeehaw” during “Thoroughfare” and remarked that “Texas has the best barbecue” during “Gibson Girl.” Despite the technical setbacks, Ethel Cain’s seven-song set was a genuine ode to Southern artistry. — C.S. Harper

Maggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers brought a heightened, transcendental performance to ACL’s 2023 lineup. Performing an almost equal mix of songs from her albums Surrender and Heard It In A Past Life, along with some fiery new songs coming soon to her discography, Rogers captured the fearlessly joyful tone that pervades throughout her albums to the enjoyment of those watching. Starting her performance at 6:10 p.m. with the familiar twang of her lamenting song “Overdrive,” Rogers astonished attendees and attracted wandering festival-goers to the Honda Stage with her intense vocals and bouncy synthesizer accompaniment. Continuing this trend of showcasing her finesse, Rogers segued into “Want Want,” one of the most popular songs off of her 2022 album, Surrender. The rumble of the crowd dissipated as dust permeated the air and Rogers hit her highest notes, attuned to the whimsy of piano flourishes. One of her most powerful songs, “Shatter,” exemplified the intense passion rippling throughout her discography. Working her way up a mountain of vocals alongside the slinky shots of guitar interlaid on this track, Rogers breathily sang, “I don't really care if it nearly kills me / Feel it in my fist like it's time to move / Quick, give me a glass, I'ma watch it shatter / I’d do anything just to feel with you.” Unlike the lyrics for “Shatter,” Rogers did not come up for oxygen during this song, nearly running out of breath as she walked across the stage. Pleasing old and new fans alike, the songwriter performed a breathy rendition of “Alaska” featuring a deeper range of her sound, enchanting the audience with a style more reminiscent of her recent tracks. Other notable additions to the performance were Rogers' combination of her titular song "Retrograde" with the Whitney Houston track, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” her early-days hit “Love You For A Long Time,” and a preview of her new song, “Don’t Forget Me.” Rogers left the stage after an inviting performance filled with vivacious dancing, excellent rhythms, and a synchronized energy that amazed listeners at ACL. — Rachel Joy Thomas