Austin City Limits Music Festival made its triumphant return after sitting out a year due to the (still) ongoing pandemic. The 20th anniversary raised eyebrows as they decided to continue with the festival this year considering the high rates of COVID rates in the Austin area. Using the same blueprint that Lollapalooza used this year the festival implemented a mandatory vaccination proof to enter (or negative test within the past 72 hours). While the crowd did seem smaller the entertainment didn’t skip a beat as this years lineup boasted an array of some of musics best. The festival prides itself on the amazing music lineup year after year but it’s also the amazing amenities the fest offers such as world class food, amazing drink options and a plus this year that offered Bonus Tracks with q and a sessions with some amazing guests. We broke down our highlights from each day with some amazing photo galleries.

Friday Day One:

Highlights: Durand Jones and The Indications, Machine Gun Kelly, Leann Rimes, Remi Wolf, Megan Thee Stallion, Erykah Badu.

Day one started with a set from Durand Jones and The Indications, his performance was a perfect warm up for an amazing weekend, reaching into his bag of tricks, he pulled out all the soulful feels that reminded us why we fell in love with him a few years ago at SXSW. One of the most anticipated acts of the festival this year was Machine Gun Kelly who has gained recent fame for his transition to a more mellow emo punk sound. That topped with his tabloid worthy relationship with girlfriend Megan Fox has garnered attention on a daily basis. He even climbed the soundboard tower tangling only by his feet while singing and inducing the crowd into a frenzy. We took a trip down memory lane as we had a chance to catch the always charming LeAnn Rimes during her mid-day set as she seemed in high spirits as she tore through her chart topping catalog, one of the more underrated sets of the festival for us.

Saturday Day Two

Highlights: Gracie Abrams, Jade Bird, Remi Wolf, Phoebe Bridgers, Doja Cat, Jack Harlow, Rüfüs Du Sol, Bille Eilish

Day two got us up and early to catch some of the smaller acts that we can only imagine playing later slots in the near future. One of our favorites we discovered at SXSW a few years ago was Jade Bird and she continues to impress with a more pop-country style that is infectious and charming. Remi Wolf was a surprise as her high energy set was perfect for the mid-day crowd, we saw her last month here in Denver for The UMS and were excited to see her slay her set for a bigger audience. One of the acts we were most excited to see was Phoebe Bridgers, we did get a sneak peak of her set on Thursday at her ACL Live taping. The often outspoken artist delivers amazing live sets and carefully crafted lyrics that stir emotions. One of the festivals biggest draws was for the hit-worthy Doja Cat who managed to live to the hype with her well produced set. One of hip-hops rising stars Jack Harlow also delivered as his status as one of the best live acts continues to grow, it was at one point in which you could hear the whole crowd singing to his hit “WHATS POPPIN” that made for an amazing festival memory. The night wrapped up with Rüfüs Du Sol and Billie Eilish on the main stages.

Sunday Day Three

Highlights: Serena Isioma, Amber Mark, Jessie Murph, Tate McRae, Cautious Clay, Marc Rebillet, Karol G, Tyler The Creator

Our last day of the festival was filled with what we have coined he Tik Tok generation, social influencers who have harassed the power of social media to create a mass following. The weather remained amazing as we got a chance to check out more of the amazing amenities this festival has to offer, Austin Eats gave us a chance to sample some of the city’s best delicacies while the Beer Hall let us cool down with some amazing brews and needed shade. Some of the days best acts included Jessie Murph, Tate McRae, and Cautious Clay rounded up the early sets with noteworthy performances. The late afternoon/evening sets got kicked off by the “Loop Daddy” himself Marc Rebilet whose over the top performances did not disappoint. The Honda Stage welcomed Colombian artist Karol G who gave fans a bit of latin flavor with her dance infusing Reggaeton hits. Original headliner Da Baby was replaced over some controversial remarks about the LGBTQ community and rtaking his place was Tyler The Creator. Tyler put on one of the best sets of the festival with his customary quirky performances and flare for the dramatic. Many thanks to all who helped put this festival together this year considering the circumstances of an on-going pandemic, It gave us hope for three days that music is making a comeback and bringing people together once agin.

Photo Credit: Robert Castro