One other weekend of Austin Metropolis Limits Music Competition is within the books, and we have now the sock tan traces to show it. Weekend Two typically feels sleepy, however crowds have been out in full drive Friday and Saturday earlier than scaling down on Sunday. Band after band praised the viewers for his or her vitality in comparison with the primary weekend’s.
There have been loads of new artists this weekend, breaking apart a slew of units that stayed largely the identical. Sunday headliners The Killers supplied a shining instance of the best way to play two weeks in a row with out the present getting outdated, and a few smaller artists like rap duo Joey Valence & Brae appeared to learn from phrase getting out that their set was price seeing.
Sufficient individuals already know the headliners; we’re right here to wrap up 2025’s pageant with one other spherical of our private favourite moments. (Our picks from Weekend One are right here.) We’re contemplating whoever made this record to be a must-see for any future festivals and excursions.
Listed here are our high 10 non-headliner highlights from Weekend Two of ACL Fest 2025.
Friday
Lady Tones make a strong first impressionGirl Tones’ Friday set was a burst of classic fashion and uncooked sisterly rock. Kenzie and Laila, with an identical child blue guitar and drum equipment, gave the gang a enjoyable, highly effective, and electrical sound that recalled early storage rock with a splash of Blondie, as the gang crammed into what little shade they might discover. Lead vocalist Kenzie jumped and danced throughout the stage in her white Mary Jane Docs and sharp classic go well with, and her sister introduced simply as a lot vitality on the drums. Kenzie is made for the stage, playfully bantering with the gang about being an older sibling, ripping her go well with, “leaping by means of a automobile window” for a current music video, and naturally, reminding all to remain hydrated. Lady Tones, recent off tour with fellow Arkansas rockers Cage the Elephant, proved they’re one of the vital thrilling rising duos in indie rock. — Natalie Grigson, contributing author
Confidence Man brings the chaosThe present opened with suspense: a countdown from ten flashing throughout a clock labeled “LA” at each mark however 3 am. Earlier than the primary beat dropped, it was clear this was going to be a celebration. Lead singer Janet Planet and her accomplice in crime Sugar Bones stormed the stage in all-white retro-futurist outfits, channeling the delirious vitality of late-night Los Angeles afterparty. Behind them, Reggie Goodchild (DJ) and Clarence McGuffie (drums) loomed in lengthy black material, like mysterious shadows. Regardless of being on crutches acquired between pageant weekends, Janet bounced, sang, and danced on one leg with fearless charisma, whereas Sugar Bones danced and posed beside her. After a mid-set outfit change, Janet reemerged in a wheelchair, sporting LED Madonna cones, completely embodying Confidence Man’s ridiculous, infectious, and unstoppable pop chaos. — NG
Cage the Elephant does no such thingSome of us have been disillusioned final weekend when Julian Casablancas of The Strokes was not leaping for pleasure whereas performing. (That is regular, by the best way.) These attendees ought to be at Cage the Elephant, as a substitute. Frontman Matt Shultz sheds huge quantities of vitality onstage, leaping, thrashing, and pointing grandiosely skyward, whereas someway sustaining his considerably disaffected vocals. His unbridled sincerity makes him appear brand-new, and possibly that is how he feels, too, touring once more after recovering from severe well being problems. Towards the top of the set, Shultz stated, “[this is] among the finest exhibits I’ve skilled in a very long time.” Audiences who anticipate extremely engaged performers in all probability felt the identical. — Brianna Caleri, Austin editor
Fujii Kaze performed a lot of his stellar set with a towel draped over his head — and he actually made it work. Photograph by Kenn Field
Saturday
Olivia Dean aces the reside soundFlashy units seize consideration and are clearly simpler to put in writing about. However generally the explanation to attend a present is simply to understand how nice the artist sounds reside. Olivia Dean impressed media and informal audiences alike along with her wealthy, evenly textured vocals and assured stage presence — plus, with so many canned tracks floating across the pageant, it was thrilling to see a reside brass part. (Sure, we perceive touring is dear.) Dean did add some taste, together with dedicating the observe “Carmen” to “courageous” immigrants like her grandmother, who moved alone from the Caribbean to London, had 4 children by Dean’s present age (26), and impressed the tune. “These individuals should be celebrated,” Dean stated. — BC
Fujii Kaze is the dramaA pay attention to some Fujii Kaze tracks makes it clear that versatility is that this artist’s specialty; the sudden enchantment is his sheer drive of perspective. (Watching a music video would have negated this; reside and be taught.) Kaze and his sharply dressed band, all from Japan, dabbled in all types of kinds from jazz to rock, funk, pop, and extra, typically in dense preparations clearly crafted for reside enchantment. Kaze is aware of the best way to use motion to amplify each second: eradicating his sun shades as if revealing a secret with a pursed smile; sweeping his open hand like providing a platter earlier than taking part in “Careless Whisper” on the saxophone; banging out classical piano solos with a hand on his hip or cluster chords together with his wrist, shaking the keyboard both method. Lyric subtitles in each English and romanized Japanese on the screens rounded out the thoughtfully deliberate set. — BC
Magdalena Bay is the stuff of dreamsMagdalena Bay, the Los Angeles-based synth-pop duo that includes Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, remodeled the Girl Chook stage right into a surreal dreamscape. Their present felt like a cosmic fairytale, with legendary props, a keyboard stand disguised by a winged eye, and a magic mirror flashing retro visuals. Tenenbaum, in a blue silky jumpsuit, danced, sang, and at one level strapped on a keytar, sending the gang into ecstatic movement. The 80s and 90s-inspired dance-pop felt like stepping right into a technicolor dream. Songs like “Demise and Romance” had Gen Z followers screaming in delight. By means of shifting costumes — blue, to crimson, to ethereal white — Tenenbaum staged a mysterious, mythic story of rebirth, ending all of it with a trilling, Disney Princess-like “Thanks, Austin!” — NG
Zeds Useless did their homework on AustinZeds Useless’s Saturday evening set opened with pure Austin nostalgia: the sound of an outdated TV flipping channels and classic ACL Dwell clips of Stevie Ray Vaughan and BB King. The backdrop even featured the Austin skyline, modeled after the PBS present. The Canadian duo — Dylan “DC” Mamid and Zachary “Hooks” Rapp-Rovan — took the stage dressed like Pulp Fiction’s Jules and Vincent, dropping their signature bass-heavy, reggae-tinged remixes. They tore up classics like “Hello My Identify Is (Zeds Useless),” “Summertime,” “Hit the Street Jack,” “Nearer,” and “The Chain,” as pyrotechnics blasted and the gang went wild. The finale combined Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton’s separate ACL Dwell clips for a brand new, heartfelt duet, then led right into a mashup of “Pure Creativeness” and John Lennon’s “Think about” — a surprisingly emotional and Austin-centric near an unforgettable set. — NG
Sunday
Native band The Level. make a hypnotic debutIt’s not simple to get to Zilker Park for a 1:45 pm present, however we knew we needed to for The Level., a neighborhood group making their ACL Fest debut. We’re all the time pleased with our native bands, and The Level. does one thing additional for us by repping cumbia, the African-influenced Latin American dance style that Austinites are sometimes surrounded by, but many guests have by no means heard of. This isn’t your tía’s cumbia, although. The Level. places some heavy psychedelic taste on their wordless jams, that are additionally largely formed by Saharan rock. The result’s frenetic however natural and fully locked-in; infectious to hearken to. The emotionless guitarist, Jack Montesinos, even cracked a small smile, seemingly in opposition to his personal will. — BC
The Dare makes the warmth virtually bearableAt 3:15 pm within the blazing solar, New York-based musician Harrison Patrick Smith, higher referred to as The Dare, took the stage alone, clad in a black go well with and Adidas. Regardless of the punishing warmth, he delivered a efficiency filled with manic vitality, excessive kicks, and tongue-in-cheek charisma. Enhanced solely by an elaborate, flashing mild rig (which was, frankly, laborious to see through the day) and his backing observe, Smith turned what ought to’ve been a nighttime celebration right into a noon sweaty dance break. His set combined funky 80s sounds with a extra EDM-style bass, and punctuated every little thing with wry banter: “I’m positive it smells superb down there.” He topped all of it off by parading round with a cymbal overhead. Although it was scorching, The Dare’s unhinged enthusiasm made the warmth virtually bearable. — NG
Hey, Nothing and Gregory Alan Isakov dance round countryACL Fest dipped no less than eight toes into nation this yr (taking a look at Friday headliner Luke Combs), however to me, essentially the most compelling units are people who construct on and subvert nation and people kinds. Two Sunday performers placed on memorable exhibits on this realm, and each included very candy nods to having greatest mates for band members. Earlier within the day, Atlanta, Georgia-based Hey, Nothing delivered upbeat emo-folk with super-combatible duet vocals and a ton of rowdy vitality. Later, singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov and his band (visiting from Colorado) slowed issues down dramatically with light banjo, pedal metal, and harmonica; plus semi-classical violin and bowed bass; all wrapped up in an particularly stunning mild present. For the nearer, “The Steady Music,” the entire band crowded round one microphone as if taking part in essentially the most cinematic barn dance Austin’s ever seen. — BC
