ACL Spotlight: Early Bird Specials

When taking the first look at the ACL Schedule for each weekend, I tend to first see the conflicts in headliners. Luckily, we are fairly conflict free this year, we’ll get into that more soon enough. How about we take a look at a few of the artists put in the early spots? The cool morning grass, the wide expanses to roam and the vendors still relaxed before the dude-bro crush all add up to a child-like wonderment with the scale of the empty festival giving you the this all-for-me feeling. This year’s ATH Approved Early Bird Artists will create the soundtrack for your barefoot dance party.

Wild Nothing – The last time we saw Jack and the boys, they made the jump to being a bonified headliner. They have a deeper catalog now than ever and the band could end up putting one of the best sounding sets you’ll hear all weekend. Yes, we liked them that much last time out. …and that was at Red7 Outside. Fridays on Samsung @ 11:15

The Orwells – If you want to get punched in the gut walking in the door Friday, these guys are your best bet. We’d rather start with Wild Nothing, but they may be a latte, The Orwells would be a espresso mainline. Jams are plentiful. Fridays on Honda @ 11:15

FIDLAR follows those two so if you get to relaxed with Wild Nothing, kick up the jams with FIDLAR. Fridays on Bud Light at noon

Parquet Courts – These guy were on all of our best of lists for SxSW. Perfect band for a Saturday morning when you might have gone a little too hard the night before. Parquet Courts should be a lovely wakeup call to your brain. Sing along to the hits like “Stoned and Starving”. These guys like a big stage and want to fill it with fuzz and reverb. Saturdays on Bud Light @ 11:30

Bobby Jealousy/Whiskey Shivers – Your dose of local goodness comes Saturday mornings. First weekenders get Bobby Jealousy with our fave front-woman and second weekenders get Whiskey Shvers. Saturdays on Austin Ventures @ 11:15

If you take a morning off, I guess you could take Sunday. BUT, you would miss Courrier on weekend one and Not In The Face on weekend two. And though I could live with out Foxygen at noon both weekends, I know many of you can’t and won’t.

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