Austin City Limits Buzz: The Up and Downside of ACL 2013’s Double Line-Up

Remember when Austin City Limits music festival, which makes its home in the 46 gorgeous acres of Downtown Austin’s Zilker Park, was 140 artists from across the globe performing on eight stages for three music-packed days? Live music aficionados of all ranks and ages could either make it, or they couldn’t, for one, two, or three days. With multiple world-famous acts often performing at the same time at opposite ends of ACL festival grounds, fans had to painfully select which to see.

This October, for the first time in its history, the 2013 Austin City Limits music festival will span two consecutive weekends. With double lineups of headliners, fans will have not one, but two chances to attend ACL, and two chances to see their favorites. Excited? Whoa, folks—wait for the catch. ACL also did away with 1-Day passes this year.

Only attendees willing and able to fork out the $225 3-Day ticket price will be able to attend ACL 2013, and only those willing and able to pay it twice will get two chances to see their favorite artists. Though 225 bucks is cheap for all ACL offers, it’s too much for 1-Day festival goers like Jeff Daniel. “No one day passes, no go. Enjoy your time, folks, but don’t move here; I hear Dallas is nice.”

One-Day attendees are deeply frustrated to have to pay the same rate as Three-Dayers. For those who depended on the 1-Day ticket for budget reasons, they may not be able to afford either weekend this year— that’s double the heartbreak, ACL.

On the bright side, Austin City Limits is pairing up with KUT (September 14^{th )} to offer high school and college students the opportunity to stand in line for up to four $200 3-Day tickets for either weekend of the fest. This is fantastic for students (and their families) who can afford it; and who don’t have to work, play sports, or do school work.

What does all this mean for 2013 attendees? It means, for better or worse, ACL’s audience will have a new demographic make-up this year. Leaving out certain levels of ticket-buyers will probably open up space for new ones, like out-of-town, national, even international attendees (who will now have not one, but two chances to put money in the coffers of Austin-area restaurants, retailers, and hotels). The double line-up will also give visiting musicians a chance to enjoy Austin between debuts.

For many fans, performers, and local Austin businesses, this will make ACL better; more comfortable; more elevated, even. For others, 1.) ACL seems to have sold its soul, suddenly becoming more exclusive and less inclusive, 2.) Texas has become a little less friendly, and the City of Austin has become a little less democratic, and 3.) The Live Music Capital of the World is (heartbreakingly) a little less “weird”.

Maybe one day ACL will bring back day passes. For now, disenfranchised 1-Dayers may find a double entendre in Franz Ferdinand’s lyrics, “You hear her, you can’t hold her. You want her, you can’t have her.”

Nonetheless, they still love you, ACL. Seventy-five thousand plus people will swarm Zilker Park to prove their adoration. World-class music, foodie fare, and the wares of talented local artists under a blue Texas sky still make Austin City Limits the consummate Austin and live music experience for tourists and locals alike.

Hoping to attend ACL 2013? This year’s dates are October 4-6 and 11-13. Weekend one passes have sold out (for all but card-carrying students heading to the Sept. 14^th KUT ticket sale), and a limited number remain for weekend two—so act soon, ACL-devotees!

Not sure who’s headlining when? Just scroll down for ACL 2013’s all-new two weekend line-up!

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Austin City Limits Line-up 2013

WEEKEND ONE: October 4-6

• DEPECHE MODE
• THE CURE
• MUSE
• KINGS OF LEON
• ATOMS FOR PEACE
• LIONEL RICHIE
• PHOENIX
• WILCO
• VAMPIRE WEEKEND
• THE NATIONAL
• ERIC CHURCH
• PASSION PIT
• QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
• ARCTIC MONKEYS
• F.U.N.
• KENDRICK LAMAR
• FRANZ FERDINAND
• D’ANGELO
• KASKADE
• TAME IMPALA
• LOCAL NATIVES
• THE SHOUTING MATCHES
• TORO Y MOI
• GRIMES
• PORTUGAL. THE MAN
• SILVERSUN PICKUPS
• THE JOY FORMIDABLE
• NEKO CASE
• DIVINE FITS
• GROUPLOVE
• JIMMY EAT WORLD
• THE BLACK ANGELS
• THE BRIGHT LIGHT SOCIAL HOUR
• THE MAVERICKS
• OKKERVIL RIVER
• SHUGGIE OTIS
• PURITY RING
• DAWES
• HAIM SMITH WESTERNS
• JUNIP
• WALK THE MOON
• VINTAGE TROUBLE
• NOAH AND THE WHALE
• PAPER DIAMOND
• LISSIE
• PINBACK
• THE JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION
• WILD BELLE
• PHOSPHORESCENT
• COURT YARD HOUNDS
• THAO & THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN
• FOXYGEN
• LITTLE GREEN CARS
• SAVAGES
• AUTRE NE VEUT
• PARQUET COURTS
• FIDLAR
• WHITE DENIM
• TRUE BELIEVERS
• THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA
• DELTA RAE
• JAKE BUGG
• THE LONE BELLOW
• ELECTRIC GUEST
• DAN CROLL
• DEAP VALLY
• WILD NOTHING
• TYPHOON
• HUNDRED WATERS
• TWIN FORKS
• RED BARAAT
• ELECTRIC SIX
• SHOVELS & ROPE
• REIGNWOLF
• MONA
• MS MR
• WIDOWSPEAK
• ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL
• BEAR MOUNTAIN
• GREENSKY BLUEGRASS
• JD MCPHERSON
• PACHA MASSIVE
• VALERIE JUNE
• THE MOWGLI’S
• THE WILD FEATHERS
• ROADKILL GHOST CHOIR
• JC BROOKS AND THE UPTOWN SOUND
• THE ORWELLS
• DESERT NOISES
• THE BAND OF HEATHENS
• HOLLY WILLIAMS
• SHINYRIBS
• THE WEEKS
• WICK-IT
• THE INSTIGATOR
• AARON BEHRENS AND THE MIDNIGHT STROLL
• HOUNDMOUTH
• WILD CUB
• PETERSON BROTHERS BAND
• COURRIER
• DANA FALCONBERRY
• BOBBY JEALOUSY
• MAX FROST
• LATASHA LEE & THE BLACKTIES
• KRISTIN DIABLE & THE CITY
• COLIN LAKE
• BROOKE WAGGONER
• ENDURANCE
• THE STAPLETONES
• THE MCCRARY SISTERS
• DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
• THE HENSLEY ENSEMBLE
• THE DURDENS
• THE WARRIOR GOSPEL BAND
• BARTON HILLS CHOIR
• THE VERVE PIPE
• SCHOOL OF ROCK
• TIM AND THE SPACE CADETS
• PETER DISTEFANO & TOR
• GRACE LONDON
• PLAY DATE
• THE OHMIES
• THE Q BROTHERS
• ANDY Z
• CASPAR BABYPANTS

WEEKEND TWO: October 11-13

• DEPECHE MODE
• THE CURE
• MUSE
• KINGS OF LEON
• ATOMS FOR PEACE
• LIONEL RICHIE
• PHOENIX
• WILCO
• VAMPIRE WEEKEND
• THE NATIONAL
• ERIC CHURCH
• PASSION PIT
• QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
• ARCTIC MONKEYS
• F.U.N.
• KENDRICK LAMAR
• FRANZ FERDINAND
• D’ANGELO
• KASKADE
• TAME IMPALA
• LOCAL NATIVES
• THE SHOUTING MATCHES
• TORO Y MOI
• GRIMES
• PORTUGAL. THE MAN
• SILVERSUN PICKUPS
• THE JOY FORMIDABLE
• NEKO CASE
• DIVINE FITS
• GROUPLOVE
• JIMMY EAT WORLD
• THE BLACK ANGELS
• THE BRIGHT LIGHT SOCIAL HOUR
• THE MAVERICKS
• OKKERVIL RIVER
• SHUGGIE OTIS
• PURITY RING
• DAWES
• HAIM SMITH WESTERNS
• JUNIP
• WALK THE MOON
• VINTAGE TROUBLE
• NOAH AND THE WHALE
• PAPER DIAMOND
• LISSIE PINBACK
• THE JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION
• WILD BELLE
• PHOSPHORESCENT
• COURT YARD HOUNDS
• THAO & THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN
• FOXYGEN
• LITTLE GREEN CARS
• SAVAGES
• AUTRE NE VEUT
• PARQUET COURTS
• FIDLAR
• WHITE DENIM
• TRUE BELIEVERS
• THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA
• DELTA RAE
• JAKE BUGG
• THE LONE BELLOW
• ELECTRIC GUEST
• DAN CROLL
• DEAP VALLY
• WILD NOTHING
• TYPHOON
• HUNDRED WATERS
• TWIN FORKS
• RED BARAAT
• ELECTRIC SIX
• SHOVELS & ROPE
• REIGNWOLF
• MONA
• MS MR
• WIDOWSPEAK
• ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL
• BEAR MOUNTAIN
• GREENSKY BLUEGRASS
• JD MCPHERSON
• PACHA MASSIVE
• VALERIE JUNE
• THE MOWGLI’S
• THE WILD FEATHERS
• ROADKILL GHOST CHOIR
• JC BROOKS AND THE UPTOWN SOUND
• THE ORWELLS
• DESERT NOISES
• THE BAND OF HEATHENS
• HOLLY WILLIAMS
• ALANNA ROYALE
• CHERUB
• THE DYNAMITES FEAT. CHARLES WALKER
• SHAKEY GRAVES
• LUELLA AND THE SUN
• X AMBASSADORS
• SONS OF FATHERS
• MY JERUSALEM
• NOT IN THE FACE
• WHISKEY SHIVERS
• THE PRESERVATION
• CALEB
• SHANNON LABRIE
• ANDREW DUHON
• TYREE MORRIS & HEARTS OF WORSHIP
• HEAVENLY VOICES CHOIR
• THE MCCRARY SISTERS
• DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
• THE HENSLEY ENSEMBLE
• THE DURDENS
• THE WARRIOR GOSPEL BAND
• BARTON HILLS CHOIR
• THE VERVE PIPE
• SCHOOL OF ROCK
• TIM AND THE SPACE CADETS WITH MOTHER FALCON
• PETER DISTEFANO & TOR
• GRACE LONDON
• PLAY DATE
• THE OHMIES
• THE Q BROTHERS
• CASPAR BABYPANTS