by Andrew Calvio
If Weekend One was ACL’s infamous mudfest, Weekend Two was a different beast altogether. The rain-soaked grounds gave way to dry, dusty paths, warmer afternoons and the kind of fall-in-Austin weather that had festivalgoers reaching for sunscreen and water instead of worrying about ruining their shoes. The dust got bad enough that festival organizers were handing out bandanas at the entrance gates every day, giving fans a simple way to cover their faces as they moved around Zilker Park. They also kept people hydrated by handing out water throughout the day, a welcome move when you’re spending hours on your feet under the Texas sun. Those efforts made a difference, even if the dust and heat remained part of the experience. With the weather no longer dominating the weekend the way it had during Weekend One, the focus could shift back to what everyone came for—the music. From Turnstile’s hardcore explosion on Friday to Lorde and RÜFÜS DU SOL on Saturday and a stacked alternative-rock finish on Sunday, Weekend Two had plenty to offer. And as always, some of the best reasons to show up early were the artists playing before the biggest crowds arrived.
Day 1
Friday was all about energy, and Turnstile was the first name on my must-see list. ACL can sometimes feel a little too polished for its own good, but Turnstile brought the kind of intensity that makes a festival feel alive. Their mix of hardcore punk, big hooks and outright chaos was a welcome change from the usual main-stage spectacle. There’s something great about watching a band with that much raw energy command a huge outdoor crowd. You don’t have to know every song to get caught up in it.
The timing was perfect, too. Turnstile played in the early evening, setting up a choice between sticking around for more guitar-driven music or heading off to catch one of the festival’s bigger pop and electronic acts. Amyl and the Sniffers brought another dose of punk attitude earlier in the afternoon, while Labrinth offered a completely different vibe with his more cinematic sound.
Natasha Bedingfield was also a fun throwback addition to the Weekend Two lineup. And there was plenty happening before the big names took over. Happy Landing and Brigitte Calls Me Baby were worth checking out early, while Radio Free Alice, S.G. Goodman and Cassandra Coleman offered different flavors of indie rock and singer-songwriter music. Live also added a dose of ’90s alternative-rock nostalgia to Friday’s lineup, giving longtime fans another reason to make their way through the earlier sets. If you made it to Zilker Park around lunchtime instead of rolling in just for the headliners, Friday rewarded you with a full day of discoveries.
Of course, the closing choices were tough. Kings of Leon brought their arena-rock catalog to one stage, while Charli XCX offered the pop spectacle on the other. The Chainsmokers and Steve Aoki added electronic options for anyone who wanted to keep moving. Friday was one of those days when you couldn’t see everything, and that was part of the fun.
For the local Austin connection, Almost Heaven was one of the early acts to catch. Finding emerging artists before the afternoon crowds build is part of what makes ACL worthwhile, especially when you’re discovering bands that feel connected to the city rather than just passing through on tour.
Friday: Turnstile stole the day!
Day 2
Saturday had a different feel. The lineup leaned into indie pop, electronic music and artists who know how to create a mood rather than simply crank up the volume. Lorde and RÜFÜS DU SOL were the major draws, but for Lorde fans, the night carried an extra layer of meaning. She started her tour in Austin a year ago at Moody Center and brought it full circle with an emotional closing night at Zilker Park. It was the kind of hometown-bookend moment that makes a festival performance feel bigger than just another stop on a tour.
Lorde’s return to Austin felt especially fitting. There’s something special about seeing an artist return to the same city after a year on the road, with an entire tour’s worth of experiences behind them. The Zilker Park setting gave the night a different kind of intimacy, even with a massive festival crowd. Her music has always balanced vulnerability with pop ambition, and that combination made for an emotional send-off. Rather than feeling like a routine festival slot, the performance carried the weight of a final goodbye to a chapter of her career. Lorde is at her best when she makes a massive crowd feel like they’re all sharing the same moment. Her music has that mix of vulnerability and drama that works particularly well outdoors as the evening fades away.
RÜFÜS DU SOL offered a different kind of closing experience, with atmospheric production and electronic beats built for a huge outdoor crowd. The pairing made Saturday particularly compelling: Lorde delivered the emotional release, while RÜFÜS DU SOL gave fans a chance to lose themselves in the music. The two acts offered very different experiences, which made Saturday’s scheduling decisions especially difficult.
Bleachers were another major reason to spend time on the stages before the headliners. Their big-hearted, singalong-friendly alternative pop is practically built for a festival crowd. Lola Young brought a more soulful edge, while Suki Waterhouse and Rodrigo y Gabriela offered very different takes on live performance. Young Miko added Latin urban energy, and Lykke Li gave the day a darker, more atmospheric pop option.
But don’t sleep on the earlier sets. Montclair was one of the local names worth catching, and Lluvií brought a sound that mixed Latin influences with neo-soul, R&B and jazz. Those are exactly the kinds of performances that can make a festival day memorable even when you’re not standing in front of the biggest stage.
The afternoon schedule also included Night Tapes, Annie DiRusso and Balu Brigada, giving early arrivals plenty of indie and alternative music to explore. Later, the choices got even harder:
Bleachers, Lola Young and Lykke Li all offered compelling reasons to change stages before the final headliners.
Saturday: Lorde’s full circle tour closing set wins.
Day 3
By Sunday, the weekend was winding down, but there was no shortage of reasons to stick around. Twenty One Pilots and The xx were the big closing draws, with The War on Drugs, Parcels, Blood Orange, Geese and SOFI TUKKER filling out a seriously good alternative-heavy lineup.
Twenty One Pilots brought the kind of theatrical alternative pop that works especially well for a final-night crowd. Their shows have always been about more than just playing the songs: there’s a mix of high-energy performance, audience participation and dramatic moments that can turn a massive festival field into something that feels surprisingly personal. Their blend of alternative rock, electronic production and huge choruses made them a natural fit for ACL’s closing stretch. After three days of bouncing between stages, they offered the kind of big, energetic set that could send people home feeling like they’d gotten one last shot of adrenaline before the workweek started.
The xx offered a completely different experience, and that contrast was part of what made Sunday’s headliners so interesting. Where Twenty One Pilots thrive on movement and spectacle, The xx build their atmosphere through restraint. Their sparse guitar lines, pulsing bass and understated vocals leave plenty of room for the crowd to settle into the music. On a festival stage, that minimalism can feel almost cinematic, especially as the evening sets in. Their performance was a reminder that a headliner doesn’t always need to go bigger and louder to make an impact. Sometimes the most memorable moments come from a band giving the music room to breathe. What better way to end a night than being played out to “Intro”?
Having those two acts anchor the closing night gave festivalgoers a real choice in how they wanted to end the weekend: a high-energy, crowd-driven experience with Twenty One Pilots or a more intimate, atmospheric set with The xx. Both approaches felt right for a festival that had spent the previous two days moving between punk, pop, electronic music and indie rock.Earlier in the day, there were plenty of good reasons to arrive before the afternoon heat peaked. The Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective was a particularly fitting Austin addition, representing the city’s musical roots in a setting usually dominated by rock and pop. Calder Allen offered a Texas singer-songwriter perspective, while Bad Nerves brought a sharper rock edge.
Audrey Hobert, Saint Motel and Noga Erez helped keep the middle of the day varied, and Houndmouth was another Weekend Two act worth catching. Geese provided one of the more unpredictable rock options, while SOFI TUKKER brought the dance-party energy. Parcels, Blood Orange and The War on Drugs were also strong alternatives for anyone looking to build a full afternoon of live music before the final headliners.
The local connection was especially welcome on Sunday. Between the university jazz musicians and Texas-rooted performers, the festival showed that Austin’s music identity isn’t just indie rock or country. It’s a mix of styles, backgrounds and generations, and those smaller sets helped make the weekend feel like it belonged to the city.
Sunday: Twenty One Pilots gave us all a giant hug.
Final thoughts: The headliners were great, but don’t skip the early sets
ACL Weekend Two delivered the kind of variety that makes the festival worth returning to. Friday belonged to Turnstile for sheer energy, Saturday offered a great contrast between Lorde and RÜFÜS DU SOL, and Sunday brought a strong finish with Twenty One Pilots and The xx.
But the best festival advice is still the simplest: get there early. Almost Heaven, Montclair, Lluvií and the Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective were among the local and emerging acts that helped give the weekend a distinctly Austin feel. Add in the supporting artists spread across all three days, and there’s a lot more to ACL than the names printed in the biggest type on the poster.
Weekend Two was a reminder that the best festival memories don’t always come from the headlining set. Sometimes they’re the band you wandered over to see at 1 p.m., the set you caught while waiting for friends, or the local artist you discovered before the afternoon crowds rolled in. That’s the beauty of ACL—and why it’s worth making a full weekend of it.
Check out all our photo galleries and coverage from ACL Fest 2026 and previous years on Austin 101 Magazine.
