Alternatives to the ACL Festival

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Merideth C in Austin Music // 0 Comments

No to ACL

Hey, do you hate ACL as much as I do? (jk jk jk I love u ACL please continue to give me press access). But big festivals like Austin City Limits aren’t for everyone, it’s true. The crowds, the prices of food and drinks, the weather (either too sunny or too rainy), the endurance of standing all day, all those darn young people, never getting close enough to your favorite artists…yeah, it can suck. Luckily, Austin has you covered with alternatives. Austin ALWAYS has you covered with alternatives.

The Official 2016 ACL Festival Late Night Shows

So, you don’t want to do the festival thing, but you still want to see some music? The ACL Late Night Shows are for you. Numerous artists and bands booked at ACL are playing one-off shows at various venues around town, from Sept 29th through Oct 9th. Check out the full list here.

Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta

You’ve got to love this one first because of it’s name, and second because of the focus on local music. This year is the 7th annual edition of The Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta and its lineup represents a return to the core value and mission of the Fiesta…”affordable fun and arse-kicking local and regional bands in a friendly and adult setting. The four night, floating club mini-festival was originally conceived by the as a dig at the similarly accronymed, behemoth Austin City Limits Festival which didn’t seem to feature much Austin music.” Various venues from Sept 30th through Oct 8th. More information here.

Utopia Fest 8

Hahaha, just kidding. Why would you ever go to UtopiaFest if you hate festivals? Sept 29th-Oct 2nd. Full info here.

KUTX Live – ACL Edition

You can come to the Four Seasons downtown and watch various ACL bands play live for broadcast on KUTX. It’s actually kind of a cool idea. Entrance is $10, it benefits the Seton Shivers Cancer Center, and includes a breakfast taco and coffee. Bring a blanket to sit on. Catch Lincoln Durham (9:30 a.m.), Gina Chavez (10:30 a.m.), Walker Lukens & The Side Arms (11:30 a.m.), and Israel Nash (12:30 p.m.). Sept 30th. More info here.