Austin, Texas: Underwater! Mud, Music, and More at Austin City Limits 2026 Weekend One
Photography and Words by Annabelle and Madeline Foster
In the days leading up to the first weekend of this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival, fans knew to expect enduring intensely muddy and rainy conditions in order to catch their favorite acts—and that’s exactly what happened. I mean, who wouldn’t brave the thick Texas sludge for a lineup consisting of heavyweights the likes of Charli xcx, Lorde, and Twenty One Pilots? Despite the conditions, artists and fans alike brought an unforgettable positivity to the weekend whose energy will be remembered for years to come.
Bright and early on Friday morning, Zilker Park was already brimming with eager fans despite the mud already having surfaced from a heavy rainstorm the night before. Weekend-one exclusive artist CMAT was an excellent way to kick off the weekend, bringing incredible energy all the way from Ireland! The band’s playful energy made performances of “I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!” and “When a Good Man Cries”—famously covered by pop powerhouse Olivia Rodrigo—especially memorable. Later in the day, a three-way conflict of Americana singer-songwriter Jesse Welles, electronic pop superstar Rebecca Black, and Australian rock band Amyl and the Sniffers brought something that every festival-goer was sure to enjoy; Sprinting through the mud to catch all three sets remained one of the most memorable moments of the weekend. Despite such variance in genre between all three acts, each absolutely shined. Rebecca Black in particular pulled an absolutely massive crowd that spilled out all sides of the Tito’s tent!
Later, The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers took his solo show to the Miller Lite stage, playing both new country-inspired tunes with all the flair of Elvis Presley alongside throwback Killers favorites after headlining with the band just last year. The performance was absolutely magnetic, with Flowers’ energy leaving the crowd in a trance throughout the entire set. A standout performance here included a rendition of The Killers’ “When You Were Young” that had every fan in remotely close proximity on their feet. Immediately following, hardcore quintet Turnstile took the T-Mobile stage for undoubtedly the most energetic set of the weekend. Turnstile crowds are, for a lack of better words, built different. The band’s wild enthusiasm and constant running/jumping around the stage coupled with an intensely muddy mosh pit made this a performance no one will soon forget. Fan favorites “BIRDS”, “NEVER ENOUGH”, and “T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION)” had the entire crowd on their feet. Further, embracing the muddy conditions continued to be a big theme of the day; fans moshing at Turnstile’s set could be seen smearing mud on themselves, and the big screens flashed onto a fan who bore striking resemblance to Bruce in Matilda after eating the massive chocolate cake.
Just after sunset, chart-topper Leon Thomas took to the Miller Lite stage with an incredibly captivating performance, blending smooth R&B with the high energy of a rock-and-roll concert. Memorable moments included when Thomas got down on his knees Jimi Hendrix-style to shred on his guitar, and, of course, his performance of what is inarguably one of the biggest hits of the last few years, “MUTT”. Soon after, with EDM heavyweight Skrillex opposite on T-Mobile stage, Charli xcx took the American Express stage for the final performance of the night. The experimental pop icon, whose major mainstream breakthrough came with 2024’s “BRAT”, drew in a massive crowd as she played hits from the aforementioned album, her newest project “Music, Fashion, Film”, and across the rest of her career. The crowd hung on every word she sung, seeming to know every lyric throughout the entire set without skipping a beat. Further, it’s no surprise that fans could be seen recreating the infamous “Apple” dance as she performed the smash-hit song. Earlier in the day, Charli had teased a special surprise for her performance that night, and it turned out to be no other than one of her most cherished collaborators, Troye Sivan. The two had previously embarked on the SWEAT tour together, and now they had reunited deep in the heart of Texas. Sivan proceeded to live debut two songs from his newly released album; the expertly choreographed performances put on by Sivan along with the incredible production and live arrangements of the rest of Charli’s set made for an absolutely unforgettable end to the first day of the festival.
Saturday began with a hiccup — due to the muddy conditions at Zilker Park, doors had to be pushed to 2:00 pm (after the usual opening time of 12:00 pm). Despite schedule changes and the shortening of sets, artists and fans alike were excited to kick off the day. British-Jamaican R&B singer Rochelle Jordan was among the first to initiate the second day of the festival. Her smooth, yet high-energy, danceable performance set the crowd in the right mood for the rest of the afternoon. Later, indie rocker Finn Wolfhard followed in the footsteps of Stranger Things co-star Djo in his first appearance at ACL. His set could be described as “Djo-lite;” equal parts energetic and chill as he played to excited fans on the American Express stage.
Suki Waterhouse welcomed the crowd to Loveland as she took over the T-Mobile stage. The visuals were fun and glamorous; her set began with a playfully staged fashion emergency, and a disco ball in the shape of an anatomically accurate heart was the main centerpiece. Most memorable, of course, was the music — Waterhouse pranced around the stage and through the crowd singing favorites like “Back in Love” and “Good Looking.” Over on Beatbox stage, singer-songwriter Ryan Beatty took the stage with performances from his acclaimed new album. A rendition of “Secret Language” initiated the laid-back set, immediately hooking the audience.
Bleachers certainly brought the energy to the T-Mobile stage! The Jack Antonoff-led project sometimes reduced to a Bruce Springsteen rip-off proved their individuality with fun staging where all the band members could jam together, each getting their chance to shine! Antonoff got the crowd excited as he threw himself around the stage, possessing magnetic energy as he jumped and twirled and shredded. Memorable performances included “Modern Girl” and “Tiny Moves.” Immediately following, experimental pop artist Lykke Li brought both a mysterious and energetic vibe to her set. Moody lighting and a confident demeanor from Li made performances of “sex money feelings die” and “I Follow Rivers” especially memorable.
Lorde brought the second day to a close in the most magical way possible. The New Zealand songstress merged high production with minimalism and vulnerability, making for an unforgettable set. The crowd was at its loudest across all three days as she performed nostalgic hits like “Royals,” “Green Light,” “Supercut,” and “Ribs.”
Sunday (1994) provided a fitting start to the final day, both in namesake and the first song they played (aptly titled “Rain” as it moderately drizzled throughout the morning). Despite debuting only two years ago, the band’s performance felt like a time machine back to peak Tumblr, with black-and-white GIFs of David Lynch works acting as stage visuals. Magnetic performances of “Tv Car Crash” and “Tired Boy” got fans excited for the day ahead! Underscores kept the momentum with an exciting performance on the Beatbox stage. The energy from fans was infectious, as they jumped and danced their hearts out to iconic tracks like “The Peace.” It seems as though 2026 has become the year of Underscores, and her massive crowd sprawling across the lawn definitely proved that she will only continue to rise!
Later, Audrey Hobert showcased serious star power on the T-Mobile stage. As the gloomy weather began to break up, Hobert joked that she had written into her contract that no rain was allowed during her set! Thanks for keeping us dry, queen. Highlights included “Wet Hair,” “Bowling Alley,” and “Silver Jubilee,” yet no song stole the show quite like her still-climbing hit “Sue Me.” Fans sprung up across the lawn to dance in the mud as Hobert played the song for a second time, requesting everyone put their phones away and enjoy the moment. Immediately following Hobert, Saint Motel may have been the most energetic performance of the weekend! The L.A.-based band started off strong with their hit “My Type,” to everyone’s excitement. Lead singer A.J. Jackson spent the set running back and forth from the stage to the barricade, singing and dancing with the dedicated fans up front. Throughout the set, all band members would meet center stage to jam and groove together!
After observing the many fans sporting their merchandise throughout the afternoon, it looked like Geese would be one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend. Their response? A set that felt legendary in every sense of the word. Fans moshed to “Trinidad,” two-stepped to “Crusades” (it’s me, I’m fans…), and enjoyed an impromptu performance of “Domoto” as the band worked to fix a technical issue with the drum set. Though, by far the craziest crowd of the night belonged to none other than Blood Orange; fans packed like sardines on the moderately-sized lawn at the Beatbox stage, shoulder-to-shoulder as the crowd spilled well into the street! The reward for their dedication was an amazing set of new tracks and old favorites, including “Uncle ACE,” “Champagne Coast,” and “Charcoal Baby.”
Both headliners posed as a great option to end the weekend. After a ten-year absence from the stage, The xx appeared overjoyed to be playing together for the sea of fans before them. Performances of songs like “Crystallized,” “Say Something Loving,” “Islands,” and “Intro” were truly magical. Twenty One Pilots closed out the festival with a mind-blowing set, full of pyrotechnics, scaling the stage, and iconic singalongs. Memorable moments include singer Tyler Joseph’s barricade walk during “RAWFEAR,” drummer Josh Dun scaling the side of the stage to play drums on the top of a speaker for a few songs (accompanied by a fun cover of Creed’s “Higher” from Joseph during the climb), and the duo joining the crowd for their final song, “Trees.”
Despite the mud, ACL 2026 was one to remember! A combination of perfect weather and unmissable sets from both old favorites and new discoveries made it one of the most memorable weekends of the year.
