The Best Before Four: ACL Festival 2013 Preview

If you're going to spend the money to get a ticket to Austin City Limits Music Festival you should get your money's worth. Today, I've written a guide to highlight some of the artists who will be playing the festival before 4pm. Chances are you're already pretty familiar with the artists performing later in the day but there is a grip of talent hitting Zilker's stages between 11:15am and 4:00pm each day of the fest.

Let's start at the beginning shall we? The fact that Wild Nothing is scheduled to hit the stage at 11:15am on Friday is a crime against humanity. I know that SOMEONE has to be the first band but I really feel like it would have been wiser to flip Friday's schedule and Sunday's schedule for all bands playing before 4pm. Like many a festival attendee, I have to work my day-job on Friday. My job is cool so I only have to work a half-day but I still won't be at the park before noon on Friday. I know that there are many people who have similar situations.


Wild Nothing - Paradise video via YouTube

That being said, Wild Nothing is playing an Official ACL Late Night Show at the Parish this Friday evening, October 4th. Tickets to see Wild Nothing at the Parish this Friday night are no longer available. However, the bill also features Autre Ne Veut, whom I also adore immensely and their set is also early. So, props for giving these great early artists more chances to reach an audience and vice-versa.

Several of the artists featured in this post are playing bonus Late Night Shows. Check out this post for more details.

Friday

• Wild Nothing | 11:15a - 12:00p | Samsung Galaxy Stage
• Fidlar | 12:00 - 12:45 | Bud Light Stage
• Dana Falconberry (WEEKEND ONE ONLY) | 12:20 - 1:00 | Austin Ventures Stage
• Widowspeak ∫ | 12:45 - 1:30 | Samsung Galaxy Stage
• Savages | 1:00 - 2:00 | Honda Stage
• Thao & The Get Down Stay Downs | 1:30 - 2:30 | Bud Light Stage
• Courtyard Hounds | 2:00 - 3:00 | AMD Stage
• Shovels and Rope | 2:30 - 3:00 | Austin Ventures Stage
• Smith Westerns | : - | Stage
• Pinback | 3:30 - 4:30| Bud Light Stage

Saturday

• Parquet Courts | 11:30a - 12:15p | Bud Light Stage
• Max Frost | 12:00 - 12:40 | Austin Ventures Stage
• Dan Croll | 12:15 - 1:00 | AMD Stage
• Autre Ne Veut | 1:00 - 2:00 | Honda Stage
• Deap Vally | 1:00 - 2:00 | Bud Light Stage
• Haim | 2:00 - 3:00| AMD Stage
• Junip | : - | Stage

Of all of the artist featured in this before 4pm, Haim is the one with the most buzz coming into ACL Festival. The world has fallen in love with these sisters. This tour cycle will certainly be the last time Haim sets foot on a festival stage this early in the day. My personal highlight from this Saturday grouping is Autre Ne Veut but if you're more of a rock fan you might prefer to watch Deap Vally in the 1:00pm time slot.


Autre Ne Veut - Play by Play video via YouTube

Sunday

• Kodaline (WEEKEND ONE) | 12:00 - 12:45 | AMD Stage
• Smallpools (WEEKEND TWO) | 12:00 - 12:45 | Lady Bird Stage
• Foxygen | 12:00 - 1:00 | Samsung Galaxy Stage
• MS MR | 1:30 - 2:30 | AMD Stage
• Noah & the Whale | 2:30 - 3:30| Honda Stage
• Grouplove | 3:30 - 4:30 | AMD Stage
• The Lone Bellow | 3:45 - 4:30 | Austin Ventures Stage

This is what I'm saying about mixing up Friday's early line-up with Sunday's early line-up. I know I'm biased because I'm shaping this for my tastes BUT with this Sunday grouping, I would have Foxygen and MS MR play the 3:30 sets no matter what day you have them perform. Both of those artists are playing Late Night Shows though so there will be three chances to see them perform in Austin over the next couple of weeks.


MS MR - Think of You video via YouTube

You may have noticed that several of the artists I've featured in the post are playing at the same time. Usually at this time of day it's a bit easier to move from stage to stage. It also just come down to personal taste. For me, I'd rather listen to Grouplove than The Lone Bellow but if you're a singer-songwriter fan and/or not into synth-pop you'd be better off with the latter.

Listen to this Spotify Playlist of Austin City Limits 2013 Artists.