Faces of ACL Fest 2023: See our exclusive backstage photos of musicians, and one wizard
Behind the scenes at the Austin City Limits Music Festival is just as hot and dusty as out front in the field. But it's also where musicians come through the official media area for interviews and portraits. Most don't seem to sweat.
For the third year, Austin photographer Dave Creaney joined our crew and set up a pop-up portrait studio in our Zilker Park tent. He was there both weekends, Oct. 6-8 and 13-15, capturing dozens of intimate and fun images. Dave has a special knack for connecting with subjects, putting them at ease and drawing out their personalities.
See more of Dave's work at www.davecreaney.com. Check out 2021 and 2022 galleries on our sites.
And now here are the faces of ACL Fest 2023.
DIE SPITZ
Shaking up local dives with their grungey hard rock since their junior year in high school, the childhood friends from Austin spent this year on a steady rise. They played Oct. 7 on the Tito's stage, before leaving on a national tour with Australian garage rockers Amyl and the Sniffers.
ANGEL WHITE
Texas' own Angel White, he's from Dallas, played Oct. 7 and 14 on the Tito's stage.
BOB'S DANCE SHOP
We always love time with the Bobs, experts at positivity and getting a dance party "Flash Bob" started. The self-described "vibe curators" are on a mission to make dance accessible to all and to spread joy through movement. A few hours before Shania Twain took the stage on the first Saturday of the festival, the Bobs stopped by our tent to offer pro-tips on how to fake a line dance. "Instead of fake it until you make it, you be it until you achieve it." BOB stands for "Be Our Best," and it's all about energy and having a good time. Just start moving!
ABBY SAGE
Abby Sage is from Toronto and played Oct. 7 on the T-Mobile stage.
CHROMEO
The Canadian electro-funk pair known as Chromeo played Oct. 7 in the Tito's tent.
DECLAN MCKENNA
Declan McKenna is an English singer-songwriter, and he played Oct. 7 and 14 on the American Express stage.
SUNROSE
Sunrose started in Nashville and is now based out of Los Angeles. The band played Oct. 8 on the BMI stage.
BEN KWELLER
Ben Kweller played emotional sets both Saturdays at ACL Fest, dedicated to his 16-year-old son, Zev, who died in a car crash in February. Music is “a time capsule. It's a document of a time and a place … it's a marker for our lives as artists,” Kweller told the Statesman's Deborah Sengupta Stith backstage. He’s grateful that his son left his songs behind. Playing them at shows has been “incredibly healing, also incredibly sad and heartbreaking,” he said.
BRELAND
Breland told us backstage that he wasn’t an artist when he wrote viral hit “My Truck.” He was writing it to pitch as a songwriter, trying something a little different and having fun with friends in the studio.
“I thought it was really catchy," he said. "I don’t think there are any barriers keeping me from (putting it out)."
He released it independently with no budget or plan. It became a hit and opened up doors for him, including touring with Shania Twain.
Breland said he’s played some shows in the south and saw Confederate flags and got some nasty messages online. He also shouted out artists who have made him feel welcome in a genre not well-known for diversity: Twain, Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt and “so many more.”
But he said country radio, for example, still has some barriers. “There hasn’t been a Black woman with a top 20 hit at country radio, literally ever,” he said. “More often than not, I do feel really comfortable and we’ve had a lot of amazing wins in terms of being able to bring in more diverse faces and voices into this space, which I think makes it safer and more enjoyable for everyone.”
BASS DRUM OF DEATH
Bass Drum of Death, from Mississippi, played Oct. 6 on the BMI stage.
RAY BENSON
Of course Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel played one of the earliest sets on the first Friday. It's a tradition, broken only by the year their set was rained out on weekend one and Benson's grandbaby was being born the next weekend. Asleep at the Wheel played at 12:55 p.m. Oct. 6 on the Honda stage, and earlier Benson was interviewed out in the middle of Zilker Park by tennis legend Venus Williams, who was at weekend one with a camera crew. Backstage, he talked about the best way to support the local music scene: Go to shows!
GRACE SORENSON
Grace Sorensen is an Austin R&B soul singer and dancer on the rise. She played Oct. 8 on the BMI stage.
HOZIER
Look, we are journalists first. And not unused to meeting famous people. But the buzz that went through the whole media area when this tall Irish man was walking around was palpable. He took Austin and national media to church the first Sunday of the fest before his dusk set, one of the best of the fest, on the American-Express stage, where he also played the second weekend.
From our review by writer Eric Webb: Since his breakout with 2013’s “Take Me to Church,” Hozier’s pen has dug deeper into poetic adventures, and his alt-soul sound has similarly added facets that set him apart from the ho-hey folkies with whom he’s often lumped. The stories in his songs — and they all tell stories — are carnal, without a platitude in earshot. And not to get too parasocial with it, but he just seems like a real kind guy, and it came across from a festival stage at golden hour.
FELIX Y DADA
"Do you know that band?" "Are they with one of the acts?" Felix Y Dada walked around the media village at ACL Fest and no one seemed to know exactly who they were. They told us they are musicians from the future. We took a photo of them in the here and now.
TANNER USREY
That's right, he's from Texas. Tanner Usrey's music has been described as having "country grit, rock 'n' roll energy and Americana eloquence." Usrey played Oct. 8 on the BMI stage.
MT. JOY
Mt. Joy played both Saturdays on the American Express stage and a show in between the weekends at the Moody Amphitheater in Waterloo Park. If you're sad you missed all of those, we'll give your (Mt.) joy back: They announced a big tour for 2024 that includes Madison Square Garden and a return to Austin on Sept. 24 at the Moody Center. Tickets for that are on sale now.
GUS CLARK
Gus Clark is another Texas neighbor. The honky tonk artist lives in south central Texas. Clark played Oct. 7 on the IHG stage.
DANNY DAVIS OF HUSBANDS
Danny Davis of Husbands is from Oklahoma City and played Oct. 7 on the BMI stage.
PATRICK MARTIN
Patrick Martin, who grew up in Wisconsin and now lives in LA, played Oct. 7 on the BMI stage.
IVAN CORNEJO
Statesman writer Jesus Vidales said this about the set: "The 19-year-old artist played corridos, a type of regional Mexican music. His devoted fans screamed his lyrics filled with love and heartbreak. It was a bit jarring to hear such a rich voice come from such a young looking artist. Cornejo was joined by three guitarists who kept the crowd dancing and who were great enough to encourage even the most inexperienced corrido-enjoyers to at least try a couple moves. While his songs were in Spanish, his music clearly transcended language barriers."
"I'm doing what I love. It's all natural," Cornejo told Vidales backstage at ACL Fest, where he played both Sundays on the Miller Lite stage.
After the fest, he was heading to Mexico for his first concerts there.
CALDER ALLEN
Calder Allen comes from a longtime Austin family that includes grandfather and music legend Terry Allen. He played one of his first live shows at ACL Fest 2022 and was back for sets Oct. 7 and 14 in the Tito's tent.
MIMI WEBB
The English singer-songwriter played both Sundays on the Miller Lite stage.
POOLSIDE
Chillwave band Poolside, out of LA, natch, played both Saturdays on the Miller Lite stage.
BECKY HILL
Becky Hill got her big break on "The Voice UK." She played Oct. 8 on the T-Mobile stage.
GUS DAPPERTON
Singer-songwriter Brendan Patrick Rice uses Gus Dapperton as his stage name. He played both Saturdays on the T-Mobile stage. The Statesman's Jesus Vidales was there and said this:
Indie pop singer Gus Dapperton had fans dancing and singing to his addicting synth fused songs. His vocals changed from smooth high tones to a passionate raspy voice throughout the set.
On stage, Gus and his band enthusiastically moved to beat, with Gus performing his signature moves, at one point even on top of a chair. In the audience, those who did not know the lyrics were certainly bopping along to the newfound music.
SHAED
Shaed out of Washington, D.C. played Oct. 7 on the BMI stage.
RANDALL KING
Randall King grew up in the West Texas plains, and his music is described as "steeped in their timeless beauty, both gritty and graceful at the same time." He played both Sundays on the IHG stage.
THE BREEDERS
Writer Ramon Ramirez said this about The Breeders second Sunday set:
Kim Deal and her twin Kelley remain indie rock royalty. Among an informal poll of hip students and 20-something music journalists backstage at ACL of who wants to see whom, their looming local engagements enjoyed the most consensus enthusiasm.
Sunday at Austin City Limits’ IHG stage, the Breeders proved they’re more than an enduringly cool vibe, though. More than finspo on a mood board. And for every young person who takes wardrobe cues from the film “Cruel Intentions” present and nodding along to the band, just as many olds with strollers, shooting phone videos horizontally, did the same.
Kim, formerly of the Pixies, and her band — bassist Josephine Wiggs, Jim Macpherson on drums and Kelley on lead guitar — scored a 1993 grunge hit with “Cannonball” and have five records under their belts. They’re on tour amid the 30th anniversary of the platinum-selling album “Last Splash.” Like fellow indie vets the Walkmen earlier Sunday at ACL, who didn’t play anything written before 2012, they claimed, that means a set rooted in the joys of reviving your old work with the benefit of hindsight. And learning to interpret it as a different person.
“We’re gonna be playing songs from ‘Last Splash,’ and some other ones too,” Deal said. “We came from Ohio.”
FYUTCH
Fyutch got the little rockers dancing during a couple of sets in Austin Kiddie Limits during the second weekend.
COROOK
Corook is the stage name for singer-songwriter Corinne Savage, who is based in Nashville. They played the second Sunday at the fest.
QUARTERS OF CHANGE
Quarters of Change are from New York City and they know how to rock.
QUINN NFN
Austin rapper Quin NFN scored viral heat on the strength of his single "Talkin' My (expletive)" in 2018. Austin's king of mosh pit rap played the Tito's tent on the second Sunday of the festival.
THE MORIAH SISTERS
The gospel quartet The Moriah Sisters are from Austin, have been singing for almost 30 years and are regulars at Stubb's gospel brunch, among many other local performances. They played the second Sunday in the Tito's tent.
COREY KENT
Corey Kent is a country music singer from Oklahoma who tours a lot with regular stops across Texas. He played the BMI stage on the final day.
ABRAHAM ALEXANDER
Abraham Alexander out of Fort Worth told us backstage he was in Austin to “manifest my dream.”
“I wrote down a list I would love to achieve one day and playing ACL was one of them,” he said.
This was six years ago and “it’s surreal that all these things are coming true.”
His debut album “Sea/sons” was released in April, he toured with the Lumineers and played Bonnaroo. But being from Texas, he said, ACL Fest was the culmination of all his dreams.
Music is about sharing his story and “not writing music in order for it to be this famous thing:”
“I think if I go deep, the wide will come,” he said.
He was born in Athens, Greece, lived there until age 11 and is into sports. He went to his first concert at 25 and was struck by the variety of people all resonating with the same music.
“I want to build a community of people that don’t care where you come from and don’t care where you’re going but care that you’re here right now and that we want to show love.”
BLAKCHYL
Teaunna Moore has been rapping on the Austin scene since she was a teenage spitter with the high school hip-hop crew the Cypher. Her new album tempers her characteristic rugged rhyme style with sexy R&B swagger. She performed during the solar eclipse on the second Saturday of the festival.
"I thought it was special," she told the Statesman. "It's special too because it's my first time performing at ACL. I'm like, 'OK, I'm here, making my grand entrance with this eclipse.'"
MIYA FOLICK
Los Angeles singer-songwriter Miya Folick played the second Saturday on the Miller Lite stage.
DEVON GILFILLIAN
Soul artist Devon Gilfillian caught up with the Statesman after his weekend two performance.
Gilfillian has said his album “Love You Anyway” is about Black joy. He told us it felt important to bring Black joy to the festival and into the world right now after watching the injustices done to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among others, in 2020.
“I wanted to write an album that had joy in it,” he said.
“I love this city. I love Austin,” he said, before lamenting that he wasn’t able to get to Ramen Tatsu-ya during the second weekend of the festival. His order: the Miso Hot with an extra egg and pork belly. “It’s my favorite ramen,” he said.
EMLYN
Emlyn is from Nashville and started as a songwriter before deciding to also be a performer, now based in Los Angeles. She played the second Friday on the BMI stage.
HADLEY STEWART, WIZARD
We didn't make him do any magic.
THE HUSTON-TILLOTSON BAND
Huston-Tillotson had a big ACL Fest. The jazz collective played a set on the second Sunday of the festival and HT students also joined headliners Mumford & Sons on stage.
JAIME WYATT
Jaime Wyatt is a singer-songwriter focused on Americana and outlaw country. She played Oct. 13 on the T-Mobile stage.
JANE LEO
Jane Ellen Bryant and Daniel Leopold are from Austin and together form Jane Leo. They played the second weekend and were the only band we caught twice.
JIMMIE VAUGHAN
Austin blues guitar royalty Jimmie Vaughan played the second weekend.
JOHN CALVIN ABNEY
John Calvin Abney is out of Austin. He played electric guitar and keyboards as part of Ben Kweller's band at ACL Fest.
KATHRYN LEGENDRE
Kathryn Legendre, also out of Austin and a native Texan, is a honky tonk singer-songwriter. She played the inaugural Two Step Inn earlier this year in Georgetown and the last day of ACL Fest.
KATY KIRBY
Katy Kirby is from Spicewood and now is based in Nashville.
NEMEGATA
Nemegata, is a Colombian psych rock fusion outfit, also out of Austin. They describe themselves as a "fierce power trio."
OLIVER HAZARD
Oliver Hazard comes out of Waterville, Ohio.
PORTUGAL. THE MAN
Portugal. The Man hails from Alaska and is now based in Portland, Oregon.
RALPH'S WORLD BAND
Ralph Covert and his band were part of the Austin Kiddie Limits lineup.
SISI
Sisi Berry was one of the 20 local artists who played ACL Fest, her first time performing at the event.
THE ALTONS
The Altons, from Maywood, Calif., say they are "a soul rock group with a twist of Latin inspired flavors and rhythms."
WE DON'T RIDE LLAMAS
Austin's hard-rocking sibling band We Don't Ride Llamas were inspired to form an actual band after wearing out the Rock Band video game controllers their dad brought home. The group's debut full-length album is coming early next year.
BOB MOSES
This electronic duo is from New York City by way of Canada.
ARYA
Arya, who came to Austin from Serbia, played Oct. 8 on the T-Mobile stage.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: ACL Fest 2023: See musician photos taken backstage in the media area
