For two weekends every year, the Austin City Limits music festival features a diverse lineup of more than 125 performances across eight stages.  Sophomore Katherine Swango, who attended this year’s event, said it makes for a unique experience.

“All the performances were amazing,” Swango said. “The set on each stage was different and super cool.” 

During the weekends of Oct. 4-6 and Oct. 11-13, festival-goers enjoyed a variety of foods, explored the Art Market and listed to musical artists from around the world. Students who attended the festival noted some of their favorite artists who performed: Childish Gambino, Billie Eilish, 21 Savage, Lizzo and Mumford and Sons. 

Junior Rosemary Sands, who went to the first weekend of the festival, said she enjoyed the originality of the performers.

“My favorite part was watching Billie Eilish perform.” Sands said. “I love how different her music is and the way she presents it.”

Junior Honor Wood, who attended the second weekend of the festival, was not only impressed by Eilish’s performances, but also the consistency at which she performs.  

“Billie Eilish was really talented and sounded the exact same in person as she does in her recorded tracks,” Wood said. 

Wood said her favorite performer was the Grammy award winner Childish Gambino.

“His set looked like a music video because every dance move was perfected to the last detail,” Wood said. 

Gambino kept freshman Ava Tribolet, along with nine other Hockaday friends, in suspense. As everyone stared at the main stage, he appeared from the middle of the crowd on a rising platform, kicking off the set with a hit song, “Atavista.”

“I was most looking forward to the festival experience and watching some of my favorite artists play there,” Tribolet said. “All my expectations for the festival were exceeded. I had such a good time spending the whole fall break with my friends.” 

Story by Sasha Schwimmer

Photo provided by Mia Salvodelli