The best and worst things we saw at ACL Fest 2026
Austin American-Statesman • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The Austin City Limits Music Festival 2026 featured standout performances from artists like Turnstile, Amyl and the Sniffers, Young Miko, Twenty One Pilots, Labrinth, Rüfüs du Sol, Lorde, and The XX, with memorable moments despite muddy and rainy conditions.
- Local and emerging acts such as Grocery Bag, Balu Brigada, Rusowsky, and Audrey Hobert were highlighted as promising talents, contributing to the festival's diverse and vibrant lineup.
- Some drawbacks included challenging muddy terrain, gnats, overcrowded side stages for popular acts like The Chainsmokers and Steve Aoki, and underwhelming performances from artists like Finn Wolfhard and Rebecca Black.
- Fans expressed disappointment over the lack of onstage collaboration between Charli xcx and Lorde during their respective sets, despite visible side-stage interactions.
- Certain politically charged lyrics, such as those from Jesse Welles, received mixed reactions from attendees, with some feeling the messages lacked poetic nuance.
