Austin City Limits Music Festival wrapped its second of two weekends on Sunday, and it was a great way to bring the two-weekend fest to a close.
While much of the crowd, with their pink cowboy hats, glittery tops and a variety of leather ensembles, was clearly on hand solely for Chappell Roan and Chappell Roan only, the atmosphere was certainly different in Zilker Park for this final day—and not just because it was the hottest day, at times tipping over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Maybe it was by design, or perhaps it was just a coincidence that Sunday's lineup featured a number of artists who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
For some, that may be of no significance, but considering the unlikeliness that such a lineup could have existed in ACL's early years, or even as recently as 10 years ago, it is worth noting—and celebrating.
Considering the second weekend of ACL came just three weeks ahead of a contentious U.S. presidential election (and a competitive Senate race in Texas), it was remarkable how jovial Sunday turned out to be, as the likes of Roan as well as Orville Peck; Tyler, the Creator; Medium Build; Kevin Abstract; and Jess Glynne delighted fans through blistering heat, creating a dome of serenity and safety in the midst of some very dark, tumultuous times.
Early in the afternoon, Daniel Seavey quickly led the pack with a steamy performance on the American Express stage, warming up the crowd for later performers such as Chappell Roan and Tyler, the Creator. And yes, there were indeed plenty of fans packed in for his 1:15 p.m. set all pinked out for Chappell. But as the young, 25-year-old singer bopped around the stage, eventually shirtless, falsetto on full display throughout his performance, you could surely bet Seavey was converting many casual observers in the crowd into newly obsessed fans.
Misterwives were another highlight of the afternoon over on the Honda stage, where they showcased a crisp, matured sound, as they're now more than 10 years removed from the release of their breakout Reflections EP. Lead singer Mandy Lee's vocals were as glossy as they've ever been. And perhaps reading the room (ahem, the park!), they also weaved in a beautiful cover of the one and only Robyn's "Dancing On My Own."
Next, it was over to Medium Build on Miller Lite. And you already know I can't say enough about how much I adore Nick Carpenter (aka Medium Build), the queer singer-songwriter, who, unsurprisingly, was one of the standout performers on Sunday, closing out his intimate yet stirring performance with a trio of fan favorites, "comeonback," "Cutting Thru the Country" and then my personal favorite, "Cuz of U." An absolutely incredible, emotional set.
And as if the music gods couldn't have set up a more perfect pairing, it was Orville Peck who followed Medium Build next door at the Honda stage. The mysterious, mask-wearing gay country crooner has been seeing his star rise over the past few years, and on Sunday, he further proved exactly why that is the case, whipping through song after song as the crowd was melting—not just because of the intense heat. And to add a cherry on the top of this rodeo (hey, it's Texas; the rules of metaphor don't matter), Peck closed out his performance with a guest appearance from Willie Nelson, who had joined Chris Stapleton two days prior.
But Nelson's cameo with Peck was in a different yet poignant context, as the two sang their duet version of the gay cowboy anthem "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other," their first live performance of the track which ultimately led to Peck's recent duets album, Stampede.
It's worth mentioning, this was not Nelson's first time covering the song, as he did back in 2006, releasing that version, in part, to show support for his longtime manager, David Anderson, who had recently revealed he was gay.
Nelson's support for the LGBTQ+ community has been consistent. In 2015, just days before the Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees the right to marry for same-sex couples, he said: “I never thought about marriage as something only for men and women. Gay people should be just as miserable as the rest of us ... Love doesn't discriminate, and it shouldn't be discriminated against."
The magic of the day continued as Jess Glynne took the Miller Lite stage. The U.K. singer has been more private about her personal life but has in recent years shared more of her sexual fluidity. On Sunday, she gave fans a powerful, memorable performance with some of her most popular songs, including "I'll Be There," "Hold My Hand" and "Take Me Home."
Kevin Abstract, who has had success both as a solo artist and as the ringleader of Brockhampton, provided another one of Sunday's best moments at the IHG stage. Abstract has been very open about his journey in accepting his sexual orientation, frequently writing about it in his lyrics and insisting part of the reason he has been so vocal about it is because of the need for representation and to offer a voice for those who are on a similar journey or still finding themselves, especially amongst his peers in hip-hop.
Fellow hip-hop artist Tyler, the Creator, whose story of sexuality has been somewhat more nuanced and gradually forthcoming, has come to embrace his role in queer culture. And on Sunday, it marked a grand return for the artist, who is now regularly the subject of acclaim from critics and fans alike, as he pushes the boundaries of musical genres and tests the limits of mainstream music.
His set on the final night of ACL featured a whopping, nearly two dozen songs, chronicling a career which seems to bloom more and more with every new album. And while he may not be the young, unruly newcomer of his past, he is still just as rowdy, just as defiant and just as anomalous.
Of course, it'd be hard to speak of anomalies without talking about Chappell Roan, who wasn't even an official headliner and drew a staggering crowd at the American Express stage (and beyond). It was fitting, as this was the gay singer's final show of 2024, which has been a rollercoaster of a year for Roan, whose status has gone from bubbling under to suddenly on everyone's radar in a matter of months.
She's sure to snag half a dozen or more Grammy nominations when the 2025 nods are announced on Nov. 8. And as she continues to tease new music, next year will likely be another eye-popping one for the 26-year-old star. But what mattered on Sunday was the present—this current moment. And that seemed to be where Roan's energy was focused as well, as she alluded to her swift rise, thanking the crowd for being a part of everything that has happened over the past year.
And yes, the forthcoming election, a world gone mad, and so many other concerns abound. But in this particular moment, there was something so uncanny, and simply magical about 80,000 people sharing the same space (literally, because there was no more space to be had!), singing the same songs, dancing in sync with each other and appreciating an artist who could be the next-whoever but is most certainly unlike so many other pop stars who have come and gone in the modern era.
Tomorrow, we'll fight about existential matters. In a few weeks, we'll probably have awkward interactions with family members at Thanksgiving. But if we needed any assurance that we'll be OK, the five minutes of tens of thousands of fans singing along with Chappell Roan as she belted out "Pink Pony Club" live for the final time in 2024 was a pleasant reminder that, come what may, there will always be a place. And there should always be a space for people to be who they are.
It's the reason the ACLs of the world are so important. And it's why such artists as Chappell Roan and Orville Peck and Tyler, the Creator and so many others are a beautiful representation of music's best, and why they are absolutely necessary, especially in times like these.
