Best moments of Austin city limits from someone who was there
For the past two decades, locals and strangers alike have come together for the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas, for two weekends in October. Member of this last category, I joined the 200,000+ people present for the first weekend of October 7-9, thanks to American Express (which had its own stage and several activations at the festival), which brought me for an unforgettable moment, VIP experience.
I'm not an avid festival-goer, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turns out ACL was a perfect event to dip my toes in. Located in Austin's beloved Zilker Park, the festival was an easy walk from the Carpenter Hotel in South Austin, where I spent the weekend. (In addition to convenience, the hotel had that cool, old-school Texas vibe and was curated to perfection with local touches; it felt very Austin--exciting for a first-timer.)
Despite the number of people at the festival, I noticed they were a relatively laid back crowd, with an array of fans eager to see the variety of performers. ACL's programming catered to all sorts of audiences, from indie artists like Japanese Breakfast to EDM and country musicians. Case in point: the big headliners this year were Pink, SZA, The Chicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lil Nas X, Flume, Kacey Musgraves and Paramore. As a casual music lover with a broad taste in music, I was especially looking forward to seeing Carly Rae Jepsen, Jazmine Sullivan and Japanese Breakfast, in addition to the headliners.
My all-access Platinum wristbands gave me several areas to choose from to enjoy the sets, like front-row access to the stands (where I saw Lil Nas X, Pink, Paramore, and Jepsen scrambling from near), the elevated observation deck in the Platinum Lounge and the comfort of an air-conditioned deluxe lounge filled with delicious food when I needed to recharge after walking and dancing. It's true what Anna Delvey says: VIP is always better.
The second floor of the Amex Experience at ACL. Image source:
I also spent time at the Amex Experience, which had fun activations and giveaways for cardholders and non-cardholders alike...
For the past two decades, locals and strangers alike have come together for the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas, for two weekends in October. Member of this last category, I joined the 200,000+ people present for the first weekend of October 7-9, thanks to American Express (which had its own stage and several activations at the festival), which brought me for an unforgettable moment, VIP experience.
I'm not an avid festival-goer, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turns out ACL was a perfect event to dip my toes in. Located in Austin's beloved Zilker Park, the festival was an easy walk from the Carpenter Hotel in South Austin, where I spent the weekend. (In addition to convenience, the hotel had that cool, old-school Texas vibe and was curated to perfection with local touches; it felt very Austin--exciting for a first-timer.)
Despite the number of people at the festival, I noticed they were a relatively laid back crowd, with an array of fans eager to see the variety of performers. ACL's programming catered to all sorts of audiences, from indie artists like Japanese Breakfast to EDM and country musicians. Case in point: the big headliners this year were Pink, SZA, The Chicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lil Nas X, Flume, Kacey Musgraves and Paramore. As a casual music lover with a broad taste in music, I was especially looking forward to seeing Carly Rae Jepsen, Jazmine Sullivan and Japanese Breakfast, in addition to the headliners.
My all-access Platinum wristbands gave me several areas to choose from to enjoy the sets, like front-row access to the stands (where I saw Lil Nas X, Pink, Paramore, and Jepsen scrambling from near), the elevated observation deck in the Platinum Lounge and the comfort of an air-conditioned deluxe lounge filled with delicious food when I needed to recharge after walking and dancing. It's true what Anna Delvey says: VIP is always better.
The second floor of the Amex Experience at ACL. Image source:
I also spent time at the Amex Experience, which had fun activations and giveaways for cardholders and non-cardholders alike...
What's Your Reaction?
