Dance ’til Your Dead: ACL 2023 Weekend Two, Day Three Recap

DOPE LEMON

The day started at 2:15 with Dope Lemon at the Honda Stage. The first half of the set brought grunge guitar chords into a blaze. Opening with tracks such as “Honey Bones,” “Marinade,” and “Hey You,” their live music juxtaposed their mellow studio takes. In a hazy fog, the guitarist let out multiple rocking solos. Additionally, they played their new track, “Miami Baby,” which brought a mixture of blues and indie rock. The Australian band says they enjoy their time in Texas, concluding the set with songs such as “Uptown Folks” and “Home Soon.”

Suki Waterhouse

On the Miller Lite stage, Suki Waterhouse delighted the crowd with a strong and beautiful performance. To start her set, she entered the stage swiftly and serenaded the crowd with “Moves.” The audience was fully focused on the singer as her effortlessly cool demeanor amazed everyone. The was even a breeze that blew through her hair, adding to the overall aesthetic. She also took time to thank everyone for coming, revealing to the crowd that she has wanted to play ACL for so long. She even gave her best “Hey ya’ll!” as a way of celebrating her time in the south. The singer then continued with a medley of “Johanna,” “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star and “Lover” by Taylor Swift. During the transitions into each songs, the crowd gasped with joy as they were both surprised and excited for what followed. The set concluded with one of the singer’s top hits, “Good Looking.”

Del Water Gap

At 3:15, Del Water Gap brought immense energy to the T-Mobile stage. With an upbeat bounce, the tracks “Better Than I Know Myself” and “Doll House” gleamed into the crowd. In the slow track “Let’s Pretend,” Del Water Gap pays tribute to their earlier releases. As the New York base band maintains a consistent energy with “Beach House” and “Perfume,” they conclude their set with “Ode to a Conversation Stuck In Your Throat.” The lead singer gets on the stairs railing during the immense drum and guitar solo, conveying a nice ending to the upbeat setlist.

Yves Tumor

Under the Tito’s tent, Yves Tumor electrified the stage with a short, but sweet performance. From the second they walked out, the crowd went crazy. Playing songs such as, “Romanticist,” “Kerosene!” and “Operator,“ the audience came for the amazing guitar solos and stayed for the good vibes. Tumor was also there to ensure that the good vibes remained by removing anyone that dampened the mood. The artist gave an overall great set that was incredibly energetic with a side of edge.

Niall Horan

M83

At 4:15, M83 let a wave of synths and psychedelic rock on the Honda Stage. With the opening keys bringing an outer space experience, every track felt like floating. The drums would create a massive buildup, catalyzing a harmonious instrumentation between the electric keyboards and the guitar. Opening with hits such as “Water Deep,” and “Oceans Niagara,.” A mixture of EDM and psychedelic rock echoes throughout the park. They maintain the floating feeling throughout the set, concluding with popular tracks such as “Wait,” “Solitude,” and “Midnight City.”

Ivan Cornejo

At 5:15, Ivan Cornejo enlightened the Miller Stage with his romantic set. Opening with his hit “Llamadas Peridads,” the crowd cheered as soon as he stepped on stage. The vulnerability in his heartbreak was potent in songs such as “Perro Abandonando” and “Mi Hicistes Un Loco.” He even strayed from Spanish music by covering “Hey There Deliah” by the Plain White T’s. Throughout the set, multiple people would scream, “I Love You, Ivan,” and he would say, “I love you too.” He bolted out in beautiful vocals and even entered the crowd to hand out roses. Overall, it was a lovely set, especially with the final tracks, “La Ultima Vez” and “La Curiosidad.”

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Hozier

At 6:15, Hozier’s booming vocals blasted at the American Express. As Hozier’s voice sang in perfect pitch, he shared hits such as “To Be Alone” and “Jackie and Wilson.” There were multiple drum solos and a beautiful acoustic guitar. He states that he loves playing ASL because of the interaction between different performers. And he feels honored to be part of the ACL lineup. After expressing gratitude, he plays the first song he released, “Cherry Wine,” and another fan favorite title, “Francesca.” The whole set brought a gospel essence to the park, especially with the final track, “Take Me to Church.”

Labrinth

At 7:15, Labrinth brought an excellent performance to the T-Mobile stage. A red light flashes on stage during the first song as Labrinth’s angelic vocals beam. The imagery between each song drove an excellent theme with the music. A mixture of fog, perfect background vocals, and live instrumentation brought an unforgettable blend of sound. A robotic voice introduced some tracks between songs, bringing his vision to life. He even told the audience, “You are going to live life; you are going to live it to the fullest!” With songs such as “Never Felt So Alone,” “Formula,” “Still Don’t Know My Name,” and “Mount Everest.”

Cigarettes After Sex

Cigarettes After Sex gave a moving performance as the last set on the Miller Stage. Before taking the stage, smoke started to fill the air as orchestra music played in the background. As the anticipation skyrocketed, the group arrived and the show began. The stage was set with dim lights and a single spotlight for majority of the set. With the calm voice of the lead singer and a mostly dark stage, the group set a relaxing tone for the show that had the crowd swaying. Songs performed included “Sunsetz,” “John Wayne” and “Cry.” Throughout the performance, lead singer, Greg Gonzalez, showed his gratitude by thanking Austin for coming out and saying how much he loves the crowd. When the final song began, a giant disco ball dropped down and the light reflected of it added a nice touch to the end of the performance. After ending with “Apocalypse,” the group bowed, thanked Austin one last time and left the stage.

Mumford and Sons