Before the end-of-the-weekend deluge that cancelled Day 3, it was unseasonably hot in Austin: temps in the low 90s, blazing sun, hordes of fans filling the open plains of Zilker Park, and muggy downpours that only left everyone stickier. In turn, the bands did plenty to turn up the heat. Here are the steamiest performance-related moments of the last two days:
See also: Here's What Austin Bands Think of ACL
10. Savages
On Friday, Savages tweeted this quote from a fan: "'After watching your set last week at @aclfestival, I went home, bought your music and had the best sex of my life with my wife' #husbands."
As-ever, this British buzz band brought the fire with Jehnny Beth's steely-eyed-banshee vocal delivery and Gemma Thompson's fierce guitar work. The band arouses and disturbs simultaneously. There, we said it.
9. Shovels & Rope
One microphone + two married folks, y'all. Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst of Charleston, South Carolina brought the infectious alt-country wail of their debut as a duo, O'Be Joyful, as well as some serious monogamous chemistry.
8. Arctic Monkeys
Alex Turner had on his sassy-pants, plus a James Dean coif. Arctic Monkeys laid on a polished snarl to hits from all five of their albums, including new booty-call anthem "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" A huge audience, put on their dancing shoes. The sunset set was described by a fan as "pure sex."
7. Purity Ring
The rain came down like a piss-shower just as Canadian synthpop duo took the stage--and even shorted out their sound system for a moment. But that didn't stop Megan James from commanding the crowd at the front of the stage with bewitching vocals, as on set-closer "Fineshrine" from last year's Shrines.
6. Deap Vally
Holy crop-tops, this L.A. duo rocks hard. Nothing quite like these bad-asses murdering the drum kit (Julie Edwards) and wailing in cut-offs (Lindsey Troy) about how they "Gonna Make My Own Money." Damn right you are.
5. HAIM
If you're still wondering how to say this band's name, it's pronounced H-Y-P-E. An unusually enormous crowd showed up for the mid-afternoon Saturday set by this L.A. sister act, and the trio delivered its mix of guitar rock and shimmery '80s pop to the adoring masses. Bassist Este Haim delivered the flirty banter as well, encouraging the crowd to take off their shirts, professing her love of the "bootay," and showing serious fan-love at the end of the set by leaping into the crowd to get up-close and personal.
4. Grimes
What's sexy about a girl behind flower-shrouded keyboards? An artist whose front-row fans held hand-drawn portraits of her as an angel-nymph? Well, not much--until the shiny Spandex-clad dancers arrive to back her up!
See also: Infant Etiquette at ACL: Keep Junior Out of the Weed
3. Kendrick Lamar
The audience for hip-hop's hottest riser had the most insane energy of any crowd I witnessed at ACL. Lamar brought it right back, noting that since this was the second weekend of the fest, it was only right that everyone should turn up the volume.
2. Kendrick Lamar's audience
They're all het up about mid-terms and that pesky legal drinking age, but you know what? Pussy and Patron make them feel alright.
1. Kendrick Lamar, stick-figures
Spoiler Alert: These two crazy kids did end up making intimate contact during the set. One was plastic, one was furry, it was all hot.
