Ever since Forth Worth R&B singer Leon Bridges signed with Columbia Records at the end of last year, it was clear that he'd be having an eventful 2015. After a string of buzzed-about shows at SXSW back in a March and his late-night TV debut shortly thereafter, he's got another line for his expanding bio as of this morning, with the official news that he'll be among the ranks of artists performing at Austin City Limits Festival in October.
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We say "official" because the lineup actually got leaked over the weekend. In an apparent own-goal on the festival's part, the lineup went live on the website on Sunday, which was picked up on by 365 Things Austin and spread like wildfire on social media.
In any event, there's a bit of a different flavor to this year's lineup than 2014, when reunion acts like Outkast and the Replacements were joined by veterans like Pearl Jam, Beck and Eminem. Headlining this year are the Foo Fighters, Drake and Florence + the Machine. It's a solid lineup, although lacking some of the star power of last year.
It's only after you get past the Hoziers and the Deadmauses that some of the real gems show up. There's a bigger country presence this year thanks to It-boy Sturgill Simpson and Dwight Yoakam. Run the Jewels, Father John Misty and Sylvan Esso have all played sold-out gigs in recent months here in Dallas, and each will be performing at ACL. Billy Idol, too.
But what's most interesting is the raft of up-and-coming Texas artists on the bill, led by Bridges. Alongside him are Austin natives Gary Clark Jr., Shakey Graves and Ume, while Houston's the Suffers — who are having a year just about as good as Bridges — also make their ACL debut.
ACL's two weekends take place from October 2 to 4 and October 9 to 11 at Zilker Park in Austin. Three-day passes go on sale later this morning at 10:00 at aclfestival.com, while VIP and travel packages are on sale already.
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