The Killers, T-Pain, The Dare, Wet Leg, and More Reviews From Sunday at ACL

The first weekend of ACL Fest 2025 went out with a fire – sort of. Smoke hung overhead at Zilker Park Sunday, but it actually came from an abandoned hotel fire off I-35, about five miles away. The Killers and T-Pain closed out the festival, alongside sets by locals Geto Gala, Isle of Wight indie rockers Wet Leg, indie folk crooner Bebe Stockwell, and more. We’ll be back next weekend to do it all over again.

Lamont Landers Credit: Gary Miller Lamont Landers’ Head-Turning Red-Haired Soul

Nobody ever expects Lamont Landers. Opening up the T-Mobile stage Sunday afternoon, the Alabama native’s red hair, black Dickies jumpsuit, and thick black-rimmed glasses gave the impression he should be fronting a math rock band, but Landers’ remarkable vocals belt pure classic soul. It’s a voice that continually turns heads, most recently that of superstar producer Dave Cobb, who helmed the songwriter’s 2025 debut Introducing…Lamont Landers. His eightpiece outfit, including dual percussion and a horn section, kicked off with the heavy fuzz groove of “America” before the horns unleashed on “Oh Shit! (I’m in Love),” and “Love and Happiness” unloaded a deep funk bass and organ breakdown. Across the nine-song set, Landers’ voice commanded the attention of the intrepid early arrivers, cooking through “Devil Is Alive and Well” and taunting the high heat on “How Long (Until the Rain Is Gone).” Closing out with a jamming melody of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star” into Sly and the Family Stone’s “Sing a Simple Song” paid homage to Landers’ clear Sixties and Seventies soul influences, as percussionist Alex Powell bounded around the stage. Landers won’t be unexpected much longer. – Doug Freeman  

Geto Gala Credit: Gary Miller It Feels Good to Be at a Geto Gala

Riding home in grand style early Sunday afternoon across Barton Springs Road on the newly sponsored Beatbox stage, Bastrop rap duo Geto Gala put a pin in their performance by closing with UGK/Outkast collab “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You).” Southern g-funk or urban rap, Deezie Brown and Jake Lloyd make ATX hip-hop history any time they slow cook Black roots music styles into a bumping, cooing, clapping stew of communal representation. Kicking a 45-minute showcase (trophy case) behind “Damn It Feels Good 2 Be a Gangsta,” each landmark local in his own right staked old-school mic cred before setting off across a landscape of soul, R&B, gospel, doo-wop, and more. Often Brown reeled off verses, while Lloyd honeyed up the choruses, but mostly the dude duet co-led a rhymeflow that synced their voices, unlocked their knees, and even choreographed a stage glide or two. The group behind them – bass and drums, guitar and keyboards – lent it all an unquestionably live alchemy. The men of Geto Gala thus pointed out, Southern comfort equals Southern charm. As such, the pair dovetailed the whole of their historical background into their wordplay, alluding to and/or name dropping everyone from James Brown, Sly Stone, and Prince to Scarface and the Geto Boys, who they covered. “Can’t be Geto Gala and not do Geto Boys,” nodded Lloyd, looking smart in his leather vest (“I got an ice pack under here”). Beatboxing, ballads, choice pickings from 2024 LP debut Major League: The two MCs sang and rapped together in total sympathy and harmony.  – Raoul Hernandez

Bebe Stockwell Credit: Isabella Martinez Bebe Stockwell Charms With Effortless Indie Folk-Pop

It wouldn’t be surprising if Bebe Stockwell returns to ACL in a few years on a much bigger stage and later time slot. Driving Backwards, the songwriter’s debut EP released earlier this year, showcased her natural knack for sweet and smart melodies that beckon crowd sing-alongs, and in introducing herself to the Tito’s tent Sunday afternoon, Stockwell gave glimpses of what that breakout future could look like. Opening with the charming “Minor Inconveniences,” the New England native’s voice proved almost chameleonic, lilting with equal parts Southern twang, dusky drawl, and crystalline high reaches into the EP’s title track. It’s a mesmerizing effect that makes her sound simultaneously wise and naive, as on the beautifully spiraling “Call Me By Your Name,” crushing pull of “Speak Too Soon,” or racing rhythms of “Helium” and “Ruined,” and apt for her cover of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ “Home.” Having recently moved to L.A., Stockwell may find the fuller production that could easily transform her music into a kind of Gracie Abrams or Maggie Rogers pop, but for now songs like closer “Love Me Back” shine with an effortless indie folk allure.  – Doug Freeman

The Dare Credit: Isabella Martinez The Dare’s Electroclash Onslaught

Indie sleaze’s new messiah, Harrison Patrick Smith, who performs as the Dare, turned Zilker’s midday fest into a hedonistic warehouse party, and we couldn’t get enough of it. Decked out in his trademark two-piece suit and shades, he dominated the stage with wild, kinetic energy. Though his sets normally stretch well past sunrise, the afternoon light didn’t slow him down one bit. He flailed around, whipped his mic stand through the air, and battered a cymbal with a drumstick, turning chaos into an inviting spectacle. The 29-year-old riot ripped through his debut record What’s Wrong With New York? with dance-punk fervor, gritty glam cuts like “Open Up” and “Perfume” sending the crowd into absolute frenzy. Smith’s audacious persona was on full display with the ear-splitting “I Destroyed Disco,” when he sneered, “What’s a blogger to a rocker, what’s a rocker to the Dare?” In just under 50 minutes, Smith completely obliterated expectations for his ACL debut and left the crowd with a techno-drenched pulse running through their veins for the rest of the day.  – Miranda Garza

Chuwi Credit: Gary Miller Chuwi Is a Family Affair

Puerto Rican banners undulated and waved as if flapping in ACL Fest’s iconic flag forest, wherein photo opportunists primped and posed and preened all weekend long. Meanwhile, a growing expanse of gente widened in a half circle around the tiny BMI stage. Indeed, Chuwi handily won the mid-afternoon place-to-be slot the same as any similarly nicknamed Wookie. Lorén, Willy, and Wester Aldarondo, with family conquista Adrián López, sprinkled Caribbean refreshments on a throng cooking under a trademark Texas solar flare. Acoustic folklorism underpinned by electro Latinate, the island foursome recalled a more analog version of the sublime Colombian Aterciopelados, front sibling Lorén supplying a Spanish cry. That soprano lilt danced around the swaying Cubanismo the family act plied with airy grace. Little wonder Puerto Rican superhero Bad Bunny nosed them into his arena. “Escuchame” directed one obvious hit – “hear me,” which would’ve proved impossible not to, what with the bass-playing Willy taking a deeper vocal lead occasionally and keymaster Wester more than once attempting to wrest charismatic control of Chuwi with quips, raps, and anecdotal laughs. Blippy keyboard ditties and bounce-y/flounce-y hip sways pinged and danced in the heat and light – nourishing, quenching. Sultry ballads and sleek zingers alike baptised the crowd. “Te necesito,” impressed Chuwi toward the encore. In fact, we all need the sonic and geographic liberation the Aldarondos promote. – Raoul Hernandez

Rainbow Kitten Surprise Credit: Isabella Martinez Rainbow Kitten Surprise Turns It Up to 10

You can recognize a Rainbow Kitten Surprise song by its rhythmically verbose melodies and Ela Melo’s distinct voice, highlighted by her band members’ precise harmonies. Onstage, anything that feels subtle or stripped down about the quintet’s folk roots in their recorded work is promptly shed. Their hourlong set kept the volume and energy cranked high with stadium rock & roll guitar tones, dramatic basslines, and layered vocals from Melo, rhythm guitarist Darrick “Bozzy” Keller, and recently appointed bassist Maddie Bouton. In a leather dress and lacy garter set, Melo slid, crawled, and strut across the stage, belting and crooning her poignantly punctuated lyrics. Skipping over 2024’s Love Hate Music Box, the North Carolina-based group introduced the audience to still-new tracks “100 Summers” and “Tropics” from the September release bones, alongside groove-driven favorites from their earlier records: “Painkillers,” “Cocaine Jesus,” “Goodnight Chicago,” and more. Melo summoned every bit of performance prowess for the final track, “It’s Called: Freefall.” “Ain’t shit free but falling out/ And that shit’s easy/ Lemme show you how it’s like,” she sang, and indeed, she showed us how.  – Caroline Drew 

Wet Leg Credit: David Brendan Hall Wet Leg’s Snarky Rock Magnetism

Three years after their breakout ACL set, Wet Leg returned armed with their sophomore album, moisturizer, and a striking new look from frontperson Rhian Teasdale to match. The singer-guitarist stepped out with platinum blond, auburn dip-dyed locks and bleached brows and flexed her muscles before breaking into the punchy “catch these fists.” The Formby-born artist was joined by her composed counterpart, Hester Chambers, and roaring drummer Henry Holmes, bassist Ellis Durand, and guitar/synth player Josh Mobaraki, who sent a full-bodied electric shock through the crowd with unrelenting riffs and explosive percussion. The set balanced cuts from Wet Leg’s self-titled debut and their latest record, showcasing both their spiky origins and textured follow-up. Amid the set’s full-throttle energy, tender gems “Supermarket” and “davina mccall” stood out with introspective softness. Before delving into the latter, Teasdale dedicated the track to the love of her life, whom she said was in the audience. “It could be you,” she smirked, “but it’s probably them.” Hitting all of the bona fide hits like the wry, semi-spoken-word “Chaise Longue” and the cheeky “Wet Dream,” Wet Leg enraptured with a high-voltage rock fever dream.  – Miranda Garza

T-Pain Credit: David Brendan Hall T-Pain Has a Ball

Riding the high of his Sept. 30 41st birthday, T-Pain left the Weekend One ACL crowd with hard-earned life rules: “Number one, take accountability and take responsibility. Doesn’t matter what it is. Number two, you gonna try something new tonight? Just do one half and wait for an hour. And, most importantly, number three, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. But if you do, name it after T-Pain.” No arguments. 
One thing the “Bartender” singer/rapper will do is live out his cowboy dreams. The quadragenarian hitmaker performed alongside a handful of dancers on a saloon-themed set, complete with lassos and a rocking chair, from which he sang a brief cover of “Tennessee Whiskey” while one of his talented dancers twirled theatrically with a bottle of red-tinged alcohol. In a brown, pink, and blue two-piece Western-style suit, T-Pain charismatically rapped, sang, danced, and lip synced through a mixtape of his biggest hits – “Buy U a Drank,” “Best Love Song,” “Up Down (Do This All Day)” – several of his famous features – Flo Rida’s “Low,” DJ Khalid’s “All I Do Is Win (Feat. T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, and Rick Ross)” – and a few cover tracks just for fun: Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,’”Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing),” the aforementioned “Tennessee Whiskey.” Despite some lengthy pauses in the mix and occasionally overpowering bass, T-Pain was, as ever, in his element on stage, doing what he wanted as he wanted and having fun while doing it.  – Caroline Drew

Phantogram Credit: David Brendan Hall Phantogram’s Cinematic Dreamscape 

From the first note, electro-rock duo Phantogram transformed the stage into a sweeping, hypnotic soundscape. Lead vocalist Sarah Barthel and guitar backbone Josh Carter launched into the atmospheric ”Funeral Pyre,” enveloping the crowd in haunting melodies and dense synths. The pair rolled out every must-hear track, from the synth-laden “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” to the alluring “Black Out Days.” Their setlist spanned all five of their dynamic records, with Memory of a Day and Three at the heart of their performance. The songstress’ airy vocals weaved through layered electronics and brooding beats, crafting an emotionally charged, mesmerizing showcase. “Happy Again” swelled into a transcendent peak when Barthel asked, “Can you believe this is your life?” The audience cheered, caught in the song’s ethereal current. Once the set ended, Jay Rock’s “WIN” began playing, and Barthel lingered onstage, dancing and singing along with the audience. Her smile made it obvious she was savoring the moment and reluctant to call it a night.  – Miranda Garza

The Killers Credit: Chris Phelps for Austin City Limits Festival The Killers Captivate With Classics

Let it never be said that the Killers don’t know how to play a festival set. The Las Vegas natives understand the golden ratio of hits, relative deep cuts, and covers that make for a crowdpleasing setlist, and they have the rock showmanship to keep the show interesting. Framed by a digitally wavering Texas flag, the alt-rock group opened with a cover of “Whiskey River,” accompanied by local legend Guy Forsyth. “That was something from your neck of the woods, now here’s something from ours,” lead singer Brandon Flowers told the crowd in his bedazzled-striped black suit, breaking into “Somebody Told Me.” Flowers later paid further homage to Willie Nelson with a rendition of “Always on My Mind.” Anchored visually by background vocalists Erica Canales, Miranda Joan, and Nicky Egan, who also joined in on acoustic guitar, the rock quartet followed Flowers’ robust voice through fan-favorites from across their discography, ending with indestructible karaoke favorite – say it with me now – “Mr. Brightside.” Their only festival faux pas, incredibly, unfolded then, when a drawn out drum-filled outro was forcibly cut off at five minutes past the 10 o’clock curfew. Even festival goers clearly ready for a Sunday night bedtime couldn’t resist the anthem-filled show, many stopping in their tracks to belt along with Flowers on their way to the exit.  – Caroline Drew

Catch up with all of the Chronicle‘s ACL Fest 2025 coverage.

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