In recent years, the popular Austin City Limits (ACL) music festival has noticeably declined in quality. This year, even the original lineup, when announced, left more to be desired; however, the situation quickly deteriorated thereafter.
Days after the initial release of the lineup, singer-songwriter Dominic Fike dropped out. He had previously dropped Lollapalooza on account of health reasons. His last performance was on the Bonaroo stage in Tennessee with a new style featuring a bleached buzz cut and blonde eyebrows to match. He has nothing planned for future performances.
Weeks before the festival, Tyla, the musician behind the hit song “Water,” also withdrew from the festival due to a chronicback injury that’s caused her to cancel all other upcoming events. In the days and weeks leading up to the festival, popular bands Caamp and Catfish and the Bottlemen also announced their dropping out. The continually growing number of cancellations has left fans disappointed, with some saying the lineup appears to be dwindling at an unprecedented rate.
Rising pop artist Chappell Roan, known for hits like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “HOT TO GO!” rapidly gained a following over this past summer, and many are eager to see her perform live. Several fans purchased single-day Saturday tickets to see her perform, only for festival organizers to reschedule her set to Sunday afternoon just 50 days before the event. This change, enacted to fill the vacancy left open by Dominic Fike, frustrated fans travelling long distances to see Roan perform, already having bought non-refundable housing and airfare for the festival.
In addition to last-minute scheduling changes, Roan has canceled multiple of her upcoming performances, including her set at the All Things Go Music Festival in Colombia, Maryland, just a day in advance. These sudden cancellations have raised questions among fans of how strong her commitment to the ACL festival is and many believe her chances of performing at the festival for the second week are dwindling.
In addition to recent scheduling changes and artist cancellations, there are also concerns about repetition at the festival, as it is famous for its variety of unique performers. Although it’s common to see a few returning artists after a few years’ hiatus, this year presents several frequent headliners like Chris Stapleton, Tyler, the Creator, Blink-182, and more, who have performed multiple times in recent years. This repetition may be indicative of a decline in the festival’s approach to variety, where many look forward to discovering fresh new artists along with fan favorites.
It is understandable that changes are inevitable, and most of the time necessary, to ensure the health and well-being of artists and fans. However, the sheer quantity of changes that this festival has undergone and the lack of performers makes many question if the festival is even worth the money. This year, ACL feels less like a celebration of music and more like an event struggling to hold onto its identity.
