Live music review: The best shows we saw at ACL Festival 2023 weekend one on Friday

Despite an auspicious weather forecast that predicted heavy rain on Thursday before the ACL Festival 2023 weekend one with more rain possible on Friday, the conditions at Zilker Park for the 22nd edition of Austin City Limits Music Festival were ideal all weekend. It was California weather for thousands of festival goers, many of whom traveled from out of state to attend. It seems like this scenario often plays out during Austin’s two largest live music events, ACL Fest and SXSW, misleading attendees into thinking the Texas climate is much milder than it really is. Let’s hope if some of those folks decide to move here, they’re not disappointed by the extreme heat that engulfs Texas for five months a year. We’re not here to talk about the weather though, we’re ready to discuss the best shows we saw at ACL Festival, weekend one on Friday. Standout performances were turned in by The Mars Volta, Alanis Morrisette, Foo Fighters, The Breeders and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to name a few. And yeah, those artists represent much of what was good about American music during the 1990s making the entire festival feel like a giant throwback to that era. Even the popular fashions at the festival reflected a late 80s and 90s influence.

Friday, October 6
Abraham Alexander

Friday’s first standout set for The Cosmic Clash was presented by soulful singer, Abraham Alexander at the IHG Stage. Alexander is an up and coming artist on the same Ten Atoms management roster as Black Pumas, Japanese Breakfast and The Nude Party. The mild weather and diverse crowd in front of Alexander was perfect for his feel good, soul-inspired show that included a tri0 of female backing singers and a crack band. But the focal point of the set was Alexander’s incredibly smooth, joyous vocal performance that put ACL Fest fans in just the right mood to enjoy a day filled with inspiring music.

Alexander’s debut album, Sea/Sons,  reflects on his childhood as the son of Nigerian immigrants in Greece and the family’s eventual journey to the U.S. where he developed his talent for writing and singing music. Settling in Texas at age 11, the good-looking Nigerian-American was inspired by Fort Worth’s Leon Bridges, eventually working his way to large festival stages and venues all over the world. We spoke to Alexander after the performance where he expressed gratitude for our compliments on his performance which had young and old music fans bopping along to his stellar showing at ACL Fest. There couldn’t be a sweeter fella to make good than Alexander who is truly humble and gracious when you meet him.

Bass Drum of Death

The moniker, Bass Drum of Death (BDD) sounds more hardcore than this Mississippi-born hard rock trio really is. The band has previously played the main stage at LEVITATION festival in 2013 at Carson Creek Ranch. Besides being proven rock n rollers, BDD have an element of psych-rock in their music which makes their sound particularly appealing to psych-rock fans like the staff at The Cosmic Clash.

The band headlined the BMI Stage Friday in front of an appreciative audience who eventually even formed a small mosh pit as the guys revved up fans with their unmistakable gusto for rock n roll. There’s nothing better for music fans than feeling as though the artist’s are having as much fun as they are. The shared love of music bonds the crowd and performers in a way that can last decades when done right. And Bass Drum of Death just do it right. Every. Damn, Time. You can set your watch by their dependability. These guys always deliver.

They’re currently touring in support of their January 2923 album, Say I Won’t which you can stream below and you should if you like great rock music.

The Mars Volta

Miller Lite Stage headliner The Mars Volta holds a special place in the heart of The Cosmic Clash founder, Mike Cosmic. He grew up in El Paso with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala who founded the band. Many El Paso to Austin transplants were in attendance Friday to catch one of Texas’ most heralded experimental-progressive rock acts ever to emerge from the Lone Star State. Touring a brand new record after the band lay dormant for years while Rodriguez-Lopez and Bixler-Zavala pursued a myriad of other successful projects (At the Drive-In, Bosnian Rainbows, Antemasque, etc).

For the gear-heads and musicians though, it’s always been The Mars Volta who have been held in highest esteem amid all those ancillary acts. For a certain generation, the first two TMV albums represent their musical awakening… the period in which they transitioned from being casual music listeners to the art-form taking a larger place in their consciousness. Sounds heady but talk to fans or simply read the jealous YouTube comments on live video of the band from the current tour and you’ll realize this El Paso act has a special place in the hearts of many musicians and not just Texans.

Listen to The Mars Volta’s eponymous, latest record out September 2022,  on Spotify below.

Featured photo of The Mars Volta by Mike Cosmic