Live music review: Best shows we saw at ACL Festival 2023 weekend one on Saturday

Saturday’s best shows we saw at ACL Festival during weekend one were all acts that ruled the 90s; Tanya Tucker, Alanis Morrisette and main stage headliners, Foo Fighters. The day felt dominated by 90s music and even fashion as styles from that era have become popular once more. Tucker delighted at the mid-sized T-Mobile Stage while Alanis and the Dave Grohl-led Foo Fighters finished the evening on the main, AMEX Stage. All three acts delivered standout sets that thrilled a mostly nostalgic audience, some of whom lustily sang along to their hits. Alanis’ show in particular gave Gen X festival goers reason to joyously relive their youth. Which they did with gusto.

Tanya Tucker

Tanya Tucker is a Texas native (born in Seminole) who became a child star at 13 after her family had relocated to Henderson, Nevada in 1969. She was the rare child star who kept her audience into adulthood. Her first hit single on Columbia Records, “Delta Dawn” was hit for her and later Helen Reddy, catapulting the singer into fame from a young age. More recently, the 64 year-old singer has been touring her 26th album, Sweet Western Sound at major festivals, theaters and even state fairs. The beloved singer even recorded an Austin City Limits TV episode in July of this year. Using momentum for another career high thanks to the 2022 documentary The Return of Tanya Tucker and her Grammy-winning collaboration with Brandi Carlile, “Bring My Flowers Now,” she’s also getting inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year.

Tucker’s performance at Austin City Limits Music Festival in 2023 displayed her ease in being casual on stage with fans, flashing Elvis moves just as deftly as she delivered some songs while seated at the edge of the stage, bringing a welcome dose of intimacy to her performance all while wearing a fantastic rhinestone-studded white suit and matching sparkly silver cowboy hat. The singer looked like she was having more fun than the country music fans who flocked to the T-Mobile Stage to catch her early afternoon set. Performance highlights included “San Antonio Stroll and the aforementioned “Delta Dawn” which she saved for the encore.

Alanis Morrisette

Alanis presented a superlative performance on the main stage before Foo Fighters finished off the evening that included many of her hits from seminal album, Jagged Little Pill. Hits, “Hand in my Pocket,” “Ironic” and “You Outta Know” all made set list appearances amid the 12-song performance that included a tribute to former drummer for her band as well as Foos, Taylor Hawkins who tragically passed away while on tour in South America last year.

Besides Gen Xers reliving their youth with Alanis, fans seemed genuinely touched by the Grammy-winning, Canadian=born “confessional singer who was originally signed to Madonna’s Maverick Records label. At the time the young singer who later became known as the “Queen of Alt-Rock” got no other label deal offers besides Maverick. Her first single, “You Outta Know” got heavy radio play on Los Angeles radio station KROQ and subsequently the video got heavy play on MTV catapulting the relatively unknown singer to fame.

A particularly emotional rendition of “Thank You” ended Alanis’ set. It also prompted happy tears from The Cosmic Clash contributor, Brian Hillsman which surprised him more than anyone else. If you are attending weekend two of ACL Festival, it is recommended you catch this show. You can thank us later.

Foo Fighters

An hour after Alanis wowed the ACL Festival audience with a superlative performance, the Dave Grohl-led Foo Fighters took the main stage for the evening’s finale while Shania Twain performed at the other end of park. The Foos appeared at the festival in 2008 and 2015 with Saturday’s  performance marking the third time the band has been on bill. This time, however, it was without longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins since his tragic death in Colombia. Veteran drummer Josh Freeze (Devo, The Vandals) has been filling in adeptly, assuming the responsibly of holding down the beat for Foo Fighters deftly, with talent and style.

The band played their fallen drummer, Hawkins’ favorite song, “Aurora” towards the end of the show. Perhaps the most fun section of the performance took place midway through the set list when Grohl introduced his band, covering snippets of Beastie Boys, “Sabotage,” Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “Whip It” by Devo, the act Freese has been a member of since 1996.

Other high points of the show included a surprise appearance by Shania Twain to lend a hand singing “The Best of You.” Twain was hustled from the other end of the park once her performance ended to join Grohl on stage in what was a planned surprise according to the long-haired ,former Nirvana drummer. “My Hero” was dedicated to Grohl’s longtime manager, John Silva who celebrated his birthday on Saturday.

Grohl is one of rock’s most beloved figures due to his talent and penchant for goofing and having a good time. The fact that Grohl doesn’t take himself or his music too seriously has endeared the now venerable musician to fans around the world. The Foo Fighters continue their tour in Australia and New Zealand after their last stateside date at next weekend’s ACL Festival, part two.

Featured photo by Taylor Regulski for ACL Festival 2023