Meta Description: Breaking: Austin City Limits 2025 schedule revealed just in time for Weekend 1 chaos! From Hozier to Doja Cat, get set times, headliners, and insider tips for the ultimate fest vibe. Your ACL survival guide starts here.
As the electric hum of Zilker Park pulses under a crisp October sky, breaking news hits the Austin music scene: the full ACL schedule 2025 has dropped, igniting frenzy among Austin City Limits devotees. Today, October 4, marks day two of Weekend 1, and with Sabrina Carpenter headlining, the stakes couldn’t be higher. After Friday’s soul-stirring openers, fans are buzzing—tickets are vanishing faster than a Lone Star sunset. Whether you’re boots-on-the-ground or streaming from afar, this Austin City Limits 2025 blueprint promises heartbreak, harmony, and pure adrenaline. Dive in before the crowds do.
Friday’s Firestarter: Hozier and Luke Combs Set the Tone
Yesterday’s kickoff at Austin City Limits was nothing short of legendary, a sonic baptism that left 75,000 souls drenched in emotion. The ACL schedule unfurled like a wildflower bloom across nine stages, blending indie whispers with country thunder.
Hozier owned the T-Mobile Stage at 8:15 p.m., his gravelly timbre weaving through “Take Me to Church” as golden hour faded to twilight. Fans wept openly, phones aloft in a sea of shared catharsis. Meanwhile, Luke Combs closed American Express with boot-stomping anthems, his voice a warm beer buzz on a chilly eve. “This is home,” he drawled, and Zilker agreed.
Shoutout to undercard gems: Cage the Elephant’s raw energy at 6:30 p.m. on American Express had mosh pits erupting, while Empire of the Sun’s psychedelic sunset slot on Miller Lite felt like a fever dream. Short paragraphs can’t capture the sweat-soaked joy, but trust: Friday etched itself into ACL lore.
Saturday Showdown: Sabrina Carpenter Steals the Spotlight Today
Hold onto your festival wristbands—today’s ACL schedule 2025 is a pop-punk fever pitch, with Sabrina Carpenter commanding T-Mobile at 8:30 p.m. Picture it: her feather-light vocals slicing through “Espresso” hooks as the Austin skyline twinkles. After her meteoric rise, this set feels like destiny’s encore, a confetti storm for the TikTok generation.
The Strokes counterpunch on the same stage earlier at 8:30 p.m.? Wait, no—scratch that, timing tweaks have The Strokes anchoring the night, but Sabrina’s the emotional core. Navigate the chaos: Modest Mouse revs up Miller Lite at 4:15 p.m. with their angular riffs, a nod to ’90s angst that tugs at millennial heartstrings.
Don’t sleep on Japanese Breakfast at Beatbox (7:30 p.m.), where Michelle Zauner’s tender lyricism promises quiet tears amid the roar. For dance-floor diehards, LP Giobbi spins Tito’s at 6:30 p.m., turning Zilker into a euphoric pulse. Today’s lineup? It’s the hug you didn’t know you needed after life’s grind.
Hidden Saturday Gems: Stages Beyond the Headliners
Venture off the main drags for soul food. Lady Bird Lake hums with Alemeda at 1:45 p.m., her R&B grooves a soothing balm before the frenzy. BMI’s Goldford (5:15 p.m.) delivers indie-pop sparkle, perfect for that mid-afternoon hydration break.
And the Silent Disco on Tito’s? From 8 p.m., it’s your private rave—headphones in, world out. These pockets of intimacy make Austin City Limits more than a concert; it’s a choose-your-own catharsis.
Sunday’s Grand Finale: Doja Cat and The Killers Close with Fireworks
As Weekend 1 crests tomorrow, the ACL schedule crescendos with Doja Cat headlining American Express at 8:30 p.m. Her razor-sharp flows on “Say So” will have the park shimmying under starlight, a fierce reclaiming of joy after two days’ delirium.
The Killers step in as Sunday saviors on T-Mobile at 8:15 p.m., replacing a last-minute shuffle with “Mr. Brightside” singalongs that echo eternal. John Summit’s electronic blaze follows, but it’s Feid’s Latin trap infusion at 6:15 p.m. that bridges worlds, hips swaying in cross-cultural bliss.
Phantogram on Beatbox (7:30 p.m.) adds ethereal edges, their synths a haunting lullaby before the boom. Sunday isn’t closure—it’s ignition, leaving you hollow yet whole, plotting your Weekend 2 return.
Pro Tip: Navigating Sunday’s Surge
Arrive early for Wet Leg on American Express (4:30 p.m.)—their witty post-punk bites like a spicy breakfast taco. Hydrate, people; Austin’s fall heat sneaks up.
Key Takeaways: Stats That’ll Blow Your Fest Mind
- Epic Scale: Over 100 artists across 9 stages, drawing 450,000 attendees across two weekends—Austin City Limits remains the world’s largest urban music fest.
- Diversity Dialed Up: 40% female-fronted acts, spanning genres from country (Luke Combs) to EDM (John Summit), proving ACL’s inclusive heartbeat.
- Stream It Live: Hulu beams select sets starting Friday—catch Hozier from your couch, no FOMO.
- Eco Edge: Zero-waste initiatives recycle 90% of trash, with solar-powered stages greening the groove.
- Ticket Tempest: Weekend 1 GA sold out in hours; layaway plans saved the day for 20% of buyers.
These nuggets aren’t just numbers—they’re the festival’s soul, a reminder that ACL schedule 2025 isn’t about seeing stars; it’s about feeling them explode in your chest.
In the afterglow of these schedules, one truth lingers: Austin City Limits doesn’t just host music; it harbors memories. From the first chord to the last echo, Zilker becomes a living poem of human connection. As Sabrina’s voice fades tonight, carry that spark—it’s what keeps Austin weird, wild, and wonderfully alive.
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About the Author
Jenna Reyes is a lifelong Austinite and senior music editor at Lone Star Vibes, where she’s chased beats from SXSW basements to ACL mainstages for a decade. A recovering emo kid turned festival whisperer, Jenna pens dispatches that blend heart and hustle. When not dodging dust devils, she’s grilling brisket or plotting her next tattoo. Follow her @JennaReyesTunes for unfiltered fest rants.
