Looks like ACL Fest organizers have chosen Groundhog Day to release their mildly discounted multi-passes. 3-day passes priced at $150 including service charges are on sale now at ACLFest.com. ...

California's Cold War Kids have been the object of both adulation and derision since their inception in 2004. The band's songs traffic in third-person tales of downhearted and desperate characters, and their music frames the stories rather than overpowering them. After playing SXSW in March, Cold War Kids return to town for both a spot on the ACL Festival bill this Saturday and an aftershow at Stubb's on Sunday evening. Austinist traded emails with......

In less than two days, we'll be hosting our big annual pre-ACL party, Local Music is Sexy IV, Thursday night's soiree will feature Austinites The Lemurs, The Corto Maltese, and Brazos on the outside main stage, with DJs Car Stereo (Wars), Ceeplus Bad Knives*, and Markus with a K supplying dance-party jams inside alongside Magic Surprise. We're also thrilled to be bringing in Seattle indie rockers Say Hi To Your Mom* as our headliners. What's......

It’s only fair that talented acts get an additional chance to be added to the killer line-up for this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival. The Dell Lounge has presented one such contest that has captured the imagination of local artists and fans alike. Whittling down to 20 acts from hundreds of original submissions was the first step; The Sound And The Jury Contest has now arrived at its final five competitors, all thanks to......

For updates, go to today's post The Statesman's 360 blog is reporting that the White Stripes have pulled out of the ACL Festival. The band was scheduled to play on Saturday night in the headlining position opposite Arcade Fire, as well as an after party @ Stubb's on Sunday. The word on the streets is that someone is ill, we'll be sure to keep you posted as details emerge. Photo courtesy Autumn De Wilde......

Some of the biggest artists playing at next week's Austin City Limits Music Festival will also be taping episodes of KLRU's Austin City Limits, the wide-acclaimed PBS show that begat it all. Unfortunately, the demand for space-available tickets is so intense that they're only announcing them via the radio. Fortunately, we've got the scoop on when and where you should be listening: below are the stations and times that you'll need to tune into......

Given that Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" has become resolutely unfunny over the past month (even before she canceled), the title of "band with that one hit song that everyone loves" at ACL has fallen squarely on the shoulders of Sweden's Peter, Bjorn, and John. The group have been plugging away at their charming blend of pop, rock, and indie since 1999, and are anything but an overnight sensation. Their breakthrough hit "Young Folks" is actually......

After a month of guesswork, the ACL Fest lineup is here. And it's quite a good one. While the wild speculation of headliners like Neil Young and Stevie Wonder once again proved false, the key items one sees this year are depth and balance. Having spent yesterday looking over the roster, we have the following observations on the 2007 edition of ACL. The Good: A Great Top 10. Had you told us that we'd......

Tennessee's Kings Of Leon are HUGE in Europe. Their modern Southern rock owes as much to The Strokes as it does to The Allmans, meaning that the group appeals to classic rock hounds as well as some of the indie kids. KoL hit Stubb's tonight in a sold-out show supporting their third album Because Of The Times, which has gotten raves from The Onion, Entertainment Weekly, and Filter. There's no shortage of loud guitars,......

It might still be half a year away, but Austin City Limits Festival will be here before you know it: this week, they're offering their usual pre-sale special to a few dedicated music fans. Unlike the past first-come-first-serve approach, this year's $50 bargain passes (good for all three days) will be sold to a random selection of those in the ACL subscriber database. Anyone's eligible to enter, as long as they fill out this......

Seattle's Aqueduct have been doggedly honing an indie/laptop pop sound for several years. Essentially a one-man studio band, David Terry channels influences ranging from a suburban Oklahoma upbringing to fandom of Guns 'N' Roses and The Princess Bride into his catchy, lo-fi home studio creations. Live, the band is a very different animal: at SXSW two years ago, they simply demolished the crowd with a blend of original tunes, rap covers, an Aqueduct theme......

Good day to you, music fans! If you weren’t enjoying last night’s music and festivities at the Austinist’s high-energy pre-ACL party, Local Music Is Sexy 2, I regret to inform you that you missed one hell of a great time. I was honored to serve as emcee of this year’s event (although I had to remind myself to shut up and keep it short at the mic), and the evening served as inspiration for the playlist I’m assembling for this evening’s Laurie Show on KUT 90.5. ...

MONDAY [19] [film] Tickets on Sale Now for Superman Returns, opening June 27th @ Alamo at Alamo South (Multiple Shows, $8) (more) [sports] World Cup Matches at Alamo Village (Daily, Various) (more) [film] State vs. Reed (funds from screening benefit Rodney Reed's family) at Alamo Downtown (7pm) (more) [film] Casino at Austin Java (8pm, FREE) (more) [film] The Fearless Freaks at Café Mundi (8pm, FREE) (more) [film] Fela Kuti: Music is the Weapon at Alamo......

Update: THE SHINS are playing ACL! South by Southwest ended a mere month ago, but there's already an online frenzy building up for this fall's ACLFest -- which, dudes, is still five months away! Early-bird tickets came and went (in less than an hour, much to the chagrin of most people who received their notification emails later that evening), and the regular lot of full-price passes are selling at a healthy clip. So you've......

We went to see Aqualung last night at the McCullough Theater on UT campus. If you were there, you know what a fantastic show it was. If you weren’t, that’s too bad. We don’t mean to rub it in, but you really missed out, man. The first thing that deserves mentioning is the theater itself. We had never been to McCullough Theater and frankly, we didn’t even know it existed. It’s right next to......

See any good shows this weekend? Don't forget to send us your Reader Weekend Reviews! Send 'em here. M O N D A Y music · Green Potato Ventures presents Chicago's The City on Film, Stories from the Frontier and Sad Accordians at Emo's. Inside, 10pm [myspace stream: Stories From the Frontier] [mp3: The City On Film - For Holly] music · "Puyo Punk Music for All": Gadjo Bango at The Parlor [mp3: Gadjo Bango......

The 2005 ACL Festival Schedule was posted online yesterday, and for the most part it looks like they spaced the acts out pretty well. Though we'll still probably spend the next two months at work dreaming up dozens of band-hopping strategies, thus far we're pretty stoked to be able to see awesome acts like the Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, and The Decemberists without having to forego another great band at the same......