The first night of the Austin City Limits music festival went off without a hitch and drew a diverse crowd much like its line-up and attractions.
Guests filled the area of Zilker Park to see the night’s top headliners– Jay-Z and The xx. There was plenty about ACL day one to enjoy.
Taking the stage after a series of light cues, The xx hit the Miller Lite stage shorty after 8:15 p.m. The indie pop band played at the same time as a world-renowned rapper, Jay-Z.
“We’re not stupid. We knew we were going up against Jay-Z,” said Oliver Sim, singer and guitarist for The xx. “We fully expected six people to be out here so we thank you.”
Despite sharing the spotlight with Jay-Z, Sim and lead singer Romy Madley Croft had their audience singing along and filling the grassy area in front of the stage.
They introduced their set with one of their biggest hits, Intro, and continued their set for over an hour.
Meanwhile, Jay-Z’s set could be heard from his stage throughout Zilker park with the loudest performance to the largest audience of the day.
Attendees and dedicated Jay-Z fans packed in tightly, creating a massive and engaged crowed covering the grounds.
Kimberly Batrice, an Austin resident, was present for Jay-Z’s performance. Batrice and her friends danced and enjoyed the performance. It was not her first time to see Jay-Z live, nor was it her first time at ACL.
“I’ve loved Jay-Z since college. I’m here every year, ten exactly,” Batrice said. “(Jay-Z) sounds great. I came to see him. I love him, but I’m secretly hoping for a Beyoncé appearance too.”
Other faces stood out in Jay-Z’s crowd including Austin residents, and long-time fans of the rapper and the festival Zaundra Galindo and her husband. The couple came to see Jay-Z perform and to get their annual ACL fix.
“We’ve come every year we could. My husband is here for Jay-Z of course and so am I, but this is a really good line up. I’m going to see Chance the Rapper too,” Galindo said.
Galindo and her husband said the best part of Jay-Z’s performance was the variety of songs he chose. The rapper performed a variety of songs spanning his album collection.
Aside from unforgettable headlining shows, ACL night one featured various opportunities to get the full festival experience. One aspect which was particularly popular was the night’s silent disco.
Over 100 festival attendees packed onto a dance floor with a set of headphones. The headphones played music from one of three DJ booths. The disco dancers could be seen dancing all over the place and singing along to the melodies of the night.
Other activities included a wine lounge, massive screens featuring live video’s of attendees and a pop-up record store.