The longest-running music series in television just got a little bit longer. While previous episodes of Austin City Limits sometimes split the allotted hour between two artists\u2014such as Spoon and Ben Kweller, who shared episode 2811\u2014all performers will now get a dedicated hour of airtime. The change takes effect with the launch of season 52, which begins tonight, Sept. 4, with Colombian musician Carlos Vives. The upcoming run of broadcasts will also include episodes with Olivia Rodrigo, Brandi Carlile, Bill Strings, and The Red Clay Strays.<\/p>\n
\u201cExpanding every episode to a full hour gives each artist the space to tell their complete story,\u201d said Austin City Limits executive producer Terry Lickona in a press release. \u201cAnd it gives our audience the chance to experience them the way they were meant to be seen and heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those lucky enough to have seen a taping inside the hallowed Moody Theater know that performers usually record for well over an hour in front of the show\u2019s iconic Austin skyline backdrop. The artists then get to pick and choose which songs make the final cut for their episode, and some of those performances were previously whittled all the way down to a half hour and combined with another set for a single episode. Now, fans will have an opportunity to see more complete versions of those live performances.<\/p>\n
More airtime isn\u2019t the only thing expanding with Austin City Limits, as season 52 will feature 18 episodes, up from 13, which has been the standard during recent installments. The first half of this season\u2019s broadcast dates have been announced, while the remaining performances have yet to occur. Those sets include upcoming tapings <\/a>with Jesse Welles, Lola Young, and Bleachers, all scheduled around the second weekend of ACL Fest. Keep an eye on the show\u2019s website<\/a> for news on when the lotteries to enter for free tickets open.<\/p>\n In other Austin City Limits news, the historic program paid homage to Dolly Parton by releasing a previously recorded episode following the iconic country star\u2019s recent passing. Parton appeared on the show back in 2001, and her performance is now available for streaming on both YouTube<\/a> and the PBS website<\/a>.<\/p>\n