![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/baylorlariat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Turnstile-by-Andrea-Escobar-Garcia-for-Austin-City-Limits-Festival-2026_DSC-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Turnstile lead singer Brendan Yates pumps up the ACL crowd. Photo courtesy of Andrea Escobar<\/p>\nThe band\u2019s lead singer, Brendan Yates, emphasized throughout the set what the hardcore community represented. Speaking on themes of love and friendship, Yates spread the message through the crowd as he encouraged the audience to scream, dance and even sit on each other\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n
Those unfamiliar might have seen that the band has entered recent headlines for two reasons: their Saturday Night Live performance <\/a>on Oct. 4 and an update stemming from the active criminal case involving Yates and the band\u2019s former guitarist, Brady Ebert.<\/p>\n Ebert was indicted<\/a> on a second-degree attempted murder charge after allegedly driving a car into William Yates, the lead singer\u2019s father. As of Sept. 22, Ebert was found<\/a> incompetent to stand trial and is currently held in custody at the Maryland Department of Health. The status hearing for the case will take place in January 2027.<\/p>\n Leon Thomas<\/p>\n Bright lights and fog painted the stage as Leon Thomas and his band took the crowd through a set full of smooth instrumentals and tasteful lyrics.<\/p>\n Thousands filled the lawn, getting louder and more energized with each song. The audience sang especially loud to Thomas\u2019s smash hit, \u201cMUTT<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas\u2019s unruffled stage presence was undeniable. Draped in a purple button-up and slacks, he led the audience through a set full of danceable, easy listens. He managed to blend R&B seamlessly with rock \u2019n\u2019 roll, a perfect pairing for the 7:15 p.m. showtime. Even though the day was nearing an end, he piqued the crowd\u2019s interest and kept their energy high for the entire set.<\/p>\n Last night\u2019s ability to effortlessly capture an audience proudly displayed his progress as an artist. Thomas\u2019s career began on Broadway when he was cast<\/a> as Young Simba in The Lion King. His next, and potentially most recognizable, gig was his role as Andr\u00e9 Harris in Victorious.<\/p>\n It\u2019s undeniable that while the singer\u2019s acting days shaped many Generation Z\u2019s childhoods, his music career comes as a pleasant change of pace, leaving us all begging for more music.<\/p>\n Kings of Leon <\/p>\n For night one, Kings of Leon and Charli xcx brought generational hits to the ACL headlining spots.<\/p>\n Red light serenaded the audience as Kings of Leon brought their nostalgic, 2000s rock sound to the city of \u201cweird.\u201d<\/p>\n Caleb Followill\u2019s dreamy vocals engulfed the audience bringing a beautiful sense of sonic yearning. Kings of Leon always seem to convey a unique sense of deep passion mixed with unrequited vulnerability in their music.<\/p>\n The band brought out Kristin Weber<\/a>, an esteemed string musician, to accompany their sound. Weber accompanied the band on their latest record and joined them on the Austin stage for covers including \u201cAmarillo by Morning\u201d by George Strait.<\/p>\n Charli xcx <\/p>\n After a legendary weekend one set with surprise guest Troye Sivan, expectations were high for the current queen of pop. As Charli graced the stage with her signature raven crimped locks and blacked out shades, a Gen Z heavy audience roared in celebration.<\/p>\n Between Charli\u2019s effortlessly cool stage presence and intuitive crowd connection, it was clear that her set was intentionally crafted. Artistry ran through every vein of the night, from the syncopated flashing lights to her matching grungy outfits.<\/p>\n The barricade began filling up early into the afternoon, making open space few and far between. It was a fight to have Charli in sight, and the crowd only grew the longer she was on stage.<\/p>\n The sea of festival-goers were dressed in the iconic \u201cbrat\u201d green and danced enthusiastically when Charli transitioned into hits \u201cGuess\u201d and \u201cClub Classics.\u201d The set was transformed by remixes that included samples from EDM hits and extended dance-centered intros.<\/p>\n On Oct. 7 Charlie posted an ambiguous message on X for ACL weekend 2 festival goers.<\/p>\n acl weekend 2 i have a surprise for you.. <3<\/p>\n<\/a>Turnstile’s Oct. 9 performance was loud and energetic. Photo courtesy of Andrea Escobar<\/p>\n<\/a>Leon Thomas provided great grooves to ACL. Photo courtesy of Phill McDonald<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a>Kings of Leon sings while backlit by glittering red and gold lights. Photo courtesy of Adrian Garcia<\/p>\n<\/a>Charli xcx sings to a large audience at ACL Weekend One. Photo courtesy of Henry Redcliffe<\/p>\n