ACL Fest 2022 starts in a few days, and festival goers are getting excited for two weekends full of music and entertainment. This year’s festival features a wide variety of headliners to make your experience a memorable one. You may be pondering which other acts you want to see and wondering what new foods will make their festival debut. Along with some returning favorites, three featured bands are preparing to entertain and make it onto your “must see” list. Foodies also need to be sure and place a few hot new ACL Eats newcomers on the radar. 

Who to See 

The daily lineups have been released, and it’s time to make a plan to see the artists on your ACL Fest bucket list. Everyone will be lining up to see headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kacey Musgraves, The Chicks, and Pink. Here are three more featured artists well-worth your precious festival time. 

Sloppy Jane

Sloppy Jane released their 2021 breakthrough album “Madison,” their first album after signing to former bassist Phoebe Bridgers’ label Saddest Factory Records. Sloppy Jane started in 1995, when Haley Dahl formed a three piece punk band, which she envisioned to be in the vein of Hole or Marilyn Manson. Now, the current iteration of Sloppy Jane is an eleven piece band whose music is described as “avant-rock” or “chamber pop.” Sloppy Jane will play on the BMI stage during weekend two on Saturday at 3:15 p.m.

Adrian Quesada’s Boleros Psicodélicos

Founder and lead guitarist of the Black Pumas, Adrian Quesada, has been busy over the last couple of years. With the Black Pumas taking a well deserved break, Quesada has rediscovered psychedelic baladas, a musical genre he fell in love with 20 years ago. Released in June 2022, Boleros Psicodélicos captures the smooth sound of Latin ballads of the 60’s, with a little hint of the Black Puma sound. The album also features guest appearances from Gaby Moreno, Puerto Rican singer iLe, and Natalia Clavier covering “Esclavo y Amo,” cited by Guesada as the inspiration for this album. Adrian Quesada will play on the Honda stage during week one on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. 

Wilderado

Wilderado, who took their current name from a small town in the Texas panhandle, is best known for their 2021 summer hit “Head Right.” The band has been on the rise, and their 2019 song “Surefire” was named by Sirius XM as one of “5 Songs You Need to Hear Right Now.” In 2021 they released their debut album (Head Right) which has been the focus of their current tour. Wilderado will play weekend two at the Tito’s stage on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. You can also catch Wilderado playing at Empire Garage & Control Room on Sunday October 15th at 8 p.m. for ACL Fest Nights. 

Other bands to watch include bluesy American singer-songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, American rock band Paramore, and American Indie Rock band Manchester Orchestra. 

ACL Eats

Long festival days require grabbing some good grub to fuel up and jam out. ACL Fest offers a wide variety of vendors serving up some of Austin’s favorite cuisine. You can always stop by the traditional culinary cast at ACL Eats, but don’t miss the batch of newcomers who are sure to earn rave reviews and have you coming back for an encore. 

A local beer garden and German restaurant in East Austin, Koko’s Bavarian opened in Dec 2021. Perfect for Oktoberfest, Koko’s has a menu featuring the standard German fare such as giant pretzels, Belgian fries, and a variety of German sausages. The biergarten can seat up to 400 and makes for the perfect place to watch Austin FC as they fight to make the playoffs. Be sure to get your pre-game meal at Koko’s Bavarian ACL Eats location. To that, we say “Prost!”

If you are feeling in the mood for a doughnut, then you are in luck. Voodoo doughnuts will be at the festival serving up their delectable pastries. For warm chocolate chip cookies and more, you can always count on Austin’s own Tiff’s Treats for a good sugar rush!

Thanks to Austin’s GoodPops, staying cool and healthy is easier throughout those long, hot festival days. These gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free refreshingly delicious frozen treats give you that second wind needed to hike across the park and catch the next act. Started by UT student Daniel Goetz in 2009, GoodPops has a company mission of “doing good” in communities across the country. From ending hunger to finding homes for animals, GoodPops makes sure you can feel good about supporting this charitable, Texas-based business. For a sweet and spicy kick, be sure to ask for their Mango Chile bar! 

ACL Fest Nights

Didn’t get enough of Zach Bryan or Billy Strings during their ACL Fest performances? Or perhaps you couldn’t make it to the festival at all? No worries, because you can see those artists and more playing at ACL Fest Nights. Downtown venues are featuring artists before the festival and during the week following Weekend One. Grab your tickets fast, as these shows are sure to sell out. Click here for more information on ACL Fest Nights.

Kiddie Acres 

Bringing the whole family to ACL fest? Then be sure to stop by Austin Kiddie Limits. This fun and family-friendly area will be open both weekends of the festival from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Here you will find music geared toward kids, plenty of hands-on activities, and a place where parents can take a timeout. Austin Kiddie Limits will be located near the Barton Springs East Entrance. 

If you are still looking for tickets, including single-day and three-day passes, be sure to check the festival’s website for the safest way to purchase tickets. Locate the complete lineup, with show times, food vendor list, and other festival details on the main website.

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Cover Photo Charles Reagan

Brian Maass enjoys live music, and sharing good times at a local brewery or winery with his wife and friends. If he is not at a concert, then you will find him at a National Park photographing the amazing scenery this world has to offer.