Travis Scott Holds Court As Sunday’s Heavyweight Headliner Of Austin City Limits Fest

Weekend one of the Austin City Limits Festival has shown very little mercy. A constant threat of rain and seemingly insurmountable heat are braved by thousands in central Texas for one of the last festivals of the season. The vendors serve local staples through the constant shifting of crowds that go from stage to stage to see some of the greatest artists in music today. The festival had already seen two days of musical brilliance before Sunday rolled around, but the eyes of the young were firmly planted on the marquee headliner of the night, rap sensation Travis Scott. Houston-born and -bred, Scott made his way to Austin from New York only hours before his set.

While this year's ACL headliners included Paul McCartney on Friday night, Metallica in the Saturday night slot, Scott, the prodigy signed as a teen to Kanye West’s label, brought the rap hits on Sunday. Scott’s impeccable ability to produce music and collaborate with some of the biggest artist’s alive, including Drake, Rihanna and Quavo, have skyrocketed him to the top. He blends alternative styles with the mainstream sound to produce something that is unique and individual in all of his albums but especially his most recent, Astroworld, which landed Scott his second consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200.

Astroworld featured artists like Drake, Frank Ocean, Kid Cudi, and The Weeknd. With such a star-studded list of features, it would be easy for Scott to be lost in his own project. But, he developed his style alongside his collaborators to show that he is in the driver seat, assembling pieces from across the industry to create something entirely his own.

Far before his ACL set even started, the crowd was deadlocked shoulder-to-shoulder and three football fields away from the stage. Fans of the University of Texas chanted victory songs, as the previous day's big college football win was still on their mind and transferred zeal to the crowd. Water bottles flew, and the crowd quickly condensed as the 8:45 p.m. set time approached.

Taking the stage to a deafening roar of applause, it was clear this was the moment so many festivalgoers had planned their ACL experience around. From the downbeat, Scott delivered an enthused, electrifying performance with a dark twist. The stage visuals looked like Hunter S. Thompson’s worst fever dream painted by a resurrected Salvador Dali. Flames both real and digitized singed the imaginations of every fan.

He opened with "STARGAZING," one of the fan-favorites and lead track from Astroworld. Anyone with firmly planted feet felt the waves of the crowd begin to jump and sway. Mosh pits were formed early, and fans responded with deep releases of aggression. Scott brought with him the GRAMMY-winning DJ Mike Dean, a Houston local producer known for his work with Scott, Kanye West, and Beyoncé. Few crowds have responded so kindly to the name of a DJ. Dean worked atop a gigantic black cube that changed mood with the shifting colors and visuals displayed upon it.

On stage, lights shifted between complimentary colored sets. Horses made of fire ran toward the audience. A large blue cartoon dog smiled knowingly. Scott displayed himself in a red haze shifting constantly. And an army of gigantic, Scott-inspired action figures stood watch over the audience more than once. The visuals for this show were intense in the calmest of times. The imagination of Travis Scott was on full display during the entire set.

Between wishing his friends happy birthday and commanding Austin to, “make some noise,” Scott played fan favorites "NO BYSTANDERS," "Pick Up the Phone," and "Goosebumps." But, he ended on his latest and greatest hit "Sicko Mode." Despite more than an hour of intense activity, a full festival day, and the wait for Travis to perform, listeners had more than enough energy to go wild for his last song.

With a No. 1 album on the charts, Scott lived up to the hype with a successful weekend one showing at ACL. He'll return next Sunday night for weekend two, but be advised to get there early if you want a good spot, as the buzz from Scott's album—and show—is still growing.

Behind Brockhampton's Texas Triumph At Austin City Limits Festival

Travis Scott Holds Court As Sunday’s Heavyweight Headliner Of Austin City Limits Fest

Assistance