Friday kicked off what some consider the best weekend of ACL Fest 2022, with lively week two exclusives like Blondshell, Teezo Touchdown and Wet Leg. here are the the Chronicle highlights from round two music writers at Zilker Park.

We are sold on Blondshell

The 200 people who skipped school or work to attend Blondshell’s first-ever major stage performance, which took place at a particularly sunny 2 p.m., likely arrived knowing the artist’s entire discography… c i.e. three singles released in the last four months. The 30 minutes that followed proved that his best material is yet to come. Sabrina Teitelbaum, who previously released alt-pop sounds as BAUM, held up one arm, holding the microphone in her other hand. The Los Angeles-based artist blasted engaging songs over a clean rock backing: Fender Mustang, P-Bass and drums. As the intense aftermath of the “Olympus” breakup hit hard, a yet-to-be-released revenge song about being driven to violence by a failing justice system (“I can’t help having visions of following him / It’s gonna hurt”) was doubly visceral. Able to write memorable lyrics to captivate in just two lines or play over the duration of a song, this special songwriter showed shades of Patti Smith and mid-’90s alternative poets to early entrants. – Kevin Curtin

Introduction to the Frat House of Teezo Touchdown

photo by David Brendan Hall

Distributed only 30 minutes, Teezo Touchdown hit the T-Mobile stage at 3:30 p.m. sharp, instead of wasting time with a mini DJ intro set. With a production on stage with a plain green screen in the background and a microphone wrapped in a bouquet, the Beaumont, Texas native wore his trademark studded veil striking through a black hat, also wearing a jacket black and a white wedding dress. He humorously transitioned between three songs playing during failed attempts to contact star artists – before finally phoning the public after performing 2021 Tyler, the creator’s collaboration “Run It Up”. Throughout its immersive 27 minutes, Touchdown captivated with charismatic creativity, immersive call-and-response, and lightly-sprayed vocal inflections. A never-before-seen track from his upcoming debut project, where the singer rocks and repeats “fraternityover and over, has conquered what he calls his favorite city. The Touchdown set was successful on its own”get out the middle of the streets” next to Zilker for the weekend. – Derek Udensi

A feverish afternoon with a wet leg

photo of John Anderson

The afternoon sun was burning just before the top of the Honda Stage as a sea of ​​festival-goers gathered for 43 hot and intense minutes with eccentric British indie rockers Wet Leg. Donning crocheted cat ears and deer antlers respectively, singer Rhian Teasdale and guitarist Hester Chambers opened with the talk-sing/synth punch of “Being In Love” before initiating screaming fans of “Wet Dream ” surely considered for the setlist. In true British fashion, Teasdale commented on the brutal Texas sun: “It’s really weird!” The oddly endearing nature of the afternoon continued with unexpected half-yodels in “Supermarket”, a pair of giant lobster claws appearing at the barricade (which the stage cameras like), and a wall of his hoarse surprise in the tender “Evident”. Everyone around me shook their hips and banged their heads, then some, as Wet Leg closed with the nonsensical “Chaise Longue” riot. All day, on the deck chair? In this heat, yes please. – Kriss Conklin

Genesis Owusu’s End Times Intergalactic Abandonment

photo of John Anderson

Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Michael Jackson: all icons who spontaneously burned out in head-to-toe fire-red stage gear. Check Genesis Owusu off this list. For a second Friday under Tito’s tent, the slender Ghanaian-Australian remixed the last half-century of urban genres live and in real time. Supported by a new four-piece, the snapback, kickout, bob-and-weave singer has taken the hallowed place of ACL’s soul in intergalactic space. Two decades of (global) root festival bookings – Henry Butler, Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective, Rodriguez – lit up the chests of Owusu and his crew as they swept through funk, punk, rock, R&B , rap and more in an electric atmosphere. fusion of star time and groove movements. Presence, throat and hooks all locked in, especially when the band went hardcore on “Black Dogs,” a desperate call for end-time weapons of abandonment. – Raoul Hernández

The Empress leaves her heart on stage

photo by David Brendan Hall

After enduring eight months of international touring, L’Impératrice came out with a bang and heart on chest – literally, in LED – on the Barton Springs stage. Not enough dancing in the 5 p.m. crowd, but that didn’t stop the French pop/Nu-disco sextet from turning the festival performance into their own Parisian nightclub. Lead singer Flore Benguigui woke up the crowd with flowing movements and a soprano serenade to the sparkling background sound of the opener “Off to the Side.” Arpeggiated synth notes and starry melodies followed in “The Moon,” where my line of sight caught a cinematic festival scene: butterfly kites flying, bubbles blowing, and beach balls bouncing. The Empress – English translation of the band’s name – continued its reign over the crowd with hits from past collections Tako Tsubo and Odyssey before an energetic resignation with an unreleased title. Definitely, L’Impératrice has enough stamina to put on a damn good show after 240 days on the road. – Kriss Conklin

The energy of Omar Apollo’s headliner

Jana Birchum’s photo

It’s hard to believe there was a time when Omar Velasco, aka Omar Apollo, didn’t sell out huge venues or command thousands of fans waving their flashlight-activated phones to the sound of the sweet -bitter “Bad Life”. Away from his $50 acoustic guitar and local demo days, the singer-songwriter reflected on his status as a true R&B/pop star on Friday night. He launched his Ivory-heavy set with the raunchy “Killing Me”, occasionally stepping away from the mic to energize the crowd with meticulously timed spins and kicks. “I’m not going to lie, I feel like a bad female dog right now…that [is] skintight,” he joked, alluding to his raver ensemble of oversized jeans and a skintight black spandex top before the breakthrough 2017 single “Ugotme.” Although the singer was slated to close the Miller Lite side stage ahead of SZA and the Chicks, he powered his performance with great headlining energy – hitting Prince-level falsettos and gliding through funky jazz chords. and psychedelic riffs on an ivory Strat with full ease. – Nayeli Portillo

Check out the coverage of the ACL Weekend One Chronicle.