Predicting ACL 2019: Nearby Shows in Between Weekends

I've looked at this one in the past - to look at any big bands that are playing shows in the general area of Austin during the week in between ACL.  As you may or may not remember, Radiohead did that in 2016 with some Mexico City shows in between the two weekends of ACL, and then the Chilis did it in 2017.

I ran my first search to check on Mexico City, and Muse is the only one in the mix who would seem like a possibility.  Except I already looked at them, and they are going to be in Brazil and Chile during weekends one and two, respectively, so I just don't see that making much sense.  I guess they could be the Friday night headliner, but that just means Mexico City on Thursday night, Austin on Friday night, Rio on Sunday night, which sounds like a recipe for death and exhaustion.  So I'm going to stick with no for now.

Oh, and also Billy Idol is playing on the Thursday between the two weekends.  Didn't he just come to ACL?  Ah yes, 2015.  I guess that is a few years of a gap?  Nope, he's in Vegas during both Weekends One and Two.  Nope.

How about Dallas?  Billy Joel on Saturday of Weekend Two.  So that is doubtful.  Maggie Rogers the weekend after weekend two, but she's also playing in Austin right after that, so no to her as well.  Mt. Joy is playing both Houston and Dallas right in this period, but they were at ACL last year, so no.  Something called Snarky Puppy is playing both Houston and Dallas during weekend one, so maybe they are on tap for weekend two?  I dunno.

San Antonio has zero of note.  New Orleans shows Miranda Lambert, with Maren Morris and Pistol Annies, the Friday of weekend one.  Miranda Lambert is a no, she has several other shows during both weekends.  That means her band Pistol Annies is also a no, and same for Maren Morris. Mt. Joy also pops up in New Orleans, but again, they were just at ACL so no.  Austin has nothing of note (which is odd).

Tulsa, Oklahoma shows three possibilities - Judah & the Lion, Lauren Daigle, and those Snarky Puppy folks.  Judah & the Lion are playing such luminary events as College Station, the Richardson Wildflower Festival, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, so they seem big time.  Then again, they are playing Lollapalooza and have a perfect gap in their schedule from October 3 to October 15, so I think that makes them look like a lock.  I already looked at Daigle in my Shazam post, I think she's in. 

Oklahoma City has two possibilities, with Chris Stapleton playing Friday of Weekend One and The Raconteurs playing Saturday of Weekend Two.  Talked about the Raconteurs the other day, and even with a commitment during weekend two, they feel so good to be there for ACL that I'm going to stick with the prediction anyway.  Yes.  As for Chris Stapleton, I would LOVE to see him play again, but he's playing shows for Friday and Saturday of both weekends, so I doubt that he would book it all quite that tight.  No.

Denver has some good shows, mainly because that is the final sweet spot for Red Rocks, so they're getting Cold War Kids, Mac DeMarco, Sigrid, Vampire Weekend, and Illenium.  Oh, and Phil Collins.  We've already discussed Vampire Weekend, who will be in Austin for two shows right around ACL, so are a no.  Illenium was here last year, so no.  Cold War Kids don't show any real tour right now, just a few minor festivals and the Red Rocks show in the middle of Weekend One, so no.  Mac DeMarco is playing Coachella and a bunch of other small fests, but is playing Friday and Sunday of weekend One, so I'd go with no for him.  Sigrid, wasn't she just at ACL?  Oh, she cancelled her show!  So that makes her even more likely, right?  Playing Lolla, and then her schedule fits ACL perfectly, with a show in Colorado on 10/2, then Kansas City and St. Louis on the 7th and 8th, then nothing until the 19th.  Perfect.  Lock it in.  Phil Collins NOPE.  Has a bunch of shows during both weekends of the Fest.  (and now I'm humming Phil Collins).

So, I think that leaves us with some lower-level artists like Judah & the Lion, Sigrid, and Lauren Daigle, with The Raconteurs as the only bigger font band.  Sounds pretty good to me!