A bronze statue of country music hero Willie Nelson with his guitar, Trigger, watches over the intersection of Second Street and Congress Avenue in downtown Austin. Just upstairs from that patron saint is the home of Austin City Limits, the longest-running music program on television. How does a public access show last 50 years? “It’s a very straightforward format,” executive producer Terry Lickona recently told KLRU, Austin’s PBS station. “It’s all about the music.”
Episodes of Austin City Limits showcase a full live concert rather than the simple one-song performances you see on late night TV. And the production is filmed with a live studio audience in attendance. But the best part? The public has a chance to win free passes to each taping, which this year include artists such as Charley Crockett, Waxahatchee, and Thee Sacred Souls.
It all started back in the early 1970s, when Willie swore off the glitz of Nashville and relocated to the Lone Star State to try things his own way. Within a few years, outlaw country had taken root, and the cosmic cowboy era was in full swing, as long-haired hippies rubbed elbows with boot-wearing rednecks in honky-tonks across Austin. Inspired by the cultural moment, a pair of young producers, Paul Bosner and Bruce Scafe, approached public television boss Bill Arhos with an idea to translate the city’s energy into a show.
On Oct. 17, 1974, Austin City Limits taped its pilot episode, featuring none other than the Red Headed Stranger himself. Over the next five decades, the program became a fixture of Austin culture, with shows featuring iconic Texas artists like Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Asleep at the Wheel as well as modern chart-topping acts such as Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, and Maren Morris. But Willie still holds the title for the most frequent guest, appearing on the show 19 times.
Part of what made Austin City Limits such an outsized contributor to city’s music legacy was its national syndication through PBS. Stations in New York, Chicago, L.A., and other major markets gave people across the country a glimpse at why Austin was an epicenter for music, as legends played in front of a replica of the capital city skyline.
Until 2010, Austin City Limits was taped on the UT Austin campus on the sixth floor of the Jesse H. Jones Communications Building. But in 2011, the show moved to its current home at ACL Live at the Moody Theater—located next-door to the W Hotel in downtown Austin. Even after upgrading from a space that held only a few hundred to one that accommodates nearly 3,000, tapings remain incredibly intimate.
The patinaed wooden stage sits much lower than in most concert venues, and a half-circle of rolling risers are pushed out further onto the floor than when the Moody Theater is in its typical configuration. Those changes make the audience feel like huddled around the artists and harken back to an era when the show first began.
“The energy of tapings is really special,” says longtime producer Emily Bolf. “It’s a sacred space where artists really deliver some of their best performances.”
How to Get Passes to an Austin City Limits Taping
Step 1: Stay in touch with Austin City Limits.
No tickets are sold to Austin City Limits tapings—passes must be won. So, follow the show’s social media channels, particularly on Instagram. “[T]hat’s where we announce all of our tapings,” Bolf says. Registering for the show’s email newsletter is a good idea, too, but not every taping announcement is sent out that way.
Step 2: Sign up for giveaways.
Once a taping is announced, Austin PBS opens registration for anyone to enter to win passes by submitting their email address (about a week before the event). “We usually leave it open for about three or four days, and then we just draw winners based on the number of passes that we have available,” Bolf says. The team has developed a careful formula for determining how many passes to give out based on demand and capacity.
Step 3: Watch your email.
Winners are notified via email. Passes are non-transferrable, so you won’t be able to sell or pass along the tickets. Instead, your name appears on a will-call list at the venue. Winners receive a pair of passes. And don’t show up unless you’ve won passes—there’s no official standby line.
Step 4: Show up on time.
Tapings begin at 8 p.m. sharp. Bolf recommends showing up about an hour early, because the team accounts for no-shows and sends out more passes than can be accommodated. “We need to ensure a full studio,” she says. However, she adds that they almost never turn anyone away. Most passes are for general admission, so you’ll also want to be near the front of the line to stake out a great spot.
Step 5: Have fun, and focus on the music.
The show’s producers appreciate a crowd fully immersed in the music. But remember, you’re part of a live television taping. Put your phone away, as a no-phone policy is strictly enforced by ushers, and keep your conversations to a minimum. “We want good energy and good vibes in the room,” Bolf says. You’re there to see live music, so enjoy it!
