My first day at Austin City Limits included a drumstick, two interviews, a sprint between stages, and some deeply offensive rideshare prices. So, honestly, a full festival experience. Friday started around 10 a.m., when we got ready and took a Lyft to catch the first festival shuttle. The free shuttle was immediately a win in my book. Going to a festival comes with enough expenses, so having transportation for that part of the trip covered was something I appreciated. After walking to the box office to pick up my media wristband, we made it inside around noon. My first surprise? How easy getting in was. Having attended Lollapalooza and Gov Ball, I expected opening-time lines and people rushing toward stages for the barricade. Instead, I walked straight in. There was so much open space that I could have picked practically any stage and secured a spot at the front. Naturally, I had one destination in mind: Bella Kay. Before heading over, I stopped at the press lounge, put my things in a locker, and grabbed complimentary coffees for myself and a security guard. Then I made my way to the T-Mobile stage to claim my spot for Bella’s afternoon set. While waiting, I caught HAPPY LANDING. Their sound leaned outside my usual listening habits, but I enjoyed getting to experience an act I might not have sought out otherwise. My personal rating was a six out of 10, with the disclaimer that this simply isn’t my main musical lane. Bella, however? An immediate 10. Her outfit was everything, and hearing the unreleased songs “Like a Dog” and “Texas” made the set even more exciting. Getting to watch from the barricade was already a highlight, but I also ended up with a drumstick thrown from the stage. A very good start to the weekend. Afterward, I returned to the press lounge to prepare for interviews and happened to see Bella doing one right in front of me. It was a funny little overlap between being there as a fan and being there to work. She was busy, so I let her do her thing while I got ready for mine. An interview I had planned with Almost Heaven unfortunately didn’t happen, but there was still plenty ahead. I caught the end of Sienna Spiro’s set from the press lounge before attempting to see Natasha Bedingfield. Attempting is the key word. The crowd around the Tito’s stage was so packed that I couldn’t see anything. Trying to leave was its own challenge, with people moving through an already crowded space. Eventually, I decided to move on. Sometimes the festival experience includes accepting that a set just isn’t going to happen for you. After grabbing food that was expensive and, unfortunately, not particularly memorable, I headed back for my interviews with Cassandra Coleman and Bo Staloch. Cassandra was incredibly sweet and fun to talk to, and getting to have those conversations added a different kind of excitement to the day. Then it was back to the music. Labrinth’s set at the American Express stage felt nostalgic for me. I didn’t stay for the whole performance, but what I caught earned an eight out of 10. Leaving was difficult, but The Chainsmokers were calling, so I headed over to the Snapchat stage. I mostly know them through their older music, so I spent the beginning enjoying the newer songs while waiting for my favorites. When “Paris” and “Closer” arrived, my energy went up immediately. Those were the moments I had been waiting for: 9.4 out of 10. After “Closer,” we hurried across the festival grounds for Charli xcx. Somewhere along the way, Bella Kay’s “I Love It” started playing, which felt like my two worlds briefly collided By the time we found a spot for Charli, we were thoroughly squished. Expected? Yes. Comfortable? Absolutely not. Still, Charli knows how to put on a show. “Music Fashion Film” hadn’t been my favorite when I first heard it, but experiencing it live changed how I felt about it. Her performance gave the song an energy that clicked for me in person. Tinashe’s surprise appearance was another highlight. I had heard speculation about Madonna and was personally hoping for Billie Eilish, but getting Tinashe was still exciting. We left after “party 4 u,” hoping to get ahead of the journey home. Our feet hurt, we were hot, and we were ready for bed. Then we checked rideshare prices. Ninety dollars. For a hotel roughly 15 minutes away. We walked about two miles, took a short bus ride, and checked again. Still around $80. After waiting roughly an hour, we finally booked a Lyft for about $40. It hurt, but considerably less. By the time we got back, I was exhausted. Friday had delivered favorite songs, new discoveries, interviews and a barricade souvenir. All that was left was to sleep and get ready to do it again on Saturday.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St. John's chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.