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Paul Mccartney, Metallica, Childish Gambino, Arctic Monkeys, Travis Scott and Odesza to Headline Austin City Limits Music Festival 2018

ALL-STAR LINEUP INCLUDES THE NATIONAL, KHALID, SHAWN MENDES, CAMILA CABELLO, HOZIER, DAVID BYRNE, CHVRCHES, JUSTICE,
ST. VINCENT, BRANDI CARLILE, JANELLE MONÁE
AND MORE
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
The 17th annual Austin City Limits Music Festival will deliver one of the most exceptional lineups of this year’s festival season with headliners Paul McCartney, Metallica, Childish Gambino, Arctic Monkeys, TRAVIS SCOTT and ODESZA. The history-making bill includes first time ACL Fest performances and only North American festival appearances by both Paul McCartney and Metallica, a triumphant return by GRAMMY, Golden Globe and Emmy-Award winning Childish Gambino, a highly anticipated performance from Arctic Monkeys, and debut sets from Texas native TRAVIS SCOTT and electronic superstars ODESZA. The National, Khalid, Hozier, David Byrne, CHVRCHES, Deftones, Justice, ST. VINCENT, Sylvan Esso, FATHER JOHN MISTY, Brandi Carlile, ILLENIUM, Janelle Monáe and many more will take the stage throughout ACL Fest’s colossal two consecutive weekends. ACL Fest 2018 will deliver more than 125 bands across eight stages at Zilker Park, October 5-7 and October 12-14. Tickets are available now at www.aclfestival.com .
This year’s incredible lineup will showcase some of music’s most captivating artists including Shawn Mendes (Weekend Two), Camila Cabello (Weekend One), Deftones (Weekend One), BØRNS, Manchester Orchestra, Lily Allen (Weekend Two), The Breeders, Houndmouth, Sharon Van Etten (Weekend One), Marian Hill (Weekend Two), Elle King, Bishop Briggs, Bahamas, Mt. Joy, Cuco, Durand Jones & The Indications, and much more. Buzzworthy artists including BROCKHAMPTON, REZZ, GRETA VAN FLEET (Weekend One), San Holo, Gryffin, and Sofi Tukker (Weekend One) will electrify audiences, while Prince’s legendary backing band, The Revolution, bring the groove.
Honoring homegrown talent has always been a tradition of ACL Fest, and this year is no exception. Native Texans including Shakey Graves and Golden Dawn Arkestra will perform both weekends, while Khruangbin, Asleep at the Wheel, Sweet Spirit, Jackie Venson, Molly Burch, Sailor Poon and more will deliver the tunes on Weekend One. Charley Crockett, Duncan Fellows, Harry Paradise, Kydd Jones, Curtis Roush and more will perform on Weekend Two.
Austin City Limits Music Festival has been honored to call Zilker Park home for the past 17 years. In a continued commitment to enrich our community, a portion of proceeds from ACL Festival go directly towards improving Austin’s parks. Since 2006, ACL Festival, in partnership with the Austin Parks Foundation, has donated more than $30 million towards improvements to Zilker Park and parks across the city.
3-Day General Admission Tickets for both weekends are on sale now at www.aclfestival.com. 3-Day VIP and Platinum Tickets and Hotel Packages are also available. VIP ticketholders will enjoy a brand new shaded viewing deck with exceptional sightlines of the main stage, as well as the new VIP-Platinum bar located at Rock Island, the perfect place to grab a complimentary cold beer or glass of wine while roaming the festival grounds. A full list of VIP and Platinum amenities can be viewed here . Music fans ages 10 and under will be admitted free of charge accompanied by a ticketed adult. 1-Day General Admission Tickets, 1-Day VIP Tickets and 1-Day Platinum Tickets will be available later in the year.
Fans worldwide who can’t make it to Zilker Park can watch The Official 2018 Austin City Limits Music Festival Live Broadcast on Red Bull TV, which is distributed digitally for free on the web at redbull.tv , connected TVs, smartphones and tablets as well as ACLFestival.com . A full schedule of performances will be announced this summer on ACLFestival.com .
Fans can sign up for the E-List to be the first to get new information at www.aclfestival.com , download the ACL Fest Mobile App , and follow social media to stay in the loop for all festival announcements. Facebook || Instagram || Twitter .
Austin City Limits Music Festival is generously sponsored by American Express, Honda, Miller Lite, HomeAway, BMI, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Karbach Brewing Co., and Lifeway Kefir.
We Speak Entertainment
BET MEDIA GROUP HONORED BLACK LGBTQ+ TRAILBLAZER WITH A POWERFUL NIGHT OF CELEBRATION, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
FROM BOB THE DRAG QUEEN’S GROUNDBREAKING RECOGNITION TO HOPE GISELLES’S INSPIRING REMARKS– THE 3RD ANNUAL BET BLACK + ICONIC SOIREE HIGHLIGHTED THE BRILLIANCE AND IMPACT OF BLACK LGBTQ+ LEADERS

(New York, NY)– May 28, 2025 – The 3rd Annual BET Black + Iconic Soirée made its Washington, D.C debut with inspiring evening celebrating the past, present, and future of black LGBTQ+ excellence. The 2025 theme, “Excellence Ascending,” paid tribute to cultural change makers leading with authenticity, courage and purpose.
Hosted by entertainment journalist and Access Hollywood anchor Scott Evans, the Soirée gathered trailblazers across activism, arts, business, and media for a powerful evening of storytelling , performance, and legacy-building.
Highlights from the BET Black + Iconic Soriée Included:
- Ashlee Davis, J.D. received the Executive Realness Award for her trailblazing work in civil rights leadership, including her legacy of impact across government and corporate sectors.
- Hope Giselle, a powerful advocate and author was named Emerging leader for her unrelenting work championing visibility and inclusion for Black trans communities.
- Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, was honored as Active Advocate for her decades of leadership advancing reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ rights.
- Ashlee Marie Preston, a nationally recognized activist and media strategist, accepted the Creative Visionary Award, saluted for using her voice to shift narratives and build intergenerational coalitions.
- Bob the Drag Queen, Emmy-winning entertainer and global icon, received the Culture Trailblazer Award, closing the evening with a heartfelt speech about identity, freedom, legacy.
- The Center for Black Equity and the Take Resource Center each received $5,000 through the BET Thrive Fund Recognition, honored for their work advancing Black LGBTQ+ wellness, equity and community organizing.
The night also featured a soul-stirring medley performance by Broadway powerhouse Avery Wilson, fresh off stage from The Wiz revival. Presenters included Eva Marcille (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Carter The Body (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Bryan Terrell Clark (Diarra from Detroit, BET+), and Arrington Foster (The Family Business, BET+), each bringing star power and heartfelt tributes to the evening’s honorees.
“From the very beginning, we knew this couldn’t be just another event,” said Tiyale Hayes, EVP of Insights and Multiplatform Analytics and Co-Lead of Social Impact at BET, During his opening remarks. “It had to an intentional space to uplift stories too often silenced and celebrate contributions that have shaped the world in powerful ways.”
The evening also spotlighted Gilead Sciences, a long standing partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Gilead’s Rashad Burgess, Vice President of U.S. Advocacy and Health Equity, emphasized and the importance of equitable healthcare access, visibility, and long-term impact for Black LGBTQ+ communities.
Additionally, the event welcomed Truth Initiative as a new partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Dr. Kendrick Dartis, Vice president of Outreach and Engagement, addressed the urgent issue of tobacco use in Black and LGBTQ+ communities and emphasized the need for culturally relevant cessation support. He also announced a $5,000 BET Thrive Fund donation, sponsored by Truth Initiative, to Us Helping Us– a D.C.- based non profit dedicated to advancing health equity.
BET Black + Iconic Soirée stands as defining moment in the 45th anniversary year of the media group– underscoring its mission to center Black culture, honor its LGBTQ+ communities, and drive meaningful, measurable impact.
Join the conversation using #BlackAndIconic and relieve the nights most powerful moments on BET’s official social channels. The Televised premiere date and time will be announced at a later date.
ABOUT BET MEDIA GROUP
The BET Media Group, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ:PARAA;PARA), is the worlds largest media company dedicated too entertaining, engaging, and empowering the Black community and championing Black culture. Connecting Back audiences through a portfolio of brands including BET, BET+, BET Gospel, BET HER, BET International, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Studios, and VH1, the BET Media Group is thriving media ecosystem of leading interconnected platforms across cable TV, streaming, digital, studios, live events and international. For more information about BET, visit www.bet.com and follow @BET on social platforms. For more BET news announcements visit bet pressroom.com.
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