Austin, Texas own Gary Clark Jr.returned to a familiar setting on Halloween night as the guitarist partookin his second Austin City Limitsconcert to showcase tracks off his new album The Storyof Sonny Boy Slim. In addition to the jaw-dropping Grinder and stirring The Healing,the rockers homecoming show also included soulful renditions of his Sonny Boy songs bolstered by a full band.
Clark Jr. was technically making his third ACL appearance: He and the Alabama Shakes split an episode in the series 38th season, while the guitarist stopped by the Foo Fighters ACL episode in February. The October 31st episode of the long-running music performance series also featured Courtney Barnett, who made her ACL debut with a set featuring tracks from her acclaimed 2015 LP Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. The Australian singer also covered Australian rock band You Am Is 1998 single Heavy Heart during her six-song set.
The 41st season of Austin City Limits rolls on November 7th with an episode featuring TV on the Radio and the War on Drugs. James Taylor (November 14th) and a presentation of the 2015 Americana Music Festival (November 21st) will follow. While DAngelo and the Vanguard cancelled their November 7th ACL taping, Kendrick Lamar recorded a set for the series on October 30th; the rappers episode has not yet been scheduled.