![Walking through the tunnel created by the cheerleaders and Celebrities, senior Frances Tran smiles as the soccer team is sent off during DEN for their playoff game against Rouse tonight. Tran said the wins against Smithson Valley and Alamo Heights gave the team a morale boost to take on the Raiders tonight. “I know we were not 100% confident in those games,” Tran said. “But, Rouse is a big opponent for sure. We’re definitely going into tonight with a lot of morale [because of the previous wins].”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/frances-tran.jpg)
![Holding a bucket of materials in one hand and a roll of tape in another, anatomy and biology teacher Tyler Terry prepares for a lab. Terry said his proudest moments are when his students are happy to see him. “When I take my wife to a football game or something and a bunch of students want to say hi to me or they like to smile and wave and it just makes me feel good that the students are really kind and supportive of me,” Terry said. “[I’m also] proud when I see students perform really well in their extracurriculars because I can see how hard they’re working in my classes, [so] when I see that they’re also working so hard in other things. Like they’re winning band competitions or they’re getting awards for their theater productions, or I see them put on their choir shows, that’s like, wow, you guys are incredible.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rags-6.png)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901.jpg)
![Holding her dog, Nova, senior Ariana Balakrishnan poses for her senior pictures while Nova wears a bandana with her college decision. Balakrishnan applied to 18 colleges in total, but she decided on Columbia in the end. “Right before I clicked the button to open Columbia’s letter, I literally looked at the camera and go ‘This is just gonna really suck because I wanted it so bad,’ and I clicked it and all of a sudden you hear trumpets,” Balakrishnan said. “There’s a video that plays when you open it and I actually didn’t watch the video, I just watched the screen go black, because every day of December before ED [Early Decision] I would go on YouTube and watch the acceptance video to manifest it, so immediately when the screen went black, I started screaming and jumping up and down. And my parents in the video are like ‘What are you doing, where’s the letter,’ and I was just screaming ‘I got in, I got in.” I just started crying, and it just felt like everything in the world came together.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ariana-2-300x217.jpg)
Austin City Limits is thankfully being separated into two weekends this year; Oct. 4-6 and Oct. 11-13.This will help evenly distribute the hordes of people who attend ACL each year. Who can blame the masses, though? Each year, the creators of the lineup pick a wide variety of bands that appeal to every genre of music.
Let’s discuss the fact that Lionel Richie, Depeche Mode and The Cure are the headliners. This has got to be three of the best headliners in ACL history. Never have the mysterious lineup creators ever brought back such a threesome as the main event. Even if you are unfamiliar with the 80’s electronic rock of Depeche Mode, the late 70’s through the 80’s whining of Robert Smith from The Cure, or the soulful musings of Lionel Richie, you’re bound to appreciate the presence of each.
The crowd favorites of this year are definitely Phoenix, Divine Fits, Vampire Weekend, FUN., Arctic Monkeys, Passion Pit, and Kendrick Lamar. All of these bands have different styles of music, but are all capable of evoking extreme happiness. With new albums released from each of them, don’t expect to be too close to the front of the stage. Popular is not always the best route at ACL; the more popular, the more people. Not to say you shouldn’t drop by these concerts. You’ll be in for a treat if you do.
Now for my favorite part of ACL, the Indie bands that not many people know about. This years indie lineup is incredible featuring artists like Toro Y Moi, Okkervil River, Foxygen, HAIM, Purity Ring, Dawes, Grimes, Smith Westerns, Noah and The Whale, Autre Ne Veut, Fidlar, Jake Bugg, Wild Nothing, Kodaline, The National and the list continues on and on making me happier and happier. Don’t underestimate the power of little known bands and singers. If you’re in between concerts or you pay attention to the world of independent music, drop by to see some of these performances and I promise you won’t be disappointed.
ACL also offers a wide variety of folk bands to satisfy the banjo lover in all of us. Attending the festival are folk bands My Jerusalem, Sons of Fathers and the Wild Feathers. If you enjoy Texas/Nashville twang, you’ll feel right at home in the crowd of people gazing lovingly at the countrymen slamming away at their instruments.
No matter what your preference is in music, or what weekend you’re going to, you will find your niche at ACL. Be sure to check of the Art Market located in the center of Zilker Park during the festival. Also remember to stay hydrated with free water stations and energized with the food trucks (unfortunately not free) around the park.
Click here for the lineup of both weekends: www.aclfestival.com/2013-lineup/
