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Iconic moments at ACL Fest weekend two

From Willie Nelson’s surprise performances to Dua Lipa wearing burnt orange, let’s relive ACL Fest weekend two together.

October 14, 2024 • 
Morgan O’Neal
A live music performance featuring Chris Stapleton and Willie Nelson on stage. Chris Stapleton wears a cowboy hat, holds an electric guitar and points to Willie Nelson. Nelson wears a bandana and plays an acoustic guitar. The stage lighting casts a warm glow over the musicians. The background features vibrant red and orange tones and another band member plays in the background.

You just had to be there.

Photo by Pooneh Ghana

ACL Festival 2024 has come and gone, but we’re holding on to the memories. Here are three moments from weekend two that we’ll be thinking about for the foreseeable future.

1. Willie Nelson surprised fans (twice)

This image shows a lively outdoor concert performance featuring three musicians on stage. Orville Peck wears a cowboy hat and holds a white electric guitar. The drummer in the center is energetically playing, while Willie Nelson sits on the right, also in a cowboy hat and a red bandana, and strums an acoustic guitar. The audience in the foreground appears excited, with hands raised in the air.

The Red Headed Stranger made weekend two legendary.

Photo by Taylor Regulski

Willie Nelson stunned festivalgoers with cameo performances not once, but twice. He kicked off Chris Stapleton’s headlining set on Friday with “Whiskey River” and “Bloody Mary Morning” before joining Orville Peck on Sunday to sing “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other.”

2. Dua Lipa loves the Longhorns

Dua Lipa stands on the ACL stage with one hand in the air pointing up. She sings into the microphone while two backup dancers strike a pose beside her. In the background, a purple neon fog lights up the stage.

Dua Lipa told the crowd that she loves Austin’s drinks, food, and vibes — and we have to agree.

Photo by Charles Reagan Hackleman

This moment is now burnt in our memory. The international pop star celebrated UT Austin’s win over Oklahoma on Saturday by wearing a custom Texas Longhorns jersey.

3. “Chappell being Chappell”

A large crowd holds up their phones, recording or taking photos as Chappell Roan performs on stage. A band member stands on the stage with an acoustic guitar, while Chappell Roan sings into a microphone in the foreground. Red and purple fog fills the stage as the audience raises their hands.

This “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” stole the hearts of ACL festivalgoers.

Photo by Roger Ho

Chappell Roan’s last concert of the year was nothing short of electric. She was vibing with the crowd — but not with the red filter on the stage’s screens — which a fan caught on video.

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