ACL Festival 2010 Preview: 15 Picks From 'Austin City Limits' Producer Terry Lickona

Hundreds of music acts are set to convene Oct. 8-10 at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, for the ninth annual Austin City Limits Music Festival. Normally, we'd make our own ACL "best of" picks, but we decided to ask longtime 'Austin City Limits' executive producer Terry Lickona instead. His eyes and ears guide this premier PBS music show, contributing to Austin's reputation as "Live Music Capital of the World." Here are his 15 picks for ACL 2010, as well as a few hints at which acts he's looking to book in 2011.

Miike Snow

Friday, Oct. 8, Honda Stage, 3PM

"I missed them when they came through Austin a few months ago, but a lot of my younger friends can't stop talking about them. I'm getting into this electro-pop sound these days and thinking about doing some electro-pop in the 2011 season."

Miike Snow Videos

Andy Sheppard, Redferns

The Black Keys

Friday, Oct. 8, AMD Stage, 4PM

"I've seen these guys for years and there's such a simplicity about their music that really appeals to me."

The Black Keys on the Interface

Erika Goldring, Getty Images

Spoon

Friday, Oct. 8, AMD Stage, 6PM

"As much as I've seen them, they never fail to deliver."

Spoon Videos

Kevin Mazur, WireImage

Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses

Friday, Oct. 8, Austin Ventures Stage, 7:15PM

"He's done our show, but I'd be curious to how he'd fare at the ACL Festival. Part of what I enjoy about going to these festivals is to see how the crowd's react -- like when I saw Mumford and Sons at Lollapalooza, I spent as much time looking at the crowd as I did the guys onstage."

Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses Videos

Josh Anderson, AP

The Strokes

Friday, Oct. 8, AMD Stage, 8PM

"I saw them when they were in Austin a few years ago and it was a pretty lame show, but the reviews of their Lollapalooza [2010] show were great, so that makes me want to see them even more."

The Strokes Videos

Thomas Niedermueller, Getty Images

First Aid Kit

Saturday, Oct. 9, Honda Stage, 12:15PM

"I know nothing about them, other than what I've heard -- but I know they're a couple of sisters that have classic sister harmonies. I figured that's an easy way to begin the day."

Andy Sheppard, Redferns

Jones Family Singers

Saturday, Oct. 9, Clear 4G Stage, 1PM

"One of my favorite things about going to New Orleans Jazz Fest is the gospel tent -- so I want to see the Jones Family Singers. I know they've done ACL Fest in the past, and I think that's a nice change of pace."

MySpace

The XX

Saturday, Oct. 9, Zync Card Stage, 5:30PM

"There's a huge buzz about them; they won the Mercury Prize -- but I've had a hard time getting into the CD. But I want to see how they come across on stage. Art rock sometimes leaves me a little cold, but I want to see how they translate."

The XX Videos

Daniel Boczarski, Redferns

LCD Soundsystem

Saturday, Oct. 9, Budweiser Stage, 6:30PM

"There's no way I'm going to miss this -- they put on one of the most amazing live shows. I'm considering them for next season as well, so I want to check out their live show from a different point of view."

LCD Soundsystem Videos

Mark Venema, Getty Images

Muse

Saturday, Oct. 9, Budweiser Stage, 8PM

"Of the three headline acts, I'm really anxious to see them. People keep telling me how much their live shows have grown. Matthew [Bellamy] is a real superstar onstage."

Muse Videos

Ian Gavan, Getty Images

Shearwater

Sunday, Oct. 10, Honda Stage, 11:45PM

"Even though they're from Austin, I've still never seen them. I think they're one of Austin's most adventurous bands. The fact is, they're on the road a lot."

Shearwater on the Interface

Barney Britton, Redferns

Dawes

Sunday, Oct. 10, Austin Ventures Stage, 2:20PM

"I really like these guys. They're really on my list for ACL, probably next year. Kind of that folk-rock thing from California, but I like songwriting and there's something basic about it."

Dawes Videos

Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue

Sunday, Oct. 10, Clear 4G Stage, 4PM

"When I saw him in New Orleans, I was blown away -- I think it's the most exciting music to come out of New Orleans in a long time. It's going to be hard to resist catching just a couple of tunes."

Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Sunday, Oct. 10, Zync Card Stage, 5PM

"I've seen him twice now, and I'm not 100 percent sold on the Edward Sharpe phenomenon. People keep asking me when we're going to book them for the show, and it'd probably be a very visual show."

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros on the Interface

Douglas Mason, Getty Images

The Flaming Lips

Sunday, Oct. 10, AMD Stage, 6PM

"Anytime I have an opportunity to see them, I'm going to be there. You never know what to expect from Wayne [Coyne]. I'm hoping to book them in our new venue next year as one of the first shows, because I know they're going to blow the roof off the place like they always do."

The Flaming Lips Videos

Samir Hussein, Getty Images

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