ACL Music Fest Sunday Listings

The Eastern Sea

11:20am, Austin Ventures stage

While this local octet's seemingly cursed debut LP Plague faced building condemnation and fire before its June release, a two-year production cycle that left captain Matt Hines in mental anguish results in tight, layered bursts and swells of strength despite the setbacks. Intricate and driven by prose-type pop, its sound emulates Death Cab for Cutie. The band celebrates at home after summer and fall touring. – Abby Johnston

Royal Teeth

12:15pm, BMI stage

Running on the momentum provided by its sole EP, Act Naturally on Dangerbird Records, New Orleans sextet Royal Teeth plies an assured and platform-ready take on bright synth rock. Their cover of the Knife's "Heartbeats" removes the menace and amps up the melody to stadium-size, while opener "Wild" juggles vocalists Josh Wells and Nora Patterson over a chorus that makes full use of all 12 hands at their disposal. – Adam Schragin

The Devil Makes Three

2:30pm, Austin Ventures stage

Possessed of punk rock spirit, the Devil Makes Three breaks down old-timey styles – including jug band, rural blues, and ragtime – to their rhythmic core for a rowdy, danceable live show. On a festival-heavy tour schedule, the drummerless Santa Cruz, Calif., string band remains a proven showstopper, while Pete Bernhard's songwriting, almost indistinguishable from the traditionals peppering the live sets, is phenomenal. – Kevin Curtin

Tennis

3:15pm, Barton Springs stage

In the spirit of bourgeois sports, marrieds Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley volley spry, pitch-perfect couple pop. Born unintentionally on the pair's honeymoon sailing trip up the East Coast, the Denver-based trio maintains a nautical glide on its sophomore disc, released earlier this year. With coaching and production from the Black Keys' Patrick Carney, Young & Old adds crunch to the sea-breezy antiquated pop established on debut Cape Dory. – Abby Johnston

The Civil Wars

4:15pm, AMD stage

Joy Williams and John Paul White struck gold when the California chanteuse and Alabama rebel teamed in Nashville for the Civil Wars. 2011 debut Barton Hollow won two Grammys and national acclaim, the duo proving its chemistry in harmonies and songwriting that blossom onstage. White's grit and Williams' charm equal a folkier version of the Swell Season, with an intensity emanating between them that's fierce and fragile. – Doug Freeman

The Lumineers

5pm, Austin Ventures stage

America's patience has already worn thin with the whole "Ho Hey" gimmick, but these Denver roots revivalists are more than just scruffy beards, tattered hats, and grubby T-shirts. On the trio's self-titled debut for Dualtone, frontman Wesley Schultz is all grit and perspiration, while Neyla Pekarek's violin carves out a feminine space where softer emotions dwell. Live sets feature electric guitar, which should really piss off the die-hard folk purists. – Melanie Haupt

The Weeknd

5:15pm, Barton Springs stage

A conflicted R&B crooner issuing tales of agony and ecstasy, the "Weakened" issued three incredible mixtapes last year – House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence – each offered as a free download on the website. After being short-listed for Canada's prestigious Polaris Music Prize, singer/producer Abel Tesfaye collaborated with rapper Drake and signed to Universal Republic, which will reissue a remastered version of the three projects as Trilogy. – Austin Powell

Ruthie Foster

5:45pm, Zilker stage

Recorded in New Orleans and released in January, Let It Burn reestablished Ruthie Foster as Austin's preeminent roots soulstress, featuring vocal assistance from the Blind Boys of Alabama and members of the Meters as her rhythm section. An extra large yet supple voice takes center stage on songs that richly demonstrate Foster's love for gospel blues. She won the Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female of the Year at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis. – Jim Caligiuri

Childish Gambino

7:15pm, Barton Springs stage

Amazing that Childish Gambino even has time to play a set of his indie-rap classics at ACL. Donald Glover, the man behind the rhymes, remains famous for his stand-up comedy career, a role on TV's Community, and as a writer on 30 Rock. This humor often translates into his slick flows, and he's building major cred with mix CDs featuring adventurous samples from Adele and Grizzly Bear. – Zoe Cordes Selbin

Barrington Levy

7:15pm, Zilker stage

Barrington Levy remains one of the biggest stars in Jamaican music since bursting on the scene with five LPs there and the UK in 1979, including the stone classic Englishman. Seesawing between tougher-than-tough riddims ("Here I Come," "Murderer"), lovers rock ("Shine Eye Girl," "Sister Carol"), and herbal anthems ("Collie Weed," "Under Mi Sensi"), the dancehall legend remains broader than Broadway. – Thomas Fawcett

Crystal Castles

7:30pm, Honda stage

Much like its electro-punk heroine Alice Glass, this Ontario duo is as creepy as it is irresistible. Pared-down bass and danceable electronic sludge make Crystal Castles the purveyors of sinister rave jams. They're fresh from Warsaw, having cut third album III for a November release. New single "Plague" and other fresh tracks have been peppering CC's frantic, dystopian live shows in the UK. – Abby Johnston