Irish trio Two Door Cinema Club took a brief respite from a U.S. club tour for ACL, but joined by a touring drummer, the group still looked poised for light shows rather than a sun-baked afternoon. The set represented the steep trajectory the band’s experienced. In 2010, TDCC made its ACL debut on the Austin Ventures stage, a stark contrast to the headlining Bud Light stage here. Alex Trimble took the stage in a long-sleeved shirt soon soaked through, and TDCC had the tight finish of a touring machine. “Someday,” from latest Beacon, swelled slowly to a frenzied guitar finish, departing from its jangled pop origins, but the set wasn’t short on lighter fan favorites. Awkward stage presence aside, the trio translates its sound to a live setting well. The climbing riff of “What You Know” closed out the set, ending with Trimble graciously and profusely thanking the crowd. “Thank you, ACL. I hope we see each other again soon.”
This article appears in October 19 • 2012.