At the first weekend of the 24th annual music festival, alt-rock fans were blessed with the likes of Cage The Elephant and Japanese Breakfast, while hip-hop stans got T-Pain and Tampa Bay’s up-and-coming favorite daughter, Doechii. With festival costs rising by the day, hopefully ACL won’t turn out its lights anytime soon. See Tracy May’s photos below.

Wet Leg Credit: Tracy May
Wet Leg Credit: Tracy May
Wet Leg Credit: Tracy May
Wet Leg Credit: Tracy May / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Wet Leg Credit: Tracy May
Wet Leg Credit: Tracy May
Wet Leg Credit: Tracy May
The Dare Credit: Tracy May
The Dare Credit: Tracy May
The Dare Credit: Tracy May
The Dare Credit: Tracy May
The Dare Credit: Tracy May
T-Pain Credit: Tracy May
T-Pain Credit: Tracy May
T-Pain Credit: Tracy May
T-Pain Credit: Tracy May
Polo and Pan Credit: Tracy May
Polo and Pan Credit: Tracy May
Phantogram Credit: Tracy May
Lucius Credit: Tracy May
Lucius Credit: Tracy May
Lucius Credit: Tracy May
Lamont Landers Credit: Tracy May
Lamont Landers Credit: Tracy May
Lamont Landers Credit: Tracy May
Haute & Freddy Credit: Tracy May
Haute & Freddy Credit: Tracy May
Haute & Freddy Credit: Tracy May
Haute & Freddy Credit: Tracy May
Haute & Freddy Credit: Tracy May
Haute & Freddy Credit: Tracy May
Haute & Freddy Credit: Tracy May
Flowerovlove Credit: Tracy May
Flowerovlove Credit: Tracy May
Flowerovlove Credit: Tracy May
Flowerovlove Credit: Tracy May
Flowerovlove Credit: Tracy May
Flowerovlove Credit: Tracy May
Feid Credit: Tracy May
Feid Credit: Tracy May
Feid Credit: Tracy May
Feid Credit: Tracy May
Feid Credit: Tracy May
Feid Credit: Tracy May
Credit: Tracy May
Chezile Credit: Tracy May
Chezile Credit: Tracy May
Chezile Credit: Tracy May
Chezile Credit: Tracy May
Bebe Stockwell Credit: Tracy May
Bebe Stockwell Credit: Tracy May
Bebe Stockwell Credit: Tracy May
Bebe Stockwell Credit: Tracy May
The Strokes Credit: Tracy May
The Strokes Credit: Tracy May
The Strokes Credit: Tracy May
The Strokes Credit: Tracy May
The Strokes Credit: Tracy May
The Strokes Credit: Tracy May
Credit: Tracy May
Sydney Rose Credit: Tracy May
Sydney Rose Credit: Tracy May
Credit: Tracy May
S.I. Houser Credit: Tracy May
S.I. Houser Credit: Tracy May
S.I. Houser Credit: Tracy May
S.I. Houser Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Riize Credit: Tracy May
Olivia Dean Credit: Tracy May
Olivia Dean Credit: Tracy May
Olivia Dean Credit: Tracy May
Olivia Dean Credit: Tracy May
Modest Mouse Credit: Tracy May
Modest Mouse Credit: Tracy May
Mallrat Credit: Tracy May
Mallrat Credit: Tracy May
Mallrat Credit: Tracy May
Mallrat Credit: Tracy May
Mallrat Credit: Tracy May
Joey Vance and Brae Credit: Tracy May
Joey Vance and Brae Credit: Tracy May
Joey Vance and Brae Credit: Tracy May
Joey Vance and Brae Credit: Tracy May
Joey Vance and Brae Credit: Tracy May
Japanese Breakfast Credit: Tracy May
Japanese Breakfast Credit: Tracy May
Japanese Breakfast Credit: Tracy May
Japanese Breakfast Credit: Tracy May
Japanese Breakfast Credit: Tracy May
Japanese Breakfast Credit: Tracy May
Japanese Breakfast Credit: Tracy May
Hotline TNT Credit: Tracy May
Hotline TNT Credit: Tracy May
Hotline TNT Credit: Tracy May
Hotline TNT Credit: Tracy May
Doechii Credit: Tracy May
Doechii Credit: Tracy May
Doechii Credit: Tracy May
Doechii Credit: Tracy May
Cover County Credit: Tracy May
Cover County Credit: Tracy May
Cover County Credit: Tracy May
Cover County Credit: Tracy May
Alemeda Credit: Tracy May
Alemeda Credit: Tracy May
Alemeda Credit: Tracy May
Alemeda Credit: Tracy May
Alemeda Credit: Tracy May
Alemeda Credit: Tracy May
Tiera Kennedy Credit: Tracy May
Tiera Kennedy Credit: Tracy May
Tiera Kennedy Credit: Tracy May
Tiera Kennedy Credit: Tracy May
Tiera Kennedy Credit: Tracy May
Tiera Kennedy Credit: Tracy May
The Favors Credit: Tracy May
The Favors Credit: Tracy May
The Favors Credit: Tracy May
The Favors Credit: Tracy May
The Favors Credit: Tracy May
The Favors Credit: Tracy May
The Favors Credit: Tracy May
SpillTab Credit: Tracy May
SpillTab Credit: Tracy May
Role Model Credit: Tracy May
Role Model Credit: Tracy May
Role Model Credit: Tracy May
Role Model Credit: Tracy May
Role Model Credit: Tracy May
Role Model Credit: Tracy May
Nicky Youre Credit: Tracy May
Nicky Youre Credit: Tracy May
Nicky Youre Credit: Tracy May
Maren Morris Credit: Tracy May
Maren Morris Credit: Tracy May
Maren Morris Credit: Tracy May
Maren Morris Credit: Tracy May
King Princess Credit: Tracy May
King Princess Credit: Tracy May
King Princess Credit: Tracy May
King Princess Credit: Tracy May
King Princess Credit: Tracy May
King Princess Credit: Tracy May
King Princess Credit: Tracy May
Hozier Credit: Tracy May
Hozier Credit: Tracy May
Hozier Credit: Tracy May
Good Neighbors Credit: Tracy May
Good Neighbors Credit: Tracy May
Good Neighbors Credit: Tracy May
Good Neighbors Credit: Tracy May
Good Neighbors Credit: Tracy May
Good Neighbors Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Empire of the Sun Credit: Tracy May
Cage The Elephant Credit: Tracy May
Cage The Elephant Credit: Tracy May
Cage The Elephant Credit: Tracy May
Cage The Elephant Credit: Tracy May
Cage The Elephant Credit: Tracy May
Cage The Elephant Credit: Tracy May
Cage The Elephant Credit: Tracy May
Cage The Elephant Credit: Tracy May
Asleep At The Wheel Credit: Tracy May
Asleep At The Wheel Credit: Tracy May
Asleep At The Wheel Credit: Tracy May
Amble Credit: Tracy May
Amble Credit: Tracy May
Amble Credit: Tracy May
Amble Credit: Tracy May
Amble Credit: Tracy May
Amble Credit: Tracy May
Amble Credit: Tracy May

This article appears in Oct. 16 – 22, 2025.

Josh Bradley is Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's calendar editor. He started as a freelance music writer in 2020 at the age of 18, and after spending years covering, announcing, and previewing concerts in...