Oliver Tree lets out a colossal HEE-HAW at ACL Live in Austin, TX

Yesterday evening, we had the pleasure of being present at ACL Live to attend one of the most outlandish shows we have ever attended, and I can say that I was inquisitive and impressed at the same time. Oliver Tree presented his “Alone In A Crowd” tour to the capital of the Lone Star State and chose one of our personal favorite venues to unleash his eccentric charm on the stage. Performing hit records off his albums “Ugly Is Beautiful,” “Cowboy Tears, & his latest album, “Alone In A Crowd” which gave us a sensational glimpse into the anomalous mind of Oliver Tree that became a vivid highlight for us to witness and started the first of many experiences we’ll get to enjoy this year at ACL Live.

The night began with the most accessible & most efficient will-call check-in, where, within mere seconds, we were already cleared and ready to go and enjoy the show. A highlight for the evening was the staff’s hospitality, who were extremely helpful with the directions to our seats & the assistance with getting us situated in the photo pit. The first opening act was Jasiah, who we were already familiar with, seeing his performance in Austin two years ago at the Rolling Loud stage during SXSW. He performed some of his fan-favorites tracks like “Destructo Disc” & “Break Sh*t” along with premiering a new record with the Austin crowd. His performance was energetic from start to finish; the crowd’s interaction fueled him, even though most of the attendees didn’t look to be rap fans but still enjoyed his presence on stage. Sitting in the balcony area, I can hear plenty of positive comments around me about his performance. I highly agree with one statement in particular: that’s how you start an Oliver Tree show: hit them with something unexpected.

The second performer, FIDLAR, was a band I was unfamiliar with, but the group next to me seemed to be huge fans of their music, already singing along before the band started playing. Becoming a fan in the experience of the Los Angeles punk band, they performed a series of records with a taste of comedic presence, and a rush of emotional elements that hearing them in this space was such a riot to enjoy.

Tracks like “Awkward” & “Nudge” were some I remember writing down to hear in the car later, and it looked like, after their set, a bunch of people in my section didn’t waste time looking up the band’s details and music getting them added right then on the spot. At last, the headlining hour, but it didn’t start immediately, and it’s something we were warned about before heading in. Before Oliver Tree made his way out, the crowd enjoyed the legendary moments of seeing Super_Computer, an electronic EDM duo that wears robotic faces that don’t resemble anyone else (wink), perform, which changed the show's tone drastically. They had the crowd hype while wondering if all this was real; you couldn't explain this to anyone and not have them think you were out of your mind. Their creativity to blend nostalgia & bass-boosted jams was incredible, and they anticipated the presence of seeing Oliver Tree on stage next. Now, I don’t know if you ever attended an Oliver Tree before, but if you haven’t, let me explain it: it’s not like anything you have seen before. He appeared on the stage donning his signature haircut with his back facing the crowd, and did I mention he did this all while being on a couch. You thought it was Sia because of how mysterious the figure appeared and would not let the crowd see their face, but no, it was Oliver, alright. He then spoke and attempted to convince the crowd that the show was canceled and tried his hardest to do so, but no one followed his order. He then proceeded to watch TV using the biggest remote I’ve ever seen to do it, and we watched infomercials, including a brief look into his past endeavors. And I know what yall thinking reading this; when the fuck did he perform? I can assure you he did momentarily but that’s what the beauty of his character is about; everyone in attendance was so built up with the anticipation to hear their favorite songs and enjoying themselves in the moment that they could’ve enjoyed it for another hour if they wanted. Everyone stood up, waiting for that moment to connect with him when he got to performing on stage, and they would endure his craziness to wait & watch it happen. He started his set by performing songs for his latest album, including his Tiktok hit “Miss You.” From there, everyone was up and dancing with him. Other noticeable moments were him exchanging wardrobes that mimic his album covers and performing songs for each album. His stage presence never brings a dull moment, even when parading around on a longhorn stature and serenading the crowd. He shows appreciation to every single one of his fans every time he performs and does it with a genuine smile. He wants it to be enjoyable, which he does, and more. The great thing was seeing the crowd and a diverse group of people enjoying themselves, kids bringing along their parents who were fans of his as well, and this older man sitting down but singing word-for-word songs; it was such a delight to witness.

The night was memorable, and from the attendees around me, this was the best thing they got to experience in recent memories. The staff at ACL Live was extraordinary, and the weather couldn’t have been better. This was a fantastic trip to Austin and well worth the 45 minutes in traffic to get there. Oliver Tree did announce he’ll be in Austin until Friday, where he’ll be doing a live DJ set showing some of his new audio & visual material in an intimate setting. Tickets for that are running low, so if you want to attend, I recommend you get those tickets ASAP. Thank you again to Oliver Tree and his hard-working staff for their excellent work, and be safe and enjoy the rest of Texas during the tour.