ACL Stage Preview: WaMu's Friday Lineup with Antibalas, M. Ward, Jenny Lewis, and more!

WaMu's seven-band Friday lineup is one to be reckoned with, or, if you prefer, it certainly is one with which to reckon. So it is with the fantastic three-headed monster of headliners the stage offers on day one of Austin City Limits, as tearing up the evening is the widely-acclaimed M. Ward, the widely-eyed Jenny Lewis, and the widely-awesome Antibalas. Of those three, it's difficult to tell which would be the primo attraction, but Antibalas draws the night-ending time slot, and with good reason. The New York ensemble incorporates African rhythms into their horn-driven attack, and their most recent album, last year's Security, is a solid wonder, with track "Beaten Metal" sure to be a much sought-after sound to hear as dusk turns to night. Without a doubt, the energy they are sure to fuel is the ideal way to close off the stage, and at a thoroughly reasonable time of 8:15, thus leaving plenty of time either to wander over to Friday's big-name headliners, or to get the heck out before the Zilker Park exodus becomes too utterly ridiculous.

The pre-Antibalas early evening back-to-back is made prime by the efforts of consistently-stunning M. Ward and newly-solo Jenny Lewis. Ward's recent collaboration with actress Zooey Deschanel has only enhanced his reputation as one of the most likable and reliable forces in AM-radio-era folk-rock, and he's still feeling the buzz of good feelings from Post-War, one of 2006's most satisfying albums—truly, this is an act to see, as Ward's guitar virtuosity and blue-collar approach is magnetic. Taking the stage thirty minutes after Ward is Lewis, the well-loved Rilo Kiley frontwoman whose brand-new solo debut has solidified her standing as one of the preeminent singer-songwriters crafting music today. While her time with Rilo Kiley pegged her as a star-in-the-making, the credit she's drawn without the band has proven that this is her time to shine.

But those three are by no means the only reason to get excited about WaMu on Friday, as the stage gets a bright and early start with a trio of old school groups proud to call the massive state of Texas their home. Batting lead-off are The Jones Family Singers, a Christian gospel group hailing from Bay City, a southeast Texas town of under 20,000—the bishop-led outfit begins at 11:30 in the morn, and they'll be ready to kick off the ACL festivities with a bang. Following up is The Hensley Ensemble, a Christian R&B project from Lancaster, Texas, and Brotherly Luv, who at two o'clock will dazzle with a healthy dose of soul and gospel—unquestionably, these first three acts of the day go hand-in-hand with each other, and will be an excellent sit-down for those who aren't looking to migrate. Acting as a nice little bridge between the early afternoon and the later acts is The Freddy Jones Band, a straight-up rock and blues group which has come all the way down from Chicago to entertain the mid-afternoon crowd.