Leon Thomas delivers high-energy, genre-blending set at ACL on Miller Lite stage
October 11, 2026
- What: Leon Thomas performed an hour-long set that mixed funk, rock, trap-soul and neo-soul at ACL Festival on Friday evening.
- Who: Leon Thomas, a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and producer, led the performance and played guitar and sang several songs.
- Where: The show took place on the Miller Lite stage at Zilker Park during ACL Festival.
- Why it matters: The set showcased Thomas's wide stylistic range and live showmanship, ending with his top-charting single that reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 10.
As dusk fell over Zilker Park, Leon Thomas bounded onto the Miller Lite stage, his heavy chains catching the last light. The performance offered a contrast to the more tranquil soul sets seen at ACL in prior years, pushing a higher-energy approach from the outset.
Thomas faced a thinner audience than his popularity might suggest, in part because his 7:15 p.m. start time overlapped with larger draws at the American Express and T-Mobile stages for Charli XCX and Kings of Leon. Earlier in the day, Sienna Spiro had packed the Miller Lite stage, while Thomas drew the fans who remained nearby with a commanding stage presence.
At the top of the set he told the crowd, "We're gonna party," then asked, "Is that alright?" He wore a minimalist all-black outfit and a backward beret, projecting nonchalance as he revealed increasing musical intensity.
During "DANCING WITH DEMONS" Thomas dropped to his knees and tore into a Fender Stratocaster solo. On two occasions he pushed his drummer off the kit, picked up the sticks and launched into thunderous percussion and guitar passages, underscoring his role as both singer and instrumentalist.
His guitar work at times evoked the late artist D'Angelo, while his vocal runs and hip-hop inflections recalled Musiq Soulchild, whom Thomas has said he grew up idolizing. The set moved across styles, from dub-influenced slow jams to harder funk and jazz-tinged chord changes.
Midway through he played the 2025 single "Just How You Are," which brought a funkier groove, then shifted into rock-leaning tracks such as "Blue Hundreds." The show found a renewed pocket with intimate, trap-soul selections, including the darker-toned "Sneak."
In the final portion Thomas slowed the pace and leaned into warmth and soul. He led an extended call-and-response during "YES IT IS," which samples Floetry, and delivered the relaxed "Treasure In The Hills" before moving into his biggest hit.
Introducing the closer he said, "Austin, this song changed my life," then performed "MUTT," a single that peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. He ended the hour by dropping to his knees and raising his guitar, capping a set that emphasized both technical skill and genre fluidity.
Sources
- Daily Texan article