6 Highlights From Last Week’s Action In Austin

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Last week, major label heads, music geeks and excited fans gathered in the city of Austin to enjoy one of the largest music festivals in the country. From big-name superstars like Coldplay and Jay Z to rising artists like BANKS, the music capital of Texas became home to a variety of memorable performances. Head down below to revisit six of the biggest highlights from Austin’s big music festival!

Coldplay Make A Comeback

Coldplay is known for playing major stadium shows, but their showcase at the iTunes Festival portion of the week found the band in a more subdued state. They debuted songs like “Midnight” and “Always In My Head” off their upcoming album Ghost Stories, but the one that stood out among the 11-song set was the lead single — “Magic.” With its simplified piano notes, ethereal synths and Chris Martin‘s delicate vocals, the atmospheric mid-tempo track revealed a new sonic shift for the Brits.

Charli XCX Goes Punk

Another artist who is shifting sonic gears is our favorite dark-pop chanteuse, Charli XCX. We at Idolator have always been in love with the British singer’s knack for glitchy, day-glo rhythms and “SuperLove” professions, but at the festival she tried her hand at a new musical flavor. She channeled a Lite-Brite version of Sex Pistols‘ Johnny Rotten with the debut of her new song “Breaking Up,” an angsty, guitar-heavy tune that could be dedicated to many an ex. The song was more grimy garage band than the poppy kitsch that we’re used to, but still totally awesome.