AUSTIN, Texas — Students from Austin High School in Downtown Austin got the opportunity to do something very special over the weekend.
During Weekend 1 of the Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL), Mumford & Sons – ACL darlings who are headlining the festival for the third time this year – called on the Maroon Marching Band to warm up the crowd at Zilker Park before they took the stage Sunday night.
"Mumford & Sons brought back their favorite local musicians to open for them Sunday night as they headlined for ACL - The Austin High School Maroon Band! Go Maroon Marching Band!" the Austin High School Maroon Band Facebook page posted.
KVUE's John Gusky snapped several action shots of the students performing on the American Express stage:
PHOTOS: Austin High School's band performs at ACL Fest 2023
Band Director Richard Patenaude also posted video on YouTube of the band's Sunday night performance:
This wasn't the first time that Mumford & Sons has extended an ACL invitation to the Maroon Marching Band. Back in 2019, students were asked to join Marcus Mumford and his band for a performance of "The Cave" during the festival.
And the Maroon Marching Band also wasn't the only group of local musicians that Mumford & Sons welcomed on stage Sunday night. According to KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman, the band was backed by the Huston-Tillotson Concert Choir during "Sigh No More."