Lauren Spencer Smith brought her “The Art of Being a Mess” tour to ACL Live this past Saturday night. The stop in Austin didn’t hold anything back, trading a typical concert vibe for something that felt much more personal.

The night started with Maisy Kay, who had a very soft and calm presence. She wore a light green dress with layers of ruffles and long, flowy fabric that followed her as she moved across the stage. She paired it with tall boots and had her red hair down, which really stood out under the lights. Even her mic was customized with a rhinestone butterfly, pulling the whole look together. Her music has a dreamy, ethereal sound that completely captivated the audience from the first note. She has a way of making the venue feel still and focused, and her performance really set a great tone for the rest of the evening.

Then, Henry Moodie took over with just him and an acoustic guitar. He has a very clear, pop-focused vocal style that carries a lot of emotion, making his songs feel like a direct conversation with the crowd. His performance was energetic, yet stripped-back, focusing on relatable lyrics and catchy melodies that got everyone involved. One of the best parts of the set was when he threw an inflatable dice into the audience. Whatever number it landed on chose the artist he would cover. For our night, it was Taylor Swift. He played a bunch of Taylor covers, and the whole room was singing every word right back at him.

After the openers finished, Lauren came out and opened her set with the punchy “If Karma Doesn’t Get You (I Will).” The energy was high, especially with the fans at the barricade. Part of the stage was set up like a bus stop, complete with a bench and a payphone. The payphone rang three times throughout the set, and each time, a message was left after she picked it up. These messages served as a transition into the next song she was singing. Her vocals were strong, but her relatability is what drove the show. 

Before the set, fans were encouraged to leave an anonymous secret in a box placed at the merch table. During the show, she brought the secret box out and let a couple of audience members read a secret out loud, which made the room feel personal. It was a moment where everyone realized they weren’t alone in their experiences, and the whole crowd cheered in support of whoever wrote the note. 

Lauren also played a new song called “Natural Disaster,” and an unreleased one called “SECRET.” These newer tracks fit right into the storytelling theme of the night, which gave the audience a first look at what she’s been working on lately. 

One of the coolest parts was the Wheel of Feels, a giant wheel that looked like Wheel of Fortune. She brought two people from the crowd up on stage to spin it. Everyone was screaming for different colors, and after picking a color, she covered “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. The lights were synced to the beat, and she absolutely nailed it. Between the fans screaming every word to “Parallel Universe” and the entire room singing “Narcissist” at the top of their lungs, she covered everything from body image and grief, to love and breakup songs. Lauren ended the night with “Sticks and Stones.” It was a night of shared stories that left the Austin crowd feeling more connected than ever. 

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