Grouplove | The Early Registration

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Austin’s spring festival season kicked off in style Friday night as the Sips & Sounds Music Festival returned to Auditorium Shores for the first of two days of music along the scenic banks of Lady Bird Lake. Timed to coincide with the buzz of SXSW, the two-day event brings major headliners and rising artists to one of the city’s most scenic outdoor spots, offering festivalgoers skyline views, local food and drinks, and back-to-back performances across two stages.

With a lineup spanning indie rock, R&B, electronic music, and pop royalty, Day 1 (Friday, March 13) delivered a packed schedule that kept fans bouncing between the SXSW Stage and the Coca-Cola Stage all afternoon and evening.

Skateland Opens the Festival

Local Austin energy set the tone early as Skateland kicked off the festival on the SXSW Stage. The opening set felt like a perfect warm-up for the weekend, with early arrivals gathering on the lawn as the afternoon sun hung over the downtown skyline. With a laid-back but lively sound, the band provided the kind of local kickoff that Austin festivals are known for.

Aidan Bissett Gets the Crowd Moving

Next up on the main Coca-Cola Stage, rising pop artist Aidan Bissett delivered one of the day’s first big crowd-drawing sets. Bissett’s upbeat songs and charismatic stage presence connected instantly with the early crowd, with fans singing along and filling in the open spaces near the barricade. His set injected a youthful pop energy into the festival lineup and proved why he’s quickly becoming a festival favorite.

The Two Lips Bring Indie Charm

Back on the SXSW Stage, The Two Lips leaned into a breezy indie vibe that perfectly matched the outdoor setting. Their performance felt like the soundtrack to a perfect Austin afternoon, jangly guitars, catchy melodies, and a steadily growing crowd settling in on the grass as the day transitioned toward evening.

Ravyn Lenae Delivers Soulful Highlights

As the sun dipped lower, Ravyn Lenae took over the Coca-Cola Stage with a captivating R&B performance. Her smooth vocals and atmospheric sound gave the festival its most soulful moment of the day. Lenae’s set created a hypnotic mood across the park, with fans swaying along as the skyline lit up behind the stage.

Between Friends Keeps the Momentum Going

Electronic-pop duo Between Friends followed on the SXSW Stage with a genre-blending set that kept the energy high. Their mix of dreamy pop hooks and electronic textures made for one of the most danceable moments of the early evening, with the crowd clearly enjoying the shift toward a more upbeat vibe.

Major Lazer Soundsystem Turns the Festival into a Dance Party

Nightfall brought one of the most electrifying performances of the day as Major Lazer Soundsystem took over the Coca-Cola Stage. Known for their high-energy electronic sets, Diplo and company transformed Auditorium Shores into a full-on dance party. Pulsing beats, massive drops, and crowd-hype moments had thousands of fans jumping in unison as the festival reached peak energy.

Grouplove Ignites the SXSW Stage

Meanwhile, indie-rock favorites Grouplove headlined the SXSW Stage with a joyous, sing-along-heavy performance. Their feel-good anthems and colorful stage presence made their set one of the most uplifting moments of the night, with fans shouting lyrics back toward the stage as the band delivered hit after hit.

Christina Aguilera Closes Night One in Iconic Fashion

Finally, pop icon Christina Aguilera closed out the first night of the festival on the Coca-Cola Stage. Aguilera’s powerhouse vocals and decades-spanning catalog made for a headlining performance that reminded everyone why she remains one of pop’s most celebrated voices.

Her setlist leaned heavily into fan favorites and career-defining hits, including songs like “Dirrty,” “Genie in a Bottle,” “Ain’t No Other Man,” and “Beautiful,” all delivered with the kind of vocal intensity that has defined her career. The performance provided a dramatic and nostalgic finale to a night already packed with memorable moments.

With the Austin skyline glowing behind the stage and thousands of fans singing along, Aguilera’s set was the perfect way to cap off an eventful opening night.

A Strong Start for Sips & Sounds 2026

Day one proved that Sips & Sounds has quickly become a major highlight of Austin’s spring music calendar. The festival blends major headliners with emerging talent across two stages, creating a dynamic experience that feels both massive and intimate at the same time.

And with Day 2 still ahead, featuring another slate of big performances, the weekend at Auditorium Shores is only just getting started.

Photo Gallery

Scroll down to check out our full gallery of photos from Day 1 of the 2026 Sips & Sounds Music Festival at Auditorium Shores in Austin.

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

BY TER STAFF

When Imagine Dragons last performed for their Windy City fans, it was at the Allstate Arena on June 15th, 2015. That same night, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in a thrilling game six victory at the United Center. Just a couple years later, Chicago is hoping that the Las Vegas natives bring their good luck again, as the defending World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs, are facing elimination at Wrigley Field, as Imagine Dragons perform just a few miles away, and where else, the United Center.

But irregardless of the story that would be told at the historic Wrigley Field tonight, music fans took home the “W” as Imagine Dragon’s Evolve Tour delivered from start to finish. From K.Flay’s amazing performance to warm up her homestate crowd to Imagine Dragon’s encore performance of ‘Believer’, no fan left with their voice and everyone left having a memorable night.

While Imagine Dragon certainly did their part to sell the lion’s share of tickets for their headlining sold-out show, the tour’s supporting acts of K.Flay and GROUPLOVE put on a great performance in their own right and gave fans reason to head to the arena moments after doors opened. Wilmette, Illinois native K.Flay blew the crowd away with her impressive vocals, performing a half-hour of her stand out tracks, including ‘Blood In The Cut’ and ‘High Enough’.

While technically labeled a rapper, K.Flay has a diverse sound that Top 40, indie and hip-hop fans alike can enjoy. A sound so great and diverse that it caught the attention of Imagine Dragon’s Dan Reynolds who signed the Everywhere Is Some Where artist to his “Night Street Records” imprint. Although Chicago fans tonight weren’t late to the K.Flay party, it’s time to hop on the bandwagon now, because Illinois’ own has been gaining momentum ever since her 2014 debut.

Among the tour’s supporting act was also the Los Angeles indie pop band, GROUPLOVE. Led by Hannah Hopper, GROUPLOVE delivers a polarizing sound that may not be for everyone, but either way, the group brought a ton of energy and character to the entire night. While we certainly enjoyed GROUPLOVE’s set, their live performance might be enjoyed best during a more intimate headlining club show.

After crew finished prepping the stage for the act of the night, it was time for Imagine Dragons to greet their Chicago fans. Kicking things off with their new album’s opening track, ‘I Don’t Know Why’, the crowd erupted from the general admission pits to the nosebleeds. The band emerged through the laser lights as their giant video board supplemented their performance.

Directly after, Dan Reynolds took a moment to get serious before his band performed their 2012 track, ‘It’s Time’. Speaking on the recent tragedy and shooting in Las Vegas, which especially hits close to home to the Las Vegas-natives, Reynolds refused to allow anyone to destroy people’s love for music, which set the stage for ‘It’s Time’, a track that Reynolds wrote during a very difficult and depressing time of his life.

And while the crowd shared an intimate and sincere moment with the band early on, it hardly set the tone for the rest of the night. Throughout the set Imagine Dragons performed a catalog of their biggest hits from the past decade, of course with a lot of attention to their newest LP, where the tour get its name.

One highlight of the performance included the band’s B-stage visit, where fans closer to the back got an up-close performance of ‘Bleeding Out’, ‘Dream’ and a tribute to the late great Tom Petty with ‘I Won’t Back Down’. As Reynolds returned to the catwalk and the clock started to creep on midnight and word traveled that the Cubs got the win, Imagine Dragon’s closed out their set with a memorable performance of their mega-hit ‘Radioactive’, only to return to the stage for some free music when the band truly ended the night with an encore performance of ‘Believer’.

We were all believers tonight, and Imagine Dragons did not disappoint. Chicago fans already can’t wait until the band’s next visit.

Continue reading Review: Imagine Dragons Make Us Believe During Their Sold-Out Chicago Show with K.Flay and GROUPLOVE →

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Photos: Sips & Sounds 2026, A Star-Studded First Night at Austin’s Waterfront Festival