Friends of ACL Policies & FAQs

FAQ & Policies

• How do invitations to attend tapings work?
• What is the taping schedule?
• How do I RSVP or cancel my reservation?
• What is the tax deductibility of my membership gift?
• Can I share my membership or give passes to guests?
• How does the waitlist work?
• What is the difference between ACL TV tapings and ACL Live?
• When is the arrival time?
• Where are the ACL tapings?
• Is there parking available?
• How is seating arranged?

How do invitations to attend tapings work?

Friends on the Mezz Levels

Taping invitations to Friends on the Mezz include assigned seating access on the mezzanine level of the venue and run on a full calendar year, from January 1st to December 31st. We do our best to ensure you are assigned the same two or four seats on the mezzanine level for every taping in that year. You may have the opportunity to move your seats upon renewal the next year, depending on availability. Should you not renew, your membership will be offered to the Waitlist. For each taping, we ask that you RSVP during the reservation period. Because this is a television show, with a live audience, we need to ensure that an audience is present and enthusiastic. In order to ensure a full studio audience, Austin PBS reserves the right to fill unclaimed seats after the reservation deadline. Any unused passes (whether due to no-shows, taping cancellations or otherwise) remaining after your 12-month membership term expire and cannot be rolled over into a renewed membership.

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Friends with a View Level

Taping invitations to Friends with a View include assigned, seated access on the balcony-level of the venue. Seating is assigned at the time of RSVP, on a first-come-first serve basis. Each membership is effective immediately upon joining and is valid for 12 full months, but is not necessarily on a calendar basis. For example, if you sign up May 1st, your membership will expire the following year on April 30th. You will have an opportunity to renew your membership each year. Should you not renew, your membership will be offered to the Waitlist. You will be invited to attend all ACL tapings in your membership term. If you cannot attend a taping, there is no need to RSVP. Any unused passes (whether due to no-shows, taping cancellations or otherwise) remaining after your 12-month membership term expire and cannot be rolled over into a renewed membership.

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Friends Up Front and Friends Seated Levels

Taping invitations to Friends Up Front and Friends Seated include 24 passes for flexible, general-admission access for either general admission standing or open seating on the stage-level of the venue. Each membership is effective immediately upon joining and is valid for 12 full months, but is not necessarily on a calendar basis. For example, if you sign up May 1st, your membership will expire the following year on April 30th. You will have an opportunity to renew your membership each year upon expiration of your membership term or when you run out of passes; whichever comes first. Should you not renew, your membership will be offered to the Waitlist. Any unused passes (whether due to no-shows, taping cancellations or otherwise) remaining after your 12-month membership term expire and cannot be rolled over into a renewed membership. If you use all allotted passes before your 12-month membership ends, you are welcome to renew early. If renewing early, your renewed membership will begin anew on the date of your renewal donation and will be valid for the next 12 months.

You may choose to RSVP for any scheduled taping you would like to attend within your number of allotted passes. Passes that have been claimed (used or unused) will be counted against your membership allotment. Cancellations by you are accepted and passes returned to your membership allotment. You may RSVP for up to four (4) passes for most tapings. Occasionally, we have to restrict access to a taping and limit the number of passes to two (2), in order to accommodate all of Austin PBS’s donors and other invitees. Restricted tapings are based on the demand and studio capacity and will be noted in the email invitation.

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What is the taping schedule?

Each season of Austin City Limits presents 13 episodes from tapings throughout the year. Episodes either showcase one artist for the full hour or are split with 30 minutes for each artist in a single episode. The ACL taping schedule is not posted publicly, nor is it set in advance of the season. We work on it year-round to take advantage of and accommodate the artists’ touring schedules. Although we typically have 18-20 tapings during an annual period, there is no guarantee as to the number of tapings that actually will take place during any annual period. All scheduled tapings are subject to rescheduling or cancellation. As soon as an ACL taping is confirmed and we have been given the permission to announce it, our Friends of ACL members are the first to receive emails to Save-the-Date(s). Formal invitations to RSVP to attend ACL tapings will be emailed approximately two (2) weeks prior to the taping date. Although it varies from year to year, the taping season generally runs from early March to late October.

All Friends of ACL announcements and invitations will be sent via email. In order to receive all communications for Friends of ACL, please add acl-reservations@klru.org to your safe-senders contact list so that messages do not go to spam folders. The e-mail invitation will contain all the important information including the performing artist, the date and time of the taping, and the deadline to request, change or cancel.

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How do I RSVP or cancel my reservation?

To RSVP for a taping, just click on the RSVP link in the invitation and follow the prompts to claim your passes. If it’s your first time to RSVP and you need your log-in information or you are having trouble, you can find RSVP instructions here or from the link provided in the invitation. You do not need to RSVP if you cannot attend. Unclaimed passes in your account will be removed after the reservation period closes.

Should you need to cancel a reservation please do so by the announced cancellation date. Please email acl-reservations@klru.org to make changes or cancel your reservation before that deadline. We will do our best, but we may not be able to accommodate changes after the reservation deadline.

Passes to attend ACL tapings CANNOT BE SOLD, AUCTIONED or RAFFLED.* You may offer your passes to attend a taping to a friend, family member, employee or clients and will have the opportunity to email your print-at-home passes directly if you wish. Print your passes and bring them with you for entry to the taping.

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What is the tax deductibility of my membership gift?

Because you are making an unconditional charitable contribution to Austin PBS, and we believe that the invitations to be a part of the television audience for Austin City Limits tapings are not marketable goods or services, you may be able to consider your membership tax deductible. Please consult a tax attorney before making any official claims.

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Can I share my membership or give passes to guests?

While you can gift your passes to another person, family, client or friend to attend, passes to ACL tapings CANNOT BE SOLD, raffled or auctioned to any individual, organization or through any ticketing brokerage source. You can gift your passes by transferring them through the AXS mobile app.

Membership dues cannot be split between two or more individuals, corporations or other combination. Though access may be shared, we can only recognize the membership gift from one party. The membership belongs to the individual or corporation that gifted the membership dues. Memberships are not transferable.

Austin PBS reserves the right to revoke the privileges and benefits associated with the Friends of ACL membership should a member not adhere to the policies.

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How does the waitlist work?

All levels of Friends of ACL are at capacity and waitlisted, both to join the program or upgrade from within. New members are invited to join at either one of our two entry-levels, Friends with a View or Friends Up Front. Only current Friends of ACL members are eligible to be placed on an upgrade waitlist to fill space in other levels as they become available.

Enrollment on the Friends of ACL Waitlist requires an annual gift to maintain your spot. Join the Waitlist or view the Waitlist policy and FAQs for more information.

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What is the difference between ACL TV tapings and ACL Live?

Opry Entertainment Group is owner of Block 21 that includes The Moody Theater and the W Austin Hotel and Residences. As part of a licensing agreement, Opry Entertainment Group provides Austin PBS with access to The Moody Theater for our tapings of Austin City Limits and other Austin PBS fundraising events that fulfill Austin PBS’s mission of making Austin a more vibrant community.

Outside of the nights that Austin PBS will tape Austin City Limits, the PBS television series, Opry Entertainment Group – ACL-Live at The Moody Theater, presents 60-100 live concert performances a year. Though these concerts are not productions of Austin PBS, nor will it be recorded for broadcast on PBS, we encourage you to take part in and experience great music in Austin’s most acoustically sophisticated venue. You can view their calendar and purchase tickets online at ACL-Live.com.

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When is the arrival time?

Doors to the studio usually open at 7:00 p.m., one hour before the taping starts (exceptions to this rule are infrequent, but can occur). When you receive notice of a taping, review it carefully to confirm the taping time. If you make arrangements for your passes to be held at Will Call, they will be available at 6:00 p.m., or two hours before the taping begins. You must enter the studio by 7:40 p.m. to guarantee admission. At 7:40 p.m. we will release all unclaimed or un-scanned print-at-home passes to the public. The tapings start promptly and generally last at least 1 hour.

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Where are the ACL tapings?

All tapings for Austin City Limits are held at ACL-Live at the Moody Theater, located at 310 Willie Nelson Blvd., Austin, TX 78701 on 2nd Street between Lavaca and Guadalupe.

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Is there parking available?

Parking at the W Hotel is reserved for residences and guests of the hotel only; however there is plenty of parking in the area. We suggest street parking at meters or in the surrounding garages. You can find many parking options online here.

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How is seating arranged?

Assigned seats are only available on the mezzanine level and balcony level and will be noted on your tickets. General admission to the stage level provides first-come, first-served access to approximately 300 seats in the risers. If all of the seats are filled, you will have to stand.

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