So, just a short post to get some feedback. I've attended Austin City Limits twice now and the last visit and at the last concert of that visit, my kids and I hung out with some dudes who'd been going to ACL every year for a decade. We were talking about the best concerts we'd seen, who surprised us, etc.

This year, we loved Paul McCartney and Metallica. We were surprised that Hozier held up in the big forum. We were impressed with X Ambassadors.

Then we talked about two years ago and how Cage the Elephant blew everyone away. None of us expected that and it seems the concert organizers didn't either, because their concert was in the late afternoon. Same thing happened with Awolnation who lit up the stage at high noon. They are a group who shines in a huge venue. Other groups (Arctic Monkeys) seem to do better with a smaller venue.

Muse was great in a stadium and even their opener, Phantogram, shone in the arena. Panic at the Disco? Not so much. Justin Timberlake made a stadium feel like his living room.

So what bands do you love in a small v. big venue?

Best Bands in Concert: Big or Small Venue?