Amy Corbin, head of C3 Presesnts’ concert division, has that down when discussing the lineup she booked for this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival. “Two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers,” she says of Paul McCartney and Metallica, but she’s quick to add: “And it’s a nice balance with Childish Gambino and Arctic Monkeys and Travis Scott and Odesza — there’s literally something for everybody.”
When pressed about McCartney, though, she admits that getting the legendary Beatle was an above-and-beyond coup. Would she call Sir Paul THE biggest act ever booked to play ACL Fest?
“I would,” Corbin replies, without hesitation. “I think even if you look at the ‘Austin City Limits’ television show and its legacy acts, I don’t know of any living musician that can beat Paul McCartney. It certainly is the biggest that we’ve ever booked.”
They’d been after McCartney for years, Corbin confirmed, but the odds went up after they hooked him in 2015 for Lollapalooza, the major Chicago festival that C3 also books. “That was our first, and it was great working with his team. They are the best in the business,” she said. “We knew he would be perfect for ACL.”
Since then, it’s just been a matter of waiting for the stars and schedules to line up. “It mainly comes down to timing,” she said. “Sometimes it takes years of continuing to put that bug in somebody’s ear, like, ‘Hey, we’re still here, we’re still interested.’ And it just so happened that this was our year that the magic happened.”
“I can’t wait to see him performing on that stage with the city skyline in the background,” Corbin said. “And just (playing) hit after hit after hit after hit. It’s going to be special.”