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WORLD FAMOUS PETS (W2)
photo credit: Deanie Chen
World Famous Pets may be one of the least familiar names on the ACL lineup, but the musicians behind it need little introduction. The newly formed group brings together Edie Brickell on vocals, Matt Chamberlain on drums, Kaveh Rastegar on bass and Mason Stoops on guitar. Built around improvisation and instinct rather than a predetermined sound, the project will arrive at ACL shortly after the September release of their self-titled debut album. With only a small preview of the music currently available, World Famous Pets is also one of the festival’s most intriguing unknowns and anticipated acts.
Friday October 9, 2026
Time: 3:30p
Stage: Beatbox
👂First Impression:
Edie Brickell's vocals feel like home, especially for those who were fans of New Bohemians. It's a welcome, comfortable return but with the excitement of hearing her talent in a completely new setting.
▶ Start Here:
“I Guess It’s You” feels loose and conversational, with playful, observational lyrics that unfold like thoughts spoken out loud. That slightly offbeat quality brings Suzanne Vega to mind, while Edie Brickell’s warm, unmistakable delivery keeps the song entirely her own. The four musicians leave space for the song to develop naturally, allowing their chemistry and instinctive interplay to become the real payoff.
🎼What I Hear:
World Famous Pets sounds less interested in fitting neatly into folk, rock or Americana than in building a natural exchange between the musicians. Brickell’s relaxed phrasing sits lightly within the arrangement, while the rhythm section gives the song subtle movement beneath the surface. There is a hint of the warm guitar language associated with Jackson Browne, but the group’s personality comes from its restraint and willingness to let small musical details carry the track.
💿The Evolution:
The project began through the long musical connection between Brickell and Chamberlain, who first recorded and toured together more than 35 years ago during the Edie Brickell & New Bohemians era. After reconnecting musically, they brought Rastegar and Stoops into a short studio session with no rigid plan for what the group should become. That exploratory approach reportedly produced a full album, written and shaped collaboratively by all four members.
Their combined résumés explain why “supergroup” is an easy label to use. Chamberlain has worked across rock, pop and experimental music with artists including Fiona Apple, David Bowie and Tori Amos. Rastegar is a Grammy-nominated bassistand founding member of Kneebody, while Stoops has performed with artists including Jackson Browne, Mumford & Sons and Marcus Mumford. The more interesting story, however, is not the list of credits. It is what happens when musicians with that much experience enter a room without deciding in advance what they are supposed to sound like.
💠WAALT Take:
World Famous Pets is the rare ACL discovery where anticipation comes from how little we know. Most festival previews begin with a catalog of songs and past performances. This one begins with two tracks, a newly completed album and four musicians preparing to establish the band’s identity in real time. By the time they reach Zilker Park, their debut album will have been out for only two weeks and the group will still be in the earliest stretch of its live history.
That uncertainty is exactly what makes the set worth watching. The members have the skill to move beyond recreating the studio recordings note for note, while the project’s improvisational foundation suggests the songs may continue evolving as the band develops. This is not a legacy appearance built around one famous name. It is a genuine new beginning, and ACL audiences will get to witness it almost from the start. World Famous Pets may prove to be one of the festival’s most compelling surprises.
Listen Next: “Maybe Somehow”
The band’s first single offers another look at its fluid, exploratory approach and gives listeners a better sense of the chemistry developing around Brickell’s voice.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
September 23 /// Nashville, TN /// The Basement East
September 25 /// Asheville, NC /// Asheville Music Hall
September 27 /// Louisville, KY /// Bourbon & Beyond Festival
October 6 /// Dallas, TX /// Kessler Theater
October 9 /// Austin, TX /// Austin City Limits Music Festival
October 12 /// Los Angeles, CA /// The Troubadour
October 15 /// San Francisco, CA /// Bimbo’s
September 23 /// Nashville, TN /// The Basement East
September 25 /// Asheville, NC /// Asheville Music Hall
September 27 /// Louisville, KY /// Bourbon & Beyond Festival
October 6 /// Dallas, TX /// Kessler Theater
October 9 /// Austin, TX /// Austin City Limits Music Festival
October 12 /// Los Angeles, CA /// The Troubadour
October 15 /// San Francisco, CA /// Bimbo’s
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