Austin City Limits Music Festival kicks off Friday in Austin, Texas. After steadily growing during the first nine years, the festival draws perhaps its biggest gauntlet of talent for its 10th anniversary.

There is nothing within driving distance quite like ACL — picture Norman Music Festival on steroids. Tens of thousands flock to Zilker Park, south of downtown Austin, to hear some of music’s biggest names. Though it’s built a reputation for drawing indie performers, there’s always a good variety of styles playing simultaneously on the festival’s stages.

But having a successful experience at ACL requires a little more than showing up ready to listen. There’s so much to hear crammed into three days, so you cannot be afraid to jump around. Staying for the whole set of one group usually causes you to miss some other great group nearby unless you happen to be seeing your favorite band ever.

Be sure to front-load your Friday to move around and be as busy as possible while you still have energy. Saturday will be a little slower — but more packed with people as typically the best-selling one-day pass day — to give you a chance to rest before closing strong on Sunday.

With 130 bands playing on eight stages throughout Zilker Park, it can be difficult to choose who to see until the headliners start in the evenings.

Below is a list of the bands I’m planning to see Friday.

Miniature Tigers

This indie pop group from Brooklyn brings the perfect upbeat sound to kick off your Friday morning.

Sounds like a mix of The Format and Neon Indian.

Time: 11:20 a.m to noon

Place: Austin Ventures Stage

Futurebirds

The band has a chill, southern-inspired indie sound perfect for dropping in on between sets.

Sounds like Band of Horses in its early years.

Time: 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Theophilus London

There’s more than just indie/underground stuff at ACL, like this guy’s electronic-driven rap dance beats.

Sounds like Kid Cudi.

Time: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

Reptar

If the name isn’t enough to sell you, the groups make-you-want-to-dance will make you forget the Texas heat.

Sounds like a mix of Animal Collective and Vampire Weekend.

Time: 1:20 to 2 p.m.

Place: Austin Ventures Stage

The Secret Sisters

This duo has an old-school country sound. Perfect for relaxing after jamming out earlier.

Sounds like Patsy Cline or June Carter.

Time: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Delta Spirit

This five-piece from California brings back 1960s protest tunes in a raw style.

Sounds like The Walkmen or Cold War Kids.

Time: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

Smith Westerns

Bring it back to indie with this power-pop group, one of the true highlights of Friday at ACL.

Sounds like The Raspberries.

Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Big Boi

This former member of OutKast not named Andre 3000 has been fairly successful during the band’s hiatus as a solo artist.

Sounds like Timbaland.

Time: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

Foster The People

Stop by the Honda Stage and see Cold War Kids (5:10 to 6:10 p.m.) on your way to see this group that burst onto the scene earlier this year at Austin’s South by Southwest Festival.

Sounds like MGMT, Passion Pit or Beach House.

Time: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Bright Eyes

This indie superstar group revolutionized the genre’s movement when we were young teens and can still bring it. Frontman Conor Oberst is one of the most genius musical minds of our time.

Sounds like Monsters of Folk, The Format or Jack’s Mannequin.

Time: 6:10 to 7:10 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

Pretty Lights

I’ll probably check out Sara Bareilles (of “Love Song“ fame) on the Austin Ventures Stage in the same time slot, but it’s hard to argue with Pretty Lights’ electro-driven dance sound as the sun starts to set on Day 1.

Sounds like Girl Talk.

Time: 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Coldplay

If you haven’t heard of the British pop group by now, you’re not from this planet. With a new album dropping soon, their show should be crazy good.

Sounds like Coldplay.

Time: 8:10 to 9:40 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

Kanye West

I’ll pass on “Clocks” and “Viva la Vida” encores to catch Kanye, whose career and style vastly has influenced music. Plus he just dropped a huge album with Jay-Z, “Watch the Throne,” if you didn’t know.

Sounds like Lil Wayne.

Time: 8:30 to 10 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

Saturday

Tyler Bryant

The 20-year-old moved to Nashville three years ago to make music and has brushed shoulders with Eric Clapton, Heart, Styx and renowned Led Zeppelin producer Kevin Shirley. So his country-rock fusion is pretty good.

Sounds like Eli Young Band.

Time: 11:15 a.m. to noon

Place: BMI Stage

The Antlers

The slow, astral style of this group has been sending ripples across the music scene this year. Grab some food and something to drink, then relax to The Antlers for a while.

Sounds like Neutral Milk Hotel.

Time: 12:30 to 1:15 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

Cowboy and Indian

This Austin-based group has a very traditional folk-rock style with a heavy emphasis on the folk. Plus, Jesse Plemons (Landry in “Friday Night Lights”) plays lead guitar. Clear eyes, full hearts.

Sounds like Crucifictorious. (Just kidding.)

Time: 1 to 1:40 p.m.

Place: Austin Ventures Stage

Young The Giant

This might be the first group all weekend I stay for the full set. This California group exploded on the scene late last year and is on the verge of being huge.

Sounds like a lot of different groups mixed together (Muse, The Killers, Coldplay, etc.).

Time: 2 to 3 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

City and Colour

Another stay-for-the-full-set performance. His often-sad songs always tell stories backed by his beautiful guitar style.

Sounds like Alexisonfire, Lydia or Manchester Orchestra.

Time: 3 to 4 p.m.

Place: Honda Stage

Iron & Wine

Any self-respecting hipster with a record player has no fewer than two Iron & Wine vinyls lying around the house. He’s truly one of the indie/underground culture’s underrated superstars.

Sounds like Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Bird or Bon Iver.

Time: 4 to 5 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

Skrillex

Dubstep at its finest, if there is such a thing.

Sounds like the inside of Pita Pit on Campus Corner.

Time: 5 to 6 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Cut Copy

You’ll probably hear Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You” blaring from the other side of the park, but you should check out this group’s experimental, unique sound.

Sounds like Animal Collective, The National.

Time: 6 to 7 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

TV On The Radio

Start here before it gets too crowded in anticipation for the festival’s biggest name, Stevie Wonder. You don’t want to miss TV On The Radio’s dark, electronic indie-rock sound.

Sounds like Panda Bear or Broken Social Scene.

Time: 7 to 8 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Chromeo

Jam out to this group’s inconic eletrofunk tunes for the last half of the hour, then you’re positioned on the stage next to Saturday’s co-headliner, making finding a spot much easier.

Sounds like Animal Collective or a funkier, tamer and far less lame version of 3OH!3.

Time: 7 to 8 p.m.

Place: Honda Stage

My Morning Jacket

This group made itself known as one of the best live bands by putting on spectacular shows at festivals around the country, and ACL should be no exception. Oh, and their music is great, too.

Sounds like Wilco or Blitzen Trapper.

Time: 8 to 9:30 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

Stevie Wonder

I shouldn’t have to encourage you to see Stevie — you should naturally want to. But if not, his 22 Grammy Awards — the most ever awarded to a male solo artist — should make you want to.

Sounds like Stevie Wonder.

Time: 8 to 10 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

SUNDAY

MilkDrive

Another fantastic Austin-based group kicks off the final day, and you won’t want to miss this bluegrass-folk-acoustic string band’s old-yet-new sound.

Sounds like Nickel Creek.

Time: 11:15 a.m. to noon

Place: BMI Stage

Yellow Ostrich

This three-piece group takes a minimalist approach to music, exploring ways of making music around the emptiness of pauses, before layering up to a full sound in most songs.

Sounds like Tame Impala or Vampire Weekend.

Time: 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Mariachi El Bronx

Relax with this group’s sound that makes you want to stretch out on a beach somewhere with a margarita.

Sounds like a mariachi band mixed with a SoCal punk band.

Time: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

Seth Walker

He exudes a long-forgotten, soulful style you’d expect to hear during the prom scene of “Back to the Future.” This guy can croon.

Sounds like a mix of Miles Davis and Ray Charles.

Time: 12:45 to 1:30 p.m.

Place: BMI Stage

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

The airy, subtly electronic sound of this Daytrotter-frequenting project pretty much embodies the definition of indie music.

Sounds like Panda Bear, Beach House or a tamer LCD Soundsystem.

Time: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Place: Honda Stage

The Head and The Heart

This group is has a quiet folk and throwback singer-songwriter style that’s easy to listen to.

Sounds like Horse Feathers.

Time: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

The Walkmen

The Norman Music Fest IV headliners put on a good show on Main Street, but the AMD Stage at ACL is about as big as Main Street. This will be a different kind of show.

Sounds like Deerhunter or White Denim.

Time: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Place: AMD Stage

The Airborne Toxic Event

The group has a very recognizable style with intertwined influences from the past and present. Indie rock at its finest.

Sounds like The National or White Rabbits.

Time: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

Chiddy Bang

This group hit it big last year with seamless mixing samples of indie powers like MGMT and Sufjan Stevens with rap lyrics and beats.

Sounds like Childish Gambino.

Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Broken Social Scene

Ambience abounds throughout this band’s music, which is instrumental-heavy and manicly on-edge. It relies on effects and complicated rhythms to drive its sound forward.

Sounds like Wolf Parade.

Time: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

Elbow

This group is the antithesis of their UK counterparts, Coldplay. Elbow has a much more raw, elemental feel compared to Chris Martin’s pop-powered alternative juggernaut.

Sounds like a mix of The Raconteurs and The Black Keys.

Time: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Fleet Foxes

If you’re feeling adventurous, try also to catch We Are Augustines in this same time slot, but I’ll be spending the whole hour with this unparalleled indie-folk group.

Sounds like Grizzly Bear or Bon Iver on folk-music steroids.

Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

Randy Newman

Did you love the song from Toy Story as a kid as much as I did? Don’t pass up this trip down memory lane with one of the industry’s most recognizable voices.

Sounds like the soundtracks from A Bug’s Life and Toy Story 1, 2 and 3.

Time: 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Place: Vista Equity Stage

Empire Of The Sun

You’ve probably heard their catchy tune, “We Are The People,” in TV commercials or your cool neighbor’s car. It’s time for you to join the fun.

Sounds like MGMT or The Rolling Stones on way more psychedelic drugs and drum-machine beats.

Time: 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Place: Google Plus Stage

Arcade Fire

Close out ACL with a bang. Arcade Fire solos the last hour and a half of the festival, so it’ll be packed, but when they play “Wake Up,” your head might explode from sheer awesome overload.

Sounds like everything that characterizes indie music wrapped into one sound.

Time: 8:30 to 10 p.m.

Place: Bud Light Stage

James Corley is a journalism senior and sports editor of The Daily. You can follow him on Twitter at @jamesfcorley.