Music festival preview: Austin Psych Fest reveals Levitation 2015 lineup

Austin Psych Fest marked the rebranding of the eighth annual event as Levitation 2015 by revealing a stellar lineup today. Flaming Lips, Spiritualized, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Tame Impala and festival founders, The Black Angels top the list of bands announced. The renaming comes as the festival welcomes new partners, Transmission Events, the same people who produce Fun Fun Fun Fest. The festival takes place... Continue reading at Axs.com

Live music preview: Utah indie rockers Desert Noises return to Stubb's Friday

Last March during South by Southwest we were invited to the Do512 Lounge to watch a few bands the entertainment site invited to perform. One of those bands, Desert Noises was so impressive for a young, unknown group we struggled to get them out of our head after the show. Fortunately, we never did get that foursome out of our head and we watched the indie rockers from Orem, Utah twice more after seeing them at SXSW. On Friday lead singer and songwriter, Kyle Henderson and company return to Stubb's BBQ to play on the inside stage.

We asked Henderson why the band likes playing Austin. He replied... Continue reading at Axs.com

Live music review: Night Beats return to Austin for mind blowing Sound Select gig

This past Saturday at Hotel Vegas, Seattle trio Night Beats packed Red Bull's Soundselect show. The group plays an amalgam of psych, blues and garage rock that has attracted a legion of fans since they performed at Austin Psych Festival in 2013. Red Bull's monthly event is hosted at various Austin live music venues and typically features a stellar local lineup. The undercard had two Austin bands on it, Sea Lion and Mirror Travel. Headliner, Night Beats was the sole ...Continue reading at Examiner.com

Video premiere: my education final video from 5 Popes reissue released today

Austin post-rock act my education has released the final video from their 5 Popes reissue that dropped in February on Beat Imprint Records. The entire album was remastered for the re-release. The video was made for the song, "Deep Cut" which originally was released in 2004 on Thirty Ghosts Records. The live band footage which features original members from the roster when the album was made was shot by former Austin Chronicle film critic... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: Supergroup Spanish Gold sold-out The Parish Thursday

Last Thursday night one of the hottest new bands of the year,Spanish Gold sold-out their first show of their debut tour. The supergroup featuring Patrick Hallahan of My Morning Jacket, local guitarist and producer, Adrian Quesada (Brownout, Grupo Fantasma) and San Antonio musician Dante Schwebel (City and Color, Hacienda) have been getting buzz since debuting at SXSW last March. It was a sort of homecoming for the band who has been touring with Austin artists... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Interview: Sound Mass - my education and Theta Naught to play rare Austin gig

Readers of this column may be aware of our love of progressive, experimental or post rock music. Genre labels aside, what we like is fantastic, orchestrated music that steps outside the boundaries of traditional musical forms. When it is done right it sounds like the music Austin act, my education and Utah's Theta Naught make together with their Sound Mass project. The group will... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: The Flaming Lips saved best for last at X Games Austin

After four days of live music along with incredible extreme sports feats at the first X Games held in Austin the Flaming Lips (TFL) closed out the event Sunday in style at the Austin360 Amphitheater. The Tulsa-based psych-rockers played a satisfying 90-minute set complete with confetti cannons, giant mushrooms and acid-induced visuals on a giant screen behind the band. The show was easily the best headlining performance of the weekend. Kanye may have... Continue reading at axs.com

Live music review: Desert Noises rocked Stubb's BBQ after return to Austin

Last Friday Utah buzz band Desert Noises returned to Austin in support of their latest album, "27 Ways" at Stubb's BBQ. The foursome played an official showcase and several more appearances during SXSW in March. After we caught them at the Do512 Lounge playing their fusion of psych-rock, blues, folk and alt-country we were hooked. Friday's performance... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: Austin Psych Fest 2014 Black Angels, Dandy Warhols, Temples

In the seventh year of the event, Austin Psych Fest has hit its stride. The music festival attracts fans and bands from all over the world. After rotating to a new venue each year since 2008, APF appears to have found a home in Carson Creek Ranch located minutes from Austin-Bergstrom Airport after returning to the location for a second consecutive year. Not only has the festival found a perfect home, the carefully curated roster of acts this year was stellar.

It is hard to decide which set stood out most, the intensity of post-rockers... Continue reading at Examiner.com

5 must see acts at the 2014 Austin Psych Festival

When Austin music festivals come up in conversation most folks want to talk about South by Southwest (SXSW) or Austin City Limits Music Festival and that is expected. But one of our favorite local music festivals is the internationally attended Austin Psych Festival. The festival fits the River City because psych-rock has roots here in the early days of the genre when Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators released "The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators."

Last year Erickson was invited back to the festival to perform. This year may be the best lineup yet for this young festival located just outside downtown at Carson Creek Ranch with bands like... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: White Denim are ready to be Austin's next big thing

Austin writers have a penchant for prematurely announcing the "next big thing" in regards to local bands, however, there is nothing premature in claiming White Denim is an act that is going places. We knew it from the first time we saw the band several years ago at the old Emo's downtown. Last Thursday the band displayed a maturity in their live performance at Stubb's BBQ that indicated theJames Petralli-led group has already jumped from buzz act to national recognition. The jammy, psych-rock infused set the foursome played featured almost no... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Weekend music preview: Casual Strangers, HAAM Chili Cook-off, Shakey Graves

This weekend is shaping up to be another great one for local live music in Austin. We realize the weather has been cold in Central Texas this week but Saturday forecasters predict a high of 72 degrees. Friday night The Boxing Lesson side project, Casual Strangers play the Mohawk. Music fans can warm up even more Saturday by sampling spicy goodness at the HAAM benefit chili cook-off which will feature music by... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: Fun Fun Fun Fest Day 3: MGMT, Jurassic 5, Bonobo, The Polyphonic Spree, Cayucas

The final day of Fun Fun Fun Fest at Auditorium Shores in Austin on Sunday found us weary but willing. Our photographer, Emily Lim was excited about Cayucas from Los Angeles performing an early set and made to the venue in time to grab a few choice shots. She hung around for the joyous romp that is The Polyphonic Spree, a large, symphonic band that wears matching choir robes as if they were participating in a church service. We made sure to... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: Portugal. The Man jammed out at debut ACL TV taping

While heavy storms drenched an already soggy Austin with up to nine inches of rain last night, Portugal. The Man was busy recording their debut Austin City Limits TV (ACL TV) taping in front of an enthusiastic studio audience. The quintet from Portland played a psych-rock heavy, 13-song set that drew heavily from their acclaimed latest album, "Evil Friends" produced by Danger Mouse. The band set the tone for the evening with opening song... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: The Black Angels overdue debut Austin City Limits TV taping

Alex Maas and Christian Bland of The Black Angels    Photo: Emily Lim

There are a lot of folks who think what put Austin on the live music map is the Texas Blues sound made famous by artists likeStevie Ray Vaughn, Steve Earle and Jerry Jeff Walker in the 70s and 80s. In reality, the psych rock movement led byRoky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators came first and was nationally prominent both in Central Texas and the West Coast. This is why Austin psychedelic rock revivalists, The Black Angels' invitation to record an Austin City Limits TV (ACL TV) episode was... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: My Bloody Valentine drops noise bomb on Austin Music Hall

Friday evening UK shoegaze pioneers My Bloody Valentine took the stage at Austin Music Hall in support of their first studio effort in 25 years. Solo act, New Fumes opened the show. As expected, Kevin Shields and his band played one of the loudest shows in Austin since UK band, Mogwai played Stubb's a few years ago. The band, in effect, dropped a... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music preview: The Boxing Lesson to celebrate release of new album Thursday

One of our favorite local acts, The Boxing Lesson (TBL) are set to celebrate today's release of their long-awaited new album, "Big Hits" on Thursday at The Mohawk. It has actually been five years since Paul Waclawsky and Jaylinn Davidson who make up two thirds of this amazing indie, psych-rock band, put out a full-length album. There have been obstacles along the way like losing their drummer to a drug bust, Paul getting injured in a car accident and an amicable split with their manager. Being the positive people they are, Paul and Jaylinn smiled and soldiered on with the help of ... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music preview: 5 bands you should watch at Austin Psych Fest

The 6th Austin Psych Fest (APF) begins Friday at Carson Creek Ranch located near downtown this weekend. Curators, The Black Angels will play on Sunday as will re-formed Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) band, The Moving Sidewalks who will perform for only the second time in over 40 years. Other notable performances on the schedule include... Continue reading at Examiner.com