Our fair city is home to a wide variety of exceptional live music. On any given night, to quote Hunter S. Thompson, “You can strike sparks anywhere.” And while there will be tons of exceptional tunes flowing through Austin this weekend, I’ve decided to dedicate my weekend picks to Levitation Fest. A four-day celebration of all that’s good and trippy in local music, this off-center festival has something for everybody. Dig the festival and–as always–listen local!
Friday, April 27
Matthew Logan Vasquez w/A. Sinclair, Batty Jr
@ Hotel Vegas (1502 E. 6th St.) – Doors/DJ set 7 p.m. – Music 10 p.m. – Tickets
If your aim is to have an eclectic Levitation Fest, Hotel Vegas’ Friday lineup is sure to fit the bill. A. Sinclair’s psychedelic coated guitar rock kicks off the festivities, while headliner Matthew Logan Vasquez follows with an infectious blend of funk, fuzz, and old-fashioned rock and roll growl. And do not miss Batty Jr. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it once more. Batty Jr’s understated, moody, and slyly sexy Lou Reed groove enters your ear, and takes permanent residence in your brain. Worth staying up late for!
Saturday, April 28
Octopus Project, Soundfounder, Butcher Bear, Dan Deacon
@ Empire Control Room (606 E. 7th St.) – Doors 8 p.m. – Music 8:30 p.m. – Tickets
Electronic done wrong can be an audio cheese grater of sharp synth, tired back beats, and production so standard it feels like a Garageband default. Done right, it’s this entire set. From the beautifully melodic electro-jam of Octopus Project, to Butcher Bear’s scattershot yet infectious electronica, this set is packed to the walls with entrancing, mind-expanding synth and style. And while he’s not local, stick around for Dan Deacon. Seriously, just do it!
Sunday, April 29
Alex Maas of The Black Angels delivers a fantastic set of psychedelic rock (Credit: John Cabuena)
The Black Angels w/Annabelle Chairlegs, Rishi Dhir, The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Stubb’s BBQ (801 Red River St.) – Doors 4 p.m. – Music 5:30 p.m. – Tickets
How could I not give love to the band who started it all? Levitation Fest founders and local legends The Black Angels will be closing out Stubb’s in fine style. Dripping with tense groove, wicked rhythm, and more space and shimmer than an episode of The Jetsons, these OG psych heads are responsible for my newfound appreciation of the genre. Book-ending the headliner are the ’60s-era head music experts of Annabelle Chairlegs. Retro psycha-soul sung with power, grace, and stunning beauty, this has become a must-see band.
@BillTuckerTSP wants to know:
Which Levitation Fest set are you most excited about?
Leave a Reply