The Cosmic Clash

Live music review: Flagman brought deep fried alt metal to Lost Well

July 18, 2026 Case Cockrell 151 Views alt metal, Austin, concert, Flagman, live music, metal fusion, Mr. Bungle, Primus, prog metal, Review, slap-bass, The Lost Well

Seattle-by-way-of-Orlando trio Flagman made their way south this summer to deliver their slap-bass mayhem to Austin metal stronghold Lost Well on July 16 – the second stop on their summer tour to spread their self-proclaimed brand of “deep-fried alt-metal.” Formed in 2015 around frontman and bass virtuoso Sam Stewart, the band has rotated through members over the years while keeping the bassist as the focal point of their roadshow. Since the dawn of the doomscroll era, artists and brands alike have been riding the algorithm to rack up streams and hopefully, enough chump change for Denny’s on the road. If you’re a Primus guy or a Mr. Bungle kind of weirdo, this band is for you.

Premiere Song Troy Gonzales

Song Premiere: Austin heavy psych duo Floating Cube introduces single Canyon

July 17, 2026 Troy Gonzales 222 Views 13th Floor, album release, Billie Buck, Canyon, Corme, doom metal, Floating Cube, hard rock, Hot Summer Nights, Hotel Vegas, jazz, psych-rock, Queen Serene, Sailor Poon, single release, song premiere, stoner rock, surf rock

One of Austin‘s hottest new bands, heavy psych duo, Floating Cube, is set to release their debut self titled EP on July 25 and has asked The Cosmic Clash to preview the first single, “Canyon” ahead of the song’s official release on July 18 at their upcoming show at The 13th Floor during the annual Hot Summer Nights which offers free cover at multiple Red River venues all weekend.

annabellecharilegs4 APF 2026 Drew Doggett

Case Cockrell Live Music Review

Live music preview: Hot Summer Nights promises Austin music discovery this weekend

July 14, 2026 Case Cockrell 411 Views 13th Floor, Almost Heaven, Annabelle Chairlegs, Austin Music, Bat Lips, Broken Gold, Bruce, Chess Club, Commercial Breaks, Creeping Death, death metal, dream pop, Gran Moreno, hardcore, Hot Summer Nights, Jet Cemetery, Lauren Lakis, live music, metal, mohawk, Mugger, Parker Woodland, preview, psych-rock, punk rock, Queen Serene, Red River Cultural District, Redbud, rock n roll, RRCD, shoegaze, Sodomy Cop, Stubb's, Subpar Snatch, Swan Dive, vahalla, Witches Exist

The annual Hot Summer Nights in the Red River Cultural District of Austin is a RRCD-sponsored event that features hundreds

Corrosion of Conformity 8 Far Out Lounge Justin Clark

Case Cockrell Live Music Review

Live music review: Metal veterans Corrosion of Conformity rocked Far Out Lounge

July 12, 2026 Case Cockrell 363 Views concert, Corrosion of Conformity, Crobot, Far Out Lounge, heavy metal, live music, metal music, Review, rock n roll, Whores

It’s July in Texas. means it dsis a season of hiding inside until the deadly laser we call the sun disappears before even remotely considering an outdoor venture. Outdoor shows in Austin are a tall order, but for the return of North Carolina metal veterans Corrosion of Conformity, exceptions can be made. The Raleigh heavy-hitters made their way to South Austin on July 8 at The Far Out Lounge & Stage to deliver a career-spanning set, backed by an opening bill that paved the way in furious fashion. During an usually slow season for live music, both older heads and the young ones made their way to the homegrown Austin backyard for some metal riffs on a sweaty Wednesday night.

Live Music Review Robert Dean

Live music review: Lisbon shared Fado, Patrick Sweany and incredible food

July 7, 2026 Robert Dean 639 Views BLues, concert, culture, Fado, food, Lisbon, live music, Patrick Sweany, Portugal, Review, singer, song, travel

Lisbon, Portugal, is a complex, strange place. It’s somewhere else — a city of hills that murder your legs and drug dealers on every tourist block asking if you want to buy a bag of blow, and then, around the corner, the most amazing views and pastel de nata bubbling out of half the storefronts. The city moves uphill, so by nature it forces you to slow down, to stop, to have a drink, to think, to make your people wait just a moment. The food is incredible and the Portuguese are charming. After my first rip into a bifana pork sandwich among chattering locals who yelled for more beers, Add magical Fado performances and an unexpected Patrick Sweany gig and I realized Lisbon was a place I’d think about for the rest of my life.

Case Cockrell Live Music Review

Live music review: Billy Strings returned to stage for Austin City Limits TV taping

July 6, 2026 Case Cockrell 905 Views ACL TV, Austin City Limits, Billy Strings, bluegrass, concert, flatpicking, folk rock, guitar, jam band, live music, Review, shredder, TV taping

Flat-picking mega star Billy Strings returned to the stage for his first full-band gig since April after busting his leg doing an ill-fated skateboard trick backstage at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. After an unintentional break, Strings and his associates returned to ACL Live for Season 52 of Austin City Limits TV. For each consecutive season of the long-running PBS program, there is a show or two that sees high demand, with tons of hopeful fans waiting in line hoping to get a spot for the coveted performances. This was one of those tapings, as Billy’s return has been highly anticipated after a slew of cancellations following the injury in the spring. Despite arriving onstage on crutches and having not played a show in several months, things got right back to business for one of the most revered guitarists making his way around the touring circuit.

Greg Ackerman Live Music Preview

Live music preview: Stoner metal act Bong Wizard comes to Aces High Saloon Wednesday

June 29, 2026 Greg Ackerman 792 Views Ace's High Saloon, Bong Wizard, doom metal, GRGL, hard rock, live music, new music, preview, Simian, stoner metal, stoner rock, Transylvanian Munchies

This Wednesday, July 1, Houston stoner metal act Bong Wizard comes to Salt Lake City metal haven Ace’s High Saloon. The power trio will bring new music from their latest, Transylvanian Munchies which was just released four days ago. The group is essentially a parody band, taking black metal classics and making them their own with sludgy, doom metal treatments to the songs. The thing is, despite Bong Wizard’s irreverence, their music is perfect for fans of crushing, downtrend riffs. Tickets for their show with Simian and GRGL are available directly from Ace’s website.

Premiere Song Troy Gonzales

Exclusive – Song Premiere: Wild Heaven single Dust In The Night Sky officially drops June 26

June 23, 2026 Troy Gonzales 550 Views Andi LaGrone, Asa Pollack, Austin, Blake Bowles, Laura Blewitt, new music, post-punk, premiere, psych-rock, shoegaze, Single, Wild Heaven

With extreme pleasure The Cosmic Clash has been asked and accepted to premiere and review the new single from Austin psychgaze act Wild Heaven, which is set to be released on June 26. It’s the first single from their upcoming sophomore album due in 2027 and the first to include their new guitarist Blake Bowles. The song is produced by Matt Parmenter and recorded at his Ice Cream Factory Studio.

Greg Ackerman Live Music Review

Live music review: Shakey Graves headlined Utah Arts Fest Saturday with a huge crowd

June 23, 2026 Greg Ackerman 589 Views Americana, concert, cultural arts, folk, live music, Review, rock n roll, Salt Lake City, Shakey Graves, UAF, Utah Arts Festival

On the 50th Anniversary of Utah Arts Festival, Salt Lake City’s premier annual arts event chose to host Austin folk-Americana artist, Shakey Graves on Saturday, June 21 on the street adjacent to Library Square in the downtown civic center area. As huge fans of Graves’ since his return to Austin from Los Angeles where he was pursuing an acting career we’ve seen his steady ascent in music.

Album Becky Rodriguez Review

Album Review: Austin’s Paper Sister release dreamy and punchy Quiet Betrayals EP

June 16, 2026 Becky Rodriguez 488 Views album review, Austin Music, Camille Jackson, dream pop, indie rock, Kim Gordon, new music, Paper Sister, PJ Harvey, Quiet Betrayals, shoegaze

The new record, Quiet Betrayals is the first EP release by the four-piece band from Austin, Paper Sister. Combining elements of shoegaze and post-punk, dream pop, and indie alt rock, the 6-track EP highlights selected singles over the past couple years, with some releases as recent as April of this year. The dreamy and punchy EP featured a release party presented by 101X Homegrown Live at The 13th Floor on May 29 with French Film, Feedr, and Variety to celebrate the group’s new recording.

The DLC stage courtesy of Concert Archives

Greg Ackerman Live Music Preview

Live music preview: Five bands to see at The DLC’s first Pogo Fest

June 15, 2026 Greg Ackerman 803 Views Backhand, Bonethrowers, Boyfriend Sushi Town, Fiig, folk rock, live music, music festival, Pogo Fest, post-punk, preview, psych-rock, punk rock, rock n roll, Salt Lake City, SLC, The DLC, The Gontiks

One of the cooler spots to check out live music in Salt Lake City is The DLC, a small-capacity live music venue situated inside Quarters Arcade Bar downtown in the heart of SLC’s nascent live music corridor. The room is intimate, cool and you can battle your homie at Mortal Kombat after the show. This Saturday, June 20 the venue is hosting their first ever Pogo Fest to highlight the great psych-rock and similar acts the venue is booking. Aside from The DLC the area includes venues; International Artists Bar, and SLC Pub . Those locations along with a an outdoor stage at Exchange Place will serve as the four stages for Pogo Fest which is highlighting psych-rock and psych adjacent acts from Salt Lake City for the most part. We picked out five bands to see from the 20-plus artists line-up for SLC concertgoers. The mini-fest is an ideal way for local fans to get to know some of the better up and coming acts playing the growing Salt Lake music scene. Advance tickets are available via 24 Tix.

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