Festival review: Second Saturnalia Festival gets mixed weather, lots of psychedelic music
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”24″ display=”basic_slideshow”]
The second Saturnalia Festival took place last weekend at The Sahara Lounge and neighboring Webberville Baptist Church featuring a litany of local and national psych-rock acts. Hosted by leader of Golden Dawn Arkestra, Topaz Mcgarrigle and owners of The Electric Church, the fledgling small-format music festival once again featured visuals and lights by Bob Mustacio (The Black Angels) and Ether Wave Light Show. A combination of projection visuals and old-school, transparency film projectors provided a swirling, mind-bending background to The Octopus Project, Mystic Braves (Los Angeles), Lumerians, Lowin, Hidden Ritual and Kiko Villamizar (Colombia) among others.
The heavy slant towards local acts was welcome in lieu of traditional fall festivals like Fun Fun Fun Fest and Sound On Sound Festival. Friday and Saturday’s weather was ideal, with temperatures in the 70s and sunny. Sunday was a different story as a cold front moved into the region, bringing some rain and cooler temperatures. Despite that fact, plenty of fans came out to enjoy the final day of the festival.
Saturday, Kiko Villamizar may have been the most surprising performance. The Miami-to-Colombia artist played on the revamped sound system at Sahara Lounge, garnering quite an audience in the tiny venue. The Cumbia-Inspired performer played following The Octopus Project, a last-minute addition to the lineup when Mexican group Sonido Gallo Negro did not have their travel visas approved in time. The electro-punk outfit used the same set design with modified A/C outlet masks as Jack O’Lanterns worn over their faces to start the performance.
One of Austin’s hardest-working bands, The Octopus Project design and map their own projections that are triggered by drums they play during the tracks. The added visual aspect is a clue to their beginnings as University of Texas film students who detoured to music shortly after college. In fact, the foursome has won a Sundance Film Festival award for their score to the film, “Kimiko, the Treasure Hunter.”
What’s great about Austin’s answer to LCD Soundsystem is the musicians’ versatility. At some point during the performance all four members play all the different instruments with the exception of Yvonne Lambert who is the only member proficient at the theremin. Watching Lambert perform is its own special treat. Her hair coifed in a period flip-style that fits her aesthetic to a T. While we love Octopus Project standard, “Truck,” the group has grown creatively from that relatively simple track that features a carnival-like keyboard riff. Coupled with visuals crafted just for the song, the presentation packs a significant punch. It is precisely that level of attention to detail that sets The Octopus Project apart from other acts. They’re supremely confident in their artistic goals.
Golden Dawn Arkestra‘s strength is in the pure amount of talent on a single stage. Cast in the vein of Sun Ra Orchestra, Golden Dawn wear elaborate costumes and masks along with professional dancers, confetti bombs and plenty of audience interaction. Bandleader, Topaz is known to leave the stage and wander into the crowd during performances. The group has also led a conga line into a venue to start the show. Theatrics like that are what gets fans to notice GDA. The music they play keeps fans engaged. Comprised of members of Black Joe Lewis, Hard Proof, Lowin, Mien and more, they’re a formidable collective of players.
Sunday’s Saturnalia lineup included the costumed Lumerians on the main stage. The psychedelic-electronic wizards (they actually dress like sequined wizards), put on a fantastic, wall-of-sound performance as the sun set on East Austin. Following that performance, Lowin played Sahara, rocking out the hippie vibes at the venerable club. The Austin rockers creative evolution hinges on the whims of Sara Houser Wilkins who isn’t afraid to explore new musical elements. We love that about Lowin.
After another stellar set in the cold by Los Angeles’ Mystic Braves who sound more like a “traditional” psych-rock band, we scurried inside to catch locals, Hidden Ritual led by award-winning, local poster artist Jaime Zuverza. The foursome turned in a strong performance, keeping the now crowded Sahara room engaged in the music when most folks were at home preparing for the short Thanksgiving work week. Zuverza’s quartet plays a unique blend of psych-rock and exploratory jazz, eliciting some interesting reactions from listeners. Now that we think about it, their moniker suits well. Saturnalia Festival may have humble beginnings but expect good things from this event going forward.
