Friday, May 17, 2024
Greg AckermanPreview

Live music preview: Ghostland Observatory to kick off huge Halloween weekend at Carson Creek Ranch

One of Austin’s most successful independent bands, Ghostland Observatory has announced a Halloween performance at Carson Creek Ranch next week on October 31. The electronic music duo haven’t played their hometown often in the last year, notching their most recent shows during South by Southwest last March. The rare local appearance plus a spate of good weather bodes well for both music fans and the bucolic, laid-back ranch located near Austin Bergstrom International Airport which means it’s easy to get to from downtown. That’s a big plus on a weekend when multiple events in Austin translate to a log jam of traffic, people and dockless scooters scurrying around. For those who want to step away from that without driving far, this event is the ticket. 

In addition to Ghostland’s incredible set, the evening which will be hosted by local rapper Zeale, feature beats by DJ Chicken George and offer support from local upstarts, Fort Never. It’s a great lineup. The location is ideal. For the price, fans get a great experience. It’s anticipated a manageable crowd will attend rather than the hordes that flocked to Zilker Park for ACL Festival at the beginning of the month. Instead, music fans can end the month in style with one of Austin’s best acts.

                        
The tandem team of Aaron Behrens (guitar, vocals) and Thomas Ross Turner (electronic sounds and wizardry) produce a memorable sound that became the song of Summer in Texas in with 2007’s “Sad Sad City.” The track is still popular, universal even in it’s appeal. Then on the heels of nonstop touring, burnout and a lack of creative energy, the band decided to take a hiatus. The time away made the pair realize their pace of work was perhaps too much to take on.

After returning to the stage with See You Later, Simulator last year, the rejuvenated Ghostland sounded and looked better than ever with a new stage look, an evolution in sound and the same manic, intense energy coming from front man, Behrens.  It just felt right to watch the group perform at Bat Fest to debut the new material. Fans weren’t disappointed and the new show has only gotten better as evidenced at SXSW last March. The band’s Mohawk day show set was in front of a packed house. VIP and general admission tickets are available here.

Blackfinger Fall Fest poster
In addition to the Halloween show, Carson Creek Ranch has announced two successive shows on November 1 and 2. The former entitled Blackfinger Fall Fest features Brownout the now more popular side project of Grammy-winning local heroes, Grupo Fantasma. Their Brown Sabbath show featuring Alex Marrero on vocals is hugely popular. The lineup also includes Talking Heads cover band, Heartbyrne, Tomar and the FCs, Sly Stone, Eric Tessmer and Hector Ward and the Big Time. Tickets can be purchased for that event via Eventbrite on the show Facebook Event page.

Day of the Dead

On November 2 CCR is presenting a slate of jam band artists called Day of the Dead (get it?) headlined by popular Grateful Dead off-shoot, Circles Around the Sun. The group played Antone’s last time they visited to a sold out audience. The rest of the lineup is equally compelling. There’s an all-star jam with George Porter Jr, Steve Kimock, Papa Mali and Matt Hubbard, Nicki Bluhm and Deadeye along with Topaz from Golden Dawn Arkestra on the DJ decks as DJ Zapot. Check out details and grab tickets to that show here. All three events benefit Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM).

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