Live music review: Levitation Halloween Freakend day two got weird
The second day of Levitation‘s Halloween Freakend at the Far Out Lounge & Stage showcased the more experimental side of the current indie music landscape, marking the third installment of Austin festival programming in 2025. With the Rob Fitzpatrick and The Black Angels-run music celebration entering its second decade, the Halloween two-day mini fest served as an optimal finale to a year of buzzing amps, underground artists, and legacy acts. Following a long-awaited headlining performance from Swedish dance punk stars Viagra Boys on Halloween night, the second day tapped into something a little different for the music fans who scour the internet for the weird and nothing but.
Austin post hardcore outfit Porcelain kicked things off on the main stage after a lengthy rain delay, dressed in unique costumes to commemorate the Halloween occasion. The abrasiveness of the local act packs a dissonant, searing punch, with effects pedal-laden walls of sound that result in ear-piercing, monstrous catharsis. The release of their self-titled LP made waves in the music underground, a body of work that propelled the quartet into a scene favorite and incited extended tours and bills with Chat Pile, Agriculture, and Unwound. Singer and guitarist Steve Pike takes the microphone with palpable intensity, a quality that aligns with his cemented Austin status as the frontman of previous project, Exhalants. Other member crossover in Porcelain includes Austin heavy-hitters TV’s Daniel and Dregs.
Rising duo Haha Laughing took the stage next, one that has become a staying presence in the city’s music sphere with their confrontational brand of experimental rap mixed with hardcore. Co-vocalists Jay Dilick and Aby Oviedo captivate as the unrelenting force they are since crashing onto the scene in 2023, both wearing oversized, signature coats, backed by electronics and a drum set. An approach minimalistic but deafeningly effective, the bludgeoning beats and in-your-face vocals make for a crowd-participatory throwdown. The rain started to come down hard during their early evening set, making things right on par with the adderall-fueled nature of each setlist offering. With multiple releases already on their workaholic resume, the Hahas are looking to have a popularity upswing in their sights in no time.
New York City’s Lip Critic has been on a nonstop tear since the release of their debut LP Hex Dealer, bringing a handful of Austin stops, including an epic stint at SXSW 2024, ahead of their Levitation appearance. For the uninitiated, the East Coast band formed in college in 2018 with one thing on the dome: onstage vengeance. They come with two drummers, a gauntlet of synthesizers, and an aggressive vocal delivery that abstract hip hop fans would find diehard fandom. With this being an appearance at Far Out’s side stage, the area proved packed full of LC enthusiasts ready to mosh and crowdsurf their way through the electronic punks’ set. For the music nerds who have been following them since their EP days, this felt like a culmination of their efforts for a band that has been hitting the road nonstop since their formation.
Providence noise rock legends Lightning Bolt took the semi-headlining reins, an onrush that feels right at home for a long-tenured musical collective that plays Austin regularly, likely based on their love for the live music capital. Drummer Brian Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson create a raucous wall of sound with their compositions, a foundational figure in the universe of jarring, noisy rock. It’s all about Lightning Bolt, Swans, and The Jesus Lizard.
Based on their soundcheck earlier in the day and requests from the venue sound team to dial things down to avoid blowing the PA, this excursion came with a promise of high decibel-induced brutality. If it’s one of Osees’ John Dwyer’s favorite groups, they’re worthy of high praise of any kind.
A headlining appearance from Long Island digital hardcore trio Machine Girl has been a coveted Austin booking since taking an opening slot for Los Angeles hyperpop sensation 100 Gecs in 2023 that generated a headlining appearance at Emo’s just over a year later. Since forming in 2012 and maintaining a prolific streak since, the fanbase of the NY ensemble has only continued to grow as both a DIY project and a road warrior experience. Sole original member and founder Matt Stephenson has proven to be a production powerhouse, taking a front seat with his bandleader expertise between his shouted vocals and sputtering electronics that dig into the likes of Death Grips and Atari Teenage Riot.
2025 marked the release of Machine Girl’s seventh studio effort, PsychoWarrior: MG Ultra X, a continuation of their flammable onslaught of computerized mayhem. Stepenson’s crowd interaction didn’t let up through the headlining slot, showing the frontman jumping into the crowd during the first cut resulting in the stage barricade giving way and almost breaking before venue security secured it for the next crowd frenzy. There’s a lot of crazy shit happening in the world right now, and a frantic, nonsensical purging of pent-up, frustrated emotions feels necessary no matter how unchecked it might be. When the clock struck midnight, another Levitation adventure came to close and satisfied the underground music label and festival’s fans until next time.
The next Levitation event, Austin Psych Fest will return to the Far Out Lounge & Stage in 2026, running May 8 – 10, with the Levitation Festival returning in the Fall. Early tickets for the Spring edition are on sale now via the Levitation website.
All photos by Troy Gonzales
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