Live music review: Author & Punisher delivered relentless spectacle to Far Out Lounge crowd
The industrial hardcore underground thundered into Austin on Sunday March 8, bringing a stacked bill to South Austin’s The Far Out Lounge and Stage showcasing some of the genre’s heaviest and strangest acts. Author & Punisher, the project of San Diego’s Tristan Shone, employs custom “drone” and “dub” machines. Formerly a solo act, Shone now collaborates with guitarist Doug Sabolick (A Life Once Lost, Ecstatic Vision). With a table of unique contraptions, Author & Punisher delivered a relentless spectacle to a Sunday night crowd.
Opening the show came with industrial noise outfit Black Magnet. Being the only “full band” setup for the evening, the Oklahoma City-bred outfit brought glory to their homeland, which is also home to rising noise rockers, Chat Pile. With it being the Sunday before SXSW, the crowd appeared to be sitting at the tables and chairs surrounding Far Out Lounge’s small stage, not yet ready to get close to the action until the later evening hours. Black Magnet released their latest studio album, Megamantra, in 2025, adding to their noisy arsenal and making them a worthy band to watch as their relentless output grows.
Portland’s King Yosef took the stage as rain started to pour down in South Austin, but the weather didn’t stop the Pacific Northwest-bred industrial hardcore trio. Although he’s from a region known for its rainy weather, the frontman, who indeed performs under the stage name “King Yosef,” admitted he had never played an outdoor show when it was raining. A bit of a shocking revelation, he continued on with the bombastic set with enthusiasm for the Sunday night show that brought the weirdos out for the end-of-weekend special.
King Yosef recently released his latest LP, Spire Of Fear, with production work from Converge’s Kurt Ballou. A punishing expedition with maximum fury, Yosef and his accompanying musicians amplify the tracks with studio-perfect intensity, prompting the crowd to march around the front of the stage as the rainstorm peaked during the opening set.
Author & Punisher took the stage in their duo formation, ready to entrance the audience with their crushing brand of industrial maximalism. With the release of latest LP, Nocturnal Birding, the “All parts included” ethos of the Tristan Shone creation keeps sounding fuller and more complete with every live appearance. Joined by guitarist Sabolick, the seamless performance commenced with volatile, mad scientist alchemy. The onslaught churned out a large batch from the Birding album, along with selections from their prolific career that’s over two decades in the making.
A surprise entry came in the form of a Portishead cover, “Glory Box,” a worthy selection that paid homage to the English trip-hop and electronic innovators. When the clock reached the dreaded 10:30 p.m. curfew, Shone opted to merely turn down the volume to “legal” levels and concoct one more tune for the cheering audience. For the underground diehards, this one was a true treat.
Author & Punisher tours Europe this Spring and Summer. Tickets are available on the band’s website.
All photos by Justin Clark
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