Tuesday, June 17, 2025
The Cosmic Clash

Author: Greg Ackerman

Fleet Foxes Pecnold
Drew DoggettReview

Live music review: Fleet Foxes brought fireworks to Moody Amp 4th of July weekend

Greg Ackerman 1091 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

Seattle’s Fleet Foxes debut received similar lazy comparisons to Crosby, Stills & Nash and Simon and Garfunkel reincarnate. While it’s great company, the band has routinely broken the mold in each album cycle, challenging themselves to push the outer edges of their competence and confidence. On July 3 at Moody Amphitheater, they demonstrated why harmony-rich folk-rock can be sophisticated and breathtaking.

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Kraftwerk at ACL Live
Greg AckermanReview

Live music review: Electronic music trailblazers Kraftwerk presented in 3D at ACL Live

Greg Ackerman 1517 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

German electronic music trailblazers Kraftwerk played ACL Live at the Moody Theater on Monday presenting in 3D during a performance that ran through the group’s entire catalog. During a rare (for this Summer) thunderstorm that brought bolts of lighting from the sky, the quartet delivered a sonic and visual experience that exists to present their groundbreaking music in the most ideal setting possible.

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LEVITATION-2022-lineup cropped landscape
Greg AckermanPreview

Live music preview: LEVITATION Fest 2022 lineup features King Gizzard, Osees and more

Greg Ackerman 786 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Today LEVITATION dropped a doozy of a lineup and put tickets on sale for the festival which takes place October 27-30 in various downtown Austin venues featuring headlining sets from King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Osees and Jesus and Mary Chain. Cosmic Clash favorite, Osees (formerly Thee Ohsees) is playing all four nights of the festival, which is music to our ears.

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Caramelo Haze
Greg AckermanReview

Album review: New project, Caramelo Haze dropped NOESTÁSAQUI last Friday

Greg Ackerman 1076 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Music fans in Austin know to keep track of what Grammy-winning and multi-Grammy nominated Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas, Spanish Gold, Grupo Fantasma) is doing because d’uh! It also pays to track his bandmates. Musicians Beto Martinez (guitar) and John Spiece (drums) also have Grammys at home as founding members of Grupo. They also have a new project called Caramelo Haze who dropped their debut album last Friday on Nacional Records called NOESTÁSAQUI. We’ll let the band tell you what it is…

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Ty Segall and his Freedom Band
Drew DoggettReview

Live music review: Ty Segall Shows No Signs of Slowing Down with Return to Mohawk

Greg Ackerman 1439 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Ty Segall and his Freedom Band, which includes Mikal Cronin on bass, Charlie Moothart on drums, and Emmett Kelly on guitar, took the stage at Mohawk June 18 to a sold out crowd. It was Segall’s second show at Mohawk in just the past three months and his third since last October’s Levitation festival, both times playing drums for the trio Fuzz. 

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Calexico
Greg AckermanReview

Live music review: Calexico played memorable performance at Scoot Inn Wednesday

Greg Ackerman 1769 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Tuscon’s Calexico is a hard to define band. And that’s a good thing as the 26-year old outfit made a stop in Austin Wednesday night at Scoot Inn for an eclectic and thoroughly enjoyable performance from the veteran performers who merge Latin music, indie rock, desert soundscapes along with elements of jazz, Americana and Tex Mex.

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Oblivion Access Festival
Michael MalyReview

Live music review: Oblivion Access Festival slayed Austin last weekend

Greg Ackerman 1077 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Just when you think that there isn’t any room for another music festival in Austin that has the strength and originality to be taken seriously, enter Oblivion Access Festival. Formerly known as Austin Terror Fest, Oblivion Access Festival took over six venues in the downtown area over the course of four days last weekend and provided a diverse lineup that showcased some of the best artists of metal, hardcore, shoegaze, rap, electronica, experimental and DJ.

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SIMS Foundation event Central Machine Works
Greg AckermanReview

Live music review: The Bright Light Social Hour, Lolita Lynne played SIMS Foundation event

Greg Ackerman 837 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

On Saturday, May 14, Austin rockers The Bright Light Social Hour along with Lolita Lynn and DJ Cassandra entertained SIMS Foundation supporters at Central Machine Works. The concert and fundraiser sponsored by The Zebra, Storable and CMW has already raised over $7,000 to help SIMS Foundation

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Oblivion Access Festival 2022
Greg AckermanPreview

Live music preview: Oblivion Access Festival begins Thursday

Greg Ackerman 706 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Now that shows and festivals are back in full force, Austin is benefiting from the return of specialty mid-tier festivals like the psych rock themed, LEVITATION and this weekend’s sublimely booked, Oblivion Access Festival. The four-day metal, punk and experimental music fest begins Thursday at seven downtown venues, presenting a pleasing variety of acts for music fans to see

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Bikini Kill
Greg AckermanReview

Live music review: Bikini Kill sold-out Far Out Lounge which introduced a super stage Saturday

Greg Ackerman 1023 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

But then talent booker, Lawrence Boone, who lives nearby noticed the alcohol sales application in the window, called owners, Pedro and Bae, launching a booking operation with the Far Out owners, not long after that has blossomed into a super stage on the sizeable property (there are over 3.5 acres of space) that hosted Bikini Kill Saturday night in front of 2500 fans.

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