Monday, July 13, 2026
The Cosmic Clash

Author: Case Cockrell

Corrosion of Conformity 8 Far Out Lounge Justin Clark
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Metal veterans Corrosion of Conformity rocked Far Out Lounge

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It’s July in Texas. means it dsis a season of hiding inside until the deadly laser we call the sun disappears before even remotely considering an outdoor venture. Outdoor shows in Austin are a tall order, but for the return of North Carolina metal veterans Corrosion of Conformity, exceptions can be made. The Raleigh heavy-hitters made their way to South Austin on July 8 at The Far Out Lounge & Stage to deliver a career-spanning set, backed by an opening bill that paved the way in furious fashion. During an usually slow season for live music, both older heads and the young ones made their way to the homegrown Austin backyard for some metal riffs on a sweaty Wednesday night.

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Billy Srings ACL TV 2 Jesse
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Billy Strings returned to stage for Austin City Limits TV taping

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Flat-picking mega star Billy Strings returned to the stage for his first full-band gig since April after busting his leg doing an ill-fated skateboard trick backstage at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. After an unintentional break, Strings and his associates returned to ACL Live for Season 52 of Austin City Limits TV. For each consecutive season of the long-running PBS program, there is a show or two that sees high demand, with tons of hopeful fans waiting in line hoping to get a spot for the coveted performances. This was one of those tapings, as Billy’s return has been highly anticipated after a slew of cancellations following the injury in the spring. Despite arriving onstage on crutches and having not played a show in several months, things got right back to business for one of the most revered guitarists making his way around the touring circuit.

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Big Dumb Fest 4 crowd surfers Troy Gonzales
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Rickshaw Billy’s Big Dumb Fest Four invaded Mohawk again

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Annual traditions by Austin bands make the city unique. The Black Angels have Levitation, Big Bill hosts the Big Bill Ball, and Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol runs Big Dumb Fest. For its fourth year, the band  curated a heavy lineup across both Mohawk stages in the Red River Cultural District. Along with booking standout bands, Rickshaw ensures fans arrive early and stay late by collaborating with local food spots like Bad Larry Burger Club, Epic Jerk, and Busty’s to keep energy high. After returning from a tour with American Sharks (also on Saturday’s bill), Rickshaw kicked off another successful year of Big Dumb Fest, channeling undeniable energy in their tribute to their hometown.

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LEV25PoonehGhana
Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Levitation 2026 genre bending lineup and schedule is out

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Levitation returns to Austin on September 10–13, 2026, bringing another epic four-day weekend of music and art to the city’s

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blackangels5 APF 2026 Drew Doggett
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Austin Psych Fest 2026 weekend highlighted Black Angels, Thee Sacred Souls

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It’s difficult to chose which day of Austin Psych Fest at Far Out Lounge and Stage was the best so we combined our Saturday and Sunday coverage into a single whopping review. After the elation of The Flaming Lips, it was time to get serious with The Black Angels as they celebrated the 20th Anniversary of their landmark recording, Passover. It was also an opportunity to bask in the glorious harmonies and feel good vibes on Sunday with the soulful tunes of Thee Sacred Souls closing out a Latin-themed day of music that felt made for the unofficial day of rest most Americans think of the beginning of the week as. Indeed, the vibe-shift was welcoming after two days of aural assault from some of the best psych-rock and psych adjacent acts in the world.

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Flaming Lips 1 APF 2026 Mohawk Drew Doggett
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Fourth Austin Psych Fest at Far Out Lounge hosted Congressman Greg Casar

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Austin Psych Fest 2026 marked another festival at far S. Congress Avenue mega-backyard, The Far Out Lounge and Stage. It brought the fourth spring edition since the brand’s 2023 return, featuring a star-studded lineup and a two-stage, no-overlapping performances setup. The Cosmic Clash team was on-site all weekend and highlighted what stood out over the three-day stint in South Austin and the satellite showcases in the Red River Cultural District. APF had a special guest on Friday as progressive Congressman Greg Casar joined the party to watch Wayne Coyne and company do their Flaming Lips party for the psych rock faithful. Who doesn’t like the fun, positive vibe of the Lips? Turns out even Austin politicians do.

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BADBADNOTGOODforAustinBluesFest2026byDusana-106164
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Austin Blues Fest aims to preserve Antone’s legacy

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There are few homegrown Austin events left as of 2026. We still have HAAM Day, Austin Psych Fest and Levitation, Eeyore’s Birthday,  and a handful of others, but times are tough, and the good folks that organize all these great things need the community to keep the traditions going. For Austin institution, venue and record store, Antone’s Austin Blues Fest, a gathering of adoring locals flocked to the Moody Amphitheater to experience both Texas Blues classics and other legacy acts to build a festival slate with so much talent in one weekend, it proved to be a must-see. On Sunday April 26, a stacked bill commenced for a day of showcasing undeniable fun with an experience that was uniquely Austin.

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Goose 2 Moody Center 2026 Drew Doggett
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Goose wrapped Spring tour in Texas

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Connecticut jam band trailblazers Goose wrapped up their Spring 2026 tour in Texas over the weekend, their first shows in the Lone Star state since New Year’s Eve to cap off 2024 at Austin’s Moody Center. Friday night, April 24, saw the return of Goose to the Austin arena with their solidified four-piece lineup.

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Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Seven bands to see at Austin Psych Fest 2026 at Far Out

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The 2026 edition of Austin Psych Fest returns on May 8 – May 10 to the Far Out Lounge & Stage, their fourth consecutive Spring edition since reviving the original brand to a one-location format. With an all-star lineup from all over the psychedelic and indie rock spectrum, acts from all over the world will make their way to South Austin at Far Out’s massive backyard for a two-stage, no-overlap, three-day, rock and roll shindig designed with the true music fan in mind. Stage visuals will include projections from Mad Alchemy, Slim Reaper, TV Eye, Attic Space, and more. The fest will also feature satellite events to kick off the weekend and late-night shows in downtown Austin after Far Out programming concludes. 

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Baroness Radio East Justin Clark
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Philly Sludge legends Baroness stopped at Radio East on Friday

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The band, Baroness came into Texas on the circumstances of opening for Louisiana sludge legends Acid Bath in Dallas, but the great folks at Resound Presents couldn’t let them leave Texas without an Austin appearance. With longtime drummer Sebastian Thomson having to opt out days before travel, the band had to find a fill-in drummer to stand in for the run. Despite this, the veteran Georgia born, Philly-based quartet arrived at Southeast Austin’s Radio East and delivered a jam-packed show.

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Acid Bath 2 Houston Justin Clark
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Acid Bath headlined killer extreme metal bill in Houston

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The 2025 reunion of Louisiana hardcore metal legends Acid Bath has been triumphant, as it heads into its second year of gigs featuring stacked lineups and fans showing up by the thousands to experience it. At White Oak Music Hall near the Houston Heights area, a diehard crowd showed up ready to experience the short-lived yet massively influential out-of-the-swamp sludge kings. Acid Bath’s reunion tour is going on a year strong. Each show features extreme metal legacy acts and rising underground metal hardliners. For the March 28 stop, Acid Bath brought Houston brutal death metal outfit Stabbing, H-Town black metal institutions Necrofier, legendary Oakland power trio High on Fire, and Tampa death metal legends Obituary. A bone-crushing lineup of all proportions, this gig didn’t lose its hell-raising spark until the last note.

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