Monday, August 24, 2026

Live Music

Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Asheville songwriter MJ Lenderman taped ACL TV episode

MJ Lenderman turned heads as a co-frontman and songwriter of Asheville breakout act Wednesday, before striking off on his own out of its touring lineup and taking up as a solo outfit. For Season 51 of Austin City Limits TV (ACL TV), the 26-year-old Lenderman and his backing musicians dubbed “MJ Lenderman and the Wind,” the North Carolina-bred musician delivered a coveted concert taping on July 1 that had the Moody Theater packed to full capacity. Fans were allowed to enter a lottery to win tickets for the performance, with only a select number being guaranteed entry for Tuesday night’s show. 

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Live MusicReviewRobert Dean

Live music review: Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath – The Tired King of Metal Gets His Final Bow

Someone online said something profound about Ozzy’s final performance with Black Sabbath at Villa Park in their hometown of Birmingham, England on July 5: they called him a tired king. And as that tired king looked out over his court, with the whole world watching, he gave one last welcome to those still loyal to his heavy metal kingdom.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Aussies Tropical Fuck Storm sold-out 29th Street Ballroom

Melbourne’s Tropical Fuck Storm soared into Austin for a sold-out gig at the under-new-management 29th St. Ballroom in the University of Texas Campus area on a week ago Sunday night, a fitting conclusion to an action-packed concert weekend in the live music capital. The release of their latest LP, Fairyland Codex, has garnered an extensive array of praise from critics, some calling it their best to date, and has spawned a planned worldwide tour for the Aussies to promote yet another entry in the ever-growing discography

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April DawneLive MusicReview

Live music review: Phish at Moody Center – Whatever You Do Take Care of Your Shoes

I’m still processing last weekend’s rollicking two night Phish run in Austin at the Moody Center. The last time the nerdy foursome from Vermont played Austin was on a sweltering July day in 2018 outside and I was in the midst of an on-again/off-again thing that was off who also happened to be at the show.

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Amanda QuraishiLive MusicReview

Live music review: A joyous solstice fest by The Bright Light Social Hour

The summer solstice is upon us, and that can mean only one thing: a hometown performance by Austin’s The Bright Light Social Hour.  This year, the band was joined for their one-night Endless Light Festival at Mohawk by four other outstanding Austin bands; Megafauna, Bruce, LLuvii, and Grandmaster on June 21 at the longtime downtown Red River Cultural District venue. 

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Greg AckermanLive MusicPhotos

Live music photos: Third annual Big Dumb Fest by Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol at Mohawk

Austin hard rock band, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol hosted their third annual Big Dumb Fest June 14 at legendary Red River Cultural District venue, Mohawk. The self-styled Doom Wop band curates the lineup themselves, hand-picking each local act invited. This year’s roster included Bat Lips, Gus Baldwin and the Sketch, Glime, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, Subpar Snatch and Gran Moreno for an all night affair. BDF included food pop-ups from Bad Larry’s Burgers, Grandpa’s Glizzy’s and Sucio Boy Burgers to feed the hungry hard rock fans attending.

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Greg AckermanLive MusicPhotos

Live music photos: Pinky Fest by The Pinky Rings at Far Out Lounge featured eight bands

On Saturday, June 7 Pinky Fest organized by Austin punk band The Pinky Rings took place at South Austin venue The Far Out Lounge and Stage. The event featured live music from eight local bands. Besides the all-female foursome hosts a raft of Austin acts including Molly Ringworm, Think No Think, Die Mart, Cormae, NSFWHO, Tied Up and Dregs performed on an unusually hot Spring weekend in Central Texas.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: L.A. psych punk act Hooveriii at 13th Floor

Los Angeles psychedelic rock collective Hooveriii made a not-so-rare Austin appearance at The 13th Floor in the Red River Cultural District on Monday, June 2, bringing an intimate experience ahead of their planned 2025 Levitation Festival appearance. The cross-country tour comes in support of 2025 LP Manhunter, a ripper packed with supercharged tracks that shows the Bert Hoover-led outfit staying the course as one of the indie rock underground’s most exciting acts

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Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Levitation drops 2025 genre spanning lineup today with new location

evitation Festival returns on September 25-28 this Fall, bringing another masterfully curated lineup by famed booker Rob Fitzpatrick and co-producers Resound Presents. This year’s setup will change from its regular format, featuring a new central home of the Palmer Events Center in downtown Austin while retaining late-night programming in the Red River Cultural District. The 2025 festival lineup is an eclectic, genre-spanning showcase of psych rock, metal, punk, electronica, indie rock, and everything in between – a celebration of independent music in the live music capital.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: White Denim returns to Austin for Hot Luck Fest with Nolan Potter

Austin to Pasadena indie outfit White Denim, the musical fusion of chief songwriter James Petralli has seen many forms. Since making the West Coast his home, the Austin-bred group has undergone a creative shift, no longer a vehicle of constant members and making Petralli’s name synonymous with the consistent stream of records released amid numerous lineup changes throughout the years. On Saturday night (May 24) at Mohawk in the Red River Cultural District as a part of the annual Hot Luck Festival culinary celebration, White Denim fed their hometown once again, their third stop in Central Texas in 18 months.

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