Single review: Wild Heaven’s “One To Go” Is a Slow Burn With Teeth
Who said lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place? We have once again been given the privilege of previewing
Read More
Austin Music
Founder’s Corner: Mike Cosmic tells readers why they need to hear Prom Threat
Been itching to tell you about a little three piece band called Prom Threat that I know well. The three-piece formed in Austin fires like a V8 engine. They’re part Riot Grrl, part shy girl, all kick-ass post-punk act. Prom Threat is the brain child of punk rocker Anna Sawyer. Her off-stage demeanor transforms when her band hits the stage. The transformation embodies flawless punk rock energy that has been pent up deep inside her petite frame. Each breath, every note, all the feelings drawn onto a dynamic sonic canvas with aural symmetry. Prom Threat is like a VW Bug that turns into a semi-truck, splattering buckets of sound into art. It goes without saying, Prom Threat is one of my favorite bands.
Read More
Live music preview: Hot Summer Nights promises Austin music discovery this weekend
The annual Hot Summer Nights in the Red River Cultural District of Austin is a RRCD-sponsored event that features hundreds
Read More
Album Review: Austin’s Paper Sister release dreamy and punchy Quiet Betrayals EP
The new record, Quiet Betrayals is the first EP release by the four-piece band from Austin, Paper Sister. Combining elements of shoegaze and post-punk, dream pop, and indie alt rock, the 6-track EP highlights selected singles over the past couple years, with some releases as recent as April of this year. The dreamy and punchy EP featured a release party presented by 101X Homegrown Live at The 13th Floor on May 29 with French Film, Feedr, and Variety to celebrate the group’s new recording.
Read More
Interview: Austin artist Shakey Graves is coming to Utah Arts Festival with a great new record
When The Cosmic Clash got to Salt Lake City one of the first annual events we heard about was the Utah Arts Festival. We were duly impressed that a city SLC’s size, invested so heavily in visual art, music and literature. There were panels, live music and tons of visual artists represented. It seemed like the story of Salt Lake’s Mormon monoculture was exaggerated fiction. In town, at least culturally it kind of is. The city founded by Mormons has more similarities to Austin, Texas than it does to the Vatican; Blue dot in a red sea, state capitol, big public university north of downtown? Sounds like ATX. We learned the UAF is celebrating its 50th Anniversary, doubling down on quality musical headliners including Austin’s own Shakey Graves. The singer and songwriter performs June 20 (Saturday) early on in his recently launched tour supporting his new record, Fondness, Inc.
Read More
Song premiere: Austin music scene veterans Mean Jolene drop single Private Plane today
Veteran Austin power-pop and garage-rockers, Mean Jolene release a new single “Private Plane” today. The track is on their up and coming third studio album, Play Nice, recorded and mixed at Estuary Recording with John Michael Landon. The song’s theme “fantasizes about a return to innocence — reflecting on escapism as a form of self-preservation and how this can directly conflict with the desire to grow and overcome adversity.”
Read More
Live music preview: Six more buzz bands to see at SXSW 2026
The 2026 South By Southwest (SXSW) music festival is days away. The roster of music festival artists can seem overwhelming at first glance. With a lineup that can satisfy every kind of music lover, The Cosmic Clash is bringing you six more buzz bands you should put on your list for the upcoming long week of music in Austin. All set times, along with venues, can be found on the SXSW website and the SXSW GO mobile application.
Read More
Interview: The Sword’s Bryan Richie works hard to sustain the Austin music scene
If you’ve spent any real time in the Austin music trenches, you know the difference between hype and longevity. Bryan Richie has been on the longevity side for over 20 years. Between his work with The Sword, Spaceflight Records, and his electronic outlet Galactic Protector, he’s watched the local ecosystem evolve through boom cycles, venue shakeups, and the streaming era’s slippery slopes. We caught up with him to talk about staying busy, supporting artists the right way, and why Austin’s scene, while ever-changing, is far from dead. Richie is gearing up for a European tour this year while celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Sword’s triumphant debut Age of Winters, and will release the sequel to his 2019 solo record on February 24. We caught up with him to discuss the upcoming release and why the Central Texas music system still matters and how every bit of fan support is crucial to making it all happen.
Read More
Live music review: Free Week returned in 2026 with cover free showcases
Free Week returned to the Red River Cultural District last weekend, marking another successful year of cover free showcases that benefit local businesses throughout downtown Austin. The RRCD non-profit presents Free Week to keep venues and other establishments running during the slow period in both the service and music industries for employees and musicians until the Spring. With 80+ artists across 10+ venues, Free Week 2026 proved a massive success, as thousands attended to welcome yet another year in the vibrant Austin scene. The Cosmic Clash team participated in both days of the festival and wanted to highlight what stood out to us about the extravaganza.
Read More
Live music review: Electronic duo Sextile returned to Austin with stacked local bill
Los Angeles by way of Brooklyn electronic duo Sextile returned to Austin for a third time in 2025 to end the year with a loaded bill on Saturday night at Empire Control Room and Garage. The stacked lineup included Nashville egg punk extraordinaries Snooper along with local band appearances from Gus Baldwin & The Sketch, Alma Muneca, Mugger, and The Opera who are Cosmic Clash SXSW Webberville Block Party vets.
Read More
Eulogy to those we lost: It was a rough year for the Austin music scene
It was a rough year for the service industry and the Austin music scene. We lost plenty of global legends, but also some of the folks who make this city special — the ones who make Austin… Austin. On the bigger stage, we lost Joe Ely and Garth Hudson, Roberta Flack, Sly Stone, and the eternally cool Ozzy Osbourne. We also lost Kiss member, Ace Frehley and Brian Wilson. The Mavericks singer Raul Malo passed on to the next plane, which hit hard.
Read More
You must be logged in to post a comment.