Album review: Mike D will release Thank You this month
On August 24, Michael “Mike D” Diamond will release his first official solo album, and the first new music—aside from
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electronic music
Live music review: Black Moth Super Rainbow set weekend vibe at Radio East
It’s been an uncomfortable year between perimenopause and aging and three different car wrecks, so forgive me for not keeping up with the setlist for Friday’s bad-ass Black Moth Super Rainbow (BMSR) show at Radio East. I’m thankful that it’s near my house and a delightful place to see an outdoor show, so even if I’m feeling oddly antisocial, I can typically make myself get out to see a show there. Even at my most awkward, I wasn’t missing this BMSR show, and I’m glad I didn’t. Black Moth Super Rainbow set my weekend vibe to a T.
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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.
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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.
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Live music review: Been There 4 benefit at Radio East featured Mix Master Mike and Austin artists
The two-stage setup in the Radio/East backyard was the perfect setting for the Been There 4 benefit live music event – “the party to end homelessness.” The event took place on Saturday, November 8 with Beastie Boys’ wax authority, Mix Master Mike atop an impressive bill that included a raft of high quality Austin artists amid a decidedly upbeat vibe. The annual fundraiser began humbly at Camp Esperanza, the state-ordered Northeast Austin homeless encampment that The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) set about to support with a wealth of services for folks struggling to make ends meet. The TOOF staff included many members of the music community and their friends, including filmmaker Aaron Brown (Onion Creek Productions) and his partner at Been There Lenny Barszap.
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Live music review: Everyday Isn’t Halloween, But it Was Levitation’s Freakend
I love The Far Out Lounge (FOL), I love the people who book the shows, bartend, run the door, and clean up after all of us. This spot opened up safely, from a distance, during the lockdown to give live-music hungry people a safe place to see a show. We were like Footloose and unable to dance, and we had to remain socially distant, but we could feel a sense of normalcy that was sorely missed. All this to say, I love that The Far Out Lounge gets to host Levitation events like Halloween Freakend. Two, easy-to-get-to stages, with zero band overlap, in a large gravel yard in far South Austin with food trucks, bars, merch area, poster museum, and more to keep you entertained between sets.
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Live music review: Lauren Mayberry begins captivating new chapter after CHVRCHES
Lauren Mayberry has spent over a decade commanding festival stages as the charismatic front woman of CHVRCHES. I remember seeing her at Pitchfork Fest 2015, right after Mac Demarco, playfully pointing out the scattered cigarette butts left on the floor. The sound of CHVRCHES is filled with shoegaze-y synths, shimmering reverb and pulsating beats. But on February 26 at the Historic Scoot Inn in Austin, she stepped out in a new role as a solo artist.
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Live music preview: LEVITATION expands for 2023 with stellar lineup
LEVITATION has stayed true to it’s roots, curating a lineup each year that is both reflective of past greats while spotlighting some of the best new bands of the Neo-psych-rock era and beyond. Besides festival founders, The Black Angels, the 2023 edition features cutting edge acts, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Neo-jazz outfit, BADBADNOTGOOD along with 80s new wave / Neo psych-rockers The Church and festival veterans The Dandy Warhols.
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Live music review: Boy Harsher thrilled a sold-out Empire Garage
The sold-out crowd at Empire Control Room last Friday night was treated to an electronic, ambient music voyage by composer, performer Hiro Kone as the anticipation for headliners Boy Harsher was slowly increasing as the hour grew closer. The band last took the stage in Austin, in this same venue during the 2021 Levitation Festival and the hearty reception they received less than a year ago indicated the band’s rise in popularity.
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Live music review: Electronic music trailblazers Kraftwerk presented in 3D at ACL Live
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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Album review: Snapped Ankles marks synth evolution with Forest of Your Problems
In early July, the eccentric east London-based punk band, Snapped Ankles, released their fourth studio album on The Leaf Label. Forest of Your Problems marks the synth-driven evolution of a band, mastering their art on their own terms.
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