experimental

Amanda QuraishiLive MusicReview

Live Music Review: Flakefest Vol. 1 defied expectations at Mohawk June 28

Nowhere could this phenomenon be better illustrated than at FLAKEFEST Vol. 1 on Friday, June 28, 2024 at Mohawk. Two bands – Como Las Movies and Starflake – took to the stage along with a handful of other local music luminaries and brought us an evening of homegrown, Latin-infused, experimental music that defies expectations and crushes definitions.

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Amanda QuraishiPremiereSong

Song Premiere: Starflake Has Landed With Single NuBooty

Instead, O’Brien is running head-first into a brand new project – an experimental tropi-punk ensemble called Starflake. He is joined by two of the hardest working musicians in the Austin music scene, drummer Zac Catanzaro (Walker Lukens, Song Confessional) and percussionist Juan Alfredo Ríos (Como Las Movies, Easy Compadre!), both also members of The Bright Light Social Hour; as well as bassists/synth-psychonauts Ben Nelson (Molly Burch, A. Sinclair) and Alex Holeman (Chroma Phase).

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April RiggsLive MusicReview

Live music review: Mikaela Davis was angelic at Austin Psych Fest at Far Out Lounge

My first time seeing Mikaela Davis was on the BMI stage at the Austin City Limits Festival in 2015, and I expected her sound to be folkie, singer-songwriter music that I’m not typically into. When she took the stage with her harp, I heard an angelic, neo-psychedelic country sound that pleased my ears and I have followed her career via social media since. 

Fast forward nine years to Day Three at Austin Psych Fest (2024), when festival-goers almost lost a mellow day of music due to the weather. The rain moved on and Van Mary eased us into a swampy day at the Janice Stage with a super-chill set. The afternoon continued to heat up as Mikaela Davis & Southern Star took to the Willie Stage for the final day of APF.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Danny Brown threw down a rager at Empire Garage

Sometimes, live music crowds can be major downers. Austin, Texas’ vibrant music scene has a massive influx of live shows that draw a variety of different crowds, some good, some bad. For Detroit-turned-Austin oddball rapper Danny Brown, an unforgettable live spectacle made sure to cancel out the entitled personalities that attempted to harsh the triumphant vibes of Danny’s homecoming for yet another Austin appearance, this time at Empire Garage on Thursday, April 11.

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Case CockrellReview

Live music review: Swans evades fire code shutdown at Paramount, delivers two hour onslaught

Michael Gira’s multi-genre outfit Swans showed an Austin crowd that age is just a number on Sunday night at the historic Paramount Theatre down the street from the Capitol. For those unfamiliar, Swans is a New York band that has gone through various phases, line-ups, genres, and forms through the leadership of multi-instrumentalist, Gira since 1982.

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Greg AckermanPremiere

Song Premiere: Summer vibes with new single from Royal Forest

Experimental art collective Royal Forrest take a decidedly unique approach to recording. Today we’re premiering their new single “Memories Thinning” in advance of their forthcoming full length, Waiting Drum. The new record hits stores and streaming services August 28 on King Electric Records.

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Greg AckermanPreview

Live music preview: The Bird Barn booked killer bill at Empire Control Room Saturday

To that end, we’ve chosen to highlight The Bird Barn’s killer psych-rock, punk and straight up rock n roll lineup at Empire Control Room Saturday. The stacked, all-local bill features Billy King and the

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