Friday, October 23, 2026

hard rock

Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live Music Preview: Sick New World Texas – Tons of Bands, One Day, No Mercy

For three years, Sick New World Festival belonged to Las Vegas. The one-day heavy music festival debuted there in 2023, came back bigger in 2024, then canceled in 2025 when a Metallica and Linkin Park-led bill didn’t happen. It came back this year anyway, and it brought a second date. On Saturday, Oct. 24, the inaugural Sick New World Texas takes over Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

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Greg AckermanLive MusicReview

Live music review: Die Spitz returned to SLC for make up show at Soundwell and conquered

Last night, October 12 fast-rising Austin act Die Spitz returned to Salt Lake City for a make up show at Soundwell from August that had to be rescheduled due to member Ava Schrobilgen injuring her shoulder. The SLC date was one of a few shows the group had to reschedule. The sold out Monday crowd at the downtown spot that caps out at 650 seemed unfazed and respectfully watched Farmer’s Wife the indie rock band Die Spitz had brought along from Austin as their support act. The front row appropriately reflected the young female makeup of the foursome as the rail was lined with of age and underage young women ready to live out their rock and roll dreams with the ladies from ATX.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Tomahawk and Melvins descended on a sold-out Emo’s

Mike Patton has spent three decades collecting bands like other people collect vinyl, and every one of them draws the same crowd, showing up less for the setlist than for whatever version of Patton decides to appear. This time it was Nashville’s Tomahawk, and the Monday, July 20 stop at Emo’s Austin sold out fast. After a canceled Sick New World Festival in 2025 for the band’s 25th anniversary, Tomahawk’s reunion after 12 years off took a backseat until now.

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PremiereSongTroy Gonzales

Song Premiere: Austin heavy psych duo Floating Cube introduces single Canyon

One of Austin‘s hottest new bands, heavy psych duo, Floating Cube, is set to release their debut self titled EP on July 25 and has asked The Cosmic Clash to preview the first single, “Canyon” ahead of the song’s official release on July 18 at their upcoming show at The 13th Floor during the annual Hot Summer Nights which offers free cover at multiple Red River venues all weekend.

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Greg AckermanLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Stoner metal act Bong Wizard comes to Aces High Saloon Wednesday

This Wednesday, July 1, Houston stoner metal act Bong Wizard comes to Salt Lake City metal haven Ace’s High Saloon. The power trio will bring new music from their latest, Transylvanian Munchies which was just released four days ago. The group is essentially a parody band, taking black metal classics and making them their own with sludgy, doom metal treatments to the songs. The thing is, despite Bong Wizard’s irreverence, their music is perfect for fans of crushing, downtrend riffs. Tickets for their show with Simian and GRGL are available directly from Ace’s website.

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Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

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

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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Live MusicReviewRobert Dean

Live music review: Eyehategod at Little Darlin 10th Anniversary

Thanks to the power of social media, bands like Crowbar and Eyehategod are drawing bigger crowds than they have in years—and honestly, good for them. Get that bag, dudes. You earned it. Somehow, the algorithm has decided the ultra-heavy hardcore riffs of the two New Orleans kingpins are worth worshiping, and the clips are endless; people talking about how chaotic EHG is and how gnarly Crowbar riffs are. And it’s not just old head nostalgia. The kids are showing up. And they’re selling venues out. The two bands went out on the road together, and if the show Sunday, April 26 at The Little Darlin’ is any indication, those rooms are filling up fast. Radio-friendly Metallica these bands are not.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

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

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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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Experimental rockers Puscifer played Bass Hall on their Normal Isn’t Tour

Maynard James Keenan is 61 years old and still works with three bands, releases music at a steady rate, and still tours the globe like he’s 31. From fronting the progressive metal behemoths Tool, hard rock supergroup A Perfect Circle, and on Tuesday, March 24, at Bass Concert Hall with experimental rock stage spectacle-makers Puscifer, Keenan and his meticulously chosen associates take on his utmost creative oddities with undeniable passion. Like his outsized arena outfit Tool, Puscifer has maintained consistent membership throughout their history that sculpts a well-oiled machine that showcases Keenan, English co-vocalist Carina Round, and multi-instrumentalist Mat Mitchell, feeding the loyalists once again with their latest studio record Normal Isn’t for their 2026 tour that demonstrated no creative burnout – and a statement on the current concert industry itself.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: The best music we saw at SXSW 2026

The 2026 edition of South By Southwest (SXSW) music festival launched last Thursday with its inaugural all-concurrent format. Conferences ran from kickoff Thursday to the following Wednesday. The festival allows attendees to discover new acts, revisit favorites, and expand their horizons. Miles of walking and a steady food truck diet defined a packed SXSW featuring both legacy acts and emerging stars. The Cosmic Clash team covered highlights throughout the event and wanted to share what stuck out to us over the long week of music. Despite a shortened music schedule and no second weekend, there was plenty to see as we navigated around Austin throughout the seven-day expedition. 

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Greg AckermanLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Megafauna and Slomo Drags premiere singles, play Mohawk February 6

This Friday, January 6 Andrew Cashen and Disciples of Creation are set to headline Mohawk. We love Cashen’s solo act as well as his other projects, A Giant Dog and Tear Dungeon but we’re here to tell you about a couple of impressive singles dropping this week from veteran Austin acts, Megafauna and Slomo Drags who are on the bill with the singer. Both bands have new songs to share with fans while they prepare to release more material in 2026 and perform for fans Friday evening at the crown jewel of Red River Cultural District rock clubs. The entire bill is worthy of any real Austin music fan’s attention with the three aforementioned artists, along with Transit Method and DJ Dead Flowers. The whole shebang is presented by 101X Homegrown and show host John Laird who knows a thing or two about Austin music.

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