Friday, April 24, 2026
The Cosmic Clash

indie rock

Big Thief Moody Amp Troy Gonzales
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Big Thief played their biggest Austin show at Moody Amphitheater

Case Cockrell 1208 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Emotions are running deep this year. Hints of hope are dwindling, leaving the house costs $50, and making ends meet is becoming increasingly daunting. For Brooklyn’s Big Thief, cautious optimism is the North Star, and being present in the moment and looking inward are the keys to maintaining a gratifying existence. For their graduation from mid-sized theaters to larger headlining appearances, an adoring array of fans made their way to Waterloo Park’s Moody Amphitheater on Wednesday night to celebrate the release of new LP Double Infinity. Their biggest Austin headlining show to date, the confidence and dynamic connection between them brought everything full circle for their career, which has seen personal development that feels unrivaled in 2025. 

Read More
Clown Core Halloween Freakend Troy Gonzales
April DawneLive MusicReview

Live music review: Everyday Isn’t Halloween, But it Was Levitation’s Freakend

April Dawne 1325 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

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.

Read More
Live MusicReviewRobert Dean

Live music review: Nuclear Daisies make a splash at Hotel Vegas

Robert Dean 1222 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Every once in a while, you’ll be at a show and wag your finger because you just know. That familiar light pops on that a music nerd can recognize when the band onstage isn’t just another local band; they’ve got the sound that moves beyond “this is good” to “this is international.” I’ve been to easily over a thousand shows in my life. I have seen many a band. Sometimes, you catch a Spiritual Cramp and can see from a million miles away, “these guys are gonna blow up,” and slowly but surely, those tours keep getting bigger. I said the same thing about Fontaines D.C., and after catching Austin’s Nuclear Daisies onOctober 28 at Hotel Vegas, I think it’s pretty obvious they have all the correct DNA to make a splash. Some of us can remember when Die Spitz was playing Chess Club. Now, they’re headlining Stubbs.

Read More
Water From Your Eyes Brushy St Commons Troy Gonzales
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Water From Your Eyes returned to Austin with new record

Case Cockrell 1572 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Noise pop duo Water From Your Eyes formed when Amos relocated to Brooklyn, spurring a songwriting partnership that’s several records deep and becoming a tenured indie act. Since the release of their critically acclaimed Matador Records full-length Everyone’s Crushed in 2023, songwriting team Brown and Amos have been working to build their sonic relationship that shows the crowds getting bigger and the chatter in the online music spheres louder. For the unveiling of their seventh studio album and second Matador entry It’s a Beautiful Place doubling down on their hard-to-pinpoint approach, the duo hasn’t stopped creating or halted their relentless stints of touring. For their third stop in Austin in two calendar years at the recently rebranded Brushy Street Commons (formerly known as Parish), the Amos and Brown-led group showcases that they’re here to stay awhile and continue their surreal, self-aware brand of Gen-Z social commentary.

Read More
Deerhoof Radio East Troy Gonzales
Brian HillsmanLive MusicReview

Live music review: Indie legends Deerhoof stopped at Radio East last weekend

Brian Hillsman 1574 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

On a warm Saturday, October 4 evening, San Francisco-based, indie-rock quartet, Deerhoof, headlined a stellar show at Radio/East on a night that also marked the first weekend of ACL Festival, Resound and Radio/East offered a less stressful live music option for fans. Austin’s Resound Presents booked set the show in conjunction with the venue. The performance was second to last of their 31 Flavors tour before their final North American stop in Denton, Texas. The group head to Japan next month. 

Read More
Wet Leg by Greg Noire for ACL Festival 2025 107024
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Eight artists that stood out at ACL Festival 2025

Case Cockrell 2257 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL Fest) 2025 weekend one on October 3 – October 5 marked another successful installment at Zilker Park, with an eclectic array of acts making their way to Austin for yet another October in the heart of the city. The talent performing featured acts from all over the world, bringing all genres to generations of music lovers who make their way to Central Texas by the tens of thousands for the musical extravaganza. Between legacy acts and rising artists, there was no shortage of spectacle to behold during the first weekend at the big park with a beautiful view of the city skyline. The Cosmic Clash team made their way to Zilker to capture the action and highlight eight artists that stood out to us throughout the first weekend of programming. 

Read More
TV on the Radio Daniel Cavazos
April DawneLive MusicReview

Live music review:  A Funky Levitation Full of Surprises or How April Spent the Fest

April Dawne 2255 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Adulting is mostly a bummer, and Levitation weekend (September 26-28) coincided with a very important work event happening all day Saturday. Thankfully, the big boss sent an email to the team instructing us to do what we needed to do for self-care, leading up to Saturday. Perfect! I consider live music to be something that can soothe the beast, and from Tuesday through Sunday, I got my fill. It was a funky Levitation that was full of surprises.

Read More
ACL Festival skyline
Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Six must see bands at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2025

Case Cockrell 2208 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual music extravaganza that takes place in the heart of Austin every Fall, and the curated talent ranges from worthy up-and-coming artists and legacy acts to round out its eclectic, genre-spanning array of music. For this year’s installment, The Cosmic Clash has put together a list of six must-sees you need to put on your list for the first weekend at Zilker Park which begins October 3. Tickets and set times can be found via the ACL website or through recommended resellers.

Read More
dandy_warhols_daniel_cavazos-13
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: The Dandy Warhols assert legacy at Levitation Night Show

Case Cockrell 1700 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Portland, Oregon indie rock socialites The Dandy Warhols aren’t just surviving the volatile world of music, but thriving for the generations of vinyl collectors that hold them dear as a formative force that sparked a love of music and acting as a harbinger of an industry revolution. With countless tours under their belt, a relentless and boundary-breaking creative output, The Dandy Warhols have gone independent, away from the clutches of major label business and built their own studio for all Dandy endeavors since the turn of the millennium. For Austin’s 2025 Levitation Festival, the Pacific Northwest hardliners went to work to further assert their legacy with a Friday (September 26) late-night performance at Mohawk in the downtown, Red River Cultural District. For fans new and old, what the Dandys made for a career-spanning set of favorites and deep cuts alike. 

Read More
Lola Tried PR photo
Becky RodriguezReviewSong

Song review: Austin act Lola Tried released single off new EP, Hot Shot Barbie

Becky Rodriguez 2270 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

“And just like that…” Austin’s rock four-piece, Lola Tried released the latest single on September 8 for their EP, Feast which dropped four days later. As this is the fourth EP release for the long-running local act, “Hot Shot Barbie” is clear in its effort to build upon their power pop, garage, and indie rock background and make giant leaps toward revamping and further evolving their sound with the upcoming record.

Read More
Spoon-landscape- 4 Moody Amp Angela Betancourt
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Indie rock legends Pixies and Spoon played Moody Amphitheater

Case Cockrell 3395 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Indie rock legends come in many forms. Whether you’re discussing the likes of Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, or Guided By Voices, someone in the room is going to eventually bring up The Pixies. Hailing from Boston and now entering their 40th year, the prolific songwriting of singer and guitarist Black Francis remains influential. For their 2025 North American tour, the Northeastern outfit enlisted the help of hometown heroes Spoon, making a sensible pairing of two leading musical entities in their respective birthplaces. For the Austin stop on the run, the double-headline bill made its way to Moody Amphitheater on Saturday, September 6, a sweaty occasion that made it all about the music. 

Read More