Tuesday, March 25, 2025
The Cosmic Clash

Review

Tear Dungeon 2 HV SXSW 2025 Troy Gonzales
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: SXSW 2025 finished with Space Agency Booking, Webberville Block Party

Case Cockrell 189 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Austin’s South by Southwest finished things up with countless showcases that made the last two days of the music festival a pick-and-choose affair that didn’t let up until the crack of 2 a.m. on Saturday night. For most festival goers, energy can run slim on these last two days, and seeing what you can before the festival’s end is essential to closing the book on yet another March festival edition. Here’s who we closed out our SXSW with on the final two days of our festival experience at Hotel Vegas for Space Agency Booking’s annual showcase along with a closing festival celebration at the Webberville Block Party followed by a return to Hotel Vegas to close out SXSW 2025.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: SXSW 2025 music week began with a wide range of musical styles

Case Cockrell 556 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

The 2025 South By Southwest music festival kicked off on Monday and Tuesday this week, featuring artists from around the Austin music scene and worldwide. Each day of music starts at noon and usually continues until the 2 a.m. closing time for each day of programming. For the first two days of the SXSW music showcases, we rounded up some of our favorite acts that started off our music festival coverage with stops at Hotel Vegas, 13th Floor and Stubb’s BBQ to see bands with a wide range of musical styles from the hardcore noise punk of Exotic Fruitica to experimental act Skloss to legendary songwriter John Fogerty and back to the heavy psych rock of Frankie and the Witch Fingers. SXSW runs the musical genre gamut as our coverage attests.

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Live MusicReviewRobert Dean

Live music review: Not So Fun WKND with Trapped Under Ice, God’s Hate and more at Far Out Lounge

Robert Dean 410 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

I bitch about Austin a lot—parking, traffic, rent prices. But every once in a while, the city gets it right. Not So Fun WKND at The Far Out Lounge March 8 was one of those moments. The all-day fest with Trapped Under Ice, Parade of Flesh, God’s Hate and many others took place at the popular South Austin venue.  An opening party was held Friday, March 7 at Sagebrush with Suburban Scum, Dmize, Creeping Death and more. Hardcore bands from across the country descended on Austin, turning the weekend into a cathartic release of bad vibes and raw energy.

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farmers wife sxsw 2025 hotel vegas drew doggett
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: SXSW 2025 opening weekend ramble

Case Cockrell 432 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

. The SXSW week began with opening all-day showcases such as the Hotel Vegas Anniversary Party, SX Soundcheck, Do512 Smokeout, and others, there’s plenty to keep music attendees busy before official music week begins the following Monday. Here’s what stood out to us in the opening days of SXSW, all of which will likely perform again before the week concludes. Follow these acts on social media for the most up-to-date information on live appearances throughout the festival. 

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Hard Proof
AlbumBrian HillsmanReview

Album review: Hard Proof dropped third LP Code Noir last month

Brian Hillsman 289 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Austin’s hometown jazz-funk collective, Hard Proof, released their latest album, Code Noir, in early February. The all-star Afrobeat collective released their third studio record followed by a Continental Club album release party. The recording is a listen that is bound to get you up and dancing in living room. It may be their best effort yet. 

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Killer Kaya press photo
AlbumCase CockrellReview

Album review: New Killer Kaya record Live at Wall of Fog a revelation

Case Cockrell 356 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

With powerhouses in the realm of Osees, Ty Segall, The Warlocks, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre all still in prolific, touring machine form, Santa Barbara-tested, Austin-approved Killer Kaya has been a worthy entry into the vortex of whirling, reverberated uproar that continues a 60s legacy that is irreversibly alive and well. With the release of new LP Live At Wall Of Fog yesterday, the now-Austin residents have crafted an effort that further proves trippy expertise as well as genre-clashing, tasteful retro emulation.

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Helmet 4 Mohawk Casey Chumbley
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: metal titans Helmet led triple bill at Mohawk Sunday

Case Cockrell 618 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Last Sunday night in the Red River Cultural District, beloved downtown venue Mohawk held a legacy show that presented a gracefully aging spectacle from alternative metal titans Helmet along with opening help with talent from different heavy music spheres worldwide. For a show where doors had to open at a move-your-ass 6 p.m., the triple-punch bill made the best use of its time through acts to warm up for the deafening drop-tuned explosion of the long-running New York headbangers.

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Los Lonely Boys 04 Center April Riggs
April RiggsLive MusicReview

Live music review: Los Lonely Boys played a lovely acoustic show at O4 Center

April Riggs 544 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Had I stayed firmly planted in the Comfort Zone, I’d have gone grocery shopping after dinner on Sunday night instead of being treated to a really lovely concert at the church-turned sweet-sounding concert venue, The 04 Center with the Los Lonely Boys and Lisa Morales. 

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BOCPURPLEWIDE Casey Chumbley
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: 50 years of Blue Oyster Cult at Paramount Theatre

Case Cockrell 543 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

For Long Island’s Blue Oyster Cult, the heavy metal and hard rock foundations still burn through as an enormous source of inspiration for artists both past and present. At the historic Paramount Theatre, in a rapidly gentrifying Austin, fans of all different backgrounds made their way to Congress Avenue to witness a legacy over 50 years in the making.

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Chat Pile 2 Troy Gonzales
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Sludge metal act Chat Pile pummeled Mohawk fans Sunday

Case Cockrell 587 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

A lot of Austin residents consider Interstate 35 to be an existential crisis. If you drive far enough north, you might eventually hit the cursed town of Oklahoma City. Even though most of us would never make such a wretched trek, the Oklahoma noise rock quartet Chat Pile emerges from the depths, delivering their socially aware brand of sludge metal for fans that have been indoctrinated into the music blogosphere from their spotty at best college dorm WiFi. On yet another frigid Sunday night in Austin, fans of the outspoken loud rock act packed out the Red River Cultural District stronghold Mohawk for a thought-provoking excursion that pummeled attendees’ eardrums as well as giving a powerful message of social reform

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Die Spitz mohawk Troy Gonzeles
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Cold rain could not stop Die Spitz fans on Valentine’s Day

Case Cockrell 529 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Rain was sprinkling down on a cold February Friday night as the moshers and crowd-surfers at Austin Red River Cultural District staple Mohawk caused crisis-level pandemonium for a sold-out Valentine’s Day gig. For local rockers Die Spitz, the usual attendees are sure to bring their worst, punk rock behavior.

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