Thursday, November 21, 2024
The Cosmic Clash

Review

King Gizzard at Germania
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: King Gizzard played marathon three hour set at Germania Amphitheater

Case Cockrell 174 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

The trek out to Austin’s Circuit of the Americas racetrack where Germania Amphitheater is located is a daunting one. From taking in an hour of traffic, ludicrous drink prices, and baffling ticket expenditures, the Formula 1 Racing spot has most Austin music fans disinterested in driving out to the sticks to experience its monstrosity. (17 miles outside of the downtown area to be exact.) In last Friday night’s case, fans of a certain Australian band made an exception.

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Fastball at Scoot Inn
Greg AckermanLive MusicReview

Live music review: Fastball played Scoot Inn in support of their new album Sonic Ranch

Greg Ackerman 294 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Fast forward to last week’s show at Scoot Inn on the East Side of the Live Music Capital when fans gathered to hear the band introduce their latest effort, Sonic Ranch. What may surprise fans who haven’t kept up with group, is this record is quite good. If you were at Scoot Inn on Thursday last week, you saw the pride on the faces of bandleaders, Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga as they introduced their new songs. They have every right to be proud.

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The Sword 1 Stubb's
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Day 3 and 4 of Levitation wrapped with standout performances by The Sword, Wine Lips and more

Case Cockrell 417 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Levitation Festival 2024 soared into the weekend with its expected triumphant intent. Every Halloween weekend, fest producers The Black Angels and show runner Rob Fitzpatrick never miss the mark in serving music fans both the hot up and comers and the legacy acts that paved the way for those new acts to take form. The Cosmic Clash team witnessed the annual extravaganza from its Thursday kickoff until the closing moments and picked out our favorite highlights that lit up the weekend to make up one of Levitation’s most landmark years yet. With a multi-venue format that requires fans to jump from show to show to get the most out of their experience, there isn’t a shortage of music to see, which makes a statement for both the robustness and openness of the Austin music sphere.

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Osees at Levitation
Brian HillsmanLive MusicReview

Live music review: Levitation Halloween Kickoff at Hotel Vegas with Osees and Kairos Creature Club

Brian Hillsman 316 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Halloween night 2024, marked the opening evening of Levitation Festival this year.  With artists from around the globe opening on stages at venues throughout Austin, Kairos Creature Club and Osees presented a Halloween kickoff at East Sixth’s Hotel Vegas. It was a show that would surely deliver. Each year, Osees make their way to Austin for a four-night residency at East Austin live music hub. And every year, they put on versatile sets that exceed the expectations of music fans. Halloween night last Thursday was no exception.

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The Black Angels Levitation 2024
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Day one and two of Levitation brought world’s best independent acts to Austin

Case Cockrell 377 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

The first two days of Levitation Festival 2024 featured multiple stacked bills for a plethora of packed venues in the downtown Austin area and beyond. The Cosmic Clash team was in attendance to capture the action and highlighted some of our favorite acts that made their way to Austin for the action-packed Halloween weekend. From the Red River Cultural District to South Austin, the carefully curated talent brought their best for the masses that flock to the local music joints to watch the coveted Black Angels produced weekend with some of the independent music world’s best acts.

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Willie Nelson 2 Chad Cooper
Live MusicReviewScott Rollins

Live music review: Willie Nelson in Beaumont proved life affirming

Scott Rollins 296 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

What more can really be said about Willie Nelson? He is recognized the world over and is apricated by fans of varying musical genera and backgrounds. He’s acted in movies and is arguably the most influential songwriter in county music history. He is one of the greatest icons in popular culture worldwide. Emmylou Harris once said, “if America could sing with one voice, it would be Willie’s”. Which is one reason to see his performance at Ford Park in Beaumont to see the legendary songwriter perform a life affirming show. 

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Sigur Ros Drew Doggett
Drew DoggettLive MusicReview

Live music review: Sigur Rós transformed Bass Hall into ethereal soundscape

Drew Doggett 292 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

On October 4, Sigur Rós transformed Austin’s Bass Concert Hall into an ethereal soundscape. Accompanied by the 40-or-so-piece “Wordless Music Orchestra,” the Icelandic trio provided an evening that transcended traditional concerts. Known for emotional depth and cinematic sounds, the orchestra gave new life to the band’s performance with grandiose arrangements, making this performance standout as a profound night for everyone to witness.

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LCD Soundsystem at Branzos Hall for IQOS Greg Ackerman
April DawneLive MusicReview

Live music review: LCD Soundsystem at Brazos Hall or Fake New Wave Bullshit and How I Became a Fan

April Dawne 782 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Editor’s Note: As is standard operating procedure at TCC, we loosen the rules a bit for our writers, encouraging each to write in their own voice while staying true to our ethos as music lovers and journalists who intend to do no harm to artists and peers we choose as subjects. I’ll briefly set the stage for April Dawne’s hilarious and very real diatribe on seeing LCD Soundsystem on Saturday, October 19 at Brazos Hall as guests of IQOS and Rolling Stone who generously offered my wife Haley and me, plus a few lucky artists and friends early entry to the concert / brand activation of the weekend for the Austin Grand Prix F1 Race. Thanks for reading and enjoy… 

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THE BLACK ANGELS at Stubb's
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music preview: Six bands to see at LEVITATION 2024

Case Cockrell 496 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

World-renowned psychedelic Austin musician Roky Erickson once said, “At one time, I had it notarised that I was from another planet. By a lawyer.” Regardless of whether that makes sense or not, Erickson’s legacy still holds true in the city of Austin, Texas. We’re decades removed from the 60s, but folks like Austin’s The Black Angels and their proxies have kept his legacy alive by delivering endless programming of neo-psych rock utopia.  Festival founders Rob Fitzpatrick and The Black Angels’ Levitation is back this Halloween weekend for yet another multi-venue installment, and the booked talent continues to deliver a factor of “Wow.” The Cosmic Clash team will join the festivities yet again and is here to prescribe another list of bands you need to see for the end-of-October festivities. All set times can be found on the Levitation website.

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High On Fire at Mohawk
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: High On Fire sold-out Mohawk with Weedeater and Burnt Skull

Case Cockrell 346 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

When it’s October in Austin, Texas and it’s still 95 degrees outside, outdoor sold-out shows can feel like the Summer season never changed. With Austin Italian cuisine staple Marinara Miracles slinging their signature dishes and Lone Star Beers overflowing the venue trash cans, fans in attendance at Mohawk on October 5 were indulged and ready to see a modern heavy metal favorite deliver a gig doing what they do best. For Oakland’s High on Fire’s second Austin appearance in just under a year on Saturday night, stoner metal fans came in full force to experience another helping of crushing riffs, bombastic drum beats, and relentless stampedes of bass that have become their trademark since being assembled in 1998. 

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