Before we reached our luggage at baggage claim in the Austin Airport we had already seen three different performers — not bad for the city that bills itself as the live music capitol of the world. Set at the picturesque Carson Creek Ranch on the banks of the Colorado River, the 6th Annual was a much larger, sunnier festival than 2012’s indoor festival at the cavernous Emo’s East. In its three day run, Austin Psych Fest 2013 presented a diverse lineup of music under the “pschedelia” umbrella.
Here are some of the high and lowlights of Austin Psych Fest 2013:
-We arrived at sunset on Friday, just in time for a sparkly set by Tinariwen, Tuareg musicians from the Saharan Desert region of Mali. Dressed in traditional Tuareg robes and head coverings, the band has a world beat feel reminiscent of Ali Farka Toure. This sound is smashed together with the psychedelic blues rock of Jimi Hendrix, along with an effervescent stage presence.
– The festival featured three stages of continuous music. While the largest acts were scheduled on the Reverberation main stage, some of the most interesting music was found at the Elevation Ampitheater. You didn’t need to be consuming psychedelics (though it appeared many were) to be mind-blown by the moon rising over the Colorado River as Om played a set of brain-rattling buzz.
-San Francisco’s post punk outfit the Soft Moon brought a shot of energy to the fest with an interesting brand of garage rock layered over industrial synth soundscapes.
-Black Rebel Motorcycle Club closed the main stage on Friday with a brighter sound (think Social D over Jesus and Mary Chain) compared to years past. They opened with a cheerful rendition of the Call’s anthemic ’80s rocker “Here’s to You” that established an upbeat mood for their long set.
– Worth noting were the two Denver bands at Austin Psych Fest, Hearts in SpaceԻTjutjuna, who each played early in the day sets throughout the weekend.
– For every smoke machine-flavored, reverb filled shoe-gaze moment (like the mid-day set from the impossibly loud but impressive Boris) there was a wildly creative, playful answer. Take for example a set by New Orleans musical instrument inventor and puppeteer ϳܾԳٰDzand his wife Miss Pussycat, whose truly delightful puppet show antics and fun dance set kept the mood upbeat in the Levitation tent.
– Black Mountain‘s Black Sabbath-inspired wizard jams became a perfect match for the major league Texas thunderstorm that they summoned by the end of their set. Black Mountain has big guitar, vocal and keyboard sounds, but their reserved stage presence seemed more at home at Denver’s Larimer Lounge last week than on the big stage at Austin Psych Fest 2013. The intense rain and slippery mud drove us toward dry ground, and we missed sets from Brazilian Os MutantesԻDeerhunter, who started well after midnight once the rain subsided.
– Hosts of Austin Psych Fest, Black Angels, put on a hypnotic set anchored with material from their strong new release “Indigo Meadow.” We talked to lead singer Alex Maas while he was running errands at the press booth and he had an open, engaging enthusiasm for the festival, which was echoed in the Angels set.
– Hardest to describe is the ecstatic world-beat and psychedelic disco party thrown by Swedish alternative/fusion ensemble Goat. Part masquerade (all band members were fully masked), part ecstatic pagan belly dance ritual, Goat eschewed all traces of dour shoegaze in favor of ecstatic Zappa meets Funkadelic meets Swedish world beat madness.
– Psychedelic rock pioneer Roky Erickson, back from the abyss of madness and depression (check out the fine 2005 documentary “You’re Gonna Miss Me”) played a spirited set at Austin Psych Fest. He performed classics from his time as frontman for the seminal psych-rock outfit the 13th Floor Elevators, as well as classic rockers from his solo catalogue like “Bloody Hammer” and “Two Headed Dog.” Erickson’s energetic young band did much of the heavy lifting, but it was worth it just to hear Roky’s craggy voice.
– The festival’s main stage closed on Sunday night with a set from Rock and Roll Hall of famer Billy Gibbons (of ZZ Top), reunited with his original Austin band, the Moving Sidewalks. Gibbons has serious chops and real rock star presence (and, oh! that beard!), but the music was pretty standard Texas blues-rock fare.
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Amy McGrath is a Denver-based writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
Michael McGrath is a Denver area photographer. His work is available at . Visit .
