Levitation, an annual psychedelic festival in Austin, ushered in a new era this weekend with a revamped format and location. Though this year was a departure from its previous iterations, Levitation has grown into something big and beautiful.
For the first time ever, the event was held at the Palmer Events Center, a large building often used for conferences. Its cavernous, warehouse-like interior accommodated the headliners’ large crowds. Surrounding the concertgoers on every wall of the space, large panels displayed psychedelic imagery produced by TV Eye Media throughout the performances.
The festival, organized by the Reverberation Appreciation Society, had previously been held in dispersed venues throughout Red River Cultural District, with crowds choosing their own adventure and hopping between shows as if making selections at a sonic buffet.
With one location and staggered performances on an indoor and outdoor stage, there was no hopping around this year and less customization possible. In this way, the new format mirrors that of the organizers’ spring festival, Austin Psych Fest, which takes place at Far Out Lounge & Stage.
But unlike Psych Fest, crowds at Levitation could enjoy the larger shows in the air conditioning. Now, it could be quite literally the coolest festival in Austin.
Levitation took up the entire grounds of the convention center property, with a giant sculpture of an astronaut — the festival’s mascot — and a variety of “happenings” and hangout areas throughout. Offerings from its food trucks easily cost over $20, and drinks weren’t far behind. Once parked in the garage, the crowd remained a captive audience with few options unless they wanted to cross the street to Terry Black’s BBQ — where they also could expect to spend about $20.
But with such a well-curated lineup, it was hard to leave anyway.
The venue-hopping itch was satisfied by the festival’s impressive roster of night shows held throughout town, which kicked off on Wednesday — two days before the official start of the Levitation. Those included a world music evening of complex rhythms and trance-like guitar from Mdou Moctar and The Point at Radio East. Concurrently, Beach Fossils took the stage at Mohawk.
Other night shows throughout the week included a cacophonous set by legendary synth-punk Martin Rev of Suicide followed by Boy Harsher at Stubb’s BBQ on Thursday, where the crowd was left sweaty from dancing to sensuous electro-pop embellished by the dark amber and harsh screams of Jae Matthews’ vocals.
Friday
The three-day festival officially kicked off Friday with Castle Rat, Blood Incantation, Acid Bath, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol and others representing the dark, cobwebbed corners of the eclectic music proffered at the festival.
Metal merchants The Sword celebrated the 15th anniversary of Warp Riders by playing the album in its entirety, which lead guitarist Kyle Shutt told the Current was a challenge to master again since it’s the band’s most technical album. Shutt also discussed new music in the works for the band, which is due out sometime next year.
“We make the records we want to hear,” he said. “We’re some Texas boys, so our music kind of falls half way between ZZ Top and Pantera, so somewhere in that spectrum you’re gonna find The Sword holding it down for Texas music.”
The band reunited at last year’s Levitation, the members receiving a hero’s welcome as they took the stage to Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town.” Performing Warp Riders after a triumphant year of return marked a “full circle” moment for Shutt, he added.
Mastodon headlined the evening, only one month after former guitarist Brent Hinds died in a motorcycle accident. Canadian guitarist Nick Johnston took up the mantle, delivering the solos with technical proficiency if not the wildness and charisma that Hinds brought to his iconic guitar work.
After the headbanging and hair windmills of Friday’s heavy lineup, the night shows offered a palate cleanser with a transcendent set by The Dandy Warhols at Mohawk followed by the hard-hitting rock ‘n’ roll of Duel and The Well at The 13th Floor.
Saturday
Day two of Levitation veered into more psychedelic territory, with standout performances by Blonde Redhead, La Femme, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Raveonettes, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and TV on the Radio.
Blonde Redhead was one of very few bands to use their platform to make a political statement during their performance. Guitarist Amedeo Pace wore a shirt that said “Palestine” and, at one point in the set, front woman and keyboardist Kazu Makino said, “All I have to say is free Palestine.”
Sunday
Sunday headliner Pavement chose to speak out on Gaza as well, changing the lyrics of “The Hexx” to “My Palestinian brothers get their faces blown off in a Gaza attack.”
Other performances on the Sunday lineup included Built to Spill, the Black Angels, Being Dead, A Place to Bury Strangers and Frankie and the Witch Fingers.
Overall, the festival was going through growing pains in front of our very eyes. Sound issues impacted the right side of the stage, where a hanging cluster of speakers went in and out (but mostly out). Dim lighting also caused bands to be in silhouette— that is, if they weren’t subsumed entirely by an overzealous smoke machine. By the third day, however, these lighting and visibility issues showed marked improvement.
Considering the events staff only got access to the venue starting at 6 a.m. the day before, the festival’s virtually seamless operation was nothing short of a miracle.
Having a music festival in a convention center is an interesting clash of worlds, where peacocking festival fashions parade through clinical, garishly lit hallways like the acid freaks taking over the hospital. Once inside the darkened tomb of the event center, it was nearly impossible to mingle. Friends could easily go the whole weekend without seeing each other.
Admittedly, it took me a little while to warm up to the new format and let go of my beloved disbursed model.
But I have to accept that our baby is all grown up — and it became an astronaut.
