Austin Music Minute

Levitation followers on Instagram got the briefest onsite glimpse on a post last night. “Getting the spaceship ready for liftoff here at The Far Out Lounge and Stage. See y’all tomorrow, can’t wait!” Even that snapshot of the light projection was enough to generate excitement – but those insane pics of everybody losing their s%$t at the kickoff show at Mohawk also helped. (A Place To Bury Strangers, plus The Warlocks, plus Archer Oh, plus Austin’s own Blushing and NYC outfit Gift equals sssick.)

Since its beginnings in 2008, Austin Psych Fest has been in constant evolution, building something special from the ground up simply out of passion for the music. There were no intentions of getting huge or going global, but that’s how the story unfolded. The rebranding into Levitation brought opportunities to take the festival around the world. And now, the founders are getting back to the hometown roots that started it all.

Austin Psych Fest’s three-day event highlights some of the best in psych, dream pop, and all manner of independent music with as much reverence for ‘60s influences as for the wave of the future. The festival opens today at The Far Out Lounge and Stage with headliners Toro Y Moi, Yves Tumor, Mdou Moctar, Automatic and the legendary Acid Mothers Temple, as well as Austin bands Annabelle Chairlegs and Being Dead. Tomorrow features Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Raveonettes, and The Black Angels performing their album Directions To See A Ghost in celebration of its 15th anniversary. And Sunday includes performances by Cuco, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Los Bitchos, Vieux Farka Touré and more, along with Austin bands El Combo Oscuro, Nemegata and Little Mazarn.

More Austin Psych Fest picks on Saturday’s AMM. Stay tuned.