Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Thurston Moore Band

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Another legend I’ll get to see at Levitation Austin is Thurston Moore, formerly of Sonic Youth.  He’s playing April 30th with his new band and everything thing I’ve heard from them so far has this nice dangerous edge to it.  His former bandmate Lee Ranaldo is playing the same day on a different stage after his set, so it’s a double whammy for Sonic Youth fans.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: David J and the Gentlemen Thieves

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David J, former bass player of Bauhaus and co-founder of Love & Rockets, is bring his band, the Gentlemen Thieves, to Levitation Austin on April 30th.  I’m a big fan of Love & Rockets, and this might be the closest I get to any kind of reunion.  David J’s dub-style bass playing was an influence on my brief career as a bass player in high school, and he’s a harmonica player to boot (like yours truly).  I’m stoked to see him live.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: La Mecanica Popular

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Psychedelic salsa?  I’m in.  La Mecanica Popular are playing Levitation Austin‘s Elevation Amphitheater on April 30th, and I’m sure it will be a lively, fun show down by the river.  The band combines hot salsa music with wild, weird psychedelic and Euro/mondo flavors for something you can’t quite pin down but definitely can dance to without trouble.

Keep your mind open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWqIXhs6X_8

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Slowdive

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England’s Slowdive are shoegaze legends who should’ve been bigger over here in the U.S. than they were in their early 1990’s heyday.  They’ve been reunited and touring for a couple years now, which is good news for all of us.  I missed them at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival a couple years ago, but I’m happy to see them at Levitation Austin when they close out the main stage on April 29th.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Arcs

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The Arcs are the psychedelic, two drummer-having side project of The Black Keys‘ Dan Auerbach.  Their new album, Yours, Dreamily, will be freshly out by the time Levitation Austin gets here, so I’ll be hearing the material on April 29th while it’s still fresh and unknown to most.  I like what I’ve heard so far and I’m happy that Auerbach is taking his blues guitar into the land of psychedelia.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Federale

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You can call Federale a supergroup, really.  Consisting of members of SpindriftThe Black Angels, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Federale makes spaghetti western psychedelic rock best suited for obscure European films of the late 1960’s.  Seeing them under Levitation Austin’s Levitation Tent in the Austin, Texas sun on April 29th seems like a can’t-miss show.  I love spaghetti westerns so I’m sure I’ll love their set.

Keep your mind open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm-6WyHBQC8

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Amerikan Bear

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Hailing from California, Amerikan Bear are masters of the psychedelic 1960’s California sound.  I discovered these groovy cats when they discovered me by following me on Twitter.  I was soon hooked on their cool mix of psychedelia, rock, and blues.  They’re opening the Elevation Amphitheater at Levitation Austin on April 29th, so they’ll be the first band I see.  It should be a good start to the festival.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin spotlight: Night Beats

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I will see Seattle, Washington’s Night Beats any chance I get, so I was happy to see the Empire Garage main stage on April 28th at the Levitation Austin kick-off show there.

I just saw them at Levitation Chicago, and their set was in the top three I saw there.  They get better every time I see them and they’re at the top of their game right now.  See them before they take off on their tour of the UK.  If you’re in the UK, don’t miss them.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Golden Dawn

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The Golden Dawn are one of those legendary bands who put out one great record and then disappeared.  They formed in Austin, Texas around the same time as The 13th Floor Elevators and released their lone record, The Power Plantbefore breaking up in 1968.  Everything I’ve heard off The Power Plant is great, with a heavier edge than 13th Floor Elevators material.  I missed these guys at Levitation Austin in 2014, so I’m keen to see them at the Thursday night pre-festival kick-off party at Empire Garage.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Blind Owls

Blind Owls

The Blind Owls are a four-piece rock act from Corpus Christi, Texas with obvious Beatles, rockabilly, Buddy Holly, and mod-rock influences, but they certainly aren’t derivative.  These four have put in their time to develop their chops and can lay down a serious groove.  They’re opening the Empire Garage stage at the Thursday night pre-festival kick-off party there.  Come by and get your groove on with these cool cats.

Keep your mind open.

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