On Being an Angel, Stab, Clear Acid, Palefade., Nothing After Death [inside]

Texasgaze night at Mohawk covers all ends of the pedalboard spectrum, stuffing heavy riffs (locals Stab, celebrating debut Quarter Life Crisis) alongside throat-tearing vocals (PaleFade.), electronic beats (Fort Worth’s Clear Acid), and noise-pop (Houston’s Nothing After Death). One-time tourmates of the Lemonheads and Juliana Hatfield, headliners On Being an Angel skew more melodic, offering circa-1992 power-pop deliverance served with a healthy dose of distortion. “You Say” is deceptively cheery and “Britt Boy” slows into a wistful dirge, but when Nick Flitton’s guitar soars above Paige Applin’s monotone in “Favorite Doll,” the band lock in for five minutes of guitar bliss. – Carys Anderson