Austin Psych Fest has announced Downtown kickoff and night shows, including sets from noise punks METZ, hardcore Floridians Gouge Away, and dream-pop multi-instrumentalist Luna Li.
The additions tack onto the main festival, which takes place April 26-28 at the Far Out Lounge with already-announced headliners Courtney Barnett, Alvvays, All Them Witches, Kurt Vile & the Violators, and, of course, fest-founders the Black Angels. The night shows are split between Empire, the 13th Floor, and Parish.
Thursday’s stacked all-local kickoff includes funk-fueled alchemists Golden Dawn Arkestra, electro-soul foursome Caramelo Haze, Black Pumas keyboardist JaRon Marshall, Cazayoux, and the Point at Empire Control Room. Celebrating nearly six on-and-off decades, Sixties garage rock collective the Zakary Thaks will come together for a reunion show at the 13th Floor on Saturday. Their bluesy riffs and proto-punk rhythms supported names like Jefferson Airplane and the Yardbirds before splitting up after only two years. The band will be joined by Austin glam rockers Lord Friday the 13th, whose recent single “Phantom of the Opry” is equal parts scathing and catchy.
Sunday will close with Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band’s LP release show at 13th Floor with L.A. improv jammers GROOP. Aside from whimsy-psych wordsmith Redbud, other locals among the late-night additions include Christian Bland & the Revelators and Gus Baldwin & the Sketch.
Psych Fest has also posted daily set times for the main festival. Find single day tickets ($75) and weekend passes ($195) available here. The separately ticketed night shows are free with a deluxe three-day pass ($475).
This article appears in March 29 • 2024.
