Austin Psych Festival Delivered an Eclectic Showcase of Veteran and Emerging Bands For a Full-Spectrum Psychedelic Experience
In early May, the South Austin backyard bar The Far Out Lounge was transformed into a confetti-frosted party for the annual Spring Austin Psych Fest. The 3-day festival featured two stages with alternating sets of psych, indie, garage rock, shoegaze, and cumbia. Austin’s unpredictable weather led to some early sets being canceled or shortened, but the festival still delivered a full experience with colorful visuals, streamers, bright strobes, and giant balloons. Headliners included psych rock legends The Flaming Lips, festival founders The Black Angels, and the retro soul group Thee Sacred Souls.
Headliner Highlights: Flaming Lips
Experiencing the Flaming Lips set was like being at a carnival while listening to songs that live deep in your heart. The set had everything- giant pink inflatable robots, confetti canons, giant balloons, costume changes, dancing suns, and of course, the infamous space bubble. As a concert photographer, there was so much to capture visually that it was hard to keep up. But it was also necessary to put the camera down and allow myself to experience a Flaming Lips show. A highlight of the set was when Singer Wayne Coyne sang”The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song”, holding an inflatable pair of lips, flanked by dancing eyeballs. Listening to the other fans around me, we all seemed to realize together what a special, unique experience a Flaming Lips show was. The set concluded with the presentation of a giant “FUCK YEAH AUSTIN PSYCH FEST” mylar balloon that was launched into the audience and subsequently pulled apart for souvenirs.
Headliner Highlights: Black Angels
Austin psych-rock band Black Angels headlined Day 2. On a foggy, monochromatic stage with intense and trippy strobes, they played their 2006 debut album Passover. As the founders of Austin Psych Fest and local icons, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Passover at the festival was a reward. While the Flaming Lips set was visually chaotic, the Black Angels set was stark and foggy, the type of psych music for which the experience is more internal. Austin is lucky to be able to call Black Angels our hometown modern psych pioneers.
Festival Highlights:
Friday kicked off the festival with an ideal Austin day. Midday, Brooklyn-based band Momma introduced their style of 90’s grunge mixed with modern indie-pop to a growing crowd at the main stage. Led by dual frontwomen Etta Freidman and Allegra Weingarten, Momma's nostalgic grunge feel and catchy hooks matched the sunny afternoon. Next on the main stage was the Brooklyn-based shoegaze band, DIIV. DIIV played as the sun set, and the pumped-in fog set a more contemplative mood, as shoegaze does. It was an electric set with swelling and retreating heavy layers of sound.
On Saturday, the weather was less cooperative. Early in the first set of the day, a surprise storm battered the venue, forcing everyone to retreat inside the small indoor bar for shelter. Once the storm passed and the stages were cleared, the festival resumed, but unfortunately, four bands missed the opportunity to play. Annabelle Chairlegs took the side stage as the sun came out again, playing songs from their new album Waking Up, as well as the fan favorite Candy Apple Red. Also on the side stage was Al-Qasar, one of my favorite new finds of the festival. Self-described as Arabian Fuzz- they played a fascinating set that is challenging to describe - it’s psych sounds with this added richness of Middle Eastern influences. The following set was Melody’s Echo Chamber, a French indie project of Melody Prochet. The set was energetic and joyous, and while watching Melody’s charming, frenetic dancing, it was impossible not to dance along.
On Sunday, storms once again threatened to shut down stages, so a decision was made to shorten sets and end early. And despite the pending storm, the sun was beating down on tired bodies. After spending so much time standing the previous 2 days, I took the time to check out the vendors and the stunning limited-edition band posters by various renowned visual artists. Meanwhile, the Southern California Trio La Lom was helping the crowd re-energize. They had the crowd dancing with their blend of Cumbia and surf rock. The crowd then moved to the side stage to experience Trish Toledo’s unique blend of soul and R&B. Thee Sacred Souls, with a full band, closed out the festival to a mesmerized crowd. It was a sweet, swaying end to the 2026 Austin Psych Fest.