AUSTIN, TX | FAR OUT LOUNGE | APRIL 25, 2025 | BY RACHEL JOY THOMAS

Austin, Texas, hosts one of the country's most prominent psychedelic rock festivals. Since being reborn in 2023, Psych Fest has celebrated shoegazers, wah-wah pedal enthusiasts, and immersive jazz.

This year's event featured a dynamic lineup that some ticket buyers called a "return" to the festival's innovative roots. Friday's schedule heavily emphasized instrumental post-rock legends, while Saturday and Sunday shifted toward the ingenious work of rock icons like Kim Gordon, Yo La Tengo, and Dinosaur Jr. The three-day buffet kicked off on Friday, April 25, at 2 p.m. and continued through 10 p.m. Sunday.

Playing a mix of cuts from across its discography, Black Mountain made an early impact Friday evening. The supergroup — composed of members from Lightning Dust (Amber Webber), Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo (William Slater), Pink Mountaintops (Stephen McBean), Dommengang (Adam Bulgasem), and Sinoia Caves (Jeremy Schmidt) — floated between tracks from their 2008 and 2010 albums In the Future and Wilderness Heart. Dark fantasia synths and marching snares ramped up "Radiant Hearts," eventually shifting the band's gravity toward rock-forward tracks like "Wilderness Heart." Continuing to build momentum, the group introduced its more recent discography, including tracks from 2016's IV. Fizzling out with "Space to Bakersfield," the supergroup rode a wave of blissful psychedelia before stepping offstage.

Reminiscent of some of Chick Corea's best cuts, Geordie Greep quickly established himself through eccentric storytelling, evocative vocals, and a tightly synchronized backing band during his Saturday performance. Joined by a whole ensemble, Greep performed tracks off his 2025 solo debut, The New Sound. The energetic, fast-paced group swiftly combined rock with subtle hints of acid jazz and complete psychedelia in a tantalizing 46-minute set. Greep opened with an instrumental performance of the title track alongside his band. The frontman lightly danced as his group burned through an extended instrumental break before returning to finish vocals for "Walk Up," where he wallowed: "Walk up / Walk up / Walk up." Rattling bongos and tinny cymbals perfectly coalesced with tight piano flourishes and syncopated guitar accents on tracks like "Bongo Season." The percussive piece juxtaposed Greep's inventive balladry, as the Black Midi frontman softly sang, "Two mice harakiri in the corner of my room / Their little paunches bleeding, their tails interlinked," narrating the rodents' ritualistic suicide.

STRFKR's Saturday performance also packed a punch. The band fired a confetti cannon — not once or twice, but over four times during their set. The vibrant, colorful show featured lead singer Joshua Hodges in a pink wig with backing dancers swaying along to hits like "While I'm Alive" and "Kahlil Gibran" from their 2013 album Miracle Mile. Playing eclectic cuts from their newest record, Parallel Realms, the group generated ample buzz for "Together Forever," driven by swanky bass lines and even more confetti. The summery performance coincided with the sun melting into the background before the band segued into a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" during the latter half of their set.

An unknown name for some psychedelic rock fans, Sasami quickly became a festival favorite Saturday with her crowd work and total command of metallic, serenading rock. The Los Angeles singer encouraged the crowd to mosh early into her set, promoting "feral energy" as she swung her hair while deftly playing her guitar. Unlike other acts, the industrial musician managed to get a small but determined mosh pit swirling at the front of the Janis Stage.

Of course, what's avant-garde without Kim Gordon? Her Saturday set, composed mainly of tracks from her Grammy-nominated album The Collective, cascaded through the venue with electric whirrs, percussive smashes, and nonchalant flair. Gordon, performing with a spoken-word delivery, blasted through "I'm a Man" and "Psychedelic Orgasm," pausing occasionally to chat with the audience and laugh alongside adoring fans. The effortless performer closed her set with "Hungry Baby," a staple from her discography. It's mesmerizing, and a dripping bass line blared toward the crowd as Gordon vocalized, "What are you looking / Looking for? / Black wreath, baby."

Dinosaur Jr., the headliner for the festival's final day, captivated a crowd of hundreds with a full-album performance of Without a Sound, the group's sixth studio record. The band’s lead vocalist, J Mascis, interlaced each track with emotive vocals and interesting guitar riffs, augmenting the record for its live performance. Closing the festival with impending force, the band surprised concertgoers with an extended encore featuring tracks from Bug, Where You Been, and You're Living All Over Me.

Like every year, Psych fest blew through Austin with intensity and vigor. This year, however, featured one of the most diverse and eclectic lineups in the festival's history. At the core of the festival's evocative power stands its ability to attract crowds from across the world to see great minds in the music industry. With legendary artists like Yo La Tengo, Kim Gordon, Dinosaur Jr, and relative newcomers, Psych Fest introduced a buffet of acidic noise to its resident headbangers.

Day One

On Friday, April 25th, Austin Psych Fest kicked off the first of three days celebrating indie, experimental rock, shoegaze, post-punk, psychedelic rock, and many other subgenre acts from around the world. Day one featured performances from Austin-based post-rockers Explosions In The Sky, chamber rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Canadian psychedelic rock band Black Mountain, Berlin-native rock band Kadavar, Austin experimental group The Octopus Project, and heavy band Blackwater Holylight.

Day Two

On Saturday, April 26th, Austin Psych Fest day two commenced, featuring incredible performances from The Black Angels’s frontman Alex Maas, Montreal rock band Corridor, English rocker Geordie Greep, LA-based group Dummy, indie psychedelia band STRFKR, genre-bending powerhouse SASAMI, alternative group Wombo, and experimental band Darkside.

Day Three

On Sunday, April 27th, Austin Psych Fest concluded with memorable performances from Dean Wareham of Galaxie 500, New York rock band The Mystery Lights, powerful girl group La Luz, Texas local Holy Wave, New Jersey indie rockers Yo La Tengo, English alt group Bôa, and American rock band Dinosaur Jr.