Tomorrow night Austin Psych fest will kick off with a pair of pre-parties at the Mohawk and Red 7, both with incredible bills. The weekend that follows will feature performances by some of psych-rock’s most outstanding bands, including legends like Roky Erikson, the Moving Sidewalks, and Os Mutantes. We already brought you interviews with The Laurels, The Shivas, Vinyl Williams, and festival creators The Black Angels.
We could go on and on about each of the bands on this list, but we’re sure that you already know how Billy Gibbons broke ground with songs like “99th Floor” or that Besnard Lakes recently released a blissful and otherworldly new album. We feel we should at least mention that Tinariwen is a band from the Sahara Desert region of Mali and is comprised of an ever shifting lineup of musicians due to the nomadic lifestyle of the Tuareg people in the region (see a video below). Psych Fest is full of surprises. Otherwise, we’ll temper our tendency to talk too much and bring you videos of 20 bands we think you shouldn’t miss this year. We’ll let the music speak for itself, and you can decide for yourself. Here is our list of 20 bands to see IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
1. The Moving Sidewalks – 11:00 Pm Sunday – Reverberation Stage
2. Deerhunter – 11:30 PM Saturday – Reverberation Stage
3. Os Mutantes – 10:00 PM – Saturday Reverberation Stage
4. The Shivas – 4:00 PM Sunday – Elevation Amphitheater
5. Roky Erickson – 7:30 PM Sunday – Reverberation Stage
6. Elephant Stone – 4:00 PM Sunday – Reverberation Stage
7. The Laurels – 3:00 PM Sunday – Reverberation Stage
8. Silver Apples – 11:00 PM – Friday – Levitation Tent
9. Tamaryn – 8:00 PM – Friday – Elevation Amphitheater
10. Tinariwen – 7:00 PM Friday – Reverberation Stage
11. Besnard Lakes – 5:45 PM Friday – Reverberation Stage
12. The Growlers – 10:30 PM Sunday – Levitation Tent
13. Clinic – 12:00 Midnight Sunday – Levitation Tent
14. The Wolf – 3:00 PM Friday – Levitation Tent
15. Black Bananas – 7:00 PM Saturday – Levitation Tent
16. Vinyl Williams – 4:00 PM Saturday – Levitation Tent
17. White Fence – 5:00 PM Sunday – Reverberation Stage
18. GOAT – 10:00 PM Sunday – Elevation Amphitheater
19. Suuns – 7:30 PM Friday – Levitation Tent
20. The Black Angels – 9:00 PM Sunday – Reverberation Stage
