Austin Psych Fest began in 2008, as a DIY event produced by The Black Angels and friends, and quickly expanded over the years into an international destination for the  underground music scene. The event was renamed LEVITATION, in a nod to the Austin’s psychedelic rock godfathers The 13th Floor Elevators, who reunited to play the event in 2015.

Since Austin Psych Fest and LEVITATION’s inception, organizers have sought to create a thriving center for the independent music scene locally and internationally, in the home of psychedelic rock: Austin, Texas. The event’s co-founder and booker Rob Fitzpatrick explains, “We’ve always been a little bit of the weird underground party, for the seekers, even as it’s gotten bigger each year. This Spring we’re throwing it back to where it all started, with the first Austin Psych Fest back in 2008. The 15th anniversary is a great excuse to book a stacked lineup and killer party to celebrate. We’re also excited to bring it back with our friends at Resound. The team there has been behind a crazy amount of our favorite Austin music moments - very stoked for what we have coming up.”

FRIDAY kicks off the weekend with the outernationalist psych pop of Toro Y Moi, the avant-psychedelic soul of Yves Tumor, the tripped out & blissed out dream pop of Crumb, the Saharan shred and groove of Mdou Moctar, the third-eye-splitting lysergic rock of Acid Mothers Temple and LA’s angular synth punks, Automatic. 

SATURDAY features the return of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Danish noise pop The Raveonettes - each marking a 10 year return to APF. Event founders The Black Angels are set to play their cult classic sophomore album Directions to See A Ghost which also sees its 15th anniversary this year. Psych rock statesman Danny Lee Rajan brings Night Beats back home to Texas, plus fuzzed out garage and psych sounds from Acid Dad and Wine Lips.

SUNDAY rounds out the weekend with Cuco's psychedelic sueños and Melody’s Echo Chamber making her long awaited Texas debut. UK via Uruguay cumbia boppers Los Bitchos also take the stage, along with Malian guitar scion Vieux Farka Touré, plus Mexico garage/surf/pop star Bratty and Columbian-American surrealists Divino Niño.

Austin-based Resound Presents has been tapped to co-produce the event. Composed of the team that brought Austin the legendary Fun Fun Fun Fest, the small team of experts at Resound bring national and up-and coming artists to stages across Central Texas. 

To keep up with updates and for additional information, keep up with Levitation on Instagram here and with Resound Presents here.

THE HISTORY OF LEVITATION & AUSTIN PSYCH FEST:

Austin Psych Fest was founded in 2008 by members of The Black Angels and friends, and the independent event sparked a movement, inspiring the creation of similar “Psych Fest” events across the globe, including Desert Daze, Wide Awake and many more. Austin Psych Fest was renamed LEVITATION in honor of Austin’s psychedelic rock pioneers The 13th Floor Elevators, who reunited and performed at LEVITATION 2015 for the band’s 50th anniversary. After a severe weather cancellation in 2016, the event returned in 2018 as a multi-venue downtown event, utilizing the city's famed music venues such as Stubb's, Mohawk, Hotel Vegas and many more to create a walkable, music community focused event each Fall.

Over the years, the event has hosted thousands of artists on it's lineups in Austin and beyond including Tame Impala, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Courtney Barnett, Tinariwen, Chicano Batman, Thundercat, Caribou, Japanese Breakfast, Sleep, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Slowdive, The Zombies, Animal Collective, Angel Olsen, Electric Wizard, Oh Sees, Ty Segall, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Shannon & The Clams, and countless others.

 ABOUT RESOUND PRESENTS:

Resound is a small team of experts working to make live music awesome across the stages of Central Texas, one club at a time. With a primary focus on bringing artists to music venues and other unique locations in Austin and San Antonio, Resound offers booking for live music, comedy, podcasts and more, as well as creative marketing and design services for national and local touring musicians, artists and brands.

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