My final day of Austin Psych Fest 2013 coverage left off on Day Two, a pleasant Saturday that turned a rain deluge in the late evening, causing performance delays and turning the Carson Creek Ranch site into an incredible sea of grey clay muck that sucked the shoes right off my feet. I was envisioning the final day to the fest to be a sad comedy of thousands of people wiping out in the mud while dancing to one of the many great acts scheduled, or the likely personal tragedy of me wiping out and breaking my camera gear and hips and mind all at the same time. But thanks to the miraculous appearance of morning Texas sunshine, by the tine I arrived at the fest on Sunday the mud had largely dried up and all was well!
The mood of the crowd was equally sunny, and I got right down to business, following some happy dancers over to the Reverberation Stage (where I ended staying the whole day) to see psychgaze Aussie band The Laurels, who were very loud and also very happy. I dug their strong, high-energy set a whole lot. (Click on the photos to enlarge and go to Flickr for more!)
(The Laurels Flickr set)
There was a lot of buzz from the crowd and the assembled media about the next band, Elephant Stone, especially when leader Rishi Dhir busted out a sitar for the soundcheck. The band, which hails from Montreal, Canada, incorporates several kinds of Indian musical elements into their sweet indie psych-pop sound, which makes for an intriguing, fresh, and very enjoyable blend. You will like them, oh yes, you will. The Allah-Las' Matthew Correia joined them on vocals and killer tambourine at the end!
(Elephant Stone Flickr set)
On the day the APF 2013 lineup was announced, I was reading through the bands, going "Yes! Yes! Yes! What??? Yes!' but when I read that White Fence would be there I actually whooped and then immediately bought a ticket on the spot. I didn't know if I would be able to shoot, and didn't know how I'd work it all out, but I HAD. TO. GO. Tim Presley makes music that takes some of the most thoughtful, tuneful, and surrealist elements of late '60s psych-pop (think Syd Barrett, The Kinks, Love) with a DIY edge that ends up to be kind of this tangy delicious lemon drop for your ears. White Fence live adds in Presley's considerable guitar solo skills and a band that adds a satisfying punky heft to the recordings.
Whenever anyone at the fest asked me who I was most excited to see at APF, I always gave the same answer, widening my eyes and meeting the gaze of the inquirer, and with the sincere mildly-crazy tone of a true fan, said, "WHITE EFF-IN' FENCE!!!"
(White Fence Flickr set)
With only a few minutes to re-group, next up was The King Khan & BBQ Show, OH BOY! I have seen the incredible Khan with his Shrines several times before, but this was my first time seeing him perform with Mark Sultan doing their super-wild blast-out garage punk duo act, resplendent in gold and green finery. It was so overwhelmingly FUN that I totally broke photo pit "etiquette" for a few seconds and yelled in joy and danced along. Sorry, fellow photogs, but MY GOD, that was a blast! I did settle down to take some photos, 'cause I so pro.
(The King Khan & BBQ Show Flickr set)
What a thrill it was to be able to see Texas garage-psych legend Roky Erickson perform live! "You're Gonna Me Miss Me" by The 13th Floor Elevators is one of my all-time favorite songs, ever since I saw this performance on "Where The Action Is" when I was a little kiddie and begged for the 45. I must've played it 100 times in a row when I finally got it. It's sad rock n' roll history that Roky has been through some really tough times in his life, which makes his appearance and broad smile at the rockin' out APF fans that much more sweet to see.
(Roky Erickson Flickr set)
As night descended upon the ranch one more time, a huge crowd amassed to see Austin locals and founders of Austin Psych Fest, The Black Angels. Appropriate to their dark, droning, swirling psych-tined rock, the stage lights were dimmed to near-black, save for some deep blues, purples, reds, and greens. They played a long, loud, and and mind-expanding set, which also included Elephant Stone's Rishi Shir on sitar, a perfect match at the perfect time in the festival.
(The Black Angels Flickr set)
And then it was time for the APF 2013 Headliner of the Headliners: Texas '60s garage rock legends The Moving Sidewalks, who had not played their home state in 44 years. You may know the bearded gentleman who fronts the Sidewalks...that's Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top, of course!
The air was crackling with excitement, and the big Reverberation stage was carefully laid out with a custom Sidewalks drum kit, slick stacks of amps, and some musical instruments that probably have at least ten years of age on even me. Gibbons looked delighted to be onstage once again with his bandmates from back in the day, and busted out guitar licks that would blast your socks off, and maybe even your future kids' socks off. The crowd grooved mightily to the band's blues-based psych-rock (which included covers of Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, and the Troggs) and gave The Moving Sidewalks an extended roar of cheers at the end, bringing the band back for an encore featuring a slightly-slowed version of the band's most-famous song "99th Floor." Awesome!
(The Moving Sidewalks Flickr set)
So that's it! I still cannot believe that I was able to see and hear so many of my most-favorite bands over the 3+ days of the fest, including the kick-off party, and I only wish I could have seen them all. Austin Psych Fest was a blast, and I give my deepest thanks to Michelle Cable at Panache Booking, Rob and Erica at APF, Jeanne Roe of Navidad Farms, Khila and Jay of Rock Cousteau, David von Bader and Michael Roffman at Consequence of Sound, Tim "Merchin'" Presley, my family, and all the bands and fans that I met from all over the world. We all came together to dig this crazy thing, and we done dug! See ya next year, Psych Fest!
LINK PARTY! ALL MY APF 2013 COVERAGE IN ONE PLACE! WOOOOO!
Kick-Off Party with Chatham Rise, 4/25/13
Kick-Off Party with Fairfield Parlour and Allah-Las, 4/25/13
Kick-Off Party with Rain Parade, 4/25/13
APF 2013 Day One with Gary War, Bass Drum of Death, The Besnard Lakes, and Vietnam, 4/26/13
APF 2013 Day One with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Ravonettes, Warpaint, Tamaryn, and Tinariwen, 4/26/13
APF 2013 Day Two with Deerhunter, Os Mutantes, Black Mountain, Man or Astro-man?, and Quintron & Miss Pussycat, 4/27/13
...and you are on Day Three right here, silly.
APF Review on Consequence of Sound
My Flickr including APF People and Places
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman