APF 2013: Highlights, Including Tonight

Yesterday, I posted about Time Conflicts in the Austin Psych Fest line-up. Today, I'm going to post some of my daily, highlight artists. There are lots of great bands playing APF, and as I said yesterday, you could just stay at the main stage every day of the festival and see really great sets. If you'd like to dabble in a little bit of curated listening allow me to guide you on this psychic journey.

If you already bought tickets or you would like to buy tickets to Austin Psych Fest, you may do so starting tonight at 6:00pm. Just head on over toward the Mohawk and you'll figure it out from there. That's actually my advice in any given situation. Add Whiskey as needed.

Thursday

• Allah-Las - 11pm, Red 7, Outside
• A Place to Bury Strangers - 10pm, Mohawk, Outside
• Metz - 9pm, Mohawk, Outside

Metz - Wet Blanket video via YouTube

Friday

• Vietnam - 6pm, Elevation Amphitheater
• Suuns - 7:30pm, Levitation Tent
• Warpaint - 8:30pm, Reverberation Stage

Vietnam - Kitchen Kongas video via YouTube

Saturday

• Young Magic - 2pm, Levitation Tent
• Kaleidoscope - 8:30pm, Elevation Amphitheater
• OS Mutantes - 10:00pm, Reverberation Stage

Kaleidoscope (UK) Flight From Ashiya

Sunday

• Elephant Stone - 4:00pm, Reverberation Stage
• White Fence - 5:00pm, Reverberation Stage
• Goat - 10:00pm, Elevation Amphitheater

Goat - Goathead video via YouTube

For what it's worth, I'll be going to APF for the full weekend but I understand that you might be short on personal time and cash assets. If you're only heading out to Carson Creek Ranch one day of the festival, I'd go Sunday. That's my opinion and I know the day before Monday isn't ideal for some people. However, Goat is my number one band in the APF draft this year and they play Sunday night. My 2nd round draft pick goes to Elephant Stone, who also perform Sunday. So for me, Sunday has the best single-day-ticket line-up.

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APF 2013 Kick-Off Shows

Austin Psych Fest starts this Friday but you can get a head-start on all of the reverb-soaked bliss by hitting one or both of Thursday night's kick-off shows. If you already purchased a weekend pass for the festival you can pick it up outside of the Mohawk starting at 6pm tomorrow night. Once you pick up your pass you can access the pre-shows at both Mohawk and Red 7 for free. However, if you do a bit of mental math there are WAY more weekend passes for APF 2013 than there is space available inside these two venues so arrive early.

If you haven't bought tickets for APF 2013 you can still buy individual tickets, weekend passes and shuttle passes outside the Mohawk tomorrow. For that matter, you can also buy individual tickets to the pre-shows at both Mohawk and Red 7 respectively. If you don't think you can handle a full weekend of psychedelic music performed on a ranch on the edge of Austin, these shows are a good opportunity to get a taste of what you're missing.


A Place to Bury Strangers - You Are The One video via YouTube

As far as the festival itself goes, I'm a bit nervous. I drove out to the festival site a week or two ago and it's really out there. I'm worried that parking and getting in and out of the festival grounds is going to be a nightmare. There is a shuttle but that costs $10 for a weekend pass or $3 a ride and it gets you from the fest to the Hampton Inn that's at Ben White and Riverside. There are CapMetro busses that pick up and drop off there but they stop running around 10:30pm. If you drive all the way to the festival parking is $7/day, which isn't that big of a deal BUT since I've been out there I can assure you that it's going to take a long ass time to drive out of there at the end of the night.

If you use Car2Go, there is a drop-off spot at The Parking Spot but that's quite a walk and that walk would involve jaywalking across highway 71. Not to mention, it's the most expensive option yet. Ideally Car2Go would have a drop-off point at or near the festival OR near the APF shuttle but at this point in the game, I don't think that's going to happen.

The smartest thing to do is team up with other festival go-ers and carpool. Or, if you're so inclined rent a party bus and charge people to get on. OR if you're corporately-connected sponsor a party bus and reserve my boyfriend and I a seat. Thanks.

Oh, and if you don't want to worry about driving in and out of the festival everyday, you can always choose the camping option. Personally, I abhor camping and camping at a music festival is a status update I hope to never make.

Sorry, I got so distracted thinking about transport to and from the festival that I forgot to tell you who is playing Thursday night's kick-off parties. Now most of you have already stopped reading because there's simply too many words so I'll just get to the point.

Mohawk's Thursday Line-Up:

• A Place to Bury Strangers (10pm)
• Metz (9pm)
• Odonis Odonis (8pm)
• Low Times (7pm)
• Cosmonauts (12:30am)
• Orange Revival (11:30pm)
• Forever Changes (10:30pm)
• All in the Golden Afternoon (9:30pm)

Red 7's Thursday Line-Up:

• Rain Parade (12:15am)
• Allah Las (11pm)
• UFO Club (10pm)
• Hidden Ritual (9pm)
• Flavor Crystals (12:30am)
• The Volta Sound (11:30pm)
• Fairfield Parlour (10:30pm)
• Chatham Rise (9:30pm)

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Austin Psych Fest 4 at Seaholm

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Austin Psych Fest, which starts tomorrow night. This is the fourth year, and third location, for the fest and promises to be the biggest one yet. What started as a way for, local psych-o's The Black Angels, to feature some of their favorite cohorts in psych has morphed into a full-on festival. Tickets are still available and may be purchased for individual days of for the entire 3-day event.

If I were wise, I would have started posting about this event a week or two ago and featured one band a day like I do for SXSW but in typical Bloggy-fashion I procrastinated and now I'm faced with a mammoth post. So, I think what I will do is break it down like this. I'll focus on, which day to buy for those of you who can only afford to attend one day, then I'll post videos from some of my favorite artists who will be hitting the fest this weekend.


A Place to Bury Strangers - I Lived My Life To Stand In The Shadow Of Your Heart video via YouTube

A Place To Bury Strangers plays Psych Fest Friday night. There are two stages at Seaholm Power Plant one of which, I presume, will be inside while the other is outside. I'm assuming "stage 2" is inside since they have bands performing at 2am on stage 2 and I'm pretty sure that violates some noise-ordinance. There are some great artists playing Friday night at Psych Fest but if I'm only going to buy a day ticket I'm not going to spend the money on the shortest day. Sorry, I'm just thinking frugal. However, if you're going to be buying a weekend pass (or already have) you should check out Omar A. Rodriquez, Tobacco, No Joy, Shapes Have Fangs, Crystal Stilts, Atlas Sound and Beach Fossils.


Crystal Stilts - Through The Floor video via YouTube

Day 2 is probably the day I would buy a pass for, if you're only going to do one day because the music goes on for, roughly 14 hours. Although, the headliners for Sunday are stronger in my opinion. However, I am all about a few of the bands playing Saturday including Crocodiles


Crocodiles - Sleep Forever video via YouTube

and

Black Moth Super Rainbow.


Black Moth Super Rainbow - Born on a Day the Sun Didn't Rise video via YouTube

However, you might also be interested in seeing Prefuse 73, Sleepy Sun, Indian Jewelry, and Young Prisms. All of whom, are also, playing Psych Fest on Saturday.



Indian Jewelry - Swans video via YouTube

Sunday, is the third and final day, of Psych Fest and it ends a bit earlier than the previous days but there is still enough Psychedelic Rock to melt your face and get your money's worth out of that peyote you bought. As I mentioned earlier, I feel like this is the day with the strongest headliners with both The Black Angels and, the legendary, Roky Erickson set to perform. Before Roky's set there is a mysterious unannounced performance, which I believe to be the ghost of Stevie-Ray Vaughn but that's just conjecture at this point.


The Black Angels - Telephone video via YouTube

So, don't forget if you want to attend Psych Fest 4 this weekend you should snag some tickets and head on down to Seaholm Power Plant. Attire is business casual so bring a sport-coat but no tie is required.

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