LEVITATION and What You Missed Out On

Desarey Elizondo Lopez 

Music Journalist 

This year’s Levitation has blown me away and might have been the most fun I’ve experienced. I was able to see so many bands live that I hadn’t seen or even heard of before, and of course a few I’ve already had the opportunity to experience such as Die Spitz, Grocery Bag and Her New Knife. Each day brought a unique experience with different bands and events across different venues, and I’ve decided to highlight a few of my favorite bands and moments. Let’s break this down by each day of the festival.  

 Friday: 

 Friday was my first day at the festival, and the energy at Far Out Lounge was eccentric as concertgoers continued to flood into the entrances. The day started off strong with Grocery Bag giving it their all on the big stage. Their performance was electric, and they played a few unreleased songs that I will be eagerly awaiting from now on. My team and I were fortunate enough to get an interview with the band afterwards, which I think was the pinnacle of my career as a journalist. They gave insight on their latest EP, DEADVOLT, discussed their most recent tour and their most memorable moments as a band. They sound amazing both live and in the studio, and would recommend this band to anyone. 

 A few more bands went on, until it was ultimately time for Die Spitz to play. They opened with fan favorite, “I Hate When GIRLS Die”, and as the crowd began moshing, I seized the opportunity and pushed my way up front to get a better view. One of my favorite things about Die Spitz is how each member rotates instruments depending on the song. They have great chemistry together, and clearly enjoyed performing again in their hometown. The crowd was also very responsive to what the band was playing, such as slowing down the energy when the song was slower and melancholic, and creating a circle pit when asked to. This was by far my favorite set from the entire weekend and I can’t wait for Die Spitz to come back. 

 The night wasn’t over yet, however, as my team and I migrated over to Stubb’s for Her New Knife and The Garden. By the time we got there the venue was packed out and Her New Knife had already started their set. The atmosphere was lively as the band played their set and had the crowd entranced by their heavy basslines and eerie post-punk sound. As the band wrapped up and packed up their equipment, the crowd buzzed with anticipation as we all waited for The Garden. The lights dimmed suddenly and the duo stepped onto the stage and began their first song, which instantly got the crowd moving and I once again pushed through the pit and towards the front to where all the chaos was originating from. The Garden was on tour for their latest album, Bootleg, but of course they played plenty of songs from other albums as well, such as from haha and Six Desperate Ballads, my two personal favorite releases from them. There was hardly a break between songs, and the duo kept up the energy until the very end. I left Stubb’s that night with ringing ears, merch from the bands, and an excitement for the rest of Levitation. 

 Saturday: 

 After an eventful first day, I couldn’t wait for what the next day would bring, which unfortunately happened to be rain, causing a delay and post-poning the rest of the sets for that evening. After seeking shelter inside the VIP lounge, the rain lightened and the air was humid, but that wouldn’t stop me or any other fan from enjoying the sets. One band I hadn’t heard of before that I saw that day was Ditz, a rock band from England whose performance had me hooked the moment they stepped onstage. The lead vocalist even crowdsurged during the first band, which really got us all hyped and eager for the rest of the band’s set. By the end of their set I had already looked up their entire discography and was thoroughly investigating each song that was on their setlist. 

 After Ditz was Cabaret Voltaire, an industrial, post-punk band that I was also unfamiliar with until they played their set. All of their songs were really catchy and I was hooked onto the band from their first note. The crowd was dancing along to each song and I too was mesmerized by their presence onstage. Safe to say that Cabaret Voltaire also gained another fan that night. 

 After a long day of waiting, it was finally time for the closer Molchat Doma to perform. From the first chord they played, the crowd was moving along to the band’s post-punk and darkwave sounds. I missed the band on their previous tour, so I had to make up for it this time. They were also the one and only band I was waiting to watch that day, so hearing them play some of my favorite songs had me feeling over the moon. The band was also super energetic onstage, especially their vocalist, who was dancing and moving erratically onstage in an odd but mesmerizing manner. The crowd cheered the band on and kept the vigor up until their last song, and by the end of the night I had left with another poster for my apartment walls. 

 Sunday: 

 The final day of Levitation arrived, but the energy hadn’t slowed down yet. Earth Tongue warmed up the crowd Sunday afternoon with their psychedelic and doomer-esque sounds that were new to me, but I can proudly say that they have gained another fan. I went back and forth between sets at Far Out before it was time for me to head over to Mohawk. I arrived to see Makeout Reef already playing onstage, but that wouldn’t deter me from my so-far successful method of hopping into the pit and maneuvering my way towards the front of the crowd. As soon as I got closer to the front, the band asked the crowd to split down the middle, and we immediately braced ourselves to run into the other half of the crowd for a wall of death. They counted us down, and we rammed into each other, which quickly devolved into one of the rowdiest pits I had been in yet. The adrenaline was still high as they ended their set and we awaited the next band. 

 Next up was shoegaze/alt rock band Flyingfish, who I had high expectations for since they put on an electrifying performance the first time I saw them with Dead Calm and Panchiko. Their sound has definitely grown and their performance did not disappoint. The crowd and I still had more than enough energy for the final band that night, Rehash, which meant I had to go out with a bang. The band began their set, the crowd continued moshing and even began crowdsurfing, and I was then preoccupied with holding the crowdsurfers up. The crowd sang along to each song and enjoyed every bit of the band’s chemistry onstage. It also happened to be the bassist’s birthday that day, so we all stopped and sang Happy Birthday to her before continuing the night’s chaos. At one point I even joined in on the crowdsurfing during Rehash’s set, which was definitely the highlight of my night. I didn’t leave with merch this time, but I had more than enough fun and excitement to make up for it. 

 After my three days in Austin, I can confidently say that Levitation has enhanced my appreciation for live music and has helped me discover plenty of new artists. After the weekend was over, I was left with so many memories worth remembering, and I can’t wait to experience this all over again next year.