From Rappers to Rockstars

Playboi Carti performing in November 2016

From Rappers to Rockstars

Ray Bellville Music Journalist Rock and Rap share many similarities and historical equivalencies, especially in the media. In the modern day, rap has produced modern-day rockstars from the likes of PARIS TEXAS to Playboi Carti and more. I will explore the connections between these two massive genres and highlight rock influences in rap. https://youtu.be/e9u0HmXLPmA?si=VUwfkQavXyDwHB9_ Connections between genres These genres have lived and aged together in close proximity, with many legends collaborating […]

July 8, 2026 29 9

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Concert Review

Hey Listen! Drug Church At Mohawk

Sofia Slack Music Reviewer It was 2022 when I first learned about Drug Church. I was asked by one of my friends at the time if I wanted to go to Austin for a Halloween Punk Night show, and they told me Drug Church would be performing. At the time, I had only had a few songs of theirs in my playlist, but I agreed to go because I had […]

April 7, 2026 85 8 5

Image features side view of Suzi Gardner on guitar, Donita Sparks on guitar, and Jennifer Finch on bass in front Mohawk audience. Colorful, psychedelic imagery washes over the stage, the band, and the audience.

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Interviews

L7 Live at Mohawk: LEVITATION 2022

By Avery Viers Local Music Director On day one of the whirlwind weekend that was LEVITATION 2022 I spoke with Donita Sparks, guitarist and vocalist of legendary hard rock band, L7. Sparks and band members Suzi Gardner, Jennifer Finch, and Dee Plakas played at Mohawk on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, as one of the music festival’s final sets. With only twenty-four hours to prepare for my interview with Sparks, I […]

November 23, 2022 252 1

The band Nothing plays onstage for an audience while a projector shines light on them.

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Music

Levitation Fest Kick-Off Show Housed Explosive Performances

By Jared Dudley Music Journalist After taking a year off in 2020, Levitation Festival returned last weekend with live performances from over 70 bands and artists playing in venues across downtown Austin. Named in honor of Austin’s psychedelic rock pioneers The 13th Floor Elevators, Levitation Fest is a community-focused celebration of the underground, featuring a variety of rock sounds including noise, goth, punk, and metal. The Levitation Kick-off Show took […]

November 7, 2021 179 2

A collection of 5 different album covers

Music

Playlist Guide: Experimental Rock

By Cassidy Segovia Music Journalist Welcome to Playlist Guide, a series of articles dedicated to playlists I curate. I will recommend around five to six songs that best fit my topic. For my first Playlist Guide I made an experimental rock playlist featuring my favorite songs of the genre. For those who may not know, experimental rock is defined as “a subgenre of rock music” that uses different instrumentations for their composition. Most […]

October 8, 2021 195

This is the album cover for Sunbeam Sound Machine’s Wanderer album. The cover includes a pyramid and vivid colors.

Music

Sunbeam Sound Machine: A Psychedelic Rock Masterpiece

By Lesly Milan Music Journalist Earlier this week I was introduced to the ethereal beauty of Sunbeam Sound Machine, a psychedelic rock band that can teleport you to a different universe through music. That may be an exaggeration, but Sunbeam Sound Machine’s music personally makes me feel like I’m floating. It’s the type of music that you listen to when you’re looking for an escape from the real world. Sunbeam […]

July 2, 2021 769

A red background with symbols of a crescent moon and star, along with white lettering, spelling out “Anatolian Rock”

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Music

Anatolian Rock: The Greatest Genre You’ve Never Heard of

By Daniel BarrettMusic Journalist If you’re a fan of music, or even pop culture for that matter, chances are you’ve heard about a revolutionary period in music history known to most as “The British Invasion.” Iconic rock bands of the 1960s such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Kinks were making undeniable waves across the United Kingdom with their boundary-pushing sounds and rebellious attitudes. Their successes were so […]

April 12, 2021 725 1 2

The album cover is an abstract outline drawing of an ox.

Music

The Potential of BLUEOX in the Rock World

By John GamezMusic Journalist Psychedelic rock was born in the late ’60s and has made its place to stay for generations to come. Bands like The Doors, The Beatles and Pink Floyd are most widely known for birthing this new style of sound. A half-century later, epic guitar solos are still going strong as heard and covered in BLUEOX’s latest EP, Fearless. Titled after Pink Floyd’s track, the “Fearless" cover […]

April 5, 2021 65

The cover of Pyke’s sophomore album features a painting of roses in the foreground of a beach front view.

Music

Cosmo Pyke: A Piper for Janet EP Review

By Dillon Veazie Music Journalist Four years after the release of his debut album, South London artist Cosmo Pyke brings us A Piper for Janet EP. It is safe to say Pyke has leveled up exponentially during his four year hiatus from releasing music. For Pyke’s sophomore album, he moved away from the conventional indie sound and into his own league. A Piper for Janet is a jazz record at […]

April 3, 2021 740

rock