Day of Witches: Austin Psych Fest 2024 Day Two Recap

Day 2 of Austin Psych Fest brought a hint of Halloween to Austin, as fans poured in wearing black hats and robes in celebration of the set to come. Fans saw The Black Angels and All Them Witches who brought a grungier, rockier tone to the festival. Today, fans were in anticipation for a day of rock and roll paired with the beautiful scenery of the backyard of the Far Out Lounge. Today, fans were ready to sweat in the Texas sun in anticipation for the amazing lineup.

Day 2 of Austin Psych Fest brought in the heat, both literally and figuratively as fans anticipated a hot lineup of all things witchy and ghosty under the Texas sun. It felt like Halloween seeing everyone come into the festival donning various witch hats and cloaks in celebration of the line up to come. Today, the crowd was larger than ever, with the festival selling out of tickets for headliner The Black Angels.

GHOSTWOMAN

First, the duo GHOSTWOMAN performed on the smaller stage of the venue, bringing in a hint of indie twang. Although it was just the two of them, the pair had an amazing stage presence, and commanded the audience as they gathered around the stage in anticipation for some of their songs such as “The End of a Gun’‘, or songs from their newest album Hindsight is 50/50. Overall, the duo primed the audience well for the day to come with their hint of folk and rock.

Frankie and the Witch Fingers

Next, Frankie and the Witch Fingers took over the mainstage. The band came on stage with vigor, ready to take on the large crowd eager with anticipation for them. Although the band has a more chill approach to indie rock, they still brought in the heat. The main singer of the band captivated the audience with his amazing facial expressions and how he glided across the stage, constantly engaging the audience. They definitely brought in the Halloween vibes of Day 2, with their hauntingly beautiful vocals and amazing instrumentals. The passion the band had for their music translated to the audience, as fans started crowd surfing, and really brought in the “rock” to the otherwise more chill festival.

Witch

Later in the day, the band Witch brought in a true sense of rock that really revived the crowd. Pulling inspiration from Jimmy Hendrix and Black Sabbath, it is clear that the band has a sense of timelessness, as they took control of the crowd, constantly engaging them with their heavy guitar and drum. Each member of the band was equally invested in their music, making it so much more fun for the audience. One of the lead guitarists was invested in the photographers getting good pictures of him in the pit, so he would often go out of his way to smile and make funny faces for a good shot. Overall, this band had an amazing energy, and is well worth going to see again.

L.A. Witch

Next, a female fronted alt-rock trio graced the smaller stage of the venue, and wowed the crowd. If you are looking for a rock band with women of color, L.A. Witch should be at the top of your list. Although they had the smaller stage, they rocked it just as hard as the headliners did at the festival. It is clear that the lead singer, Sadie Sanchez, has a love for the music she makes, as she constantly engages the crowd. The band also brought in more of the witchy energy, as the majority of the band wore all black, and had an aura of mystery to them. The band definitely brought the psych and indie part of APF to light, and had an amazing set.

All Them Witches

Before the headliners, hard rock quartet, All Them Witches, hyped the crowd on the mainstage. Honestly, this band had one of the best performances of the weekend. The band played “When God Comes Back”, which is one of their most popular songs for a reason. As they played, the crowd cheered, and danced. They also began to stage dive, and matched the band’s energy. Because of All Them Witches, Psych Fest had a much needed change of pace to a more hardcore beat, bringing the diversity the festival is known for. Overall, if you are into rock mixed with some psych, this band is for you to headbang to.

The Black Angels

Lastly, The Black Angels made their way to the mainstage. This band had the most striking visuals of the entire night, with flashing white lights flooding the stage as the band began their first song of their set. They brought a more rugged sound to the festival, making their set the perfect end to the night. The band attracted a huge audience, with fans flooding the backyard area, all ready to dance to their set. The grunginess of this set helped end night two of APF on a good note, and left fans in anticipation for the last day of the festival. Currently the band is gearing up for tour, so make sure to check them out!

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Overall, this night was one of the strongest nights of the festival because it brought alternative rock, and hard rock to the mainstage. Fans loved it, many of them crowd surfing and headbanging along in the audience. This day showed how diverse the rock genre really is, and brought along the fun theme of witches to the audience.