Mood Rings and Adult Diversions: Austin Psych Fest 2024 Day Three Recap

On the last day of Austin Psych Fest, fans gathered to the Far Out Lounge for another fun filled day of amazing alt-rock music. Today fans were most excited for artists like Dehd, Alvvays, and Blondshell, who all made a lasting presence on the audience. This amazing last day has truly solidified the legacy of the festival.

After a long and rainy night, indie rock fans gathered to the Far Out Lounge in anticipation for the last day of Austin Psych Fest. The rain did not stop the crowd at all, with this day having a large crowd packed into the backyard of the venue. Rain or shine, the show would happen, and it absolutely rocked the crowd with artists like Dehd, Alvvays, and Blondshell gracing the festival grounds.

Sweeping Promises

First, Sweeping Promises, swept away the crowd with their funky sound that pulls inspiration from the riot grrrl genre. The band itself is a duo with a Bengali fronted female band its other half being her husband. It was amazing to see a South Asian woman asserting herself in the music space, especially at such a popular festival. At the end of their second song, the main vocalist dedicated a song to the conflict in Palestine, eliciting cheers from the audience. This band is up and coming, and will continue to shock audiences with their creativity and spunk. Make sure to check them out on tour!

DEHD

Next, the indie rock trio, Dehd, took over the main stage. The band brought in fresh indie funk vocals, and really brought in the beam of sunshine the crowd badly needed after the muddy morning. They main guitarist ran around the stage, constantly engaging the audience, bringing in cheers and smiles to the crowd. The band played songs like “Bad Love”, and “Mood Ring”, and brought in a fresh feel to the festival. Throughout the set, the band constantly addressed the audience and told them how excited they were to be there.

Blondshell

Next, the highly anticipated indie singer Blondshell came on the small stage, with her first song, “Veronica Mars”. She whipped her hair back and forth to the electrifying guitar solo in her song, and danced along taking off her sunglasses. She sang songs from her album Blondshell. Although this song has many emotional, ballad type songs, she was still able to ignite energy into it as she leaned into the crowd, proclaiming that she loves her Texas shows the best. In this set, many of the fans seemed to know all of the words, chanting and screaming it over the barricade, especially for her famous song “Kiss City”. She ended her (unfortunately) short set with the song “Salad”, as she made the fans do a screaming vote between that and “Tarmac”. Overall, she absolutely killed her set, and was one of the highlights of the entire weekend.

Kurt Vile and the Violators

Afterwards, Kurt Vile and the Violators came on to the mainstage with their more rock feel to the indie genre. They mainly played songs from his recent album Back to Moon Beach. This band served as a great “cool down” between the action packed morning, and the crazy evening to come. The band had a more folksy feel, and brought excitement from the crowd throughout their set.

Still Corners

Next, synth pop duo Still Corners performed on the small stage. Overall, they had a calming presence in the audience. They played a variety of songs from their newest album Dream Talk. This album has a relaxing feel, with many laid back songs. Listening to their set felt like a dream, as they meshed the live synth mixing and vocals well, and overall created an intimate feel in an otherwise large festival.

Alvvays

Lastly, the band we had all been waiting for, Alvvays graced the main stage. Every second of fans waiting through the various weather changes of the day made up for the ability to see this beautiful band perform in Austin. The band came on stage swathed in blue light, and despite their more indie, laid back vibes, they instantly captured the crowds attention with beautiful vocals and amazing harmony with the various instrumentals within the band. They played a variety of songs from their newest album Blue Rev. They began their set with their song “The Pharmacist”, and played other popular songs such as “Easy on Your Own?” and “Tile By Tile”. They told the audience that they were so glad to be in Austin, remarking that “something crazy always happens whenever we go to Austin…we’re here to soft rock your world”. And they did exactly that as they played one of the most memorable sets of the weekend. If this band goes on tour, they are definitely a must see. Their live performance is nothing compared to their albums.

—

In conclusion, Austin Psych Fest is a force to be reckoned with. The three day weekend had many memorable sets from amazing bands spanning a variety of genres. It was so amazing to see a diversity of indie music, and alt rock all in one backyard. It was clear that every artist there was excited to be there, making the crowd even more excited to be there. Check out the APF site to learn more about upcoming events.