A three-day psychedelic celebration
Austin Psych Fest 2025 brings three days of mind-expanding music, visuals, and culture to The Far Out Lounge in South Austin this April. Running from 25 to 27 April 2025, the iconic psych and indie rock festival returns with another stacked lineup, immersive projections, and the dreamy community spirit that defines its cult following.
Since its 2023 revival by the Levitation crew, Psych Fest has grown into one of the US’s key psychedelic gatherings. Stripped-back, vibrant, and packed with boundary-pushing artists, it’s a far cry from your typical corporate mega-fest. Expect fuzz, feedback, and full sensory overload.
Explosions, legends, and fuzzed-out riffs
This year’s lineup is a head trip. Friday opens with the post-rock swells of Explosions in the Sky, followed by the cinematic intensity of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Add in heavy psych from Black Mountain and Kadavar, electronic chaos from Octopus Project, and the haunting tones of Blackwater Holylight, and you’ve got a seriously heavy launch.
Saturday leans into warped electronics and art rock. DARKSIDE’s cosmic minimalism sets the tone, Kim Gordon brings noise and distortion, and STRFKR balances it out with danceable neon pop. Add the reverb-drenched cool of La Luz, SASAMI’s grunge-laced dream rock, and hometown heroes Holy Wave, and it’s a long, strange trip worth taking.
Sunday doesn’t let up. Dinosaur Jr. will play Without a Sound in full—expect distortion, hooks, and J Mascis’s legendary tone. Indie mainstays Yo La Tengo follow with a fuzzed-out, soul-warming set. Rounding it out: Geordie Greep’s math rock chaos, Amazonian legends Los Mirlos, and slowcore punks King Hannah.
The roots of Austin’s psych scene
Austin’s reputation as a psychedelic city didn’t start with festivals—it started in the 1960s. Bands like The 13th Floor Elevators lit the fuse, with Roky Erickson’s mind-warping vocals and lysergic soundscapes laying the foundation for the genre in Texas. Back then, venues like the Vulcan Gas Company and Armadillo World Headquarters hosted everything from garage fuzz to acid freak-outs, forging a regional style equal parts twang and trip.
By the 1980s, underground acts like Butthole Surfers and The Black Angels pushed that tradition further into noise, distortion, and DIY rebellion. The Black Angels, in fact, are the driving force behind Austin Psych Fest’s founding in 2008. Their mission? Reclaim and reimagine the psychedelic experience—not as retro costume, but as a vital, evolving movement.
Today, Austin remains a hub for psych music. From niche record stores to bedroom studios and experimental clubs, the sound has never left—it just keeps shifting form. And Psych Fest captures that energy in its purest state.
A venue built for visuals
The Far Out Lounge is no ordinary venue—it’s an open-air oasis that pulses with strange energy. Shaded by massive oaks and lit by swirling visuals, it’s a space built for blissed-out wandering. There’s space to dance, crash on the grass, or sink into an acid-drenched art installation.
No fences. No VIP pens or over-polished hype. It’s all about sound, light, and loose vibes. Local food trucks, vinyl vendors, and psych zines line the perimeters, giving it the feel of a ’70s acid commune crossed with modern DIY spirit.
Full lineup breakdown
Friday, 25 April
Explosions in the Sky
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Black Mountain
Kadavar
Octopus Project
Blackwater Holylight
Federale
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter
Saturday, 26 April
DARKSIDE
Kim Gordon
STRFKR
La Luz
SASAMI
Holy Wave
Mystery Lights
Wombo
Sunday, 27 April
Dinosaur Jr. (Without a Sound)
Yo La Tengo
Geordie Greep
King Hannah
Los Mirlos
Water Damage
Windows
Capps & NASA Country
Getting to Austin
If you’re flying in, Skyscanner is your best bet for low fares to Austin–Bergstrom. The city’s music season ramps up fast in spring, so book early. As for where to crash, Booking.com lists everything from boutique motels near South Congress to artsy Airbnbs within cycling distance of the venue.
Public transit is solid, but Uber, bikes, and good old walking will get you around quicker. Once inside, everything’s within steps. And yes, it’s dog-friendly.
Tickets and timing
Weekend and single-day passes are available now through the official Austin Psych Fest site. Given the cult status and tight venue capacity, tickets won’t last. VIP upgrades are limited and include preferred viewing areas and some private chill zones.
Planning on making a tour of it? Check out the latest on the Glass Animals Tour of Earth and build your spring around this wave of global psych, indie, and electronic crossovers. Psychedelia’s not a genre—it’s a mindset.
For more festivals taking leftfield turns and challenging the mainstream, don’t miss the colourful lineup at Love Saves the Day Festival 2025, Bristol’s answer to creative freedom.
Final words on Austin Psych Fest 2025
Austin Psych Fest 2025 is more than a festival—it’s a slow burn, a feedback loop, and a shared hallucination. With its genre-defying lineup, deeply DIY vibe, and one of the best venues in Texas, it continues to set the standard for underground celebration.
Come for the noise. Stay for the light. Leave with your head cracked open in the best way. This isn’t a festival—it’s a state of mind.
