by Virginia Hernandez

Levitation Festival returns September 25–28 with one of its most ambitious lineups yet, promising heavy hitters, psychedelic visuals, and genre-defying performances. Long celebrated for championing the outer reaches of psych-rock, electronica, and punk, Levitation is also debuting a new cross-hybrid format this year: the main stage moves to the Palmer Events Center, while nightly shows light up the Downtown Red River District.

Boasting headlining indie giants like Pavement, the indie-rock architects whose slacker anthems shaped the ’90s, TV on the Radio, who are unmatched in their genre-crossing fusion of soul, art rock, and synths, and Mastodon, the progressive-metal juggernauts known for their live sets performed with ferocity and precision.

They’re joined by a stacked bill that digs deep into the indie and experimental realms that Levitation is known for:

• Indie stalwarts Built to Spill, dream-rock explorers Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and New Orleans sludge legends Acid Bath.
  
• Local heroes and Levitation founders The Black Angels return to their festival home base, alongside heavy hitters like The Armed, Blood Incantation, and Marie Davidson.
  
• Cult favorites Destroyer, Blonde Redhead, and Sudan Archives offer texture and experimentalism, while punk energy surges through Wednesday, PUP, and Jeff Rosenstock.
  
• Iconic veterans such as Martin Rev of Suicide, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Swervedriver, and The Raveonettes cement the festival’s reputation for honoring pioneers.
  
• Rising acts and eclectic voices—Model/Actriz, Boy Harsher, Mdou Moctar, Jamila Woods, Beach Fossils, and many more—add fresh blood to the fest.

What sets Levitation apart is its ability to collapse borders between genres. You can drift from cosmic guitar jams (Mdou Moctar) into industrial-darkwave dance floors (Boy Harsher), stumble into shoegaze walls of sound (A Place to Bury Strangers, Blonde Redhead), and end the night screaming along with punk icons (Jeff Rosenstock, PUP).

Now in its 16th year, Levitation has evolved from a psych-rock gathering into a citywide ritual of discovery, spread across Austin’s most beloved venues and now anchored by a larger festival stage. Expect immersive visuals, late-night sets, and the kind of one-off collaborations and surprises that only happen here.

Levitation 2025 runs September 25–28 in Austin, TX. Tickets and passes are on sale now.