Utopia Festival 2016 Preview

Head to Utopia in Texas for the mind-expanding Utopia Festival, Thursday-to-Saturday, September 29th to October 1st....
Utopia

Utopia Festival 2016 Preview

Head to Utopia in Texas for the mind-expanding Utopia Festival, Thursday-to-Saturday, September 29th to October 1st:

 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th

Arrowhead Stage

Morphine Documentary Screening, 11:00 PM

Utopia Players, 10:00 PM

Echocentrics, 9:00 PM

Milkdrive, 8:00 PM
Echocentrics

 

 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th

Cypress Stage

Golden Dawn Arkestra, 12:00 AM

Influenced by the ultra-influential Sun Ra and his Arkestra, Austin’s Golden Dawn Arkestra is a feast for the ears, eyes, and mind.
Golden Dawn Arkestra
Rubblebucket, 10:00 PM

Brooklyn indie-dance outfit Rubblebucket (QRO live review) fit into any line-up, from ultra-hipster to jam (QRO photos at a festival). Known for electric live shows (QRO live review), including at festivals (QRO photos), the group comes to Utopia (QRO photos at a festival) behind 2011’s Omega La La (QRO review) and 2014’s Survival Sounds.
Rubblebucket
White Denim, 8:00 PM

Out of Austin’s own psychedelic rock scene comes White Denim (QRO live review at home in Austin), but they’re more accessible than most psych-rock (QRO live review), like on this year’s Stiff (QRO review).
White Denim
Also:

Sucka Please, 6:00 PM

Atash, 4:30 PM

New Madrid, 3:00 PMQRO photos at an Austin festival

New Madrid

Arrowhead Stage

Victor Wooten, 11:00 PM

Vapors of Morphine, 9:00 PM

Calliope Musicals, 7:00 PM

Ruby & The Reckless, 5:15 PM

Shane Cooley, 3:45 PM

Sid Fly, 2:15 PM
Victor Wooten


Calliope Musicals

 

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1st

Cypress Stage

Ratatat, 12:00 AM

New York’s own Evan Mast & Mike Stroud form the electronic duo known as Ratatat (QRO photos at a festival). After putting out a self-titled record & following it up with Classics, their last two full-lengths have kept the simple-and-sweet-name, in LP3 (QRO review) and LP4, though last year saw Magnifique. Fun will definitely be had, thanks to Ratatat’s energetic, psychedelic live show (QRO live review).
Ratatat
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, 10:00 PM

Thao Nguyen (QRO interview) broke through in 2008 with We Brave Bee Stings and All (QRO review) and its fun, charming folk-rock, and followed it up the following year with Know Better Learn Faster (QRO review). After teaming up with Mirah for Thao + Mirah (QRO review), she returned to the Get Down Stay Down (QRO spotlight on) with 2013’s We the Common (QRO review) and this year’s A Man Alive (QRO review). Her live shows (QRO photos outdoors) are, if anything, more engaging (QRO live review), whether in a college student center (QRO photos), a massive converted warehouse (QRO photos), or an outdoor festival (QRO photos at a festival).
Thao
Whiskey Shivers, 8:00 PM

Out of a woodpile and rancid whiskey bottles formed Austin’s Whiskey Shivers.
Whiskey Shivers
Man Or Astro-Man?, 6:00 PM

While Alabama’s Man Or Astro-Man? emerged from the Dick Dale/Pulp Fiction surf rock boom of the early nineties, they always were much more, both Man and Astro-Man, combining the surf with sci-fi, and electric & eclectic live shows (QRO photos at an Austin festival).
Man Or Astro-Man?
Also:

Big Thief, 4:30 PM

Balmorhea, 3:00 PMQRO photos at an Austin festival

Balmorhea

Arrowhead Stage

Chali 2na, 11:00 PM

Charlie Stewart – Chali 2na (QRO photos at a festival) – has been a high-profile member of such outfits as Ozomatli & Jurassic 5, which combined world & alternative to hip-hop, but he’s since done solo work like 2009’s Fish Outta Water – and even portrayed celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson (QRO live review) in Epic Rap Battles of History!
Chali 2na
GIVERS, 9:00 PM

From down on the bayou in Lafayette, Louisiana, GIVERS (QRO photos) have turned their state’s native Cajun & zydeco music into sweet indie-pop (QRO photos outdoors).
GIVERS
Also:

The Deer, 7:00 PM

Charlie Hunter, 5:15 PM

Warren Hood, 3:45 PM

Gracie Terzian, 2:15 PM
Gracie Terzian

 

For festival website, go here: http://www.utopiafest.com/

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