By the time Holy Wave went onstage just before 6 p.m. on the last day of Levitation, most festival goers were finding spots in front of the Willie Stage in preparation for Yo La Tengo’s set. A friend of the band stood in the crowd asking people if they had known the band before the festival; nobody had. After almost twenty years in the Austin indie scene, the local veterans knew how to win the unfamiliar crowd over.
Anya Gupta
Lead guitarist Ryan Fuson broke the ice with a few bars of “Linger” and a confident smile before helping to deliver the most electrifying performance of Austin Psych Fest Day 3. The five piece brought their warped take on Indie Rock to life with a flood of psychedelic effects, using reverb, distortion and feedback to entrance and at times, overwhelm. They eased into the 41-minute set with a few of their breeziest tracks, starting off jangly and atmospheric with “Happier,” featuring Kyle Hager on lead vocals and keys. By the effortlessly infectious chorus and steamy guitar tones of “I’m Not Living in the Past Anymore,” fans were head-banging and soon after, moshing for the first and only time all day.
Anya Gupta
The passion in the audience was matched only by the passion on the stage; alongside Fuson and Hager, bassist Dustin Zozoya, drummer Julian Ruiz, and rhythm guitarist Joey Cook let the music completely overtake them. They finished the set early, fading out on the same woozy and serene wave they rode in on, but fans screamed their heads off for one more song. At the beginning of their performance, nobody in the crowd could even remember Holy Wave’s name. Now, the few hundred faces that stuck around will never forget.