Although Austin City Limits captured the hearts and minds of concert-goers with its grandiosity and fanfare, Zilker isn’t the only Austin music festival hub in October. Indie rock festival Levitation, takes over notable staples, including Stubb’s, Scoot Inn and Antone’s, this Halloween weekend.

The Daily Texan poured over the festival’s sprawling lineup to give attendees a preview of some of the must-see acts at Levitation. 

Osees 

Formerly known as The Ohsees, Thee Oh Sees and Oh Sees, the experimental rock group serves as Levitation’s sole 4-night headliner. Setting up shop at Hotel Vegas on East 6th Street, the California-based quintet will perform with their cosmic gumbo of noise rock. Boyish and charismatic frontman John Dwyer stands out in his genre, approaching performances with the same intensity and enthusiasm as an up-and-coming garage rock band.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 

As if their name isn’t enough to turn heads, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard continue to establish themselves as an absurdly prolific group. In the past year alone, the band released four studio albums, with another set to release Friday. The Aussie-based band create a masterful blend of psychedelic rock reminiscent of the cult classics of King Crimson. Gizzard fills their latest release with sprawling tracks that will undoubtedly make for an unforgettable live music experience at Stubb’s. 

The Jesus and Mary Chain 

Cut from the same stylistic cloth as bands like The Cure and Echo & the Bunnymen, The Jesus and Mary Chain remain unsung figureheads of mid-80s alternative rock. Their debut album Psychocandy garnered praise from critics and contemporaries alike. The album’s legacy holds strong today, ranking 40th on Pitchfork’s latest 200 Best Albums of the 80s list. Hit track “Just Like Honey” remains the group’s biggest hit to date, bolstered by an appearance in the final scene of Sofia Coppola’s critically acclaimed film “Lost In Translation.”

Thee Sacred Souls

A prime example of the breadth of Levitation’s sonically diverse lineup, Thee Sacred Souls delivers a mix of silky smooth R&B and retro soul elements. With just one studio album under its belt, the future is bright for the three-piece group from San Diego, California. Their must-see headlining outing at Mohawk on Thursday night will leave festival-goers with a more subdued cap to the first night of the festival. 

Claude Fontaine

With a little under 32,000 Spotify listeners to her name, Claude Fontaine’s brand of reggae-influenced music will creep into every crevice of Empire Control Room & Garage. Claude’s airy vocals layer on top of clean-cut twang chord progressions and traditional reggae percussion reminiscent of a Marley track, a result of Ziggy Marley’s drummer Rock Deadrick contributing to Fontaine’s studio recording. Fontaine’s opening performance for Brazilian cult classics Os Mutantes on Thursday evening shows Levitation’s ability to couple artists with similar soundscapes.