Written by: Dave Cantrell

Now that the hordes of amateur freaks that descend on Austin every March for SXSW have taken their bedraggled souls and shredded laminates home as souvenirs of their faux-grooviness, the Texas capital can now begin to prepare for the genuine influx, the teeming psychedelic tribes that are soon to invade starting May 8th for the erstwhile Austin Psych Fest, now called, with perhaps an immodest nod to its psychic impact, Levitation. With major names such as Black Angels, 13th Floor Elevators, Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, Jesus and Mary Chain, Spiritualized, and Primal Scream, it has the makings of a legendary event, one that will live in the minds of its attendees forever. Thing is, it’s almost never the major names alone that end up making a festival like this unforgettable, but the bands a bit down the bill that can easily end up bending and blowing one’s mind, precisely because they’re not necessarily expected to. So, to help ensure you don’t miss out, SEM has prepared a list of the fifteen bands you simply should not miss. You don’t need to thank us now, you can wait until later. Just send us a couple brownies or something.