One of Austin's most popular music festivals is doing things a little differently this year. Levitation, an alternative festival known for its decentralized locations and the tradition of being scheduled on Halloween weekend, will be changing both of those logistical details — although the musical sensibilities will remain the same.
The festival will be held September 25-28 and the Palmer Events Center will serve as a central location by hosting most of the shows. The lineup, just announced on May 29, features Mastodon, TV On The Radio, Pavement, Boy Harsher, and more — roughly 60 acts in total, with more to be named later.
Shows at the Palmer Events Center will happen both inside and outside. Inside shows offer the perk of air conditioning, and outdoor shows promise space for audience members to spread out. The location also touts visual advantages such as space for interactive art, video installations, 360-degree lighting, and an expanded poster show. Further rounding out the experience, there will be a DJ stage, vintage clothing pop-ups, and vendors selling food, gear, and records.
Although the events center is taking a central role, it's not the only place concerts will be held. There will be nightly shows across the Red River Cultural District, where Levitation was formerly based. A press release explains that moving to the events center meant the festival could book bigger names.
“We’ve been searching for the right location to bring a multi-stage experience back to LEVITATION for years, and we found it right downtown," said Levitation co-founder and festival director Rob Fitzpatrick in the release. "The venue offers a huge upgrade in production overall with endless possibilities for the visual experience, and great amenities - air conditioning, nice bathrooms, ample parking, a giant shaded outdoor courtyard, along with the production infrastructure needed for a world-class show."
He also added that the events center is close to downtown, allowing the festival to exist in both places.
It is true that the locations are relatively close, but attendees will still have to hop on a bus or take another form of transportation to get there. The walk is about a mile and a half, and there are several options for buses that all take around 30 minutes.
Passes (starting at $109.50 for one day and $299.50 for three days) and night show tickets (prices vary, usually around $30) are now on sale at levitation.fm.
Full Levitation 2025 lineup by venue:
PALMER EVENTS CENTER
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
MASTODON • ACID BATH
THE SWORD • BLOOD INCANTATION
THE ARMED • SECRET CHIEFS 3 • CASTLE RAT
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
TV ON THE RADIO
UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA
THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE
BLONDE REDHEAD • WEDNESDAY • LA FEMME
THE RAVEONETTES • SWERVEDRIVER • MODEL ACTRIZ
GOAT GIRL • YIN YIN • HOOVERiii
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
PAVEMENT
THE BLACK ANGELS • BUILT TO SPILL
DESTROYER • FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS
A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS • BEING DEAD
UPCHUCK • DILES QUE NO ME MATEN • POPULATION II
+ MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
NIGHT SHOWS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 - KICKOFF NIGHT
MDOU MOCTAR + MORE @ RADIO/EAST
BEACH FOSSILS + LAUNDER + GIRLPUPPY @ MOHAWK
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
BOY HARSHER + MARTIN REV + KUMO 99 @ STUBBS
NEAL FRANCIS + MORE @ MOHAWK
WARMSUSCHER + MORE @ 13TH Floor
TEEN SUICIDE + MORE @ BALLROOM
DESIRE + JOHNNY JEWEL @ ELYSIUM
STARJUNK 95 + DR. GABBA @ KINGDOM
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
SUDAN ARCHIVES + JAMILA WOODS + SINKANE @ STUBBS
THE DANDY WARHOLS + KULA SHAKER @ MOHAWK
PIXEL GRIP + MORE @ ELYSIUM
ROSE CITY BAND + MORE @ BALLROOM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
PUP + JEFF ROSENSTOCK @ RADIO/EAST
DRUGDEALER + SKINSHAPE + SONS OF SEVILLA @ MOHAWK
PILE + FACS @ BALLROOM
LA FEMME (DJ) + MARIE DAVIDSON (LIVE) @ KINGDOM
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
BAMBARA + OMNI @ 13TH FLOOR
