“Dangerous weather” has doomed the nation’s largest psychedelic music festival for 2016.
Austin’s Levitation music fest was canceled one day before it opened.
“It is beyond our control,” organizers said. “We are completely devastated.”
Some of the many psychedelic music bands that were streaming into Texas are expected to play in various venues around Austin. The festival was to run April 29-May 1, back for the fifth year at Carson Creek Ranch outside Austin.
Levitation 2016 tickets are being refunded. Festival tickets will not be good for any alternate bookings in town, however. The Thursday night kickoff events apparently were to continue before the arrival of Friday’s bad weather.
The festival was to feature acts including the reunited Ween, Brian Wilson, Courtney Barnett, Super Furry Animals, the Black Angels, the Arcs and Melody’s Echo Chamber.
“The cancellation is due to dangerous weather conditions in the forecast combined with weather complications to the grounds and the Colorado River,” organizers said. They were busy evacuating equipment from the rural festival site.
Weather conditions included high winds, hail, more water from recent flooding and possible tornadoes.
“We’ve been working with county officials trying to find a way to carry on, but at this point the decision has been made, and it is beyond our control. The cancellation is due to dangerous weather conditions in the forecast combined with weather complications to the grounds and the Colorado River,” Levitation staffers said.
Refund information was to be emailed to ticket holders, and updates should be available on the Levitation web site.
The event previously was known as the Austin Psych Fest.