Chaos In Tejas Music Festival 2013 – Day 1 – Austin, TX

Velvet Coffin is the perfect description for Austin. A city of acceptance pertaining to all things weird, no other city could provide such a perfect background to the Punk fest that is Chaos In Tejas.

 

Now in it's 9th year and going stronger than ever, Chaos In Tejas is the work of promoter Timmy Hefner who dedicates blood sweat and tears to the now world known gathering. What started as a weekend for Crust Punk almost 10 years ago in the unassuming capital of Texas, has grown into a four day beast with bands from all over the world coming in. A certain kind of Mecca bringing different genres of Punk together for a good cause. An epic party. 

Chaos In Tejas in prior years was held at Emo's. A long time Punk venue on legendary 6th st and Red River district. Small enough to stay DIY, but large enough to hold an immense crowd. Now Chaos has grown to several venues across Austin. Providing something for everyone.

I lived in Austin several years which gives me the home advantage of being able to attend every Chaos in all 9 years. Now living in California, I made the trek like so many of the unwashed masses. And boarded a Greyhound from Vegas with my new traveling partner who luckily was on the same road to perdition as I was. 2013 brought us 11E5 (1150 E. 5th st). A venue in East Austin that echoed back to the Emo's days of a dank warehouse feel but luckily providing a central space for the event including a grassy knoll and room for merch booths. A drawback may have been the beer and water tent that some complained boosted the cost of these items. But luckily free water was provided as the heat index was well over 100 degrees in the Texas Hill Country summer.

Day one of Chaos. I found myself in Austin feeling nostalgic and breathing the humid summer air. Seeing a higher than normal amount of Punks in a city caused an influx of excitement in the air. Seeing old friends from across the country. Knowing we were in store for a four day bacchanalia of filth, sweat and blacking out. This year Chaos was set up with a central area for everyone to congregate and turn the holy 4 day pass into a wristband.

That first night was a tribute to the past With The Casualties and The Damned headlining at 11E5. Opening was The Impalers, Bloodkrow Butcher, Iceage and The Marked Men. The Casualties, who formed in 1990s New York never fail to deliver. The passion and surprisingly authentic street punk spewing from the stage was enough to soften this crusties opinion of them. You cannot deny their love of what they do and their love of Punk. Say what you want. They're more Punk than you ever were. The Damned have been around longer than most of us have been alive and still kicked out all their classics. The warehouse was packed with young and old fans alike singing every song and dancing into the night. Notable were Bloodkrow Butcher and Iceage's sets. Both relatively new bands, guiding our ears to the future of raw Punk and post Punk.

We attempted to catch Terveet Kadet. A long standing Finnish Hardcore band who have no doubt influenced thousands of bands across the planet since 1980. Unfortunately the venue Holy Mountain was not equipped for a large audience, my Road Dog Tall Anthony and I were forced to cut in line, only to catch the last moments of the last song. As disappointed as I was, the hour was drawing to 2am at this point. It was time to make the exodus to the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge to see Kromosom, No Statik, and Long Knife.

We began weaving our way on foot through downtown Austin dodging tourists and drunkards highlighting the nightlife. Avoiding police and attention from the masses. The Bridge isn't exactly somewhere that needs more attention as it is quite out in the open already, for the world to see. The walk through the night took us to an ivy wall we climbed, busy streets to run across, and a late night sky lit up by towering monolithic condo towers colored in every shade of the rainbow. We made it. In the darkness over Lady Bird Lake we congregated. We could hear the bands checking their equipment. This is the time to let go of inhibitions.

Kromosom, a hardcore Punk band from Australia was who every Punk wanted to see. There's much talk and hype around them. And it is deserved. With ex members of Pisschrist in the band, we knew we were in for a brutal attack on our senses. Kromosom began, and everyone crowded around them, and lost their minds. Sweaty masses of bodies entangled and the tribe was as one. The distorted noises echoing into the ethers.

It was time to rest for the next day.

            More photos of the show can be seen HERE

-Natalie Leeann-
Big Wheel Contributor

 

 

 

 

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