Two cities, one haze
Glixen emerge from the desert while
Trauma Ray grew out of North Texas DIY rooms, and both lean hard into gauzy guitars over steady, driving drums. Their sound favors breathy vocals tucked into the mix and chords that ring long, building a cushion that swells then fades. The co-bill signals two bands stepping from small rooms to bigger stages without losing the home-recorded grit. Expect them to draw from newer singles and EP cuts, with room for scene-standard covers like
When You Sleep and
Alison when they want a communal sing.
Songs they might spring
A softer mid-set turn could bring
Fade Into You or a slow original before the wall of sound returns for a closer. The room tends to be a blend of local DIY regulars, campus radio heads, photographers near the board, and older shoegaze fans who prefer to listen hard up front. A small quirk many miss is how
Trauma Ray often ride one guitar on a simple, repeating figure while another paints noise on top, a trick learned from tourmates;
Glixen keep the bass dry so the kick drum stays clear. Everything here about songs and stage choices is an educated guess based on recent shows, not a promise.
Scene & Fan Culture around Glixen & Trauma Ray
Quiet devotion, loud shirts
You will see a lot of black denim, roomy jeans, and old band tees, but also bright thrifted knits and a few cowboy boots nodding to the Texas link. Many wear earplugs and clip them to bags, which keeps conversation easy between sets and shows care for the volume. People tend to face the stage and sway, then surge a bit when the beats get big, with phones coming out mostly for one chorus or the final wall of sound.
Small rituals, shared codes
Merch runs toward tapes, risograph posters, and simple shirts with clean fonts, plus the odd photo zine from the road. Fans swap pedalboard photos and set notes near the bar, comparing which songs hit hardest and which textures felt new that night. Singalongs are soft and low, reserved for familiar hooks or a surprise cover, while the loudest moment is often the shared cheer when the last chord rings.
Musicianship & Live Production with Glixen & Trauma Ray
Sound before spectacle
Expect vocals to ride just under the guitars, clear enough to shape verses but never fully clean, which suits the hazy mood. Drums keep a steady mid-tempo, with tight hi-hats and big floor-tom hits that let the bass carry simple, strong notes. Two or three guitars split duties: one holds drones, one chases melody with slides, and a third adds feedback bursts during peaks.
Little choices that matter
They like to stretch codas, turning the last minute of a tune into a loop that swells and then snaps shut on a cue. A neat live detail is the use of alternate tunings or drop-tuned low strings so chords sound wider without extra pedals. Lights tend to glow in soft colors that avoid strobe overload, supporting the music rather than stealing the frame.
If You Like Glixen & Trauma Ray, You Might Like These
Adjacent waves
Fans of
Slowdive often click with this bill because the vocals sit inside the guitars and the mood values space over flash.
DIIV makes sense too, thanks to tight, pulsing rhythm parts under sparkly chords that still feel a bit murky. If you want something heavier while staying in the same neighborhood,
Nothing pushes the volume and keeps the melodies bittersweet.
Why the overlap
Texas diehards will also point to
Ringo Deathstarr for the same fuzzy sparkle and a live mix that punches above the room. These acts share patient builds, a fondness for chorus and reverb, and crowds who listen first and move when the drums demand it. If those traits land for you, this co-headline sits in the same lane, just a notch leaner and more immediate.