Inquiring Minds: Lost In Space Festival Organizer Meghan Hendley

Solanae: Lost In Space co-organizer Meghan Hendley is third from left.

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Texas has long been a hotbed of action in the psych/experimental genre, spawning notable bands like the 13th Floor Elevators, Bubble Puppy and locals The Red Krayola, The Moving Sidewalks, Fever Tree and The Children. However, the only known showcase in Houston history was 1969's Day of Joy Festival, a one-day honorarium to the genre.

But it's been a very short while (four months, in fact) since Meghan Hendley and friend Marcus Gausepohl decided to create a venue to meld the art and music they felt went unseen and expose a genre that is still going strong today. So they set out organizing Lost in Space, Midtown's inaugural music festival.

Hendley, no stranger to shedding light on the oft-unnoticed arts scene through her work as producer of KUHF's The Front Row and as music chair of the Empty Bowls Houston event, says organizing the event was a breeze.

Rocks Off: Through your work, you've exposed Houstonians to a diverse array of art; sometimes pretty out-there stuff. Did this lead you to come up with the festival concept?

​Meghan Hendley: The variety of art, music, and theater in this town is mind blowing! Each time I experience something new I feel I am a better artist because of it. The other great aspect is the support factor. It's that special vibe of friendship and creativity that keeps everything vibrant. The quality of art makes me proud to be a Houstonian.

With the fest, I hope to develop contact, create dialogue and in turn cultivate future collaborations. It will showcase musicians that revolve around the psychedelic/experimental areas of sound.

RO: Your new band, Solanae, and your previous project, Golden Cities, will both be performing at the fest, correct?

MH: Yes. I've been fortunate to walk into a solid foundation of music with my bandmates, past and present. In Solanae, we set out to create a new project using a foundation of friendship and shared musical direction. The name roughly translates to 'one female' (fitting since I'm the only girl in the band).

Melodies and lyrics just flow out of the core of our unique instrumental framework. I think listeners are surprised by the musical form with our eclectic backgrounds, from classical music to math-rock.

RO: Will you be making a guest appearance with Golden Cities as well?

MH: Yes, I will be! And it won't be on the keyboards.

Even with the wintry weather on tap for Saturday night, we expect the outdoor event will be hot. Twelve artists including Weird Weeds, My Education, Ghost Mountain and B L A C K I E are scheduled to perform on the rooftop of Khon's Bar overlooking the downtown skyline. The event will offer food from Ray's Franks, two rotating stages and live projections to illuminate the fray.

6 p.m. Saturday, December 5, at Khon's Bar, 2808 Milam, $10. For more information visit: www.myspace.com/lostinspacefest.