Sweden’s Truckfighters have completed the lineup for Fuzz Festival #3, set for Dec. 9 and 10 in Stockholm, and it is a significant bill, statistically speaking. It pays homage to the old school in headliners Dozer and Colour Haze, as well as Astroqueen, the newer school in High Desert Queen, Swan Valley Heights and Gaupa, and the in-between in Firestone, Truckfighters themselves, Kings Destroy, Kal-El and others, and with Enigma Experience included in this find round of lineup additions, Truckfighters guitarist Niklas Källgren joins Tommi Holappa of Dozer/Greenleaf in pulling double-shifts, playing in two bands presumably on two separate days.

Swan Valley Heights, Gaupa — whose new record, Myriad, is due Nov. 18 on Nuclear Blast — and Mammonaut are also in the final group of acts joining the bill and I’m thrilled to say I’ll be there to see them. It’s been a long time since I last traveled with the Kings Destroy guys, but they were kind enough to invite me along for the trip, and I tried to say no because traveling is awful and I’m doing a fair amount of it in the coming months, music-related and not, but couldn’t. How many times in your life is someone going to say to you, “Come with me to Stockholm and see Dozer and Colour Haze?” Well.

The presumably final announcement from Truckfighters is below, barring any cancelations, etc., and I very, very much look forward to covering this front-to-back:

Fuzz Festival #3

We are proud and happy to present the third edition of our Fuzz Festival! This time it will take place on Dec 9+10 2022. Festival #3 will continue on the same path as #2 with 2 days, 2 stages and a lot of fuzzy bands!

BIG THANKS to everyone who showed up in 2021 making it just as big success as the first edition back in 2019! Hope to see you this December, MAY THE FUZZ BE WITH YOU ALL!

Just a BIG, BIG Heads up! The last couple of bands is set! This is going to be a totally amazing weekend with so much amazing bands so it’s almost sick… :P

NEW AND LAST Bookings!

GAUPA
SWAN VALLEY HEIGHTS
ENIGMA EXPERIENCE
MAMMONAUT

FULL LINEUP!!!

Get those tickets at

TICKSTER: https://www.tickster.com/sv/events/5hlj6fm5wfxl3nu/2022-12-09/9-10-12-2022-fuzzfest-3-debaser-strand

OR

FUZZOHOME: https://eu.fuzzoramastore.com/en/fuzz-festival-3-concert-ticket-1.html

2 days, 2 stages.
Confirmed acts:
TRUCKFIGHTERS
COLOUR HAZE
DOZER
GREENLEAF
ASTROQUEEN
FIRESTONE
KINGS DESTROY [us]
KAL EL [n]
HIGH DESERT QUEEN [us]
DEATH RAY BOOT
GAUPA
SWAN VALLEY HEIGHTS
ENIGMA EXPERIENCE
MAMMONAUT

https://www.facebook.com/events/353997376362183/
http://www.truckfighters.com/festival/

Gaupa, “Diametrical Enchantress” official video

Certainly Astroqueen playing one of their select few announced reunion shows is an event worth a nod, but amid the would-be-significant-even-if-it-was-just-Truckfighters-and-Greenleaf bill of the Truckfighters Fuzz Festival #3, it’s even more noteworthy.

There’s allegedly a non-zero chance I might travel to Stockholm for the two-day dig in the lovely company of Kings Destroy, who were slated to play this past year and did not owing to the complications of international travel, and gosh that would be just wonderful, but one way or the other, it’s cool to see the likes of High Desert Queen traveling abroad for what will be the second time in 2022. They’re currently on a UK tour and have summer plans besides. Band with a mission hitting it. So it goes.

Tickets are on sale now and I’m pretty sure the link is below here somewhere. Take a look:

TRUCKFIGHTERS FUZZ FESTIVAL #3 Stockholm

NEW BAND ANNOUNCEMENTS!!!

ASTROQUEEN

Their first live show in 15+ years!

Astroqueen was a stoner metal band from Stenungsund, Sweden. Active between 1998 and 2005 in their main run the band composed a thick, heavy stoner sound in a similar vein to Fu Manchu and Nebula though the band draws from other bands such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Kyuss and Soundgarden. The group would sign to Pavement Music in December 1999 but it wouldn’t be until 2001 that the band release their only studio album Into Submission in 2001, produced by King Diamond guitarist Andy Larocque. Some recording sessions from 2003 and a split with Buffalo would come over the next few years.

KAL-EL

Kal-El is a Tony Iommi approved Norwegian stoner rock band. These heavy rockers have released three full lengths alongside a pair of EP’s and toured both Europe and the States since their formation in 2012. The band is a product of diverse influences, and though they draw from the classics like Black Sabbath, Sleep and Motorpsycho, if one listens closely they can hear hints of thrash metal and Skandirock fleshing out the sound. It makes for a unique group who are determined to head out and take on the world.

HIGH DESERT QUEEN (US)

After releasing their debut album “Secrets of the Black Moon” on Ripple Music in October of 2021, High Desert Queen has been doing more than turning heads, they are making them move. Their album finished in many top 10 lists for album of the year while receiving rave reviews.

DEATH RAY BOOT

With 10 years in existence, Death Ray Boot is keeping their own pace. Even though gigs have been few and far apart they have gained a trusting fan base. Their music exits somewhere between stoner and punk, right in the middle of The Stooges and Masters Of Reality. Or just something entirely different. Find out for yourself.

There is 19 early bird tickets (ONLY 595Sek) left from THIS LINK (https://www.tickster.com/sv/events/uffebpy3xrygp5r/2022-12-09/9-10-12-2022-fuzzfest-3-early-bird-debaser), when they are gone the regular price is the deal.

Regular tickets:

TICKSTER: https://www.tickster.com/sv/events/5hlj6fm5wfxl3nu/2022-12-09/9-10-12-2022-fuzzfest-3-debaser

FUZZORAMASTORE: https://eu.fuzzoramastore.com/en/fuzz-festival-3-concert-ticket.html

Two full evenings of euphony.

https://www.facebook.com/events/353997376362183/
http://www.truckfighters.com/festival/

To be perfectly honest with you, I’m afraid to even put a post up saying such a thing because I don’t want to jinx it, but there is a non-zero chance that if Sweden opens its borders to US travelers on Nov. 1, I might be able to go to Fuzz Festival #2 in Stockholm next month. The two-day event runs from Nov. 19-20 and will be headlined by organizers Truckfighters, along with Stoned Jesus, Lowrider and Skraeckoedlan closing out the second night. If it happens — and it’s an IF the size of the ocean between me and Sweden right now — I’d be traveling with the Kings Destroy guys, old friends I’ve not seen for some time — and of course would bring the camera and laptop along for the trip. Fly out Thursday, get in Friday, show Friday and Saturday, fly out Sunday AM is the plan. See? There’s a plan!

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you it’s an utter fantasy at this point, but it’s kept me up at night thinking about it. To see Asteroid or Lowrider — or hell, Kings Destroy — again, or to see Firestone at all, Stoned Jesus, Vokonis, Besvärjelsen for the first time. To party to a Steak set or see Skraeckoedlan and Truckfighters themselves again, and to find out just who The Gristle are that they landed this as their first show ever. There’s a lot to like about the idea, clearly.

The fest finalized its lineup and made day tickets available. You can see the schedule below:

FUZZ FESTIVAL @ Debaser + Bar Brooklyn Nov 19th + 20th

One day passes / Schedule / New bands

The last additions to the line up are:

STONED JESUS
Probably the best band from Ukraine, ever, will enlighten our festival!

VOKONIS
Heavy rock with focused in the doom field.

ROADKILLSODA
Probably the best rock band out of Romaina!

THE GRISTLE
A new fuzzy garage rock duo will do their debut show!

Tickets at TICKSTER: https://www.tickster.com/sv/events/search?q=Fuzz+fest
FUZZORAMASTORE (weekend tickets only): https://eu.fuzzoramastore.com/en/fuzz-fest-ticket-eb.html
FACEBOOK EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/606699896853794/

SCHEDULE

(#129304#) = Debaser , (#127797#) = Bar Brooklyn

FRIDAY
(#129304#)22:40 – 00:00 TRUCKFIGHTERS
(#127797#)22:00 – 22:40 VOKONIS
(#129304#)21:05 – 22:00 STONED JESUS
(#127797#)20:35 – 21:05 STEAK
(#129304#)19:45 – 20:35 ASTEROID
(#127797#)19:15 – 19:45 FIRESTONE
(#129304#)18:45 – 19:15 ROADKILLSODA
(#127797#)18:15 – 18:45 THE GRISTLE

SATURDAY
(#129304#)22:40 – 00:00 SKRAECKOEDLAN
(#127797#)21:55 – 22:40 SWAN VALLEY HEIGHTS
(#129304#)20:55 – 21:55 LOWRIDER
(#127797#)20:20 – 20:55 KINGS DESTROY
(#129304#)19:45 – 20:20 ENIGMA EXPERENCE
(#127797#)19:15 – 19:45 BESVÄRJELSEN
(#129304#)18:45 – 19:15 ELDEN
(#127797#)18:15 – 18:45 THE DUNES

*Live music from ca 6pm til midnight.
*Afterparty at Bar Brooklyn until 3am.

The Venue is located on the island of Södermalm, in Stockholm. This is a very nice area in the central parts of town.

Get there with subway or bus to ‘Hornstull’ station.

The festival has two stages, one big and one smaller. The smallest stage (Bar Brooklyn) has a limited space and can take up to 250 people standing. If you want to see a band in our smallest stage, come early! First come first served!

https://www.facebook.com/events/606699896853794/
http://www.truckfighters.com/festival/

Truckfighters, Live in Nantes, France, 2019

As the initial promise was eight bands and there are now eight bands confirmed, I’m going to hazard the guess that the lineup for Truckfighters‘ Fuzz Festival #1 this December in Stockholm is complete. The second round of adds includes Skraeckoedlan, Witchrider, Parasol Caravan and Electric Hydra, following up on the initiaL announcement, which included Truckfighters — obviously — Greenleaf, Deville and Motorowl. I think I noted last time around that I had been kicking around the idea of doing an Obelisk All-Dayer in Sweden, and indeed, Debaser Strand was a venue I had been looking at. This pretty much kills that idea. I was thinking June, not December, but how many festivals does one venue in Stockholm hold when there haven’t really been any there before? You see my point.

I’ll go back to the drawing board and figure something out, and maybe do something somewhere else. We’ll see.

And in the meantime, good for Truckfighters, not only doing the reunion thing after a shortlived hiatus, but coming back with something new on offer as well.

Dig it:

New bands announced for Truckfighters Fuzz Festival in Stockholm

We are happy to announce:

SKRAECKOEDLAN – Sweden. Norrköpings, finest stoner rock band. Recently released the stunning album ‘Eorþe’ they will deliver an experience out of the ordinary.
https://www.facebook.com/SKRAECKOEDLAN/

WITCHRIDER – Austria. The occult stoner sound from Graz will sound in Stockholm. Can not be anything but good music since these guys are born in the same town as Arnold Schwarzenegger.
https://www.facebook.com/witchriderband/

PARASOL CARAVAN – Austria. Classic stoner sound with a magic groove all the way from Linz. Yeah not just one but two bands from the country famous for the mountains and the stoner rock ;)
https://www.facebook.com/parasolcaravan/

ELECTRIC HYDRA – Sweden. Energetic garage style stoner rock. A great reason to show up early on the night of the festival!
https://www.facebook.com/electrichydra666/

With previously announced acts TRUCKFIGHTERS, GREENLEAF, DEVILLE and MOTOROWL the line up is now complete. Not time enough for more bands in one night. It’s gonna be a super rad evening as we guarantee every band on the bill is stellar. We intend to make this an annual event so grab your ticket and support the fuzzy scene. The sooner we sell out the bigger the plans for 2020 editions will become.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2228095327452231/
http://www.truckfighters.com/festival

Skraeckoedlan, “Creature of Doggerland” official video

I’ll be honest, I’ve been kicking around the idea of doing an Obelisk All-Dayer in Stockholm, Sweden, sometime in summer 2020. Basically whenever wouldn’t conflict with Sweden Rock, which as I understand it, is massive. Oddly enough, in Europe, Sweden is not the hugest market despite the glut of bands from there, and Debaser is a club that had come up in conversation. The thought that Truckfighters are doing a fest there — let alone one with Greenleaf involved — might just shoot that idea in the ass. We’ll see. Either way, even with half the lineup unveiled, what’s been dubbed Fuzz Festival #1 already looks like a damn good time. Truckfighters will headline playing Gravity X in full — back to front, as I understand it, so they can close with “Desert Cruiser”; only fair — and there’s the aforementioned Greenleaf, as well as Motorowl from Germany and Swedish hard rockers Deville, who’ll represent Truckfighters‘ Fuzzorama Records imprint well.

Speculation as to the rest of the lineup? I have to think Asteroid will be involved, schedule permitting, but I don’t know that. As to the rest, it’s pretty wide open. Maybe Skraeckoedlan, if they’re looking for more Swedish representation? We’ll see June 5 when they make their next announcement, I guess. In the meantime, I’d go. I’ll leave it at that.

From the PR wire:

Truckfighters presents Fuzz Festival #1, Stockholm

Get your ticket now! Early birds for just 330 SEK (ca 30 EUR)

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKET

We are proud and happy to present our own fuzz festival!

After years of touring around the world we bring our favorite concept home to Sweden: a club festival dedicated to fuzz/stoner and heavy rock.

There’ll be two stages, eight bands and of course a lot of fuzz…

Line up so far:
TRUCKFIGHTERS (plays Gravity X)
GREENLEAF
MOTOROWL
DEVILLE

MORE BANDS TO COME! Next band announcement June 5th.

*Live music from 6pm til midnight. *Afterparty at Bar Brooklyn until 3am.

Early bird tickets cost 330 SEK (ca 30 EUR) and are sold until June 4th.

On June 5th our next band announcement will take place. From then the tickets will cost 395 SEK. (ca 37EUR)

The Venue is located on the island of Södermalm, in Stockholm. This is a very nice area in the central parts of town.

We would love it if the venue got packed with happy people so please spread the word. Bring your friends, tell everyone!

https://www.facebook.com/events/2228095327452231/
http://www.truckfighters.com/festival

Greenleaf, “Highway Officer” live in Malmö, Sweden, 2018