Particularly since he started doing acoustic sets now over four years ago, Wino has shown up in some unexpected places. I seem to recall a set from the Volcom store in Los Angeles from 2011, and in 2010 he had that in-store at Substance Records in Bulgaria. There are countless other examples, but the point is he’s taken advantage of the “have guitar will travel” ethic, and if you’ve got a corner that’ll hold a dude and his guitar, it seems like maybe you’ve got a shot at getting Wino to play sooner or later. Something to keep in mind, no doubt.
Already at Desertfest in London to headline with the reunited Spirit Caravan, Wino found time to also bust out an acoustic set at the Vans store in Camden Town. I remember I was hoping to see Trippy Wicked there last year, also playing acoustic, and couldn’t figure out where it was, then quite literally walked by it on my way to The Underworld, so yeah, it’s right in the mix with the rest of the Desertfest venues, and if I’m not mistaken, this year there were also a few signings and other events happening throughout the weekend. I’ve never been much for autograph hunting, but cool anyway if the bands playing take the time for it. Ditto that this acoustic set.
In the beginning of the clip — in which Wino is joined by his Spirit Caravan bandmate Dave Sherman — Wino mentions this is one of the earliest songs he wrote. I haven’t been able to place it, if it’s a The Obsessed track or what, so if you know the name of the song, please let me know. The chorus is sort of vaguely familiar, but I don’t know if that’s just because I watched the video five times in a row or what. Either way, hope you enjoy and have an excellent Wino Wednesday:
Wino Acoustic at Desertfest London, April 25, 2014
I’ll admit to carrying more than a bit of jealousy in my heart for those who’ll be in either London or Berlin at the end of the month when Desertfest gets underway in both towns. Either city is a trek I’d gladly make if I had cash for the flight, and I suppose if being broke has any upside, it’s saving me from having to choose one over the other. Poor consolation for not getting over there, but frankly I’ll take what I can get at this point.
A video trailer back Stubb‘s Jack Dickinson surfaced for the London fest about a week ago, and today Berlin followed suit in posting a trailer for the fest there. Again, either way you go, you can’t really lose. Whether you’re seeing Causa Sui and Stoned Jesus in Berlin or Pombagira and Borracho in London, you’re in for an amazing weekend you won’t soon forget and an experience of a community coming into its own even as it continues to discover what that means. This is a very cool year for Desertfest. So was last year. The one before that wasn’t half bad either.
You get the point though, and the point is me, unemployed and sulking. I’m sure I’ll have more about Desertfest before it actually launches, but I wanted to post these clips together just to give a sample of the vibe of both festivals and what they have to offer the discerning gormandizers who might hit them up. Desertfest Berlin runs April 24-26 at Astra Kulturhaus in Berlin, Germany, and Desertfest London picks up April 25-27 at various venues in Camden Town. Info in the clips and at the links.
Desertfest Berlin 2014 trailer
24th, 25th, 26th April 2014 : DESERTFEST BERLIN
THURSDAY 24th – Spirit Caravan Official – Sleepy Sun – Siena Root – ASG – Sixty Watt Shaman – Pet The Preacher – ANCIIENTS – The Midnight Ghost Train – Cojones —– FRIDAY 25th — Kvelertak – Causa Sui – Church of Misery Official – Elder – Huata – HULL – GOZU – BLACK RAINBOWS – Prisma Circus – The Moth – Red Stoner Sun – MANTAR —– SATURDAY 26th — Clutch – Radio Moscow – The Machine – The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic – Stoned Jesus – THE GRAVIATORS – Sasquatch – Radar Men from the Moon – SardoniS – Castle – Metal Band – Powder for Pigeons – DoctoR DooM
Desertfest 2014 is heavier than before & Taking over Camden, London during the 25-27th April.With over 60 bands from the underground stoner / doom and sludge scene peforminng this years fesitval is not to be missed, Headliners are Spirit Caravan / Kvlertak & Boris, plus weedeater, church of misery, ASG, blues Pills and many more…for the full line up please click below.
Posted in Features on March 21st, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Tomorrow night, March 22, Baltimore heavyweights Sixty Watt Shaman will take the stage at the Windup Space as headliners for the Moving the Earth 2 festival. It’s a bill they share with a host of others loyal to the Doom Capitol in geography or spirit including Iron Man, Black Lung, Kingsnake and Wasted Theory, among others, and the beginning of a reunion some years in the making. Sixty Watt Shaman called it quits after the release of 2002’s Reason to Live on Spitfire Records, arguably as they hit their peak of notoriety. As bassist Rev. Jim Forrester elucidates, however, it wasn’t so simple as that. To be fair, it rarely is.
Moving the Earth 2 is the first of several fests at which Sixty Watt will appear in the coming months. They’ve been confirmed for Desertfest in both London and Berlin at the end of April, and May 3 will find them at the top of the bill at The Eye of the Stoned Goat 4 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Granted, they’ve played intermittently over the last decade, but it speaks to the continued relevance of Sixty Watt Shaman‘s studio albums that their work precedes them after all this time. Before Reason to Liveserved as their swansong, 2000’s Seed of Decadesand 1998’s Ultra Electricpositioned the Marylanders among the forerunners of what was then still a pretty deep underground. They’re a band whose influence has seeped into a lot of East Coast heavy rock, and the response to their return has been appropriately loud.
Comprised of Forrester, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Todd Ingram (who replaced Joe Selby), returned drummer Chuck Dukehart III (also of Foghound), who left in 2000, and guitarist/vocalist Daniel Soren, the reinvigorated Sixty Watt Shaman has hinted at new material of one form or another to come this year, and reissues of their past albums are in the works, though details remain to be solidified. Wherever they head after these fests, as Forrester describes in the interview that follows, the four-piece are taking a more mature, “grown-up” approach. So no, it seems they won’t be crashing on your couch this time around.
This interview was conducted a little while back, but Rev. Jim — whose involvement in post-Sixty Watt projects like Angels of Meth, Soaphammer, The Devil You Know and Serpents of Secrecy as well as his reputation as an all-around good guy precedes him — was kind enough to shed some light on how the Sixty Watt Shaman reunion came about, how it’s been getting back to work with the band, and where he thinks it might all be heading.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 14th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Look at that fucking lineup. God damn. I mean, Desertfest London killed it last year with Unida and Dozer and Lowrider and Pentagram, etc., but man, with Spirit Caravan and Boris and The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic and everyone else on this bill, it might be even bigger. From Pombagira and The Cosmic Dead to Weedeater and Samsara Blues Experiment, it’s the kind of thing that no doubt will make you want to be three places in once. Monkey 3, Sasquatch and Graves at Sea. Come on. That’s not even fair.
Two more added to the pile today in the form of native UK acts Baron Greenback and Dead Existence. Announcements follow courtesy of the Desertfest website:
Baron Greenback See Red at DesertFest 2014
Despite Baron Greenback’s decision to avoid labelling themselves as any particular genre, the culmination of their talents and styles lands them smack in the middle of what a good DesertFest band should be: riff-laden, thick as mud and full of heavy grooves.
With a mission to “create music which shifts through different textures and soundscapes whilst remaining interesting, captivating and challenging”, the ‘Greenback acknowledge they still need to retain a groove that people can appreciate. However, the major thing that sets them apart from the pack is a slight edge of funk to keep your mosh pit-ready toes dancing.
Since forming in South-West England in 2009, this heavy quartet have been very busy; they’ve shared stages with the likes of Serpent Venom, Alunah, Karma to Burn, Slab, Honky, Desert Storm, and more recently the mighty EYEHATEGOD, Orange Goblin, Kylesa and Graveyard. Above all, the band pride themselves on simply playing whatever style of music thunders out of their instruments naturally, and we’re certainly lucky that their musical second nature has landed them alongside the heavyweights to give them all a funky kick in the pants.
Kind Words: Cat Jones
It’s a Dead Existence Once Again at DesertFest 2014
Veteran sludge warlords Dead Existence cite “Misery” and “Hatred” as the main influences for their brand of savage metallic brutality.
Boasting tracks that push the 15 minute mark, a Dead Existence show is a safe place for those phobic of ballads, tambourines or a sense of wellbeing. The band’s experience is evident as they expertly blend elements of Doom, Sludge and Hardcore into their cauldron of hatred, concocting a potion of formidable potency. Dark, brooding and atmospheric interludes whisper reassurances in your ear, but dare to trust this feral beast and you’ll be the victim of the unrelenting and merciless fury that waits around the corner.
Brave Dead Existence at DesertFest 2014, I urge you. One thing is for sure: the only moment a lighter will be held aloft is in search of an escape route after these London-dwelling Leviathans challenge the foundations of the venue to a duel, and rise victorious.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 7th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
As you can see in the banner above, the lineup for Desertfest 2014 in London wasn’t exactly hurting as it was, but to have Weedeater get added yesterday and top off the week today with announcing that Boris had signed on to headline alongside Spirit Caravan and Kvelertak, and well, I guess we can call 2014 the year Desertfest “went for it.” Goodness gracious, that’s a solid bill. Makes me want to take out a loan to get there to see it.
While my broke, overworked and underpaid ass hangs its head in an all-too-familiar shame, here are the announcements, snagged off the Desertfest website, with compliments to Tom Geddes, who wrote them:
TOKYO EXPERIMENTALISTS BORIS TO HEADLINE DESERTFEST 2014!
And so we announce our final headliner for DesertFest 2014 – Japanese experimental legends Boris!
How on Earth can you capture Boris’ sound in words? It’s beyond impossible; from drone, to sludge, to doom, to psyche, to ambient, to noise rock, to pop, here is a band that you can’t pigeonhole. But it’s in that unpredictable, ever-marching progression that the excitement lies.
Boris formed in 1992 on the extreme fringes of the Japanese hardcore punk scene before flying in every musical direction you can think of. Spending most of their life as a multi-instrumentalist three piece – consisting of Atsuo on drums, Wata on guitar and keyboards and Takeshi on bass, with all three sharing vocal duties – Boris have released just shy of a couple of dozen full lengths in their time on this mortal plane, with no two sounding too alike. Notable influences on Boris are Sleep and The Melvins – which might explain their high yield of records – as well as Nick Cave and even Venom.
The best starting points for a Boris exploration are 2005’s ‘Pink’ –which is perhaps one of their more accessible albums for the casual listener, yet still full of their signature leaps and bounds – and both 2002’s ‘Heavy Rocks’ and 2011’s ‘Heavy Rocks II’ which sit on a more laid back, straight-up stoner rock scale. If you’re more into drone, why not start with the first few releases; or even better, ‘Alter’, a phenomenal collaborative double album with SunnO))). Or you may want to try something completely different, in which case enter the batshit crazy world of 2010’s ‘New Album’ – a blend of J-Pop, shoegaze, psyche and industrial metal. The point is, these guys can do anything, and do it bloody well!
So if you want your mind blown by a band who don’t only surprise you with what’s around the corner, but change the shape of the corner itself, then you must get yourself down to the Electric Ballroom on Sunday night and stand both slack-jawed and in awe. Oh, and if you’re still not convinced, they also incorporate a massive gong into their shows, which is reason enough to be there.
Kana: Tom Geddes
Weedeater Chomping at the Herbal Bit for DesertFest 2014
DesertFest is beyond pleased to announce Saturday night’s sub-headliners, North Carolina’s southern metal bad asses, Weedeater!
An uncompromising power-trio full of sludge, groove and straight-up metal, Weedeater’s aggressive, bone-crunching madness is quite a sight to behold on stage. Fronted by the manic, growling bassist, “Dixie” Dave Collins (also of Buzzov*en and Bongzilla fame), alongside fret-master Dave “Shep” Shepherd and former sticksman Keith “Keko” Kirkum, Weedeater introduced themselves to the world at large with 2001’s ‘…And Justice for Y’all’. What we got in that record was down-tuned, crashing ferocity; and boy did it feel good. The energy that pulsed through that LP was a jolt to the heart and a kick to the face and it’s a trend that followed right through 2002’s ‘Sixteen Tons’ and 2007’s ‘God Luck and Good Speed’ – the latter of which could find itself easily on many an album of the decade list.
Right around the time of the recording of the fourth LP, Weedeater shot themselves in the foot a little bit in the form of Dixie actually shooting himself in the foot. Gladly, a few months down the line – armed with one hell of an anecdote they gave us ‘Jason…The Dragon’, a slightly more experimental take on Weedeater. The brief appearance of banjo and organ appeared without the loss of any of their earthquaking noise to which we had become accustomed.
As clichéd as it might sound, whilst sublime on record, you just can’t capture the feel of Weedeater until you’ve seen them live; only when you’ve stared into Dixie’s “I’ve seen things” crazy eyes and been showered in the splintered remnants of drumsticks can you really get a grip on them. Must see is an understatement.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 20th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
We’re knee-deep in prime festival-add time now, and Desertfest 2014 in both London and Berlin continues to tack on bands at an alarming rate. One struggles (and apparently fails) to keep up. A few more announcements have come out today, but for the ease of the reader and also my poor brain, here’s a quick rundown of the latest additions to both locales first:
London: Bright Curse, Radio Moscow, Borracho, 11Paranoias, The Cosmic Dead.
Berlin: Sasquatch (!), Radio Moscow, Doctor Doom, The Moth, Castle.
Kvelertak will play in Berlin and London, and in case you missed the exclamation point, it fucking rules that Sasquatch will join their labelmates Gozu in Berlin. European tour dates together, maybe? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Meantime:
DesertFest 2014 Tunes into Radio Moscow
Next to join the annual DesertFest juggernaut are San Diegan blues-psych power trio, Radio Moscow; a band who manage to both chill you the fuck out and wake you the fuck up at the same time.
Part of that ‘70s revival scene that has invaded Europe in recent years – see Graveyard, Horisont, Gentlemans Pistols and Kadavar – Radio Moscow prove that the throwback vibes can be mastered on the more Western side of the Atlantic too. Starting out life as the duo of the multi-instrumentalist mainstay Parker Griggs and bassist Serana Andersen, Radio Moscow have been laying down the fuzz infused southern stomp since 2003 with their self-titled debut full length dropping in 2007. Three full lengths – including the absolutely stunningly swaggering sophomore, ‘Brain Cycles’ – and several bassists and drummers later, Radio Moscow have cemented their sound around the aching-heart blues strut of Parker Griggs, and a touch of distortion.
Definitely one to bring the foot-stomping and head-bopping to any swarm of onlookers, Radio Moscow are sure to slay in Camden this April. You stay bluesy San Diego.
Kind Words: Tom Geddes
DesertFest 2014 Takes the Bright Curse
Citizens of the world, Bright Curse have been kicking up a right old stink in our very own London since their acid and angst infused inception during the summer of 2012.
The trio, who hail from France, have been daring and dastardly enough to produce something that is all too rare nowadays: original music. Now, that doesn’t mean to say there aren’t echoes of inspiration in there in abundance. From Queens of the Stone Age to Graveyard to Dozer, they’re all present and accounted for yet buried so deep beneath the soil of Bright Curse’s smoky, solo-laden, shadow dwelling brand of rock it’s near impossible to put your finger on a dominant influence.
Their EP track ‘The Hermit’ is somehow both mesmerising and monstrous all at once; haunting whispers one moment lead into a crushing war-cry of composed fury the next that has Vikings racing away in retreat. Complete with obligatory badass artwork adorning their t-shirts Bright Curse could well have been designed with DesertFest in mind. Witnessing the prophecy unravel will be a mind-bending experience, for sure.
Kind Words: Dan Grigg
** DESERTFEST BERLIN 2014 – SASQUATCH CONFIRMED **
We are thrilled to announce that Los Angeles Rockers SASQUATCH are confirmed for DESERTFEST BERLIN 2014 !
SASQUATCH was formed in Los Angeles in 2001 by Philadelphia transplant Keith Gibbs (Guitar, Vocals) and Detroit natives Rick Ferrante (Drums) and Clayton Charles (Bass). After bursting onto the stoner rock scene with, not one, but two, closely packed studio albums (conveniently named Sasquatch “I” and “II”) in 2004 and 2006, the power trio went subterranean until 2010 before resurfacing with a new lineup (upon Clayton’s departure in 2007, the guys recruited Chicagoan Jason Casanova to join the fold) and a third opus (entitled, you guessed it… “III”), to the relief of many impatient fans.
This career-establishing trilogy managed to seduce listeners and critics by beginning with the debut’s roaring-down-the-highway riffs, hypnotic grooves and occasional forays into southern rock ; continuing with the sophomore LP’s increasingly focused, hook-laden hard rock classicism ; and culminating in the third album’s heightened states of fuzz-distortion and earth-rumbling power chords.
All the while, SASQUATCH steadily brought their advanced heavy rock “theories” to the people, as they demolished stages across the globe alongside the likes of Blue Cheer, Nebula, Unida, Solace and Fatso Jetson, to name a few. Most recently, the band was sighted marauding across Europe with Small Stone label mates Roadsaw & Dixie Witch.
In September 2013, the band returned with a brand-spanking new album titled “IV”. Drawing on influences from 70’s hard rock mixed with a dash of metal and an unmistakable undercurrent psychedelia, a clear songwriting approach keeping the focus on the hook, the band delivered their most mature, inspired and diverse song-set to date, chunked with compositional twists, both heartwarmingly familiar and totally unexpected, plus thundering power chords, sizzling solos, shrewd melodic flights and even super-trippy moments…
Wreaking havoc with this forth Small Stone release, SASQUATCH lead the way with their fiery brand of rock n’ roll, and we are really happy to have them playing at DESERTFEST BERLIN 2014 !
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 15th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
I was flattered to be asked to write the announcement for D.C. riffers Borracho joining the 2014 Desertfest London lineup. For their first show abroad, they’ll support their 2013 sophomore outing, Oculus (review here), among the likes of Spirit Caravan, Kvelertak, Pombagira, The Machine, Elder and many more, which if you’re going to do it, definitely counts as doing it in style. Kudos to the trio. No doubt in my mind they’ll find welcome from the heavy contingent in Camden Town.
Here’s the announcement as it appears on the Desertfest website (in PR wire blue, even though I wrote it):
Borracho Head into the Eye of DesertFest 2014
Since the release of their 2011 debut full-length, ‘Splitting Sky’, Washington D.C.-based heavyweight riffers Borracho have been met with a tidal surge of praise for their burly but natural approach, built around their simple stated formula: “Heavy repetitive grooves.” They’ll make their first trip across the Atlantic to show their wares at DesertFest 2014!
In 2013, Borracho’s second album, ‘Oculus’, found them down a guitarist/vocalist but no less dedicated to Heavy. Fucking. Riffs. Constructed to highlight the centerpiece groove of ‘Stockpile’, the fuzz on ‘Oculus’ brought Borracho’s nodworthiness to another level; guitarist Steve Fisher stepping comfortably into the role of singer alongside the swaying rhythm section of bassist Tim Martin and drummer Mario Trubiano.
Says Fisher of playing DesertFest: “We couldn’t be more honoured to be joining our friends in Spirit Caravan and Sixty Watt Shaman to help represent the mid-Atlantic heavy scene in London this year. To kick off our first tour in Europe by being a part of an event like DesertFest is amazing and we look forward to seeing some old friends and fans, and making some new ones.
What can DesertFest expect from Borracho? Some of the US’ finest in up and coming underground heavy rock, shipped with much love and warm vibes straight from the Doom Capitol.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 13th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
While I have a very strong feeling that this isn’t the only Desertfest announcement concerning the London lineup to come this week, I thought it was worthwhile nonetheless to mark the addition of ritual doomers 11 Paranoias to the 2014 festival, where they’ll play on the Quietus stage. I’m not sure which venue that is, but rest assured a black cloud will settle over whatever room it might be when the Ramesses offshoot start their set. Their 2013 EP, Superunnatural, was like a dense fog through which you could find no visibility. Stands to reason when you start combining members of Bong and Ramesses that the results are going to have a vaporizing effect.
Here’s the announcement from the festival website:
***11 Paranoias To Trip Out On The Quietus Stage***
11 Paranoias To Trip Out On The Quietus Stage
Coming together for a jam on 11/11/11 Adam Richardson (Ramesses/Lord Of Putrefaction), Mark Greening (Ramesses/Electric Wizard) and Mike Vest (Bong) realised that they had created a noise so heavy that it was in danger of forming its own weather systems.
11 Paranoias released their debut album ‘Superunnatural’ on Ritual Productions last year, unveiling a tar black, sludge blasted riffscape which was heavily psychedelic and hypnotic to boot, calling to mind Loop, Monster Magnet and Hawkwind more than any doom revivalists you care to mention.
