Posted in Whathaveyou on February 1st, 2019 by JJ Koczan
I like to think that maybe all of Australia and New Zealand found out Wo Fat were heading their way and the bands were fighting over who was going to play with them in Melbourne and then finally Your Mate Bookings was like ah screw it we’ll just do a festival and you all can play. That’s probably not how it happened — for one thing, sick as this lineup is, it’s by no means all the bands — but it’s fun to pretend, and if there were multiple acts lining up to be in the lineup, you’d have to understand where they’re coming from. I mean, it’s Wo Fat. Who wouldn’t want to partake?
The Texas mavens of fuzz-based explorando will hit Aunz in June and accordingly, Wo Fest is set for Jun 8 at the famed Bendigo Hotel in Melbourne. I haven’t seen a full list of tour dates as yet, but one expects those are forthcoming, and maybe some word of a new album? Maybe? An Australia/New Zealand tour is its own excuse for being, certainly, but a new record coming out would most certainly sweeten the deal. Also the year.
Nothing concrete on that front either, just speculation to keep my brain busy. Here’s the lineup and info for Wo Fest as per the social medias:
YOUR MATE Bookings, Young Henrys, Ripple Music, Rocknrollbrat Presents WO FEST
June 8, 2019
Melbourne’s Premium ALL DAY / ALL NIGHT Music, Art and Tattoo Festival
WO FEST will feature some of Australia & New Zealands greatest bands and solo artists in the Blues, Stoner, Psychedelic, Progressive, Sludge and Doom genres of Australia; Headlined by the one and only Texan Swampadelic Wizards Wo Fat & supported by NZs Pieces Of Molly along with local and interstate talent Subterranean Disposition, Turtle Skull, Motherslug, Honeybone, Pseudo Mind Hive, Full Tone Generator, Thaw, Burden Man.
Wo Fest will also feature Melbournes Jake Fraser Tattoo, a light show from Electric Light Brigade resident DJs and Artists.
This show will really go down as one to remember keeping Melbourne city at the forefront as one of the greatest musical cities in the world.
The event will be held on Saturday June 8th from midday at Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood.
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 12th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Looks like Roadburn 2018 is already doing that thing that Roadburns do where they completely overwhelm with their scope and the promise of what’s to come with their lineup each year. This is, what, the second announcement for next April? Seems early for such things, but to have Weedeater confirmed to play God Luck and Good Speed and Greenmachine doing all of D.A.M.N. is pretty gosh darn special. I’m eager to find out who’s going to be the artist-in-residence — though Walter very pointedly uses “artists” below, so maybe there’s more than one — but there’s plenty to chew on in the meantime, so I won’t delay any further and let you get to it.
Also note the new venue. This fest just keeps expanding. Pretty soon every streetcorner in Tilburg will have a Roadburn venue. I’d be cool with that, by the way. Totally cool with that.
Here’s the latest:
ROADBURN 2018: Further names confirmed ahead of ticket onsale
– Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas to perform Mariner for the final time at Roadburn 2018
– Weedeater will play God Luck and Good Speed in full
– Grave Pleasures confirmed
– Greenmachine will play D.A.M.N in full as part of Jacob Bannon’s curation
Sixteen new artists have been confirmed for Roadburn 2018 ahead of tickets going on sale next week, on October 19.
Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers commented: “We’re thrilled to bring you this set of announcements ahead of the tickets going on sale next week. We have a lot more still to come including our Artists in Residence for 2018, and two specially commissioned performances. The artists that we’ve commissioned will be familiar to Roadburners, but they will be performing pieces of music that have never been heard before – just for us! We’re still confirming the final details before we can announce those shows but we already know this is going to raise the creative bar for Roadburn.
“We’re also very pleased to confirm that we’ll be making use of a new venue at Roadburn 2018. In response to feedback from our attendees, we have found the perfect space at the Koepelhal – just up the road from the 013 – to spread out a little bit and provide a fantastic space for bands and audiences alike.”
CULT OF LUNA AND JULIE CHRISTMAS
No strangers to the Roadburn stage, Cult of Luna have a rich back catalogue that has traversed many a strange land over their almost two decades. But when they teamed up with inimitable New Yorker, Julie Christmas, to create 2016’s Mariner album, the collaboration brewed up something truly magical.
Originally planned as a studio-only venture, the Swedish-American collaborators were coaxed into playing out last year as they performed a handful of European shows. The demand for North American shows warranted a short tour this past summer, and now they look to add a full stop to the Mariner experience, with a final performance at Roadburn 2018.
We find it hard to say no to Cult of Luna in any guise, so we’re thrilled that the feeling is mutual – and that this time around Julie will be along for the Roadburn ride to perform Mariner, in her words “one more fucking time!”. Whilst we are inclined to refute the adage that all good things must come to an end, if that’s really the case, we’re determined to give Mariner a proper send off.
Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas will perform Mariner on Thursday, 19 April at the 013 venue. Read more here.
WEEDEATER
Weedeater have always epitomised the true essence of what “stoner” music should be. It’s not enough to just add fuzz, or to jam out for hours while super high. Weedeater flirt unashamedly with doom and sludge, they have bite, a sharp attitude, gigantic riffs and a unique personality, not to mention the unpredictability factor brought by Dixie Dave’s irresistible antics.
Which is why, in 2018, the return of the much-loved weed-fuelled trio is not just a “normal” return. Braces yourselves… Weedeater are going to play, exclusively for Roadburn, their seminal 2007 album God Luck And Good Speed in full.
We’ll let you know what time Weedeater will be playing on Thursday, 19 April at the 013 venue in a few months, but you know it doesn’t matter – it’ll be 4:20 in any case. Read more here.
GRAVE PLEASURES
Grave Pleasures have now finally truly arrived at the peak of their creative powers; their new album Motherblood is a truly defining piece of work that will delight anyone – old Beastmilk fans, more recent Grave Pleasures devotees, absolute newcomers, essentially everyone with ears will not be able to resist the cheeky, mischievous glee with which the Finnish band welcome the end times.
Grave Pleasures play on Sunday, 22 April. Read more here.
JACOB BANNON’S CURATION: GREENMACHINE
As part of Jacob Bannon’s curation, Japan’s GREENMACHiNE will reunite and perform their D.A.M.N. album in its entirety at Roadburn Festival 2018. Originally released by Man’s Ruin Records in 1995, D.A.M.N. is the monumental album that raised GREENMACHiNE to cult like status, making them the Japanese counterpart to bands like Buzzoven, Cavity, Jesuit, and others. Its sound blurred the lines between Stoner Rock, Sludge/Doom, and Hardcore/Punk worlds.
Jacob Bannon comments: “D.A.M.N.” was released by Man’s Ruin Records during the golden era of that influential label. For me, GREENMACHiNE were one of the bands that really connected with me in that stable. They were more intense than other releases the label was producing, and their origins within the Japanese Punk/Hardcore scene made them a welcomed mystery. A quality that was deepened by their subsequent breakups and brief reformations throughout the years. I am excited to finally see them unleash these brutal songs live at Roadburn 2018, it is an exclusive experience that is not to be missed.”
Greenmachine will perform as part of Jacob Bannon’s curation at Het Patronaat on Saturday, 21 April. Read more here.
FUTURE OCCULTISM
Currently reinventing himself musically and spiritually, ever forward thinking and his eyes and ears set on the future, is Dutch breakcore pioneer, Bong-Ra. Together with his cohorts – whether it’s his partner in dark matters, Svart Lava, or by way of inspiring the elusive Phuture Doom collective – they are pairing a futuristic take on modern day occultism with an eclectic outlook on (doom) metal and electronics.
Future Occultism will be presented at Roadburn in three parts: Bong-Ra, Servants Of The Apocalyptic Goat Rave (the binary view and vision of Future Occultism), and Phuture Doom (their preachings: digital sonic alchemy).
Future Occultism will take place in the 013 venue on Thursday, 19 April. Read more here.
Already announced: Godspeed You! Black Emperor playing two sets, Converge (performing You Fail Me, and The Dusk In Us in full), Hugsjá (a collaboration between Ivar Bjørnson and Einar Selvik), Panopticon playing two sets, The Heads, Bell Witch, Ex Eye, Igorrr, Sangre De Muerdago, Aerial Ruin.
NEW VENUE: KOEPELHAL
As Roadburn’s popularity has increased over the years, we have strived to maintain the intimate atmosphere whilst comfortably accommodating our growing audience, and the demand for certain shows. We’re thrilled our 2018 edition will see the introduction of the Koepelhal as a Roadburn venue.
Located just a few minutes walk from the 013, the venue will house our merchandise for artists (meaning a return to a more laid back atmosphere and greater opportunity for interaction between bands and fans!), as well as being used as a 1,200 capacity stage on the Friday and Saturday of Roadburn 2018! This will allow us a bit more room and help to avoid queues, which we know will please attendees! More info on venues will be available in due course.
TICKET ONSALE INFORMATION
Roadburn 2018 tickets will go on sale on October 19. They will be available to purchase in person from the 013 box office from 18.30- 20.30 local time, and online worldwide from 21.00 CEST / 20:00 BST /15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT.
3 and 4 day tickets will be available, with day tickets going on sale at a later date.
4-day-tickets €198,40 (including €3,40 service fees) 3-day-tickets €175,40 (including €3,40 service fees)
Camping tickets will also be available to purchase, with additional options (such as Festipis and camper vans) also possible. This year the urban campsite will be in a new location – but still within walking distance to the 013 venue – providing a comfortable and affordable option for Roadburn attendees.
You may or may not have noticed, but on the updates page for The Obelisk Radio, you can now see the playlist for the entire day. Mad and thoroughly appreciated genius that he is, Slevin set it up so that even when a song doesn’t have an ID3 tag — as some of the older included mp3s obviously don’t — the filename itself appears, so you can still find out what was played. It goes back to July 10 now, because that’s when it was launched, but my understanding is it will just keep adding days, so there will be a full archive from here on out of what was played. I’ve been nerding out on it all week.
And primarily what it’s underscored for me is just how much good shit there is on that playlist. It’s unreal. Please feel free to peruse. Here’s some more stuff that just went up.
The Obelisk Radio Adds for July 18, 2014:
Bongripper, Miserable
Chicago four-piece Bongripper once more crawl out of the muck with another collection of lurching, extended instrumental tracks, proliferating malevolent riff worship and lumbering, head-slung hopelessness. Like Pelican‘s evil twin, they offer a couple catch-your-breath moments throughout “Endless” (somewhat ironically the shortest track at 17:49), “Descent” (18:52) and the insurmountably mammoth “Into Ruin” (28:25), but the bulk of their sixth album is dedicated to destructive crash and vicious low-toned riffing, and even when they drone out in the last six minutes of “Descent,” the mood remains dark and crushing. All the more fitting as a lead-in for “Into Ruin,” which has its own breaks for good measure but makes its impression more in the tectonic weight of its impact. Everything heavy. All heavy. Nothing not heavy. Bongripper have been at it for nearly a decade now, and they’ve only gotten meaner. Miserablegets bonus points for the Mike Miller cover art. One would be hard pressed to think of something more appropriate. Bongripper on Thee Facebooks, on Bandcamp.
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We’re all Gonna Die, These are the Old Ways
When Boston heavy rockers We’re all Gonna Die — the lineup of guitarist/vocalist Jim Healey (also Black Thai), bassist Jesse Sherman (also Never Got Caught) and drummer Scott Healey (also Gut) — announced their return a short while ago for three summer shows, they sent word of a new single “Pleurisy.” That single, included on These are the Old Ways, has been expanded to include a collection of previously unreleased cuts from the band’s history, resulting in the 24-minute These are the Old Ways. Lineups and recording vibes vary — the EP caps with two instrumentals that show off some solid riffs but are clearly incomplete demos — but “Pleurisy” itself and “I’m Free” showcase the driving, forward rhythms and Healey‘s towering vocals following the riff, and “The Day I Walked Away,” while rougher sounding, offers the most memorable hook of the release. Round it out with a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s “That Smell” and the aforementioned instrumentals “Small” and “Awash,” and These are the Old Waysadds intrigue to the new single and reminds of the variety that We’re all Gonna Die were always able to bring to their gritty, aggressive approach. We’re all Gonna Die on Thee Facebooks, on Bandcamp.
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Sufferghost, Thaw
In historical hindsight, it’s tempting to think of Connecticut’s Sufferghost as a prelude to guitarist/vocalist Ron Vanacore and bassist Richard “Cheech” Weeden‘s work in Curse the Sun, but the truth is, it’s an entirely different band. Vanacore, still on vocals, plays drums on Sufferghost‘s recently-unearthed 2007 outing, Thaw, and the guitars are handled by Anthony Buhagiar, whose burst aortic aneurysm would effectively end the band in 2009, leading to the founding of Curse the Son. There are some consistencies of method between the two — riffs lead the way, albeit less tonally developed than Vanacore would be by the time Curse the Son put out 2012’s Psychache (review here), which has just been released on vinyl through STB Records — but Sufferghost had a musical personality of its own as well, and while “Leave the Church” offered stonerly roll, and “Neuralgia” engages righteous, mostly instrumental Sabbathizing, “Summer Insane” and the slower “Land of the None/Evilled” have some shades of burlier Black Label Society-style metal, and that’s terrain Vanacore and Weeden (who’ve been in bands together since the mid ’80s) have avoided in their subsequent act. Thawmakes you wonder what might’ve been had Sufferghost continued to develop, and gives listeners an opportunity to explore the roots from which Curse the Son sprouted. Sufferghost on Thee Facebooks, on Bandcamp.
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Planet of Zeus, Vigilante
Vigilante is the third LP from dudely Athens-based riffers Planet of Zeus, and while Clutch remains a primary influence, songs like “Burn this City Down,” “Tornado” and closer “The Beast Within” find the four-piece come into their own sound more than did 2011’s sophomore outing, Macho Libre. Still, moments will ring familiar, if roughened up, and the bluesy roll and organ of “No Tomorrow,” the gospel preaching of the title-track and the start-stop funk of “Second Coming” would seem to continue the pattern. They do it better than most who try, and for the touches of individuality, the impact of the production, and for the ease with which they move into instrumental psychedelia on “The Beast Within,” Vigilante (released on Ihaveadrum Records) makes a catchy endeavor for the already converted. Some of the harder-edged vocals from guitarist Babis might surprise, but it’s easy enough to get oriented throughout, and if Planet of Zeus have a more aggressive take on an established style, that only furthers their ability to stand out within it. Planet of Zeus on Thee Facebooks, Vigilante on Bandcamp.
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Liquido di Morte, Liquido di Morte
Made up of three recorded-live psychedelic jams that spread smoothly over the total runtime of 37 minutes, Northern Italy outfit Liquido di Morte‘s self-titled debut is marked out by some post-rock sensibilities in the guitar and the lead/rhythm dynamic that periodically merges into bigger, more lumbering grooves throughout. The double-guitar four-piece use samples or guest speakers for vocals and the feel across the tracks is pretty vast, but there’s also clearly a consciousness at work on opener “Ozric Pentacles,” and as the riffy largesse mounts backed by chaos swirls and loops, it’s hard not to be reminded of some of Ufomammut‘s earliest goings, though that’s just one element at work. “In Death of Space/Of Death in Space” pushes further with the plotted feel, a tension and intensity trading off as movements weave in and out and open and close, culminating in a noisy wash that only highlights how much Liquido di Morte have known all along where they were heading, and the 18-minute finale “144” builds from an effects-laden early few minutes into their most hypnotic and consuming roll yet, spoken word guest vocals emerging late to pipe a last-minute sense of reality into what had clearly, by then, departed from it. A more than impressively cohesive first offering — all the more because it was recorded live — from a band whose potential is writ large in their material. Liquido di Morte on Thee Facebooks, on Bandcamp.
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As ever, this isn’t even close to everything that joined The Obelisk Radio playlist this week. For the full list and to check out today’s playlist, visit the updates page.
