I’ve been fortunate enough to have The Obelisk among the slew of included presenters for Calgary’s The Electric Highway festival, and I’m glad to be able to continue the thread in 2025. The site’s logo is down there on the poster, keeping company both good and plentiful, but if you’re drawn to the lineup itself rather than the ‘sponsors,’ that’s only reasonable. Bison will headline alongside Castle — two righteous Canadian exports, the latter with a new album out this past Fall — and Fever Dog wlil make the trip from California while Buffalo Bud Buster, The Getmines, Blacksmith and Brewer and La Chinga return, and others, including two Calgary locals to start each night, make first appearances.

It’s a rad mix and, again, thanks to The Electric Highway for letting The Obelisk have anything to do with it whatsoever. I’ll do an oldschool hip-hop shoutout to Billy Goate and Steve Howe. Woop woop and such.

Details as per the PR wire:

 

The Electric Highway Festival (Calgary, AB) Announces 2025 Lineup w/ BISON, CASTLE, LA CHINGA, BUFFALO BUD BUSTER and more!

April 4 & 5 – Dickens Pub

The Electric Highway 2025 Lineup Spotify Playlist – https://spotf.fi/ZQXtQay​

The Electric Highway Festival is excited to announce the full lineup for the 2025 edition of the Festival being held in Calgary, AB on April 4 & 5 at Dickens (1000 9 Ave SW).

Canadian veteran sludge metal band BISON headlines the whole festival while doom metal band CASTLE headlines Friday night. They will be joined by Southern California band FEVER DOG, and various Western Canadian bands including LA CHINGA, BUFFALO BUD BUSTER, THE GETMINES, 88 MILE TRIP, and more.
​
​The Final Full Line Up by Day:​
​
​Friday, April 4, 2025​
Castle (San Francisco/ Vancouver)
Buffalo Bud Buster (Calgary)
Blacksmith and Brewer (Vancouver))
CHÛNK (Vancouver)
Hydracat (Edmonton)
The Astral Prophets (Calgary)
BUNS (Calgary)
Doors 5pm – Show 6pm
​
​Saturday, April 5, 2025​
Bison (Vancouver)
La Chinga (Vancouver)
Fever Dog (Southern California)
The Getmines (Vancouver)
88 Mile Trip (Vancouver)
Lover (Calgary)
GEOFF (Calgary)
Doors 5pm – Show 6pm

Advance 2-day passes are available for $75. Advance single-day tickets are $40 for Friday and $45 for Saturday

Festival passes and single-day tickets are available at www.theelectrichighway.ca/festivalstore/​

Event info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1149647296782460/​

​The Electric Highway Festival hosts various genres that range from Desert Rock, Stoner Metal, Doom, Sludge, Trippy Psychedelic, Surf Rock, Acid Rock, Noise Rock, Fuzz Rock, Space Rock, Blues Rock, Heavy Psych, Heavy Blues, Southern Rock, Fuzzy Punk, Sludgy Hardcore bands and variations of any of the previously mentioned styles. The festival includes a vendor area with interesting goods for attendees to take home with them.

Previous editions of the festival featured one of the event’s past favorites Californian headliners Sasquatch, Juno Award-winning Canadian band ANCIIENTS, Vancouver’s La Chinga, Space Queen, Dead Quiet, and more, Gnarwhal from Yellowknife, NWT, Calgary’s Gone Cosmic, Hombre, Flashback among many more, and a whole host of other great bands.

www.facebook.com/ElectricHighwayFestival/
www.instagram.com/TheElectricHighway
www.TheElectricHighway.ca

Castle, Evil Remains (2024)

Buffalo Bud Buster, “Two Days Shy” official video

Rocker. And I was talking about the song there, but if you took it as an assessment of yourself — i.e., that you’re a rocker — then in all likelihood you’re the target demographic for “Castle of Souls.” The new single from Vancouver troupe 88 Mile Trip doesn’t ask much from the listener, isn’t trying to do anything too fancy, but is a straightforward, classic-style groove and hook and the four-piece sound on point as they head toward the follow-up to 2015’s Through the Thickest Haze.

And no, I don’t know what’s behind the probably-nine-year stretch between 88 Mile Trip offerings, but you know, since both the band’s moniker and their last release’s title are both about having a hard time doing things — an 88 Mile Trip isn’t nothing, especially if you’re walking or biking, and maybe they got stuck in that thick haze for three or four years on their way; hell if I know — maybe we can give them a break in our content-obsessed age. That said, I guess the single counts as new content, so we’re all complicit in cultural entropy. You, me, whoever those fuckers were who bought Bandcamp this week and laid off half the staff. Knew ‘Bandcamp Daily’ was too pro to last.

But let me not get sidetracked. The third 88 Mile Trip outing doesn’t have a name yet, but I’m willing to bet that it will by the time it’s released, so stick around for more either way. Here’s details on the single, courtesy of the PR wire:

Canadian Heavy Rockers 88 MILE TRIP Release New Single, “Castle of Souls”

Heavy rockers 88 MILE TRIP have released new single, “Castle of Souls.” Recorded and produced by Derek Mattin, the song is available now on all major digital platforms, including the following:

Bandcamp: 88miletrip.bandcamp.com/track/castle-of-souls

Spotify: spotify.link/1oed3ArEXDb

Apple Music: music.apple.com/ca/album/castle-of-souls-single/1711150469

YouTube: youtu.be/-iBBhyMskJs

The new track, which will be included on the band’s as yet untitled, third collection of original material, follows 2015’s Through The Thickest Haze.

88 MILE TRIP was formed in Vancouver, BC (Canada) in 2013. Their unique blend of influences from classic rock and metal to contemporary stoner rock, doom , and hardcore make for a captivating cocktail of music that the band describes simply as “heavier rock and roll.”

88′ have played countless shows across Canada, both as a supporting act and headliner. Stay tuned for more new music and live appearances!

“Castle of Souls” single artwork by Ashy Derocher.

88 MILE TRIP is:
David Bell: Vocals
Casey James: Guitar
Darin Wall: Bass (Greyhawk, Glyph, Skelator)
Eddie Riumin: Drums (Maule)

https://www.facebook.com/88miletrip
https://www.instagram.com/88miletrip/
https://88miletrip.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@88MileTrip

88 Mile Trip, “Castle of Souls”