Posted in Whathaveyou on October 29th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Spoiler alert: it’s rad.
Admittedly, that was the case in August, when this year’s Rain City Doom Fest — set for Dec. 12-13 in Seattle, Washington — made its initial announcement, with Acid King and Ragana and Merlock and sundry others confirmed at that time. But more of a good thing is a better thing, and with the complete picture of how those two days will look, it’s not hard to imagine seeing the bill and wanting to make the trip. Wherever you might be traveling from, from Mizmor to Kadabra, Hippie Death Cult, Sorcia, Sun Crow, Serial Hawk, Glasghote, Ragana and the relocated-from-the-desert Red Mesa, you’ll not be likely to find a richer sampling of the Pacific Northwest’s native underground — plus Acid King and Electric Citizen, from CA and Ohio, respectively — and if you wanted to cap the utter awfulness of 2025 with something decidedly less than awful, well, here you go.
To answer the question no one asked, no, I’m not likely to be there, but it still makes for a welcome escapist daydream for my afternoon, and for that I’m grateful. I’m not sure it needs to be said, but the below comes from social media, and I’ve left the atsign profile tags intact in case you’re on your phone and can use them to magically transport yourself to the bands’ pages or whatever. I assure you, I have no clue how any of that works, on the rare occasion it does. Killer bill, regardless.
Check it:
RAIN CITY DOOM FEST 2025 – Full line-up officially announced!
@raincitydoomfest December 12 + 13 at @elcorazonseattle / @funhouseseattle 2 stages | 18 bands | 2 nights of DOOM 2-day passes (limited) and single day tix on sale NOW! 🎟️🔗 in bio
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 17th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
The first announcement from the inaugural Mojave Experience Festival — headed and curated by Patrick Brink of long-running heavy rockers Volume — brought Dead Meadow and Earthless to the bill of the two-dayer set for next March in Joshua Tree, California. This second featured John Garcia and Acid King, so yes, one could say the no-filler trend continues amid the four-thus-far killers yet revealed. I have no idea what the schedule is for names, if it’s a weekly thing or monthly or whenever they get around to it, but I’ll do my best to keep up from here, in no small part because with just these four, that’s already a show I’d like to see. Not that that necessarily means I will, you understand.
You’ve got till March to make your travel plans, so go ahead. My recommendation from copious experience is to leave it all to the last minute so you get really completely overwhelmed by the whole thing. An essential part of going, well, anywhere really.
The festival posted the following on socials, heralding the additions:
Lori S. of Acid King has spent nearly three decades forging some of the heaviest, most hypnotic sounds in underground rock. Emerging from San Francisco’s fog with a molten blend of proto-metal groove and mind-expanding doom, she built Acid King into a cornerstone of the stoner-psych movement—its sound equal parts thunder and trance. From club stages to major festivals across the globe, Lori’s signature low-tuned riffing and commanding presence have inspired a generation of heavy-music lifers.
At the heart of Acid King is more than volume or distortion—it’s an atmosphere. Lori’s music evokes vast spaces and head-clearing horizons, the same cosmic desolation that defines California’s desert. Her vision aligns perfectly with gatherings like The Mojave Experience, where tone, texture, and timeless heaviness meet under open skies. With a career rooted in authenticity and sonic exploration, Lori continues to lead Acid King into new terrain, inviting audiences to lose themselves in sound, light, and dust.
Come ready. Come raw. The Mojave Experience isn’t here to entertain you — it’s here to change you. See you March 20 & 21.
John Garcia stands as one of the defining voices of desert rock — a genre born from the scorched landscapes of Southern California and fueled by fuzz, groove, and grit. Best known as the frontman of Kyuss, Garcia helped shape an entire musical movement whose influence still echoes through generations of heavy rock. His unmistakable vocal power — equal parts soulful, feral, and commanding — became the desert’s own signature sound, bridging psychedelia, punk energy, and Sabbath-esque weight into something timeless.
Beyond Kyuss, Garcia carried that fire into projects like Slo Burn, Unida, and Hermano, each reaffirming his ability to turn raw atmosphere into pure electricity. Yet it’s on stage where he remains most formidable — his live performances radiate intensity, reverence, and a sense of communion with both his band and the crowd. Whether fronting a full electric lineup or delivering stripped-down sets under the John Garcia and the Band of Gold banner, his shows feel less like concerts and more like desert rituals, summoning the spirit of a scene he helped create.
Today, Garcia’s legacy isn’t just about his past bands; it’s about his ongoing embodiment of what heavy rock can be — honest, grounded, and alive. His voice remains a beacon for the desert underground, proving that true legends never fade; they just keep echoing through the canyon walls.
Come ready. Come raw. The Mojave Experience isn’t here to entertain you — it’s here to change you. See you March 20 & 21.
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 22nd, 2025 by JJ Koczan
First of all, this art frigging rules. Kuba Sokolski Illustration is apparently the party responsible for the look of Desertfest Berlin 2026, and I dig it. The colors, the theme, the implication of narrative in becoming part of something bigger than yourself. Oh yeah, and the first band announcements are pretty killer too.
Russian Circles, Hermano, The Sword, Acid King, King Buffalo, Truckfighters, Earthless, Crippled Black Phoenix, Pelican, Mother’s Cake, High Desert Queen, Zerre, and Dope Purple comprise the first cohort to join the lineup, and aside from having me at Acid King and King Buffalo — which, yeah; also Hermano — it’s good to see The Sword will take their reunion to Europe next Spring, and Truckfighters will likely be out supporting their new album, which is due around that time as well.
This won’t be nearly all of it, but it’s plenty and it’s a killer start. As with every year, I look forward to seeing how Desertfest and the European underground circuit will shape up for next Spring. Here’s the announce from social media:
BERLIN, THE DESERT IS CALLING! 🌌
We’re beyond stoked to drop the first wave for Desertfest Berlin 2026 // 14.-16. May 2026 – and it’s a riff-heavy ride straight into the void 🌙
Russian Circles will crush you with their cinematic post-metal soundscapes, while desert rock legends Hermano return with John Garcia at the helm. Texas riff titans The Sword are back to shake the ground, and the mighty Acid King keep the doom thick and smoky. King Buffalo invite you to drift away on cosmic psych grooves, while fuzzlords Truckfighters bring the Swedish desert storm with their first new album in 10 years.
Earthless will melt your mind with endless space jams, and Crippled Black Phoenix deliver apocalyptic rock full of grandeur. Expect instrumental heaviness from Chicago pioneers Pelican, plus wild progressive energy from Mother’s Cake. Adding Texan groove power from High Desert Queen, new wave of würzburgs thrash metal Zerre, and psych-doom freakouts from Taiwan’s Dope Purple – the storm is real.
If this line-up speaks to your soul – better grab your tickets now before they vanish into the haze:www.desertfest.de
DESERTFEST BERLIN 2026 14.-16. MAY 2026 COLUMBIA VENUES, BERLIN
⚡FIRST ANNOUNCEMENTS⚡ RUSSIAN CIRCLES HERMANO THE SWORD ACID KING KING BUFFALO TRUCKFIGHTERS EARTHLESS CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX PELICAN MOTHER’S CAKE HIGH DESERT QUEEN ZERRE DOPE PURPLE AND MANY MORE!
Posted in Whathaveyou on August 11th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Granted, you had me at Acid King, and that’s pretty much always going to be the case forever and into perpetuity. HOWEVER, even putting aside that singularity-type draw, to have Witch Mountain, the black metallers Ragana, Electric Citizen (who I just saw and were killer), Hippie Death Cult (get well soon, Laura, sidelined for now with an unspecified health issue), Merlock (who I seem to recall seeing had new stuff in the works, including with a cello), Kadabra, Red Mesa (now at least partially relocated to the Pacific Northwest) and Glasghote, well, that’s a really good bill front to back.
This is just the first announcement for the Seattle-based Rain City Doom Fest 2025. I assume Sorcia will be added as they’re affiliated with the fest and are something of a house band, and there are others who’ve been regulars along the way, but yeah. I don’t know how much flights to Seattle are two weeks before Xmas, but this does very much make me want to find out.
Of course, there are no shortage of others in and around the region to fill out the bill, but whoever’s going to be added, I’d call this the proverbial killer start. I doubt I’ll get to see it — ain’t nobody banging down my door to bring me to Seattle for a thing, and that’s reasonable — but maybe you will, and that’s pretty rad.
Info follows as cobbled from social media:
RAIN CITY DOOM FEST 2025!
December 12 + 13 at @elcorazonseattle / @funhouseseattle
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 17th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Admittedly, they had me beforehand too, but had that not been the case, for sure they’d have had me at Acid King doing 2015’s Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere (discussed here, review here) in its entirety. One of the best heavy mellow psych records I’ve ever heard, in addition to being up to Acid King‘s own high standard of riffing. Behold Desertfest Belgium 2025, clearly following on from the last couple years in going big and making the lineup count.
Also in Acid King‘s cohort here are UK prog/post-metallers Wren, ascendant Brooklyn theatre-nerds Castle Rat, Nick Oliveri‘s Mondo Generator, as well as Neptunian Maximalism, MR.BISON and an international assemblage of others — Desert Storm should be listed as ambassadors from Desertfest London — adding to the festival’s already stellar list of names, which you can see in full on the poster below. Obviously they’re not screwing around.
From socials:
Hi Desertheads!
It’s been a while, but my oh my, do we have some ear candy in store for you. These 11 new bands will be gracing the Desertfest Antwerp stages this fall:
Acid King 🌑 Mondo Generator 🌑 Desert Storm 🌑 MR.BISON 🌑 Neptunian Maximalism 🌑 Castle Rat 🌑 Wren 🌑 neànder 🌑 Witchorious 🌑 The Miffs 🌑 Requiem Blues
And what’s even cooler, ACID KING will be playing two nights in a row at Desertfest! ⚡️⚡️
On Saturday they will be performing their classic album ‘Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere’. The album was carved in stoner metal exactly 10 years ago. On Sunday the band will be playing a mix of biting, acid hits for your ears only!
Unfortunately, Bongzilla won’t make it to Desertfest Antwerp due to health reasons and so we wish them a speedy recovery. Earth Tongue had to cancel their gig as well, because they got a great offer to tour the US this fall instead. All the best!
On a brighter side, the day splits will be announced and our day tickets will be available this Wednesday 18th June at 11:00 am CET. Keep an eye on our website and socials!
Posted in Reviews on September 15th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Before Show
Truckfighters soundchecking outside with “Desert Cruiser.” There’s a concrete rise in back of the Knockdown Center, up to a train platform presumably leftover from when whatever what manufactured here, and last year it was open for people to go up like a balcony and watch the bands on the outside stage. It would be hot up there today with the sun beating down, but it doesn’t matter since it’s closed off. So it goes.
Today is the last day of Desertfest New York 2024, and it brings that third, outside stage, where yesterday alternated between the two in the building itself. There are picnic tables out here, corners you can put yourself in if you want, and I appreciate that kind of thing, especially on a day with a crunch of bands. The most brutal schedule conflict? High Desert Queen playing in the Texas room during Truckfighters. Hard choices will be made. I don’t know that I’ll get to take pictures of both, but I plan to watch at least part of each set since it’s not like you have to go down the block to see one or the other. We’ll see how it goes.
Got back and crashed out last night around 1AM. It’s the last day here, so of course one’s head drifts to thoughts of returning to real life after this relatively brief but certainly welcome sidestep. I started packing that glut of stuff I brought with me. I was thinking of driving home tonight, maybe splitting out during Russian Circles, throwing my bags in the car and letting out for Jersey, but I don’t actually expect to be in any shape to do such a thing by then, and Saturday night traffic in New York is like Thursday afternoon. By the time I got home, any favors I’d have done myself by leaving early would have evaporated. That’s me, talking myself out of a thing.
Doors are in four minutes, reportedly. People were waiting out in the sun when I got here. I don’t have an AAA pass or anything because I’ve never been cool, ever, but I do like getting j and sitting a bit before the show starts, writing and whatever else. Calm before the storm? Maybe. Some quiet for the subsequent volume to contrast once the day actually starts. Light tension in the air. You know how it goes.
Like this:
Kadabra
There’s a lot to look forward to today, front to back, but Kadabra must definitely aren’t to be left out of that consideration. The Spokane, Washington-based trio played Desertfest London earlier this year as well and are a better band than the general underground consensus seems to know, though they drew a decent crowd for being the first band on, so maybe I’m wrong on the hype level. Fine. They’re here supporting their 2023 album, Umbra (discussed here, review here), and I very clearly was not the only one who thought to get to Knockdown Center early. The groove and sinister vibe came quick like the haze from the fog machine, only not so quickly breezed away. “The Serpent” and “The Devil” from the latest album featured, and if you wanted to call either a highlight, I won’t fight you. The sound came through clear enough to do justice to the vocal melodies, and their swing was the start today needed.
Gozu
I don’t know how long it’s been and I don’t feel like looking, but it’s too long, in any case. Soul and hard-hitting groove, fury (of the markedly impatient) and craft underneath it all. And every now and again, Gaff might do a softshoe. Well earned. I was watching them play and trying to write, but couldn’t get out of my head, and in what might be the best decision I make today, I stopped trying to write. I put my phone in my pocket and let Gozu bowl me over with their particularly classy roll. It was the right choice, and after half a decade — I felt guilty and looked; last time I saw Gozu was before the pandemic; too long — they both played songs I’d never heard live before and, as of course they would, nailed new material and old. Never a doubt in my mind. Honestly, I was just happy to see them, let alone see them kill it. Not going to pretend to be the impartial observer. I missed Gozu.
Spaceslug
You know that feeling when you’ve dug a band for a while and you see them live for the first time and you dig it and it’s a relief? Seeing Spaceslug for the first time was like that for me. Because it was that, exactly. It was also good to finally see for myself how the live show and the sound of their albums — a consistently evolving thing, definitely on a path — intertwine in terms of presenting the material. The division of duties on vocals and the arrangements have gotten more complex with time, and while you might put on their 2016 debut, Lemanis (discussed here), and 2024’s Out of Water (review here) in succession and know it’s the same band, their breath changes what they mean, and on stage, they can lean into different sides at different times, dynamic without being hurried about it. I don’t know that I’d ever get to see Spaceslug if this wasn’t happening — though I’d certainly make it happen if I could — so thank you Desertfest, and thanks Spaceslug for making the trip and for the show.
Hippie Death Cult
Hippie Death Cult and Kadabra have been out on a tour since last week and were in Rhode Island last night. Meanwhile, Boston got a dose of High Desert Queen, Gozu and Dozer. It’s a good weekend to be on the Eastern Seaboard. Last time I saw the band was at Psycho in 2022 (review here), and that was before basisst Laura Phillips took over on lead vocals. Last Fall brought the release of their first album with Harry Silvers on drums and Phillips on vocals, and with a foundation in Eddie Brnabic’s fluid riffing, they were a Hippie Death Cult able to bring more of an aggressive roll to bear with intermittent harsher vocals; something of a sludgier potential that may or may not be explored over time as they continue to grow. But they were rad when they had Ben Jackson singing and they’re rad now. Hypnotic enough that I forgot to be anxious about missing the start of Eagle Twin, which was nice for a couple minutes to get out of my own head. Twice today. I’m coming dangerously close to letting myself enjoy a thing.
Eagle Twin
Doom with antlers, but not literally, because that also exists. They’re not a band who comes to the East Coast every day, or year, and though I imagine a specific ideal is seeing Eagle Twin out in the woods someplace, they brought a more than solid main stage crowd. I was thinking it hadn’t been that long since I saw them but it turns out it was six years ago at Høstsabbat (review here), where they made a specifically bluesy impression. Go figure. Their sound feels no less born of bigger, more ancient forests than one finds here, but on a level even just of performance and the aforementioned tone, they brought it. There’s a lot to dig about them, I’m just out of metaphors. I took a peak in the Texas stage at Trace Amount, then found a spot at a table with some friends and planted there until a bit before Dozer went on. Eagle Twin were cool, but until I looked just a bit ago I thought I’d seen them in the last few years, and I don’t get a lot of nice, human conversation with people I like in my day-to-day.
Dozer
Powerhouse set, and Dozer’s first time in the States in at least two decades. The urgency of last year’s Drifting Through the Endless Void (review here) speaks for itself, and I’m not here to sell records anyway. But I’m lucky enough that this is my third Dozer show in the last three years after seeing them on what was then a one-off at Desertfest London 2013 (review here), and as classic as their early work is, they’re vital, moving forward in sound from where they left off after 2008’s Beyond Colossal (featured here), coming back after a stretch of time that in hindsight they made short. Propulsive unto themselves in the sphere of heavy rock, people clapping along to Sebastian Olsson’s drums. Their show with High Desert Queen and Gozu in Boston last night precedes them much as it did Gozu, put there were clearly people in the crowd who’ve never seen Dozer before, one can only hope they come back again. Bonus, the train platform was open, so I got to watch from there for a minute too. Enough to witness a light mosh taking shape for the last song.
Green Lung
I wouldn’t hazard to predict the future, but Green Lung look like they’re in it for the long haul. Stage presence enough that I don’t feel ridiculous imagining them playing festivals like this 20 years from now. They could probably play “Mountain Throne” then too. Their organic cultistry, nature-worship and on-stage harmonies were on point, and though I knew all of that would be the case going into the set, it was exciting to see them play songs from last Fall’s This Heathen Land (review here) and take advantage of the full breadth of their sound and a reach that only seems to be expanding. Part of the appeal is that they’re over the top, and they are, but there’s so much raw talent on stage when they play, and they’re clearly learning how to wield it. This is their first US tour. I have a hard time imagining it will be their last. “Maxine (Witch Queen),” “Old Gods,” “Hunters in the Sky,” “Graveyard Sun.” Fucking “Let the Devil In.” Everything they played sounded like it could’ve been on a greatest hits collection. Hooks and performance. They made it a show. It was a spectacle, classic metal in many ways, some of them theatrical, but brought to life with its own take on both conceptual and stylistic traditions.
Truckfighters
This was my moment to both have and eat cake. Truckfighters went on five whole minutes before High Desert Queen. The Ruins (outside) stage is about a minute’s walk from the Texas room, so I watched the start of Truckfighters and then went back and forth for the duration. Acid King was getting started soon enough as well, so it’s probably the most ‘go’ moment of the fest, at least for me, but those are three different parties you want to be at. Truckfighters aren’t the only band this weekend whose reputation precedes them, and they had the biggest crowd of the night outside — also at some point it became night; when may or may not be clear in the photos — and another mosh. Surprising amount of mish this year. It’s like New York is extra antsy since the Saint Vitus Bar closed, which is reasonable, frankly. I got to see Truckfighters do “The Chairman,” and that was justification enough for the back and forth, a mellower vibe in the buildup to the payoff, as opposed to some of their stuff, which is more pure shove and roll. A reputation well and continually earned. Weren’t they recording an album? Or is that just me hoping for a thing?
High Desert Queen
Just a blast of a band. For a good time, call. Up from Austin, they’re on the already noted tour with Dozer and Gozu, playing in support of this Spring’s Palm Reader (review here), their second album and first for Magnetic Eye. Those songs rightly featured heavily in the set, which started 30 seconds after I walked into the Texas room like it was on cue. Tight, heavy groove, nothing too fancy stylistically — I always hear some C.O.C. in their sound, one way or the other, and that was true tonight, but not the end of the story as regards their sound either. You can hear the influence of pre- and turn of the century heavy — if I held up Dozer and Acid King as examples, I’m not discounting the relevance of either’s present work in doing that; I’m just thinking of when they got going — and you can tell watching them that they’re into it. Not everybody on stage is dancing around like vocalist Ryan Garney might be to a given riff from guitarist Rusty Miller, but he, bassist Morgan Miller and drummer Phil Hook were right there too in the moment on stage. It was great to see, and even against Truckfighters on the bill, the room filled up.
Acid King
Fair to say Acid King remain at a crucial moment about a year and a half out from Beyond Vision (review here), which was my pick for album of the year last December — not just me, they topped the year-end poll as well. I’m not worried they’re about to immediately do another record right away — you never know, but Beyond Vision was eight years after 2015’s Middle of Nowhere Center of Everywhere (discussed here, review here), and that was down from 10. But the reason I’m saying see Acid King now isn’t just that Lori S. is a hero and bassist/synthesist Bryce Shelton and drummer Jason Willer are so dead on in the nod, but it’s the songs they’re playing from Beyond Vision. The material itself. “Mind’s Eye” and “Destination Psych.” Closing with that insane build from “Color Trails?” Come on. Any chance you’re afforded, see this band.
Russian Circles
Chicago instrumentalist forerunners Russian Circles came out with a burst, hitting hard in the spirit of 2022’s Gnosis (review here) and building outward from there in multiple directions. Post-hardcore is part of it, but so is psychedelic rock and the occasional time-to-crush bit of riffery, and they’ve found a way to keep structured songs from falling into a verse/chorus trap. They genuinely sound like a band who listen to more kinds of music than the kind they make, amd benefit from it in being able not just to pay loud or quiet, but evoke a different feel from song to song. A lot of anything would have been a comedown after Acid King, but Russian Circles in the headlining spot had a level of volume that was their own as much as their sound, and as it had been a while, I was glad to watch them, or at least listen in a spot where the strobe wasn’t quite so fast. Even as Desertfest draws down, it delivers. There were even more bubbles.
—
It was good to see old friends, new friends, and Desertfest friends, since as the years have gone on I’ve found there are people I see here and that’s it. I take that as a good sign — though I suspect I’d see more people if I went out more — since it means people are coming back, which is the ideal. Desertfest delivered a show to New York a show and a lineup worthy of the Desertfest brand, and I hope it continues to bring European acts over each year as it did in 2024 with Dozer, Spaceslug, Green Lung, Domkraft, Truckfighters, Belzebong, even Amenra. They’ve been working to build a sense of community since the inception, and between killer shows and returning patrons, I’d say they’re on their way.
A note about the Texas stage today before I leave off. I only got (some) photos of High Desert Queen, but I did get to pop in for some of Beinn and Trace Amount as well. I’d never seen either, so at least a few songs. Beinn were a pleasant surprise, kind of a heavy-ended post-hardcore thing, I heard some noise rock and some Cave In, and they went for it on stage, as did Brooklyn industrialist Trace Amount, whose studio work I’ve dug in a kind of machine-misanthropic vibe. On stage, it’s just Brandon Gallagher, and he was all-in, pacing back and forth and throwing himself around, screaming and in the crowd headbanging. It was by no means packed, but I respect the one-man show for sure. Not easy to keep up energy when you’re by yourself. Ask a standup comedian. Tower headlined the room and they continue to make a party out of trad metal in a way that is only endearing.
Thank you to Reece, Sarika, and the Desertfest crew. Thank you to Tim Bugbee, Dante Torrieri, the Great Tomoko, and Sean in the photo pit, and I’m sorry for taking up space. Thanks to everybody who said hi or something nice about the site — or both — and I can’t tell you how warm and welcoming it felt to be in a place where I felt like what I do matters to someone, even just a little bit. Thank you. Thank you for reading. And thanks, as always and most of all, to The Patient Mrs., though whom all things are possible.
More pics after the jump. And I’m mostly taking tomorrow (Monday) off to catch up on writing. Back Tuesday. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go take a 90-minute shower.
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 21st, 2024 by JJ Koczan
The message here is clear: Desertfest is all-in on New York. Begun in 2019 and resurfacing in 2022 at a new venue, The Knockdown Center, somewhere in the nebulous border region between Brooklyn and Queens, and a corresponding pre-show at the Saint Vitus Bar, which one hopes will reopen well in advance of this September, Desertfest New York 2024 is vivid in taking it to the next level.
It’s nothing less than a generational event to bring Dozer from Sweden to NYC (they toured the US circa 2000, I’m pretty sure), and for that alone, Desertfest earns your weekend ticket price today. Never mind that at the same time they’re celebrating legends like Dozer and Acid King, they’re also extending their reach to up and coming bands. Green Lung will play — gotta be the main stage, right? isn’t their sound too big for anything else? maybe outside at night? — coming over from the UK to do so, and West Coast outfits Kadabra, Abrams, Deathchant (who at this point I count as a secret being a little too well kept) and Hippie Death Cult complement well Acid King near the top of the bill, where you’ll also find instrumentalists Russian Circles, presumably a headliner, and fair enough. Oh yeah, and Truckfighters just in case anyone gets tired and needs a bit of a cardio pick-me-up.
Guhts from New York, Domkraft from Sweden, Belzebong from Poland and an awaited appearance from Boston’s Gozu round out this initial announcement, with more to come. It’s on my calendar. You might think about putting it on yours as well:
Desertfest NYC announces Russian Circles, Acid King, Green Lung, Truckfighters, Dozer & more for its 2024 lineup.
For their return to the Knockdown Center this September, Desertfest NYC has unveiled its first artists set to take the stage for their fourth edition, announcing post-metal giants RUSSIAN CIRCLES as their first headliner. Joining them will be California stoner metal legends ACID KING and London occult metal sensations GREEN LUNG, making their US debut. After they were unable to perform at DF 2022, the festival is thrilled to finally be hosting them stateside.
Swedish rockers and long-time Desertfest friends TRUCKFIGHTERS will return for their first New York performance in four years, along with fellow countrymen and stoner devotees DOZER.
Joining the party will be Poland’s instrumental ‘dudes’ BELZEBONG, Swedish psychedelic hypnotizers DOMKRAFT, and a healthy dose of rock n roll arrives courtesy of Los Angeles quartet, DEATHCHANT and Boston mainstays GOZU.
Elsewhere we’ll be treated to some psychedelic swagger from Pacific Northwesterners KADABRA and HIPPE DEATH CULT, and some heavy gazin’ with Denver’s ABRAMS and NY locals GUHTS.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 1st, 2024 by JJ Koczan
So I guess this is the last announcement for the lineup of Desertfest London 2024, and I’ll just say I kind of love the casual manner in which the festival set for May 17-19 tosses in another 30-plus names for the bill. Oh no big deal but here’s like two more fests we’re just gonna add while we give you the schedule. Badass. There’s a lot to dig here on all levels, from the headliners — that Friday at The Electric Ballroom, also Saturday and Sunday, looks pretty sweet — and while I’d set up camp at The Underworld on Saturday, no question I’d have to abscond from that home base to at least catch a bit of Saint Karloff, Acid King, and so on, and, well, on Sunday I’m actually kind of relieved I’m just pretending to have to pick one spot to be in, as each room has a distinctive pull. DVNE and Morag Tong or Borracho and Kadabra? Ufomammut and Monolord or Stinking Lizaveta, Darsombra and Orme? This shit is hard sometimes.
You could go on here in choose-your-adventure daydreaming, and frankly I’d encourage you to do just that. Worst that happens is you end up listening to good music. Or, you know, going to the fest, which would also be the best thing that could happen. Here’s why:
Desertfest London announces day splits and 32 additional artists
Friday 17th May – Sunday 19th May 2024 Weekend & Day Tickets now on sale
Desertfest London has revealed their day and stage splits for their 13th edition, taking place this May across multiple venues in Camden, London.
The festival proudly welcomes Masters of Reality as Friday’s Electric Ballrooms headliners, with Chris Goss at the helm providing a master-class in desert sounds. Plus, newly announced for this stage are Colour Haze and Frankie and The Witch Fingers who will join Brant Bjork Trio and Mondo Generator to kick off the weekend in true Desertfest style. Mantar and Raging Speedhorn will shake-up the Underworld, whilst Brume and Alber Jupiter psych-out at The Black Heart.
Saturday sees skate-punk legends Suicidal Tendencies back in London for the first time in seven years, as they decimate the equally legendary Roundhouse. Joined by Cancer Bats, Bongripper, Acid King and newest addition to the bill, Pest Control. Saturday’s Roundhouse stage is undeniably a melting pot of genres, but celebrating one common thread – insane live performances. Elsewhere, Maserati, Monkey3, Domkraft, Wet Cactus and many more will level Camden to the ground.
Back at the Ballroom on Sunday night, the festival enters its final day with a dose of experimental heaviness from Godflesh, Ozric Tentacles, Monolord, Ufomammut & Ashenspire. Additionally, Desertfest will be welcoming Bat Sabbath, the Black-Sabbath cover band formed by Cancer Bats to close out the entire weekend at our Underworld Stage after-party. Plus, DVNE, Nightstalker, Astroqueen, Stinking Lizaveta & The Grudge, with a hell of a lot more will be rounding off the weekend’s festivities.
Across the weekend, Desertfest has also newly announced the likes of Morag Tong, Borracho, Noisepicker, Gramma Vedetta, Lodestar, Kulk, Earth Tongue, Skypilot, Wolfshead, Weedsnake, Orsak:Oslo, WAXY, Horndal, Silverburn, Fires In The Distance, Sleemo, Midwich Cuckoos, Akersborg, Grand Atomic, Voidlurker, Under The Ashes and Fuz Caldrin.
Weekend & Day Tickets for the event are on sale now via www.desertfest.co.uk
