Well, we know Roadburn works in extremes, and we know Becky loves her some Cave In, so seeing them lead the pack here along with the likes of Imperial Triumphant and White Ward seems like fair game. It is, as ever, an off-the-wall, all-over-the-place lineup announcement from Roadburn for 2023, bringing 18 different acts total in just about 18 different styles. This might be the last announcement of the year for the fest, but it will by no means be the last overall. Saturday tickets are sold out, and one expects the rest of the tickets for the four-day fest will go too. Then you’ve got the pre-show, side-programme, maybe the odd entire jazz festival on the side. You never really know except to say there’s more coming.

So hey, there’s more coming. “Redefining heaviness” is hard work but somebody’s gotta do it.

To wit:

Roadburn announces 18 new names – including Boy Harsher and Cave In

Roadburn has added 18 new names to the 2023 line up today, including the Roadburn debut of dark electro duo Boy Harsher, the return of Cave In for two special shows, a new commissioned performance, and the first Artist in Residence. Roadburn will take place between April 20-23, 2023 in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Tickets are on sale now.

Roadburn Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers comments:

“We’re grateful that ticket sales for Roadburn are off to a good start and we are equally happy that the line up is shaping up very nicely as well. As we welcome Roadburn luminaries we are also focusing on bringing new and exciting acts into the fold – all of whom will push boundaries and defy genre expectations. We have also invited several bands to perform multiple shows over the weekend, showcasing different facets of their artistry. It’s our intention to make sure Roadburn 2023 all about exploration and creativity.”

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New Line Up Additions

Darkwave connoisseurs, BOY HARSHER have been confirmed for two sets at Roadburn 2023 – one is a full live performance, and the other is a DJ set with live elements. Making their Roadburn debut, anticipation is high for when they take over the stage (and turntables) for these special performances.

CAVE IN will return to the main stage at Roadburn for two sets in April. The first carries the title Interstellar Mixtape – the contents of which will remain largely a mystery until they take to the stage. The second set will be a front to back run through of their latest studio album, Heavy Pendulum.

WHITE WARD were scheduled to appear at Roadburn 2020, but fate intervened. Now they will head to Tilburg to perform their latest album, False Light in full..

Also pulling out the stops for an album performance will be IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT. They will be performing Spirit of Ecstasy in full, with additional accompanying musicians.

WAYFARER will perform two conjoined, career spanning sets titled A High Plains Eulogy. The sets will dive into their back catalogue, as well as preview brand new as-yet-unreleased material.

CIRCUIT DES YEUX will make their Roadburn debut. The project of musical mastermind Haley Fohr, CIRCUIT DES YEUX will return to Europe on the back of the stunning album, -io.

JERUSALEM IN MY HEART will also make their first appearance at Roadburn – the core duo of producer and multi-instrumentalist Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, and film-maker Erin Weisgerber will bring their audio visual display to Tilburg.

Following on from the release of the spellbinding album for you who are the wronged KATHRYN JOSEPH will perform at Roadburn, bringing her sparse and ethereal missives that detail both intimate vulnerabilities and the strength of the human spirit.

The Netherland’s own BROEDER DIELEMAN will perform, putting a distinctive liturgical twist on Americana-style storytelling.

PUPIL SLICER will make their Dutch debut, bringing the promise of chaotic energy and the potential for new material with them.

AD NAUSEAM will perform Imperative Imperceptible Impulse in full, presenting their take on death, black and experimental metal.

The Dutch underground will be thoroughly represented by OSSAERT, SHAGOR and DEATHLESS VOID who will each bring their own take on extremity to Roadburn.

JUDASZ & NAHIMANA will bring their atmospheric, ceremonial performance to Roadburn as they present their album Récits d’outre-monde.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE:

The first of Roadburn’s artists in residence to be announced for 2023, SANGRE DE MUÉRDAGO will be performing three sets over the course of the festival, highlighting different elements of their creativity. This collective of musicians channels their Galician heritage into immersive folk music of the most distinctive kind, and will do so with additional musicians and their usual flair.

COMMISSIONED MUSIC:

Trounce performing The Seven Crowns and Arias of the Empty Room

Roadburn has been commissioning artists to create and perform original compositions at the festival since 2018. 2023 will see an array of such commissioned projects – this year with a particular focus on giving a platform to underground artists.

Our second commissioned project to be announced is rooted in the Swiss underground – specifically the scene that has blossomed around Hummus Records (home to Coilguns, Rorcal, Emilie Zoé and more). Uniting several artists connected to the label under the banner of TROUNCE, this collective of musicians will bring the best of their homegrown underground to Roadburn.

More information on these artists can be found HERE. They join previously announced artists including Deafheaven, Wolves In The Throne Room, Giles Corey, Chat Pile and more.

Tickets for Roadburn 2023 are already on sale; Saturday tickets are sold out, but weekend tickets, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday tickets remain. 4-day tickets will be priced at €244, 3-day tickets at €214, and single day tickets at €79 (all costs inclusive of fees and service charges). Accommodation options are also available to purchase. All information can be found on Roadburn.com

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White Ward, False Light (2022)

As ever, there’s a lot going on in this announcement for Roadburn. It’s only the second one from Roadburn 2020 and already the festival seems to be setting its course to once again be bigger than ever as it continues to redefine itself and broaden its outlook on the underground. Two curators for the first time was announced last time around, now it’s two artists in residence, and oh, by the way, they’ll also collaborate for a set, because it’s fucking Roadburn and that’s just how it has to be. Lingua Ignota‘s set at the skate park at this year’s edition of the festival was the talk of the weekend — at least until Thou did those Misfits covers — and Full of Hell aren’t exactly strangers to Roadburn either. It’s going to be a busy and all over the place kind of Roadburn, I expect. Who would have it any other way?

If you haven’t, I can only urge you to check out Dool, who’ve also been added, and I’ve included the stream of Acid Rooster‘s 2019 self-titled debut below because its dreamy tones are sitting just right this afternoon.

Dig it:

ROADBURN 2020

– For the first time, Roadburn Festival will have two Artists In Residence

– First announcements for curated events including HIDE and BOY HARSHER

– Tickets on sale September 24

ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

Every edition of Roadburn has an Artist in Residence who will perform multiple times across the four days of the festival – each time showcasing a different facet of their creativity. Much like with other aspects at Roadburn 2020, this year we’re mixing things up a bit; for the first time there will be two Artist In Residence positions…

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: FULL OF HELL

With 30+ releases – EPs, splits, full lengths and more – there’s rich pickings to pull together material for four distinctive sets at Roadburn 2020. Full of Hell will perform Weeping Choir in full, as well as sister album Trumpeting Ecstasy. Also on the slate is a set comprising of their early material including songs from Roots of Earth Are Consuming My Home, as well as early 7” releases – and perhaps even a couple of covers thrown in for good measure.
The twist in the tale is that for one of their four sets they will collaborate with fellow Artist In Residence Kristin Hayter AKA Lingua Ignota.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: LINGUA IGNOTA

Performing four times over the course of the festival weekend, Kristin Hayter will peel back a layer of the Lingua Ignota form, shining a light in a dark corner. Performing alongside our other Artist In Residence, Full of Hell, some dark forces are sure to be summoned by the unholy noise they’ll make collaboratively. In addition to that, there will be an extremely special covers set (the details of which we will keep under wraps for now) and a performance comprising entirely of ALL BITCHES DIE material. The centrepiece of Kristin’s residency will be a grand re-imagining of CALIGULA – pulled apart and elegantly pieced back together in a new way.

EMMA RUTH RUNDLE’S- THE GILDED CAGE CURATED EVENT

HIDE

The first artist to be confirmed as part of Emma Ruth Rundle’s curated event is HIDE. An uncompromising duo who have a message that alone deserves to be heard, but the accompanying pulse of grit-flecked industro-slickness is what makes HIDE an essential booking for Roadburn. Demonstrating that heavy music doesn’t need a guitar to be crushing, HIDE are dragging ‘heaviness’, kicking and screaming, in their wake.
Emma commented: “I’m very happy to announce HIDE as the first band in my curation. No one else is touching on all the subjects that really twist the blade in my being the way they can. Their work is brutal, visceral, painful and poignant in all ways. From their videos, albums, lyrics, uniquely sourced samples and undeniably intense live performance- HIDE not only transcend – they absolutely destroy.”

JAMES KENT’S CURATED EVENT

BOY HARSHER

Boy Harsher’s minimal synths, beats and fuzzed up vocals have been in our eyeline for a while now – and we’re thrilled that our intentions line up with those of our curator.

He comments: “Boy Harsher brings a kind of visceral darkness through their minimal electronic beats that is extremely fascinating. The whispering-like vocals mixed with detuned-synths and old drum machines always felt to me like an invitation to a forbidden yet alluring world.”

HEALTH

HEALTH has plenty of sharp edges; jagged, pixelated, and raw. The complex layers of synths and samples coagulate into a hypnotic, pulsating mass – perfect for those who find comfort in the claustrophobic confines of noise and synthwave.

James comments: “Health are amongst my favorite acts out there at the moment. Their unique sound blending heavy electronics, pop vocals and aggressive noise will make for a perfect addition to the festival.”

SHE PAST AWAY

As part of James Kent’s curation for Roadburn 2020, we are thrilled to announce that modern Turkish darkwave legends She Past Away will be joining us to share this year’s Disko Anksiyete in its entirety. Over the course of their prior albums, the band built a strong identity rooted in genre classics yet carving its own path rather than merely following in the same well trodden gothic footsteps.

Also announced…

DOOL

As the band gear up for the release of their as-yet-unnamed second album, we’re thrilled to announce that Dool will be premiering their new material at Roadburn next year. We may have to wait a little longer for the juicy details of the release, but much like it was in 2016 when they first debuted at Roadburn, our faith in them delivering the goods is unwavering.

BADA

BADA is another vessel for the Gothenburg-based musicians Anna Von Hausswolff, David Sabel, Gianluca Grasselli, Filip Leyman and Hannes Nilsson (some of whom also perform as part of Anna Von Hausswolff’s solo project) to channel their creativity.
BADA’s output is a cinematic drone – sliced through with abrasive noise passages and ominous darkness. Fans of Dead Magic might have to adjust their receivers to be able to detect the Anna they’re most familiar with, but through the layers of static something special will still shine through.

ACID ROOSTER

Though Acid Rooster have flown their freak flag high for many moons, the band only released their impressive S/T debut very recently. And not to exaggerate — Acid Rooster is one of the best contemporary psych records around, hence inviting them for Roadburn 2020.

ROADBURN 2020 TICKETS

Tickets to Roadburn 2020 will go on sale on Tuesday, September 24. More details will be made available in the coming weeks.

Already announced for Roadburn 2020 is: Emma Ruth Rundle and James Kent as curators, commissioned projects from James Kent & Johannes Persson, Jo Quail, and Vile Creature & Bismuth, and the return of Julie Christmas.

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Acid Rooster, Acid Rooster (2019)