Posted in Whathaveyou on January 17th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
This past Fall, UK consciousness-smashers Conan took to the streets of Continental Europe in the company of futureprog-thrashers Lord Dying. Neat bill. For their upcoming US run, they’ll be out with Psychic Trash, the duo who until last year were known as Wizard Rifle, which is a similar kind of set up if you think about it as follows: A band gets on stage and does a lot. Conan get on next and crush everything.
It’s an interesting play with dynamic there, right? Lord Dying are more severe and far more metal, but both they and Psychic Trash are a counterpoint to Conan‘s own style, which while it has grown, refined, tried new things, etc., still readily bills itself as ‘Caveman Battle Doom.’ This tour will touch both coasts and points between, hitting not quite the four corners of the US, but pretty close. I wonder where Conan actually haven’t been yet, aside from Mars or some such. Limited to this planet.
If you missed word from the band early last month, they announced that Fudge Tunnel‘s David Riley has taken over on bass for Chris Fielding, who will continue in his role as producer, to both the betterment and devastation of all mankind. Pretty sure that’s the latest. At least until this tour, that is. Conan will be out in the UK before this one happens as well.
From socials:
***US TOUR 2024 ANNOUNCEMENT*** We are beyond excited to return to the USA with @psychictrash in March. Ticket links are over on our Linktree (www.linktr.ee/hailconan) dates are below. See you in the pit. Art by @apesofdoom
3/29 Boise, ID – Neurolux 3/30 Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High 3/31 Denver, CO – Skylark Lounge 4/1 Lincoln, NE – Cosmic Eye 4/2 Chicago, IL – Reggies 4/3 Youngstown, OH – West Side Bowl 4/4 Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie 4/5 Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus Bar 4/6 Washington DC – Atlas Brew Works 4/7 Raleigh, NC – Pour House 4/8 Atlanta, GA – The Earl 4/9 New Orleans, LA – Santos 4/10 Austin, TX – Lost Well 4/12 Albuquerque, NM – Sister Bar 4/13 Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge 4/14 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo 4/15 Oakland, CA – Stork Club 4/16 Sacramento, CA – Café Colonial 4/17 Eugene, OR – John Henry’s 4/18 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios 4/19 Seattle, WA – Clock-Out Lounge
CONAN is: Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals David Riley – Bass Johnny King – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 6th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Founding Conan guitarist and vocalist Jon Davis has made absolutely zero secret of his love for Fudge Tunnel. Over the years, on social media and in interviews he’s heralded the undervalued noise metallers who called it quits in 1995 and whose 1991 debut, Hate Songs in E Minor, remains a landmark. In August, when Conan announced they’d be undertaking a series of 7″ singles, one of the songs included in the first was a Fudge Tunnel cover, and David Riley — Conan‘s new permanent bassist as per an announcement today — has played alongside Davis in his Ungraven project as well, so his joining Conan seems like a natural extension.
Nonetheless, it’s a significant change in the band, whose low end has been on utter lockdown since 2014 thanks to Chris Fielding. Also one of the UK underground’s foremost producer/engineers, Fielding wasn’t Conan‘s first bassist, but he brought a presence and aggression to the stage that set well alongside Davis‘ own, his low growls and Davis‘ higher shouting style developing a dynamic between them that I doubt anyone could’ve guessed Conan would’ve featured when they started out and that made them a richer band. Conan has said that Fielding will continue to act as their producer, as he recorded them before he joined as well, and while they’re not far removed from 2022’s Evidence of Immortality (review here), an even partially new lineup inevitably leads to questions of new studio work. I’ll be interested to hear that, of course, as well as to see what Riley brings to the three-piece on stage with Davis and drummer Johnny King.
Those questions can I guess just kind of hang out for a bit, since Conan kept the announcement short and sweet in welcoming Riley to the band. Here’s what they had to say and a video they put on Instagram to mark the occasion:
*NEW BASSIST ANNOUNCED* Those of you who know how much of an influence Fudge Tunnel have been on us, will no doubt know how exciting it is to be able to be able to announce our new bass player. David has played and toured with us several times since 2018, it gives us great pleasure to have him join us formally. @fudge_tunnel @ryley.barr #heavymetal #cavemanbattledoom #riffs #fudgetunnel thanks to @alterystudios for the graphics
CONAN is: Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals David Riley – Bass Johnny King – Drums
Posted in Features, Reviews on September 17th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
09.16.23 – Saturday – Knockdown Center – Before show
First thing, got kicked out of the parking lot. “Who are you with?” Alone in the car, clearly I’m by myself. Whatever. That’s New York. “You can’t be here.” Is it okay if I exist anywhere else?
Yesterday was great, front to back. Knockdown Center has apparently gotten a new sound system since last year and I’ll confirm with my ringing ears that it is fully functional. But even aside from that, saw cool people I don’t often get to see, met some I’d never met, dared to enjoy myself amid the back and forth.
Got to bed at about 2AM, was up a bit after seven. Charged the camera batteries, phone, etc. Traffic was light on the way in, which felt like a gift, and I did find parking on the street nearby, so yeah.
What does the day hold? An intimidating amount of music. Today opens the third stage — called ‘The Ruins’ though actually it looks pretty nice — outside in back where the food trucks were last year. Brant Bjork Trio out there will be cool, as well as Clouds Taste Satanic and Mick’s Jaguar early. And both inside stages are packed, so it’s right back to it. It is my sincere hope that adrenaline will carry me through. Guess we’ll find out.
Conan loading in. Clouds Taste Satanic checking on the outside stage, where by the grace of Geezer Butler’s bass tone on Master of Reality there is a photo pit. Thank you Desertfest for that specifically. Maybe I’ll just hang out outside all afternoon. Crazy ideas you get.
Here’s the day:
—
Clouds Taste Satanic
Did not turn out to be a photo pit, just a barricade — Geezer’s bass giveth and taketh away; it’s okay though because Tomoko went in and I’m going to do the same next time — but though I went up and laid out on a picnic table before New York’s own instrumentalists Clouds Taste Satanic went on, here supporting this year’s Majestic Mountain-issued 2LP, Tales of Demonic Possession (discussed here) as they are after a first European stint this Spring, they bore the naked riffing and groove that tells you how little you need anything else when you do it right. I grabbed some photos and put myself in a shady spot. It’s a long day ahead, and especially as I’m outside in the sun, gotta hydrate. Clouds Taste Satanic, with their LSD name and raw sound, were a wakeup for me — almost literally — but there’s no arguing with their approach, they drew a good early crowd and more came as they played, and a broken kick pedal only cost about a minute before they were back at it. I’d never seen them though and I’m glad to have rectified that. Imagine sans-vocal toe-tappers, but like 15 minutes long.
—
Mick’s Jaguar
A check-in with New York-based attitude rockers Mick’s Jaguar is appreciated after the late-2022 release of their Salvation (review here) album, and their catchy, ultra-NYC take on heavy revels in a lineage that goes back actual generations, not just musical ones that are like four years or whatever. They’re the middle installment in a NYC triad opening the ourdoor stage, and their party vibe and brash swing and crash were suited to that spot, with some flow held over from Clouds Taste Satanic, but brought to a different context. There’s a narrative there, Clouds Taste Satanic into Mick’s Jaguar into White Hills, Desertfest celebrating the local sphere and its aural diversity. Other than to fill my water bottle — 16 oz. per band; I am a firm believer in radical hydration — I haven’t been inside yet, and I suppose that’s not really saying anything since there haven’t been any bands on in there yet, but the sunshine, gently autumnal breeze and buzz in the crowd were suitable accommodation for an energetic take and people were into it. I’ll say it was different being outside as opposed to when I saw them at Desertfest NY 2019 (review here), when they played the small room at The Well, which has only become smaller in my mind in the years since. Almost the opposite, really, but the fact that they owned both spaces is a unifying factor.
—
Mantar
I didn’t go in the photo pit, because jesus there’s gotta be a break somewhere and I could not envision a scenario in which somebody said to themselves “oh man he didn’t shoot Mantar — fucking poseur,” and I was all set to remain on the picnic bench where I’d been writing and hanging out, but the ultra-aggressive German two-piece drew me inside for a bit. Nasty, gnashing, pummeling and biting as they are, Mantar still groove. If that’s the crossover appeal that lets them play a fest like this, fair enough. They’ll always be an outlier, but you need that for something like this. Yesterday I called Windhand the sore thumb, and they were. That’s Mantar today, if less so with the always devastating Conan on the bill. Godflesh are mean, but it’s not the same intensity. Even punk as they are, Mantar cross that line between heavy and metal, and when you’re on one side there, it’s easy to recognize the other. They’re not really my thing most of the time, but I like that they wreck up the place, sonically speaking.
White Hills
White Hills are weirder than you, weirder than me, weirder than the fact that an electron doesn’t technically exist until something is used to measure it. The list goes on. But the stalwart NYC outfit — third of three in the noted triumvirate — seem perfectly content to inhabit their own spacial plane. Comprised of drummer/vocalist Ego Sensation and guitarist/vocalist Dave W., their persistently exploratory psychedelia — here droning, there rolling, somehow freaking out ALL THE TIME like they’re me with any kind of social obligation — is wholly immersive. Even in the great out-of-doors. Their sound bounced off the concrete wall up by where the trains go (I don’t think it’s an actual station, but could be wrong; it’d be an odd spot for one but these are odd times) and seemed to come from behind as well as in front while standing near the stage, and the effect was hypnotic. A roll you can just go with, a drift set adrift, jams for the universe. Spirals of water down a drain casting hurricane echoes and a scale at which even galaxies rotate. The sun’s out. Everything is great. Let’s be friends in real life.
—
Conan
I went outside for a bit during Conan’s set to let some air back in my lungs after they had squeezed it all out. They’re was about three entire seconds of my earplugs not being in, and I suspect that’ll be enough for me to hear their low distortion in my head when I try to go to sleep tonight. Fine. I don’t know how many superlatives are left to say it — also don’t care — but there’s no mistaking Conan as one of the heaviest bands on the planet. When I was done with pictures, I stood over by the sound desk for optimal fidelity. All hail “Volt Thrower.” Jon Davis, Chris Fielding, Johnny King — guitar, bass, drums — and if you put it on paper it’s nothing so special, but when these dudes hit it, you know damn well to whom you are listening. And if you do go see them, which you should, wear earplugs. The whole time. Sad to say, however, my foamies aren’t holding up to Conan’s volume assault — “Thronehammer” laying waste, as it will — which is probably to be expected. But against all common sense and every piece of advice one might receive from a medical professional, I stayed there and let that volume and tone just kill me. And sure enough, I was obliterated. 9 got another bottle of water though and felt better after that.
—
Dorthia Cottrell
You could hear Mondo Generator playing outside before Dorthia Cottrell — vocalist for Windhand, who played last night — started her set, playing as a three-piece with guitar and violin accompaniment. As to the metric by which I ended up inside instead of out, the math is easy. Last time I saw Mondo Generator was a month ago. saw Cottrell play solo was 2015, and Also last June. Both have new records. From hers, which is called Death Folk Country (review here), Cottrell eased quickly into the sad blues and dark folk — you might say she’s influenced by, death, folk, and country — with the breathy melody of her voice bolstered by the textures of the additional guitar (it was Leanne Martz, formerly of Heavy Temple) and fiddle. To their credit, once they started, I didn’t even know anymore whether you could still hear the noise from outside. Got lost in the mood and the ambience and and somehow it no longer mattered.
—
Godflesh
The Main Stage heft streak continues, and it turns out that what I’ve needed all day was to be churned into so much human goo by industrial metal pioneers and still-ahead-of-their-time crushbringers Godflesh. They have a new record out, Purge. I didn’t see it on the merch table earlier, but will check again to be sure. They played at least initially mostly in the dark and fog, and fair enough, but the onslaught of their beats and distortion, of guitarist Justin K. Broadrick’s gruff, barking shout and the filthy tone of G.C. Green’s bass, was consuming regardless of how visible they might or might not have been. I’ve been destroyed. Bludgeoned. Godflesh were a culmination of the progression on the main stage today that drew through Mantar and Conan; another triad. A decidedly angrier one, and if you want to hear what it feels like when your brain is running a thousand miles an hour and you don’t want it to and your entire body feels overwhelmed to the point of physical collapse — if you want to hear something that will remind you of being an insecure kid — Godflesh are here for it. I’d heard a bunch of good things about them on their current tour — mostly from Boston — and I was not misinformed. Now, about that album. Not on the table. Oh, if only someone would invent the internet so I can buy a Godflesh CD. Oh wait, sold out online too. You’ve betrayed me, circumstance! JK Flesh, one of Broadrick’s many other projects, plays NYC tomorrow. Good for him, making the most of the trip. Also, Godflesh rule. Thanks.
—
The Brant Bjork Trio
Brant Bjork, Mario Lalli and Ryan Güt are The Brant Bjork Trio, and they played songs from Bjork’s solo catalog. I don’t have any insight into the narrative of how they got together this time around, but I know that Bjork and Lalli have known each other for decades and worked together periodically over that time. Lalli played on Bjork’s 1999 solo debut, Jalamanta, so that’s about all the way back at least as far as this thing goes. And Mario Lalli and The Rubber Snake Charmers supported Bjork’s Stõner three-piece last year. On and on. Güt is a part of Stöner as well with Nick Oliveri on bass/vocals, and I kind of assumed that when Nick was ready to go back to Mondo Generator, keeping a trio configuration made sense. And crap, if there’s a chance to go on tour in a band with Lalli on bass, of course you’re gonna do that. Together, Bjork and Lalli are sculptors of desert rock, Lalli having actively participated in the forming of the style in Yawning Man and brought weird to the desert in Fatso Jetson, Bjork having played drums and contributed to the songwriting of Kyuss before joining Fu Manchu and embarking on the solo thing in various formats over the last 24 years, the latter I’d argue as his most crucial work. I could go on about this — blah blah generator parties; the horrible truth is I think the timeline is fun — but what I’m trying to say is these guys are real deal lifers, and in addition to having influenced two-plus generations of bands in a global underground that exists in part because of them, they also rock. “Cleaning Out the Ashtray” was a nice touch, and “Let the Truth Be Known.” There was a longer-maybe new song with a classic, sleek groove called “Sunshine” that broke after a couple verses into an even more languid flow, and if there’s new material, maybe this band will put out an LP. That’d be just ducky, thanks. Maybe I’d even get to tell the same story about how these guys are legends all over again! Perhaps with slight variations in the phrasing! Sweet!
—
Boris
Volume and thrust, lumber and noise. Shove. GO. Boris make it all exciting, and are somehow frenetic in their energy no matter what they’re actually playing. They drew the biggest crowd of the festival. Significant, statistically. Brant Bjork Trio finished and Djunah — of whom I saw a few minutes; knew nothing about them beforehand, turned out they were cool; a note-to-self moment — and I guess everybody who was at another stage congregated in front of Boris only to be blown back by a bulldozer of volume. Whoosh. It’s been a few years, but Boris were Boris, and that’s maybe the highest compliment they might be paid, since it actually means so many things, nearly all of them awesome. Wata, Atsuo and Takeshi took the whole building on a ride through a vortex of shred, the set becoming an assault of noise and fog with the band in the eye of their own storm, and while I could go on mixing metaphors and trying to craft suitable hyperbole for what they do on stage, the truth is that I’m really, really fucking tired and that I don’t need to hide that. Doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate Boris, doesn’t mean I don’t think they’re an incredible band with decades of influence and legacy who also absolutely slay live. The not-even-the-end-of-the-day fatigue might’ve put Boris closer to the line between immersion and abrasion for my own experience, but hell’s bells, they’re dizzying when they want to be.
—
Ecstatic Vision
Because I’ve seen the band before, I showed up 25 minutes early to Ecstatic Vision on the Texas stage. Does it make sense to leave a band from Japan’s set to go see a band from Philadelphia when you’re in New York? It does if that band is Ecstatic Vision. Psychrippers extraordinaire. Bombast in excelsis. Willfully sliding into most of humanity’s definition of obnoxious, but hitting this crowd just right. I wasn’t the only one there early, nor first in the room. A reputation, preceding. I knew I was going to miss the Melvins — I saw them in June and as I said then, I’m not a huge fan, though they were and are good live — and somehow having Ecstatic Vision in the small room as my capper seemed just right. It goes without saying they destroyed. The sax, the guitar, bass and drums, the effects wash, the intense push inherited from Hawkwind and Monster Magnet both, cosmic heavy rock turned into a party unparalleled by anyone I’ve encountered in current US psych. They were the blowout, and as excellent as the Melvins are live (and yes I know they’ve got Coady Willis drumming in place of Dale Crover; the point stands), I knew that was how I wanted to cap my Desertfest New York 2023. Three days of heavy stuffed into a cannon and launched into the sun, and everyone in the room with it. I’d take a new record from them for sure, but I do also feel like they shouldn’t even stop playing live long enough to make one. These guys are providing a valuable service guiding all involved parties on a direct line into the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy.
—
I made it home from Brooklyn in under an hour. It was beautiful. Unheard of. “Magic,” as Ronnie James Dio might say. Falling asleep at the keyboard now.
That’s it for me. Thanks to Desertfest New York for coming back, to Sarika, Reece and Matte and all behind the making of the thing. Friends old and new — in the photo pit: Falk-Hagen Bernshausen (so glad you made it over), Tim Bugbee (you’re the best), Dante Torrieri (that Star Trek nerd-out turned my whole day around), Dylan Gonzalez (smartest guy in the room, also sweetest), Tomoko (thanks for the fruit offer, by the way you’re a genius), Charles (rarely do I find somebody who so much speaks the same language of sarcasm) — and everyone who came to say hi or something nice about the site. Thanks to The Patient Mrs. for the time. Thank you for reading.
Posted in Whathaveyou on August 28th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Conan have made known their intention to issue a series of an untold number of limited 7″ singles over the next however many months. Yeah, details are pretty light, but it caught my eye because, well, in part because the Algorithm puts every social media post the band makes in front of my face because I usually respond to them (Jon Davis‘s got covid; get well soon, mate), but also because the included DIY hashtags would seem to indicate they’re not coming out through Napalm Records.
The UK-based obliterators put out five releases through Napalm, including one live album and last year’s Evidence of Immortality (review here), with its foray into atmospheric complexity complementing all their signature plunder. Now. I don’t know that theirs was or wasn’t a five-album deal. I don’t know that Conan‘s next album won’t come with a Napalm logo on the back. I don’t know anything. I don’t even know whether these singles will be out through Davis‘ Black Bow Records, or just punk-style, no label at all.
But I know they’re covering undervalued crunch rockers Fudge Tunnel on the first one — because it says it, right down there — and I know that Conan are slated to appear at Desertfest New York next month ahead of starting a previously announced European tour in October with Lord Dying, so that’s not nothing. As to the timing on these tracks, I’ve no idea, but with bassist Chris Fielding handling the recording as ever, the process feels pretty streamlined.
Here’s their post:
7” COLLECTOR SERIES…… We are launching a series of 7” singles. Our first, featuring both new & original material and also a cover of Hate Song by @fudge_tunnel is currently being mixed and mastered by @chrisfielding_musicproduction – and will be made available for pre order soon. These will be available through our bandcamp, so keep an eye open for news in the coming days. #cavemanbattledoom #diyrelease #diyordie #fudgetunnel
CONAN European tour w/ LORD DYING 11/10/2023 CZ Brno Fleda 12/10/2023 AT Linz Kapu 13/10/2023 CH Düdingen Bad Bonn 14/10/2023 CH Martigny Les Caves du Manoir 15/10/2023 IT Bologna Freakout Club 16/10/2023 SL Ljubljana Orto Bar 17/10/2023 HU Budapest Dürer Kert 18/10/2023 AT Vienna Arena 19/10/2023 PL Poznan Pod Minoga 20/10/2023 DE Dresden Chemiefabrik 21/10/2023 DK Copenhagen Råhuset (Only Lord Dying) 22/10/2023 NO Oslo Revolver 23/10/2023 SW Gothenburg The Abyss 25/10/2023 DE Hamburg Bahnhof Pauli 26/10/2023 DE Berlin Reset 27/10/2023 DE Hannover Cafe Glocksee 28/10/2023 NL Maastricht Samhain Festival 29/10/2023 BE Ghent Chinastraat 30/10/2023 DE Leipzig UT Connewitz 31/10/2023 DE Wiesbaden Schlachthof 01/11/2023 FR Dijon Les Tanneries 02/11/2023 SP Barcelona Salamandra 03/11/2023 SP Vitoria Jimmy Jazz 04/11/2023 FR Toulouse Connexion Live 05/11/2023 FR Colmar Le Grillen 06/11/2023 DE Munich Feierwerk
CONAN is: Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals Chris Fielding – Bass Johnny King – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 7th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Conan have signed with Swamp Booking for Euro representation, and how better to consummate the beginning of such a relationship than to announce a full round of European touring? Very good then. The UK allcrushers will head out starting Oct. 11 in the company of Portland, Oregon’s Lord Dying, who return to Europe for the first time since 2019 (of course). Their live lineup at the time was as listed below. I hope that if that’s no longer accurate, someone will fill me in. I did my best to find an updated one and couldn’t. I’m trying, you know.
They’ll be a fitting complement to Conan, whose 2022 LP, Evidence of Immortality (review here), found them growing more atmospheric with the inclusion of synth much as Lord Dying‘s 2019 outing, Mysterium Tremendum (review here), saw them building a bridge between their monstrous sludge and more progressive, angular metallurgy. Gonna be some killer shows here, I guess is the point. I hear that’s a thing people like.
Also can’t help but notice Lord Dying heading out for nearly a month on the road four years after their last record. If they’re giving Mysterium Tremendum its due, well, fair enough. The other possibility is they’ve got another release on the way that hasn’t been announced yet. If that’s so, I’d expect word sooner than later, since we’re already starting to see releases unveiled for October and after that things start to slow down toward the end of the year. Of course, records can happen anytime — right… now! — and my usual disclaimer that I know absolutely nothing definitely applies. Just saying it’s possible.
From Swamp Booking‘s socials:
Conan and Lord Dying will team up for 4 weeks around Europe to present their new albums.
CONAN have toured Worldwide to deliver heavy riffs . After returning to the USA in spring 23, they will finally tour Europe this fall to present their 6 th album EVIDENCE OF IMMORTALITY.
LORD DYING from the USA to grim and to crush your venues with heaviness and relentless, fuzz filled riffage.
11/10/2023 CZ Brno Fleda 12/10/2023 AT Linz Kapu 13/10/2023 CH Düdingen Bad Bonn 14/10/2023 CH Martigny Les Caves du Manoir 15/10/2023 IT Bologna Freakout Club 16/10/2023 SL Ljubljana Orto Bar 17/10/2023 HU Budapest Dürer Kert 18/10/2023 AT Vienna Arena 19/10/2023 PL Poznan Pod Minoga 20/10/2023 DE Dresden Chemiefabrik 21/10/2023 DK Copenhagen Råhuset (Only Lord Dying) 22/10/2023 NO Oslo Revolver 23/10/2023 SW Gothenburg The Abyss 25/10/2023 DE Hamburg Bahnhof Pauli 26/10/2023 DE Berlin Reset 27/10/2023 DE Hannover Cafe Glocksee 28/10/2023 NL Maastricht Samhain Festival 29/10/2023 BE Ghent Chinastraat 30/10/2023 DE Leipzig UT Connewitz 31/10/2023 DE Wiesbaden Schlachthof 01/11/2023 FR Dijon Les Tanneries 02/11/2023 SP Barcelona Salamandra 03/11/2023 SP Vitoria Jimmy Jazz 04/11/2023 FR Toulouse Connexion Live 05/11/2023 FR Colmar Le Grillen 06/11/2023 DE Munich Feierwerk
CONAN is: Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals Chris Fielding – Bass Johnny King – Drums
LORD DYING: Chris Evans – Guitar Erik Olson – Guitar, Vocals Alyssa Maucere – Bass Kevin Swartz – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 21st, 2023 by JJ Koczan
One would not accuse the Desertfest New York team of packing the lineup with fluff. Now complete, the Big Apple extension of the Desertfest brand is doubling down on its intention, bringing Colour Haze to the main stage for a second set after their headlining spot at the pre-show at Saint Vitus Bar — already the thing I’m most looking forward to seeing for the rest of the year; I want to show up now to make sure I get a spot in front — and adding Conan, Mondo Generator and Djunah to complete a bill that already includes Godflesh, Monster Magnet, the Melvins, Boris, Truckfighters, 1000mods, Ecstatic Vision, on and on. Clearly Desertfest New York has done its part to make its 2023 lineup something special for those who’ll show up to see it.
Now you gotta show up. It’s on my calendar, and I’m nervous about the family/festival crossover that might happen in my life that weekend, but I’ll figure my shit out, I’m not gonna miss it. I hope it’s worth the trip for Colour Haze. I hope Monster Magnet make it out. I hope Heavy Temple and Castle Rat become best friends and put out a split. On and on. This will be a good time. You should be there to see it.
From the PR wire:
Desertfest New York completes line-up with Conan, Mondo Generator and Djunah, plus Day Tickets now on sale
Leading independent heavy music promoter Desertfest is returning to New York’s Knockdown Center and Saint Vitus Bar this September. Having already announced the likes of MELVINS, MONSTER MAGNET, BORIS, GODFLESH, COLOUR HAZE, TRUCKFIGHTERS, 1000MODS, plus many more, the globally renowned festival rounds off its line-up by welcoming UK doom heroes CONAN, Nick Oliveri’s stoner outfit MONDO GENERATOR and multi-instrumentalist’s DJUNAH.
Stage splits and day tickets for the festival are now on sale, where the eager-eyed will notice that an additional third stage ‘The Ruins’ will be added to the Knockdown Center on Saturday 16th September, for the very first time.
Due to phenomenal demand with pre-party selling out instantly, Desertfest also announces that Germany’s COLOUR HAZE will play two sets over the weekend pulling from the bands expansive catalogue and promising no repeats. Desertfest NYC will be the band’s only U.S. performance and frontman Stefan Koglek shared the following “We even intend to rework the 22-minute epic “Peace, Brothers & Sisters!” which we haven’t been playing since 2018 for the show at Saint Vitus…’ so for those who managed to snag a three-day pass, you’re surely in for something special.
With just three months to go, Desertfest is poised to be the East Coast’s biggest celebration of underground heavy music. Promising an unforgettable weekend of exceptional live performances, electric energy and unrivalled rock ‘n’ roll spirit. The festival will also play host to an array of specially curated vendors, food trucks and killer after-parties, all still to be announced. Day tickets and 2-day passes for Desertfest NYC are on sale now via – https://link.dice.fm/Desertfest_NewYork || www.desertfestnewyork.com
Full line-up Saint Vitus Bar – September 14th 2023 Colour Haze | Lo-Pan | Duel | Dunes
Knockdown Center – September 15th 2023 Monster Magnet | Colour Haze | Truckfighters | 1000Mods | Valley of The Sun | R.I.P. | Heavy Temple | Castle Rat | Grave Bathers | Spellbook
Knockdown Center – September 16th 2023 Melvins | Boris | Godflesh | Conan | Mantar | Brant Bjork | Mondo Generator | White Hills | Ecstatic Vision | Djunah | Clouds Taste Satanic | Huntsmen | Mick’s Jaguar | Upper Wilds
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 9th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
This is the second lineup announcement for the 2023 Bear Stone Festival in Croatia this July, and it’s a doozy with Monster Magnet and Conan joining the bill for the two-day riverside camp out, along with native purveyors Cojones and The Freak Folk of Mangrovia, the latter of whom recently issued their new nine-minute single “Astral Nomads,” which you can stream below.
As you can see in the poster, there’s room for one more four-band batch to be announced, and I’m curious to see who’s in that top left spot right next to Conan as well as the other three, but with Orange Goblin and Monster Magnet established as the headliners for each day supported by Conan‘s crush, Seven That Spells‘ intricate and spacious prog, the funk fusion of Mother’s Cake and so on down the lineup, there’s a lot to dig here if you’re looking for heavy vibe without fillers. Which I think everybody is to some extent or other.
I’d be at this in a second if I could. Sunny summer days spent breathing unfamiliar air in a place I’ve never been before, watching killer bands in the kind of friendly, inviting environment one sees portrayed in the aftermovie from last year’s fest — also streaming below; granted the reality won’t be in slow-motion, but it’ll give you an idea — and yeah, that’s enough to hang a daydream on for the afternoon.
To wit:
Monster Magnet Leads The Next Batch of Bands Announced for Bear Stone Festival!
It is with great pleasure that we announce the new names of the upcoming edition of the Bear Stone Festival.
For all Spacelords and Superjudges! It is a great honor to announce the performance of the legendary American Rock band Monster Magnet, the second headliner of this year’s festival edition. They are followed by English stoner/doom champions Conan. Favorites of the underground scene and a highly respected band that are going to promote their new full-length album.
We’re bringing stoner rock aces Cojones from a deep, five-year sleep. This will be their first performance after the break and their first appearance at the festival. We round off this shot of names with the psychedelic sounds of the city of Rijeka. A group with a bit of a strange name, The Freak Folk of Mangrovia.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 1st, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Not an insignificant bit of touring here as Conan go coast to coast and (just about) top to bottom in the US in support of their latest full-length, 2022’s Evidence of Immortality (review here), in 20 days. They start in Chicago, start out the East Coast in Boston then head south before turning west to go through New Orleans and Austin, Texas — those drives alone — and back up the West Coast until, on May 25, they hit Northwest Terror Fest in Seattle and the tour ends. Shit, I’m exhausted just looking at it.
Before they reach American shores, the e’er-devastating trio will at least be in London for Masters of the Riff II (info here) in March and in April they’ll be at Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Italy (info here), so it’s possible more tour dates are impending for Europe. One way or the other, dudes keep busy, and that’s about the end of my insight on the topic.
Dates follow. Tickets are on sale at the link below:
CONAN – ***ANNOUNCEMENT*** US TOUR – MAY 2023
We are super excited to revisit the USA, this time the fucking insanely cool THRA!!! @thra_phx in just a few months. We are touring to support the release of our new album EVIDENCE OF IMMORTALITY. See you there!! Go check tickets atwww.linktr.ee/hailconan
Fri 5/5 – Chicago, IL – Reggies Sat 5/6 – Detroit, MI – Sanctuary Sun 5/7 – Youngstown, OH – West Side Bowl Tue 5/9 – Boston, MA – Middle East (Upstairs) Wed 5/10 – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus Thu 5/11 – Philadelphia, PA – Warehouse on Watts Fri 5/12 – Baltimore, MD – Metro Sat 5/13 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House Sun 5/14 – Piedmont, SC – Tribble’s Mon 5/15 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl Tue 5/16 – New Orleans, LA – Siberia Wed 5/17 – Austin, TX – Lost Well Fri 5/19 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Sat 5/20 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Underground Sun 5/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Resident Mon 5/22 – Oakland, CA – Golden Bull Tue 5/23 – Sacramento, CA – Café Colonial Wed 5/24 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall Thu 5/25 – Seattle, WA – Northwest Terror Fest
CONAN is: Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals Chris Fielding – Bass Johnny King – Drums
