With a quick round of lineup adds and the announcement of how the pre-show and three days of the festival-proper will play out, SonicBlast Fest 2024 continues to take shape, and golly it looks like fun. Germany’s Daily Thompson will make the trek westward to herald their new album, Chuparosa, and the everywhere-in-Europe-this-year-apparently duo Earth Tongue from New Zealand will appear in support of their upcoming sophomore LP, Great Haunting. Also new to the bill are Canadian psych-prog forebears Black Mountain and thrash outfit Fugitive, because sometimes you just need a punch in the face.

There are still some names to add, as you can see on the poster below. The day splits put Daily Thompson on the pre-show, and that will be a party. I’d expect at least one of the TBCs there, if not both, to be Iberian bands, as SonicBlast runs deep in support for its own regional underground, and given how packed the fest-Friday (Aug. 9) is, they could go just about anywhere in mixing it up, more thrash, hardcore, noise, psych, doom, stoner, whatever, and make it work. There’s a lot to like, even before you find yourself sitting on the beach in Âncora waiting for whoever to go on.

The below was culled from a couple different social posts, so if it reads weird, that’s why, but I expect you get the idea. Here you go:

Daily tickets are already on sale! Check the daily line-ups here 🔥 Looking forward for August!

*this is not in the order of performance

Psychedelic rockers @blackmountainarmy, thrashers supergroup @fugitive_tx (with members of Power Trip and Creeping Death), heavy psych rockers @earthtongue and sonic fuzzers @dailythompson_ will join us in this insane party, this August at Praia da Duna dos Caldeirões

🔥 Daily and full festival tickets are already on sale at BOL (Fnac, Worten, Ctt…), at https://garboyl.bol.pt/ and at https://www.masqueticket.com/entradas/sonicblast-fest-2024

Check all the news at www.sonicblastfestival.com
Artwork by @branca_studio

https://www.facebook.com/sonicblastmoledo/
https://www.instagram.com/sonicblast_fest
https://sonicblastfestival.com/

Daily Thompson, “I’m Free Tonight” official video

Earth Tongue, “Bodies Dissolve Tonight!” official video

Dortmund heavy rockers Daily Thompson have posted a new video for “I’m Free Tonight,” the first single from their upcoming long-player, Chuparosa, which they traveled to the US Pacific Northwest to record this past December with Tony Reed of Mos Generator/Big Scenic Nowhere. As ever, they’re making it easy to get on board. The black and white performance clip gives the song a suitable late-night-MTV feel, footage of speeding through this or that desert included, and while I get more Fu Manchu than grunge out of the track at least for the first four of the total six minutes — whereas their Spring 2023 standalone single “Raindancer (From Outta Space)” seemed to go the full-Soundgarden — that’s definitely not something you’ll hear me whine about. That I haven’t heard the entire record yet, on the other hand…

You’ll note an actual Fu Manchu connection with “I’m Free Tonight” as well in the late-in-track guest appearance from guitarist Bob Balch — also bandmate to Reed in Big Scenic Nowhere — who seems only to happy to show up and lend some oomph to the back half, which brings a harder-landing bridge before turning back to the chorus as if to remind Daily Thompson are songwriters ahead of that culmination. I’ll say it again, they make it easy. Hook, groove, vibe. Whatever you’re chasing down, they’re here to help.

Right on:

“Chuparosa”, the fourth DAILY THOMPSON album in four years on Noisolution, will be released on May 17th!!! The guys from Dortmund seem to have not only won our hearts and continue to go full throttle and grow with every release.

Listen to “I`m Free Tonight” here: https://noisolution.lnk.to/free

More information about the album, the tour, the next single and the strictly limited CLUB100 edition (which will once again be a very special goodie, Trust me!!!) coming soon.

“I’m Free Tonight” is the first herald of the upcoming album. But DAILY THOMPSON are not alone here, because Bob Balch from Fu Manchu and Big Scenic Nowhere was in the studio and recorded the solo!!! The album was recorded and mastered in Port Orchard near Seattle by Mos Generator frontman Tony Reed. So it’s hardly surprising that “Chuparosa” smells of Seattle, of 90s alternative, grunge and lumberjack shirts.

https://www.facebook.com/dailythompson.band/
https://www.instagram.com/dailythompson_/
https://dailythompson.bigcartel.com/
https://dailythompsonband.bandcamp.com/

http://www.noisolution.de/
https://www.facebook.com/noisolution
https://www.instagram.com/noisolution/

Daily Thompson, “I’m Free Tonight” official video

Not a ton of info here, but I don’t suppose there actually needs to be. You might recall this past December when German good-time-grunge heavy rockers Daily Thompson traveled to the far end of the US to record their sixth full-length, the title of which has been announced as Chuparosa, in Washington State with Tony Reed of Mos Generator producing. Noisolution will have the album out May 17, and that’s about the long and short of it.

Last heard from with later-2022’s Live at Freak Valley, the trio’s most recent studio offering was 2021’s God of Spinoza (review here), for which they’ve barely let up in terms of supporting it live. 2022 and 2023 were threads of successive tours, and even unto last Fall as they prepared to head abroad to record, they still found time to hit the UK for a string of shows and do club dates and festivals in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. To say they’ve put in their work would be underselling it.

There’s no audio from Chuparosa yet — the album taking its title from the shrub native to the Sonoran Desert — but most likely there will be before May 17, along with preorders and sundry other details/whatnot about it. The band posted the following on social media the other day, including the cover art with its photo by Jonas Wenz, who seems to have traveled with them at least in part to document the experience of making the record.

Here’s what they had to say, plus links and audio for further digging:

New record alert! Happy to present planet earth the cover of our new album „CHUPAROSA“

Out May 17th! 🌺🌲engineered and mastered by Tony Reed / HeavyHead Recording Company , cover photo by Jonas Wenz and layout by Florian Grass

https://www.facebook.com/dailythompson.band/
https://www.instagram.com/dailythompson_/
https://dailythompson.bigcartel.com/
https://dailythompsonband.bandcamp.com/

http://www.noisolution.de/
https://www.facebook.com/noisolution
https://www.instagram.com/noisolution/

Daily Thompson, Live at Freak Valley 2022 (2022)

Daily Thompson, God of Spinoza (2021)

Social media came through to warm the heart toward the end of last week as German heavy rockers Daily Thompson, who look like they’re having actual human fun while they’re playing and might actually be, traveled to Washington State way the hell in the far corner of the US to record their next full-length with none other than Tony Reed.

Ah, what could be better news? Good band doing the destination-recording thing with the guy who’s been fronting Mos Generator since the turn of the century and whose pedigree includes not only his own outfits Stone Axe, Twelve Thirty Dreamtime, Big Scenic Nowhere, on and on, but whose recording credits also involve the likes of Saint Vitus and Seedy Jeezus. A feather in the cap of any producer to have artists want to travel to work with you.

Daily Thompson spent six days in the studio following up 2022’s God of Spinoza (review here). I have no idea of Reed is mixing and/or mastering — one-stop shopping — or when the just-recorded offering might see release. They did have the Live at Freak Valley 2022 live album out this year. So next year for the next thing, presumably, and fair enough.

Before they leave the States, Daily Thompson will join Mos Generator and Kitsa on stage this Friday for a show that will obviously have some special significance to all involved in addition to being a good time. If you’re lucky enough to be anywhere near Port Orchard this weekend, it’s one to keep in mind.

The band announced they were finished thusly:

6 days, 1 album, a super happy band and @tony_reed2112 ❤️‍🔥⚡️

We finished the recordings for our new album! So much happened and we can’t wait to tell you but for now we are very pleased and we are more than ready for this new chapter! Man what a journey and we still have this gig with Mos Generator and KITSA this Friday 🇺🇸🤯
Special thanks to @apl_recording

All pics by Jonas Wenz

https://www.facebook.com/dailythompson.band/
https://www.instagram.com/dailythompson_/
https://twitter.com/dailythompson1
https://dailythompson.bigcartel.com/
https://dailythompsonband.bandcamp.com/

http://www.noisolution.de/
https://www.facebook.com/noisolution
https://www.instagram.com/noisolution/

Daily Thompson, Live at Freak Valley 2022 (2022)

Daily Thompson, God of Spinoza (2022)

Oh that? That’s just German good-vibes heavy rockers Daily Thompson heading out again for another two and a half weeks of touring. You know how they do.

The trio will hit up the UK this time supporting The Atomic Bitchwax — am I crazy thinking these two bands have toured together before? — and making stops through Sound of Liberation-related fests Up in Smoke in Switzerland, Keep it Low in Munich and Lazy Bones at Hamburg, where they’ll wrap the run. It’s the umpteenth tour or at least the fourth that the group have undertaken since the release last year of their God of Spinoza (review here) long-player, which they followed quickly with a live album recorded at last summer’s Freak Valley Festival (review here), titled suitably Live at Freak Valley 2022.

I may forever associate their friendly grooves with summer sunshine after seeing that set, but I have no doubt they do just fine in an autumnal context as well. And guess what? It’s more October tour dates! Who’d’ve thought?

From socials:

We`re ready when you are!

Next week the first leg of our Europe and UK tour starts and we are super happy to support The Atomic Bitchwax and play some rad festivals (every single line up rocks and we are thrilled to be part of it)

All tickets are up for sale: https://linktr.ee/tickets_dailythompson_live

These are our last shows for 2023, let`s party!

28.09. NL Nijmegen, Doornrosje*
29.09. NL Rotterdam, Baroeg*
30.09. CH Pratteln, Up In Smoke
06.10. DE München, Keep It Low
14.10. UK Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach*
15.10. UK Manchester, Rebellion*
16.10. UK Edinburgh, Bannermans*
17.10. UK Newcastle, Anarchy Brew Co*
18.10. UK Huddersfield, The Parish*
19.10. UK Milton Keynes, The Craufurd Arms*
20.10. UK Bristol, Lost Horizon*
21.10. UK London, Dingwalls*
24.10. DE Berlin, Cassiopeia*
25.10. DE Düsseldorf, Pitcher*
26.10. NL Amersfoort, Podium Fluor*
27.10. DE Fulda, Kreuz*
28.10. DE Hamburg, Lazy Bones Festival
*with TAB

https://www.facebook.com/dailythompson.band/
https://www.instagram.com/dailythompson_/
https://twitter.com/dailythompson1
https://dailythompson.bigcartel.com/
https://dailythompsonband.bandcamp.com/

http://www.noisolution.de/
https://www.facebook.com/noisolution
https://www.instagram.com/noisolution/

Daily Thompson, Live at Freak Valley 2022 (2022)

Daily Thompson, God of Spinoza (2022)

Some pretty good inferences one might make looking at the first lineup announcement for Up in Smoke 2023, the annual Sound of Liberation festival held each year in Pratteln, Switzerland. It says The Obsessed will be on tour in Europe this Fall, which I’m pretty sure they’ve said anyway, but it might also be a clue as to the release of their next album. On the other hand, they might just be fucking touring because they’re The Obsessed and that’s what they do. Also it’s further expansion of Alabama Thunderpussy‘s reunion and since this festival is Sep. 29 to Oct. 1 and their prior confirmation was Keep it Low from Oct. 6 to 7, they’ll likely be on the road in Europe for the better part of at least two weeks. That’s not nothing.

Consider also Yawning Man heading abroad in Fall for their new album, announced yesterday. And did you hear that Dirty Sound Magnet record? I didn’t until now but it’s a ripper. New school oldschool blues heavy. Rad. And Eyehategod getting back at it too. It’s a cool bill, mix of newer acts and recognizable with Zeal & Ardor on top nothing to complain about.

Of course, there’s more to come here, but hell, I’d go to this. You? Festival in Switzerland in October? Why on earth would you say no to that?

Also note there’s a new Facebook page for the fest. From the PR wire:

UP IN SMOKE 2023 – ZEAL & ARDOR, GRAVEYARD, THE OBSESSED & MANY MORE ANNOUNCED

Hey Smokers, the long awaited day has come. We’re stoked to finally reveal the first names for our 2023 edition. We hope you like it as much as we do!

Get ready for three days of finest heavy rock music… this is just the beginning.

Artwork: Brookesia Estudio

Festival info:
Up In Smoke Festival
29. Sep – 01. Oct 2023
@ Konzertfabrik Z7 // Pratteln (CH)

Tickets: www.sol-tickets.com

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1511229892691120/

https://www.facebook.com/upinsmokefestivalswitzerland
https://www.instagram.com/up_in_smoke_festival

https://www.facebook.com/Soundofliberation/
https://www.instagram.com/soundofliberation/
https://www.soundofliberation.com/

Dirty Sound Magnet, DSM-III (2022)

Last year was the first Lazy Bones Festival in Hamburg, Germany. Put on by Sound of Liberation — which also maintains Keep it Low in Munich and Up in Smoke in Switzerland while featuring artists on their booking roster prominently at Desertfest Belgium — it’s set for Oct. 28 and if the first eight names were the entire lineup, it would be an all-dayer well worth traveling to see. Elder and King Buffalo, Greenleaf and The Atomic Bitchwax, Slomosa, Daily Thompson, and Gnome. Any one of those bands, on their own, is a good night.

Together, they make up what is referred to below as a “first batch,” so I guess there’s more coming. I’ll keep an eye out for a second one, to be sure, because in looking at this I’m not entirely certain what else you might need. Shit, this lineup should just tour. Package touring fests have to be due for a comeback, don’t they? Put these acts on the road for a couple weeks in the summer hitting major markets and I bet the shows sell out. You could do five dates in Germany alone.

As of now, however, it’s Hamburg-only. Info follows as per the PR wire:

LAZY BONES FEST in Hamburg Announces ELDER, KING BUFFALO, GREENLEAF, SLOMOSA & many more!

2023 will see the LAZY BONES FEST return to Hamburg, Germany, with an eclectic line-up that doubles down all expectations within the heavy stoner, psych, doom and fuzz rock scene! While the first edition of the indoor festival, presented by SOUND OF LIBERATION, was taking place in the summer of 2022 at Grünspan, LAZY BONES FEST has moved to iconic venue Markthalle in Hamburg.

A first batch of bands has just been announced, and October 28th will see the following, high class line-up rocking the stage of LAZY BONES FEST 2023:

Elder
King Buffalo
Greenleaf
The Atomic Bitchwax
Slomosa
Daily Thompson
Gnome

Tickets for LAZY BONES FEST are now available at:
https://www.sol-tickets.com/produkte/94-tickets-lazy-bones-2023-markthalle-hamburg-am-28-10-2023

Event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/233040959159151

https://www.facebook.com/Soundofliberation/
https://www.instagram.com/soundofliberation/
https://www.soundofliberation.com/

Elder, Innate Passage (2022)

King Buffalo, Regenerator (2022)

The ninth edition of the of the Munich-based Keep it Low Festival will be held on Oct. 6 and 7 at Backstage, and it has unveiled the first five acts who will take part. At the top of the bill is hometown heroes Colour Haze, who’ve been a steady presence through the years and are as close to a given as Keep it Low gets. Belzebong, Thronehammer and Daily Thompson between them showcase a range of heavy styles within the genre sphere, none unwelcome on any of Europe’s many, many festival bills. The big surprise of the bunch is Alabama Thunderpussy, who join the lineup for Keep it Low 2023 after playing a reunion show in December of last year (review here) in their native Richmond, Virginia.

I don’t know whether the resurgent ATP will tour Europe or are flying over for this one show, but I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Keep it Low is early in announcing for the Fall season — though it’s not the first to do so; Høstsabbat in Norway has been unveiling its lineup and Desertfest Belgium has been moving toward doing so as well, as it and Switzerland’s Up in Smoke have their dates set — so we’ll see in probably the next two months or so how it’s all going to shake out, who’ll be on tour and when, and so on.

The start of that process is always exciting, though I’ll note that we as a species are moving closer toward a time when festival season doesn’t exist and there’s just something happening every weekend somewhere throughout Europe. I won’t complain when we get there.

Word from Sound of Liberation follows:

Hey Keepers,

we are super excited to present you the first bands for this year’s edition of the Keep It Low festival!

Please welcome:

Colour Haze
Alabama Thunderpussy
Belzebong
Thronehammer
Daily Thompson

& this is just a little glimpse of what we are cooking.

Get ready for a mighty 2023 line up!

Stay tuned!

Weekend tickets are available in our shop.
www.sol-tickets.com

Keep It Low Festival
6. & 7. October 2023
Backstage Munich

Cheers
Your Keep It Low Crew

https://www.facebook.com/keepitlowfestival/
https://www.keepitlow.de/
https://www.soundofliberation.com/

Alabama Thunderpussy, Live in Richmond, VA, Dec. 3, 2022