Well, that’ll do it. The lineup for Desertfest Berlin 2016 is complete. The final three bands are Greenleaf, from Sweden, Baby in Vain, from Denmark, and Five White Dudes in a Band Called Black Pussy, from Portland, Oregon. They join a mammoth bill with the likes of Electric Wizard, Elder, Crowbar, Asteroid, Pelican, Rotor, and many others, and the whole shebang will take place April 28-30 at the Astra Kulturhaus in Berlin, with the biergarten and hippie market intact from years past.

This is the fifth year for Desertfest Berlin, and so far, each one has been bigger than the last. Greenleaf head to it supporting their new album and Napalm Records debut, Rise Above the Meadow (review here), which is without a doubt one of the year’s best records, and will no doubt continue their ascent to the forefront of European heavy rock. Now if only we could get a US tour.

Desertfest Berlin 2016 wrapped its lineup as follows:

We are finally back. Sorry for the delay. Here come the last three bands for DesertFest Berlin 2016! We are thrilled to welcome:

– 70s-influenced, US- Rock n Rollers Black Pussy!
– Copenhagen’s all-girl grunge/rock trio Baby In Vain!
– and last but not least, Sweden´s fantastic Heavy Rockers Greenleaf!

You’ll find more infos about those bands on our website. And as our 2016 line-up is now complete, timetables will come in early April.

We are also proud to tell that this 5th edition of the festival is completely SOLD-OUT! Thanks a lot to all of you, and see you very soon.

THE ULTIMATE HEAVY/ROCK/PSYCHO/DOOM FESTIVAL IN BERLIN
OVER 30 BANDS, ART EXIBIT, HIPPIE CORNER MARKET & BEERGARDEN

SOUND OF LIBERATION UG in partnership with GREYZONE CONCERTS is proud to present the fifth edition of DESERTFEST BERLIN: the ultimate heavyrock-psycho-doom festival!!!

3 days of rock mayhem with 30+ performing acts on two stages, visual arts and hippie market…. the full package nested in the beating cultural heart of Berlin: F-Hain/X-Berg, in the famous ASTRA KULTURHAUS.

http://www.desertfest.de/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin

Greenleaf, Rise Above the Meadow (2016)

The countdown is on for Desertfest Berlin 2016 — yes, in terms of the number of days until the German fest kicks off its arguably strongest lineup to-date, but also in terms of how many bands there are left to add to said lineup. With Philadelphia’s Stinking Lizaveta and Hamburg’s High Fighter and Mantar joining, that means only five bands remain to be announced. Who will it be? When will word come? Well, for the latter I’d guess sometime before April. The former is pretty much up in the air. Could be locals, could be someone imported who’s also taking part in the London fest. We’ll just have to wait and find out.

In the meantime, the bill, as noted, is ridiculous for the weekend fest at the Astra Kulturhaus in Berlin. Check it out below, along with the official confirmation of Stinking Lizaveta, Mantar and High Fighter signing on:

Desertfest Berlin 2016 – MANTAR, STINKING LIZAVETA, HIGH FIGHTER added to the line-up!

Countdown to D-Day is ticking, 12 weeks left and our planned amount of 3-day passes is already gone! Because we value your trust and your dedication, we decided to stock up on some more festival-passes and reduce the number of day-tickets, so attention please: a bunch of additional 3-day-passes are on sale but they will not last long, so better be safe and be quick than sorry. Get yours on www.desertfest.de right now! The day tickets will be very limited and will go on sale afterwards.

Also regarding the question you all are longing to have answered: this years door policy will let you enter and exit from the festival until 10pm / 22h00! Concerning food, we also heard your requests: there will be more stalls and booths to feed your hungry bellies. Last but not least, we will stick to our NO OVERLAPPING SETS rule – that means that if you’re a true music warrior you’ll be able to see every single band scheduled. Time schedules will come when we will release our day tickets.

But first, let us introduce 3 new bands added to the line-up today: German punishing black metal-doom-punk duo Mantar; Philadelphia’s long-running psychedelic punk metal trio Stinking Lizaveta; and Hamburg’s volatile cocktail of heavy as hell riffs High Fighter! We are proud of this year’s edition, and we still have 5 bands to announce to make it even better, so stay tuned!

http://www.desertfest.de/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin

High Fighter, The Goat Ritual (2014)

I know we’re talking about Desertfest Berlin 2016 here, and that’s right on, but are you looking forward to the new Mondo Drag? You should be. The West Coast psych-proggers have outdone themselves on their upcoming third album — also a debut of sorts; I’ll explain in an eventual review — The Occultation of Light, which is due out Feb. 26 on RidingEasy. There will be much more to say about it before it gets here, and certainly before the band heads abroad to play Desertfest Berlin 2016, Roadburn and presumably other gigs — London doesn’t seem unlikely — but yeah, keep an eye and an ear out, because it’s one you won’t want to miss.

Speaking of London, Pelican were also recently added to that incarnation of Desertfest 2016, along with a great many others, and as the spring fests continue to take shape, it looks more and more like expansive ideals of what’s heavy, from sludge to stoner to doom to post-rock to psych to noise and beyond, have taken full root, and to see the full lineup for Desertfest Berlin 2016, that’s clearly to the benefit of all.

Dig it:

Desertfest Berlin 2016 – PELICAN, ASTEROID, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, MONDO DRAG added to the line-up!

If you follow us on Facebook, you have probably seen we announced 2 new bands on Thursday: Asteroid and Spiritual Beggars! It’s now time for 2 others… the last ones for 2015: instrumental metal standard bearers Pelican, and heavy psych mavens Mondo Drag!! We hope you like them as much as we do!

We have now unveiled 22 bands (that you can check below), and our 2016 edition looks already amazing! We will be back with news and announcements in mid-January, but meanwhile, order one of the last Hard-Ticket and you’ll get a nice Desertfest beenie for Christmas :)

We wish you all happy holidays!

Regular HARD TICKETS or E-TICKETS can be purchased on our WEBSITE for 85€ + taxes! We were sold out last year about 7 weeks ahead, and we think we may top that this year so DO NOT WAIT if you want to be part of our 2016 edition!

X-Mas Special Offer: By ordering one of the very last HARD TICKETS, you get a free Desertfest beenies! Only 25 left!

http://www.desertfest.de/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin

Mondo Drag, “Out of Sight”

Fest announcement season — as much as it ever stops, thus implying there’s a time when it’s on or off — continues unabated. Once Swedish heavy psych rockers Asteroid made their reunion official it seemed like only a matter of time before they started getting snapped up to play here and there, and I suspected Desertfest Berlin 2016 will be the first of many such appearances they’ll be making throughout next year as they continue to work on new material for their first album since 2010.

Speaking of new material, fellow Swedes Spiritual Beggars had put out work a while back that they were in the studio tracking a record. I haven’t seen any official word about a release date yet or anything, but they were as far as treating vocals last month and that’s hardly a beginning stage of a recording process, so it seems likely they’ll have something surface by the time 2016 is through.

Of course, if you see either group around Desertfest Berlin 2016, you can just ask them yourself what’s up with their respective next outings. So there’s that. And here’s the announcement:

Desertfesters! X-mas is coming

Therefore, we wanna give you more names! Some of them cannot be announced before Tuesday (so stay tuned :D), but some others can be! Today, we are beyond delighted to welcome aboard two Swedish outstanding acts : the quintessential heavy rock band Spiritual Beggars, and the newly reunited (for our greatest pleasure) bluesy hardrock trio… Asteroid!!

As both bands have new songs to come in 2016, DesertFest Berlin 2016 is gonna be a blast! Come on, join us to celebrate!

Tickets can be ordered on www.desertfest.de/tickets. (remember that by ordering one of the last hard tickets, you’ll get a free Desertfest beenie)

Regular HARD TICKETS or E-TICKETS can be purchased on our WEBSITE! Our ticketprices remain the same, that’s 85 Euros for all you newbies! But remember that we were sold out last time about 7 weeks ahead, and we think we may top that this year!

http://www.desertfest.de/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin

Spiritual Beggars, “Wise as a Serpent” official video

If you haven’t seen the name around yet, The Loranes is the new band from former Kadavar bassist Mammut. The newcomers are one of five bands in the latest batch to be announced for Desertfest Berlin 2016, which still has Electric Wizard, Truckfighters, Crowbar and Elder at the top of its bill. If no one else joined, they’d probably be ready to roll out a three-day fest as is and call it square, but I have the feeling we’re still in the thick of it as The Loranes and other local Berlin outfits like Rotor, Coogans Bluff (they’re from Rostock, two hours north), Samavayo and Dÿse are added.

Hard to argue either way, and I’m not inclined to try. Here’s the newest update from the festival:

Desertfest Berlin 2016 – ROTOR, DYSE, SAMAVAYO, COOGANS BLUFF, THE LORANES added to the line-up!

It’s time for a DESERTFEST special BERLIN announcement! 5 Years DESERTFEST BERLIN – 5 amazing Berlin bands added to the lineup! We are thrilled to welcome aboard instrumental stoner prog pioneers Rotor, incredibly entertaining experimental duo Dÿse, fast forward stoner rockers Samavayo, “Contemporary retro” songcrafters Coogans Bluff and the brand new power trio of ex-Kadavar bassist “Mammut”, The Loranes!

These 5 acts join the first 13 bands previously announced Electric Wizard, Truckfighters, Crowbar, Elder, Wo Fat, Egypt, Monolord, Death Alley, Monomyth, Mothership, Desert Storm, Kaleidobolt and Somali Yacht Club. Our fifth edition might be the trippiest experience of your life, so join us… take the ride and buy your ticket now! (tickets’ links below).

Regular HARD TICKETS or E-TICKETS can be purchased on our WEBSITE! Our ticketprices remain the same, that’s 85 Euros for all you newbies! But remember that we were sold out last time about 7 weeks ahead, and we think we may top that this year!

By ordering a HARD TICKET, you get a free Desertfest patch!

http://www.desertfest.de/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin

Rotor, “Volllast” official video

It’s been fun particularly over the last two years or so to really watch the two springtime Desertfests distinguish themselves as more bands are added to each lineup. Desertfest London and Desertfest Berlin 2016 will still share many bands between them, no doubt, but in seeing acts like Kaleidobolt and Desert Storm (who played London in 2015) join the roster for Berlin in 2016, alongside the newly announced Crowbar, Truckfighters and Egypt — each of whom will also play London — gradually the shape of the German fest itself becomes apparent, and likewise for its European counterpart.

To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t mind ending up at either or, but there are some considerable arguments to be made in those steely owl eyes.

Here are the latest announcements:

Desertfest Berlin 2016 – TRUCKFIGHTERS, CROWBAR, EGYPT, DESERT STORM, KALEIDOBOLT added to the line-up!

We all love heavy music and rock concert. Needless to say that we were as shocked as everybody else about the horrible things which happened in Paris last Friday. Our thoughts and hearts are with all the people who lost family members and friends in that senseless attempt…

After such a terrible event , it´s not easy to switch back to “normal”… nevertheless we would like to announce a few more bands today for DESERTFEST BERLIN 2016. We are pleased to welcome Sweden’s phenomenal, bone-rattling godfathers of fuzz Truckfighters, New Orlean’s sludge titans Crowbar, North Dakota based doom/psychedelic/stoner Rock Pharaohs Egypt, Oxford based heavy stoner / blues metal riff hounds Desert Storm and Helsinki’s groovy 1970’s Classic/Hard Rockers Kaleidobolt.

These 5 acts join the first 8 bands previously announced Electric Wizard, Elder, Wo Fat, Monolord, Death Alley, Monomyth, Mothership and Somali Yacht Club. Happening from APRIL 28th to 30th, DESERTFEST BERLIN 2016 might be the trippiest experience of your life, so join us… take the ride and buy your ticket now! (tickets’ links below).

See you all in 162 days!

Regular HARD TICKETS or E-TICKETS can be purchased on our WEBSITE! Our ticketprices remain the same, that’s 85 Euros for all you newbies! But remember that we were sold out last time about 7 weeks ahead, and we think we may top that this year!

http://www.desertfest.de/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin

Truckfighters, Universe (2014)

There’s an odd symmetry to the three bands who are the latest additions to the lineup of Desertfest Berlin 2016. Monolord, from Sweden, have a similar moniker to Monomyth, who, like Death Alley, are from the Netherlands. One into the next into the next. I like that. Of course, the three groups have little in common sonically, what with Monolord‘s bash-you-over-the-head riffing, Monomyth‘s instru-progressive explorations and Death Alley‘s balls-out boogie-thrash, but that really just goes to show how the reach of Desertfest has expanded over the last several years since its incarnation. This is the second batch of announcements and already it looks like a good time.

One gets the distinct feeling that it’s only going to get bigger as they go from here:

Desertfest Berlin 2016 – MONOLORD, MONOMYTH, DEATH ALLEY added to the line-up!

We have new names to announce today, that will satisfy all you fans of guitar driven rock, stoner and monolithic riffs! We are thrilled to tell that Dutch Speed Rock Heavyweights Death Alley, progressive heavy instrumentalists Monomyth, and Sweden’s mega-doom-plodders Monolord are joining the 2016 line-up, alongside previsouly confirmed ELECTRIC WIZARD, Elder, Wo Fat, Mothership and Somali Yacht Club!! All three have recently released a new album or are about to record one, and we are very excited to have them on board!

Happening from APRIL 28th to 30th, DESERTFEST BERLIN 2016 might be the trippiest experience of your life, so be quick… join us… take the ride and buy your ticket now! (tickets’ links below).

See you all in 205 days!

Regular HARD TICKETS or E-TICKETS can be purchased on our WEBSITE! Our ticketprices remain the same, that’s 85 Euros for all you newbies! But remember that we were sold out last time about 7 weeks ahead, and we think we may top that this year!

http://www.desertfest.de/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin

Death Alley, “Black Magick Boogieland” live on 3voor12 Radio

Seemed likely after the first announcements for Desertfest London 2016 came down the wire that those for Desertfest Berlin 2016 wouldn’t be too far off, and so here we are. Particularly interesting to note that between the two fests happening the same weekend under the Desertfest banner in Berlin and London, as is tradition, only two of the first five acts confirmed publicly for each are shared between them. That is, Electric Wizard and Elder will also play in London, but Berlin seems to have Wo Fat, Mothership (doesn’t seem unreasonable to think they’ll be touring together, though I’ve yet to see dates that would affirm that supposition) and Somali Yacht Club all to itself.

Whether or not that will remain the case we’ll find out over the next few months, but I think it’s fair to say that each fest has begun to carve out its own identity these last several years, and it’s cool to see them start out the 2016 season in the manner they are. More to come, of course.

For now:

Desertfest Berlin 2016 – ELECTRIC WIZARD, Elder, Wo fat, Mothership & Somali Yacht Club confirmed!

We are back! Today we are thrilled to unveil the first five bands who are going to play at DESERTFEST BERLIN 2016 (happening from APRIL 28th to 30th), including our first massive headliner: doom titans ELECTRIC WIZARD!! We are already a bit scared and we expect you to be too: get out your satanic ritual kits on and watch out for maybe the most trippiest experience of your life.

Also on board for this next edition, we’re glad to see the return of Massachusett’s ultimate progressive stoner rock trio Elder and to spice up the menu the addition of Texas’ swampadelic fuzz rockers Wo Fat, as well as their state mates supersonic juggernaut Mothership and Ukrainian progressive-leaning stonerheads Somali Yacht Club!!

Find more infos as well as tickets’ links below, and see you all in 231 days!

The very last early bird tickets will be on sale on Saturday, September 12th during Greenleaf & Stoned Jesus’ gig at Cassiopeia (Berlin). Regular HARD TICKETS or E-TICKETS can be purchased on our WEBSITE! Our ticketprices remain the same, that’s 85 Euros for all you newbies! But remember that we were sold out last time about 7 weeks ahead, and we think we may top that this year!

http://www.desertfest.de/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin

Elder, “Compendium” live in Scotland, July 1, 2015