Posted in Whathaveyou on February 22nd, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Some new names from Belgium’s Down the Hill Festival for the 2024 edition, bringing familiar parties like UK psychedelic novamakers Gnod and Mojo and the Kitchen Brothers, who you might remember were picked up last year by Lay Bare Recordings ahead of releasing their Mojo’s Heavy Cream LP this past Fall. The latter outfit — the one with the longer name, just to be clear — are making a return appearance after kicking things off in 2023, and Dutch heavy psych/classic rockers Rrrags are back for a second time as well, supporting their 2023 album, Mundi, also as it happens on Lay Bare.
Joining them and rounding out the list of five in this announcement — with seven names still to be unveiled as you can see on the poster below — are Desmond Dandies and Large Plants. The former are Belgian-based heavy garage-psych rockers with a strong current of later-’60s classicism running through last year’s 57 Heaven made modern through its still-organic production, and the latter is the acid-folk/neofolk-informed solo-project of UK songwriter Jack Sharp, formerly of Wolf People.
I’ll tell you honestly I hadn’t heard either Desmond Dandies or Large Plants before seeing their names here, and although when I started this post I intended just to put the Gnod stream at the bottom, I ended up with a player for each band because once I actually listened to them I couldn’t leave anybody out. That speaks to me of a lack of filler, which is something further to be appreciated about Down the Hill. Headliner still TBA. I wonder if it’ll be High on Fire, maybe Brant Bjork? This summer is packed front to back with tours in Europe, so the possibilities are vast, though if it had been Greenleaf or Rotor, I’d still think it was awesome.
The following was posted on socials:
It’s time for the weekend, so let’s add 5 more bands to next summer’s edition.
With GNOD you will dive head and body first into a powerfully new psychedelic maelstrom full of possibilities, we don’t think they need further introduction.
Large Plants started as a solo recording project for Jack Sharp, the singer and guitarist for Wolf People, characterized as psych rock, with a folkier, proggier and more fantastic feeling.
2nd time RRRags at Down The Hill, influences come from the heavy and psychedelic seventies with bands such as Grand Funk Railroad, Stooges, Pink Floyd and Hawkwind. This band also performs live with a blend of long, instrumental jams and heavy, catchy songs. In short, a party not to be missed for the true psych head!
Desmond Dandies, heavily inspired by the sound of the 60’s and all its side streams, they instinctively reproduce a genre that can’t be put into boxes. Live sets vary every show, pushing their musical limits, but always characterized by solid harmonized vocals, tight guitar riffs, and energetic rhythm section.
Mojo & The Kitchen Brothers, also the 2nd time playing DTH, last edition they opened the fest, now we give them a later spot, their catchy tunes, proggy riffs, deafening drums, roaring basslines and spacy, triple-guitar jams take the listener on a Janus-faced journey through the limbo between past and present.
Line up so far: Greenleaf, Rotor, GNOD, Zone Six, B R I Q U E V I L L E, Large Plants, Full Earth, Vandal X, Doodseskader, Fuzzy Grass, RRRags, TAKH, Kozmotron, Desmond Dandies, Cuberdon, Mojo and The Kitchen Brothers and CRANC
And of course our DJ’s Cosmic Masseur, 7” of Riffs and Coconaut.
Tickets are selling fast!
Write it down into your agenda… the end of August, awesome party in Rillaar, aka Down The Hill.
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 27th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Belgian festival Down the Hill has begun to unveil its lineup for Aug. 30-31, 2024, with Rotor at the top of a bill that, as the fill-in-the-blank-style poster (which I dig) underscores the point there’s more to come. Not that Rotor couldn’t headline, but yeah. They’re joined in this announcement by Full Earth, the Kanaan offshoot who don’t have a record yet but are popping up on bills up, down, here and there, Fuzzy Grass, Briqueville, Vandal X, Kozmotron and Cuberdon, which is less than half of the total number of acts who will play. There are 17 TBAs on the poster below. Yes, I counted before I saw the number in the festival’s post.
I’ve been writing about Down the Hill for a few years now, and I’ve never been or anything like that, but all accounts I’ve seen and heard tell me that it’s a laid back, vibe-centered time, and in theory and practice I think that’s a thing worth supporting. August is a while off, so I don’t know when the next reveal will be made, but tickets are on sale as of Dec. 27, which might be today by the time this gets posted — it’s 4AM Xmas Eve as I write; I have no answer for why I’m awake but at least I’m getting shit done — and if you’d like to keep up also, the fest’s Facebook and site are linked below.
To wit:
Down the Hill 2024
Here they are, the first small load of bands for Down The Hill 2024
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 28th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Obviously the focus here is on the lineup and that’s exactly how it should be, but I’d also like to point out that Belgian festival Down the Hill 2023 will also boast among its amenities an ‘ice cream barn,’ and that’s some wonderfully wholesome accompaniment for a weekend’s worth of heavy and psychedelic — and heavy psychedelic! — vibing. The final four adds to the lineup are Earthless, who, duh, headline, as well as Radar Men From the Moon, Condor Gruppe and Kameel, and they continue to flesh out the reach and range of the Down the Hill, which is set for this August 25-26 in Rillaar and admits only 600 people to keep an intimate setting.
So, keep that in mind as you peruse the bill and see the likes of Mars Red Sky, the reborn live lineup of Sula Bassana, Kanaan, Dorre, Fire Down Below and a slew of others from within and without Belgium. I’ve never been, but this seems like a really cool, dug-in kind of couple days, and if you get to go, well, I’d love to hear about it at some point. You know I daydream on this stuff.
From social media:
DOWN THE HILL 2023
On August 25 & 26 the Down The Hill Festival will arise again from the lush green hillsides in Rillaar, Belgium!
Already known for the small & cosy set-up (limited to 600 tickets) on a gorgeous piece of farm style land and its magical charm. This 2-day outdoor festival shows some of the finest heavy psychedelic underground rock bands from around the world, on a wooden stage!
GET READY FOR THIS!
*EARTHLESS (usa) *MARS RED SKY (fr) *SULA BASSANA (ger) *RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON (nl) *HYPNOS 69 (be) *CONDOR GRUPPE (be) *KANAAN (nor) *GNOME (be) *FIRE DOWN BELOW (be) *KAMEEL (be) *DORRE (be) *GRANDMA’S ASHES (fr) *MOJO AND THE KITCHEN BROTHERS (be) *DÔME *BEAR BONES, LAY LOW *DR. SPACE *VITJA PAUWELS (be) *DRIES GEUSENS (be) *JONAS MEERSMANS (be) *KOONDA HOLAA *FRANKIE TRAANDRUPPEL *JEF MERTENS *FLOATING BODIES *VENEDIKTOS TEMPELBOOM *SLOW BEAR *ETHERIK & AMBI-J
*DJ’S: COSMIC MASSEUR (be) COCONAUT (nl) 7” OF RIFFS by MOOS (be)
*AFTERPARTIES *BAND MERCH area *SPACE FUZZ RECORDS store *FESTIVAL MERCH stand will also be available on the DTH website
*BAR *FOOD TRUCKS meat, veggie and vegan *BREAKFAST & ICECREAM BARN powered by ‘t Nijswolkje
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 5th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Very little says ‘vibe’ as directly as having a reunited Hypnos 69 and Kanaan at the top of a bill, except maybe for the word itself. Down the Hill in Belgium looks immediately like a good time, and I don’t expect the lineup is done either, so all the better. They’re later in the summer than some of the other European events being announced now, so I’d imagine there’s still some things that are too bad confirmed — and I’m not playing coy or anything, I actually don’t know — but it’s cool to see what started as a one-off for Hypnos 69 becoming a real thing, and Gnome seem primed for a pretty big 2023. Fair enough. Their record is doing pretty well in the year-end poll here too, so good for them.
Gonna try to keep up with this one as it comes together closer to the two days next August when it actually takes place, but they’re off to a good start.
Dig it:
Here they are! The first 5 bands that will crash the wooden stage at the Down The Hill Festival on August 25 & 26 2023 in Rillaar, Belgium!
For the Early Birds out there, a limited amount of tickets are going on sale the 5ft of december at 10.00pm.
Hypnos 69 is a space rock/psychedelic rock quartet based out of Belgium. Forming in 1994, this band would draw heavily from 1960s and 1970s psychedelic and space rock. In a career spanning nearly twenty years the band would release five studio albums all the while performing all over Europe as a marquee act.
The band’s final shows would be a short tour in 2011 and a string of shows the next year, sharing the stage with the likes of Glowsun, Sungrazer and Lonely Kamel. Hypnos 69 would ultimately disband in 2012.
In September 2022 Hypnos 69 reunited for the 25 Years OrangeFactory happening in Leuven, Belgium. And they played a more than epic set at Desertfest Antwerp 2022.
It seems Hypnos 69 is back from a 10 year hibernation!
The name was taken from the ancient Greek god of Sleep and Subconsciousness. The number 69 stands for equilibrium and stability; properties that can be retrieved in the marked sound of the band.
KANAAN
Kanaan – Band is a Norwegian power trio that has been playing their own form of free-flowing psychedelia, heavy stoner-rock and jazz-influenced krautrock for the last few years. They´ve released six albums since 2019 and have played over 100 concerts in ten different countries since they emerged as a powerful live act on the European music scene in 2019. This spring they won the Norwegian grammy awards for their heavy stoner-rock album “Earthbound” and recently released the experimental album Diversions vol 1: Softly Through Sunshine. The latter features the talented Norwegian jazz keyboardist Håvard Ersland and is a document of a fruitful musical collaboration.
As a live act Kanaan are known for their fiery, intense and loud performances, and their gig at Down The Hill will not be an exception.
GNOME
Belgium’s hardest rocking creatures, Gnome are back with their majestic second outing, King.
After the sucses of 2018 debut Father of Time, demonstrating their talent for stacking riffs like lego blocks, and conquering stages across Europe with their shin-kicking live sets, the power trio from Antwerp raise the bar for their second album, sounding bigger, catchier and heavier, with more room for vocals (including special guest Oskar Logi from The Vintage Caravan) but never losing sight of the quest for the golden riff.
This silly looking, greasy smelling, small but heavy three-headed being packs abigger punch then the name suggests: combining sing-along hooks, wall-of-sound guitars booming drums and thundering bass with adventurous rhythmic twists they brew their unique and ultimately satisfying potion of sludge, prog and stonerrock.
GRANDMA’S ASHES
Grandma’s Ashes is a female power trio of alternative / progressive rock.
For almost 5 years, the band has been inviting people to an introspective and transcendent musical journey on the roads of France. Their first EP, “The Fates”, released in January 2021 has shown a singular vision of a modern and narrative rock. On the dark, sometimes sarcastic texts, the voices of the three musicians intermingle. The clear and melodic lead vocals are sublime in contact with a heavy and meticulous instrumentation. If it constitutes a first piece to the edifice or rather, to the gothic cathedral that Grandma’s Ashes is building, the Grandma’s Ashes, the group has not however finished to enchant you.
MOJO AND THE KITCHEN BROTHERS
A 5-headed omnium gatherum of eclectically inspired music freaks from Belgium cooking up a late 60’s early 70’s minded mix of heavy progrock soaked in psychedelia. The smells emanating from our kitchen recall bands like Black Sabbath, Wishbone Ash and Pink Floyd. However, M&TKB is more than a nostalgia trip. Firmly tuned into the spring of our contemporary psych rockers, Mojo & The Kitchen Brothers’ catchy tunes, proggy riffs, deafening drums, roaring basslines and spacy, triple-guitar jams take the listener on a Janus-faced journey through the limbo between past and present.
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 12th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Why yes, I am ready for the coziest heavy psych outdoor festival in Belgium. Or anywhere, really. But sure, Belgium specifically works, although I have to admit I’m not the most comfortable in the world when it comes to interpersonal contact, so despite the nerve currently pinched in my shoulder and the rampaging plantar fasciitis in my right foot, I’ll probably take a pass on that whole “cosmic masseur” thing. Unless of course that means there’s someone at Down the Hill 2022 performing mystical rites to sooth the very universe itself. In which case, by all means, cosmic massage on. Or it’s a DJ. Which it is.
There’s plenty to dig aside from that, though, between an on-site record store, the requisite merch shopping — I don’t currently own an Elephant Tree shirt, which feels like an error on my part — food trucks if you like eating, a fire in the evening if you like keeping warm, and so on. And that’s before you get to the bands, the list of which is topped by the aforementioned Elephant Tree, though I’d also like to point out Tia Carrera, who are rarely seen outside their native Texas, will play. Bad. Ass. Note Karkara and Djiin making the trip from France, El Perro on tour from the States, Sleepwulf and Second Oracle coming down from Sweden, and a host of Belgian natives, including Wolvennest right out front headlining. A righteous assembly.
Two-dayer tickets are on sale, as the poster and PR wire info below informs:
DOWN THE HILL 2022 – AUGUST 26 & 27
Ready for the most cozy heavy psychedelic outdoor rock festival in Belgium?
With… ELEPHANT TREE (Uk) WOLVENNEST (Be) EL PERRO (Usa) TIA CARRERA (Usa) SLEEPWULF (Swe) KARKARA (Fr) DJIIN (Fr) SECOND ORACLE (Swe) BISMUT (Nl) WHEEL OF SMOKE (Be) ATOMIC VULTURE (Be) BELOMORKANAL (Be)
+ DJ’s between the bands. + Afterparty(‘s)
COZY (BIG) FIRE PLACE in the evening. RECORD STORE during the day FOOD TRUCKS all day long! BAND MERCH FESTIVAL MERCH also online! www.downthehill.be/shop
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 2nd, 2021 by JJ Koczan
An outdoor all-dayer fest in Belgium? Boy that takes me back. Remember when stuff like that used to happen on the planet where we lived, and you almost kind of took it for granted because, hell, it was Europe, and surely the next weekend there would also be a killer festival happening somewhere, pretty much year-round, in and out of “festival season,” which was well on its way to becoming a four-season phenomenon.
What’s that you say? This isn’t an announcement from two years ago, but something actually happening in the future? The near future? And it might actually be happening? And Monomyth are playing? Well hell’s bells, I’m not even sure how to feel about that. Good, I guess.
Wonder who the mystery act is here. They’re Dutch. Splinter maybe? Temple Fang? Someone who can’t say their name for fear of being stopped at the border, maybe — mind you I have no idea if such travel restrictions are in place. Would be nice to see the guys from Supersonic Blues getting out. I have no idea, but it’s fun to guess. Name a Dutch band. Maybe it’s them.
Down the Hill‘s announcement is so long it’s like it’s trying to make up for lost time. Have at it:
Hi Psych, fuzz and riff lovers! Are you ready?
We are! But first…
For the moment there are still no clear government regulations about festivals our size for the end of August.
We believe Down The Hill can only take place when there are no bubbles, no 1,5m regulations, a big fireplace to hang in the evening or night, big hugs now and then, well you get the idea. So, let’s wait and see. Things will get clear soon!
But for now we organize the festival as it would be a normal year!
If it seems to become not possible this way in the coming months, we will postpone it again till next year. All tickets will be fully refunded in this case, so don’t hesitate to get your ticket(s)! We believe in it! And now… something you’re all been waiting for…
Here it is, Down The Hill 2021 Line-up!
We open the day with the Bad Slaves, this 4 piece rock band from Bekkevoort inspired by the great rockbands from the 60’s and 70’s. Never the less, they remain children of their time. They have a passion for tube amps, wide open drums and passionate vocals. Their songs blend heavy riffs with gentle and sometimes psychedelic wandering. It ain’t stoner, heavy blues, loudrock, garage or hardrock, it’s a bit of all of that.
Next in line is Grotto, they are a young three-piece instrumental band from Belgium whose music draws from all corners of the rock universe, weaving a fabric of sound both familiar and otherworldly. Founded by friends Marvin Dinneweth, Jeroen Moerman and Arno Tucker Cottyn in the 2010s, the group released two LPs in quick succession before landing at Stickman for their upcoming third record.
The building blocks of Grotto’s sound could be described as riffs, as they are heavy, groovy and dense; yet the band relies on open chords, spacious sounds and jangly tones that give their music a unique voice in the heavy rock world. Working in long song formats usually exceeding 10 minutes, their songs bloom and evolve in non-traditional form, leaning more towards progressive and post rock than stoner and doom.
Grotto joined Stickman in 2019 with their third LP Lantern of Gius, an ambitious 2-track album that propelled them to new standing in the heavy psychedelic music scene.
Then it’s time for a surprise act, for now, all we can tell you is: They are from the Netherlands.
Next on stage: HEISA, rarely has a band had a more fitting name, three grounded blokes from Limburg with musical gold in their hands.
Possessed yet measured. Uneasy yet mesmerising. Disorienting yet catchy. HEISA is all of these things and preferably at the same time. In the best tradition of unconventional bands ranging from Tool across Battles to Warpaint, Jacques Nomdefamille (also Peuk), Koen Castermans and Jonathan Frederix have forged ten songs that run the gamut from surprise and enchantment to castigation.
On their maiden full-length ‘joni’, HEISA plays around with rhythms, atmospheres and keyboards while choosing their moments to break the painstakingly constructed tension with punishing guitars and waves of distortion. The vocals do not monopolise the listener’s attention but instead complement the other instruments. The result is an entirely unique sound.
On the road HEISA leaves a trail of destruction in its wake. Their live shows are exciting, surprising, slightly theatrical and explore the boundaries of the humanly bearable. Those who have had the privilege of seeing HEISA live become a fan once the experience has had the chance to sink in.
‘Let Go’, the first single off ‘joni’, met with rave reviews and was picked up by radio station Studio Brussel/Eigen Kweek and by indie station Pinguin Radio (NL).
Pothamus will guide us into the evening with heavy walls of sound. They consists of three gentlemen from Mechelen who managed to impress with their energetic live performances over the years. In keeping with their big brother Amenra’s style, they opt for minimal interaction with the audience and let the music speak for itself. Let yourself be carried away in a dark universe of thin drones supported by Spartan drum rolls, ferocious bass sounds and repetitive guitar parts with conjuring, psalm-like vocals in the background. It sounds like a whole sandwich, but one that is smeared with the right ingredients for the added value seeker and lover of mood setting in music.
At the end of 2019, the gentlemen went to the Ardennes forests to work on the first full-fledged record called Raya. For fifty minutes we get monolithic walls of sound interspersed with the atmosphere of desolate landscapes and esoteric moods. In terms of production, the drum is at the forefront to hit the tribal tones on songs like Orath and Raya. They are the strongest and longest songs of the album, where ample time was taken to allow the aforementioned elements to interact with each other. In the mix, the ethereal vocals were just echoed in the background, which makes it seem that the band was singing psalms in a church. Concepts that are regularly performed live at Consouling Sounds and that often turn concerts into unique experiences. In addition to the drums, the bass guitar also gets its prominent place in the mix to emphasize the drum lines and the threatening atmospheres.
The song Viso scored a very nice 62nd place in Studio Brussel’s heaviest list. Ow, and Orath at number 462 and Raya at place 553! Not bad at ALL guys!
Let’s keep it in the neighbourhood with PSYCHONAUT! Also a psychedelic post-metal collective from Mechelen, Belgium. Their signature sound is heavily influenced by 70’s bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, but also draws inspiration from more modern sources like Tool and Amenra.
Even though the band only consists of a traditional three-piece line-up, they are known to deliver a constantly compelling live show that grabs you by the throat from the first second to the last. Contrast and variation are the two main anchors on which they base their musical ideas.
Raw, convincing and designed to create a perpetually fascinating experience, often combining their wall of sound with intense visual landscapes and light shows by like-minded artists.
Since 2013, they have released 2 physical EP’s – ’24 Trips Around the Sun’ (2014) and ‘Ferocious Fellowman’ (2016) – which they have performed live throughout Belgium and The Netherlands. Desertfest, Rock Herk and Putrock are only a few of the stages they have conquered in the past.
Psychonaut has released their debut full album – ‘Unfold The God Man’ – on September 1st, 2018. Recorded by Chiaran Verheyden at the honourable Daft Studios in Malmedy, Unfold The God Man is an intricate concept album dealing with strong philosophical and existential themes, ultimately describing mankind’s re-ascension to a higher level of consciousness. The nearly 70-minute-long album contains material from over 3 years of incessant writing, arranging and recording. In 2019, the band has presented the album live on festivals such as Alcatraz Festival, Rock Herk, Roadkill Festival, Maanrock, Retie Rockt and many more.
‘Unfold The God Man’ has been re-released on Pelagic records to spread this awesome music over the entire world!
Also in 2020 these guys haven’t been sitting still, many live streams, an split EP with Säver on the Pelagic record label, The fall of the consciousness reached a great 26th spot on Studio Brussels, heaviest list.
We end the day with five flying Dutchmen who make the most thrilling instrumental soundscapes. Formed in The Hague in 2011, Monomyth (official) are not afraid to push the boundaries of space / stoner rock. After playing festivals like Roadburn and Desertfest, 2019 sees the band starting a new chapter with their fourth album. On Orbis Quadrantis the band delves into unexplored waters, yet their meticulous open-ended psychedelics remain in-between Ariel Pink and Pink Floyd.
“The road we take always remains undefined. We seek out adventures in new sounds and a new approach. In that respect, this album is very different from our previous work, as it’s much more complete sonically. Consider Orbis Quadrantis to be a shell: hold it up to your ear, and you’ll hear the rustling of the sea.” – Monomyth
Monomyth was founded by drummer Sander Evers and (now ex) bassist Selwyn Slop. In addition, the band consists of Peter van der Meer (keys, guitar), Tjerk Stoop (digital instruments, guitar), guitarist Boudewijn Bonebakker (Gorefest / Gingerpig) and bassist Jason van den Bergh who replaced Selwyn Slop in early 2020.
In September 2013 Monomyth released their untitled first album on Burning World Records. The band switched to Suburban Records where they completed their trilogy with the release of Further (2014) and Exo (2016). Monomyth has toured all over Europe, with festival appearances including Roadburn, Desertfest, Paaspop, Noorderslag and Reeperbahn. At 2016’s Imagine Filmfestival, the band performed a live rescoring during 2014’s 4K restored version of the silent movie and cult-classic Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari. All this mixed together by three of the best DJ’s around,
COSMIC MASSEUR, you maybe know him from Roadburn or an afterparty at Desertfest? 7 INCHES OF RIFFS AKA MOOS also present at Roadburn, Desertfest, SXSW, Dunajam,…almost everywhere! And SHAZZULAH, who doesn’t knows her, this is the moment! All three of them will blend these band together each in their unique ways and will take care of the afterparty!
Tickets will be on sale on ONLY on ourdownthehill.bewebsite. Tickets are provided by event-tickets.
An entrance ticket for Down The Hill 2021 will be €40 pre-sale. If there are still tickets left, €45 at the door.
If you would like to stay at our campingground, please select also a FREE camping ticket.
Tokens can be bought as well, soda or normal beer will be 2 Tokens, heavy beers or wine will be 4 tokens. Also food has to be bought with these tokens.
This year there is also a possibility to support future concerts and the ongoing of the festival by buying an EXTRA support ticket. You will receive our eternal gratitude and love! (However, This will not grant you access to the festival ground, don’t print this ticket at home, it’s useless, unless you like to put it on your wall)
