Posted in Whathaveyou on November 20th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
This is a good bill, and it just got better with these 11 acts added, but I’ll note I’m particularly glad to see Elephant Tree playing, never mind headlining, after the London-based melodic heavy rockers had to cancel their show plans for this Fall owing to frontman Jack Townley‘s ongoing medical complications from an accident earlier this year. Warms the heart and makes me hope they can keep momentum on their side; they’re about due for a new record and I get a little sad thinking it might be 2025 before one arrives, though certainly extenuating circumstances apply.
Gurt, always mad. Dunes, making a new record. Dead Witches, nasty. Margarita Witch Cult, put out a strong record this year, seem to be turning heads. Dystopian Future Movies, no, I’m still not over War of the Ether (review here) from late last year, and if the worst thing that happens is you see this list of bands and check any of them or any of the others below out — Hang the Bastard, Bodach, Black Orchids, Godless Suns — then that’s a win in my mind. A rigorous and often applied standard, that.
Info for the three-dayer follows here. I don’t know if you’ll be able to make it or not, but if you wanted a hard-immersion in the UK underground, well, here’s the poster:
Masters of the Riff festival is back for its third year, running from Friday 1st March to Sunday 3rd March.
Taking place at Oslo, Hackney, Masters of the Riff III is a celebration of some of the finest riff merchants from the Doom, Stoner and Sludge scene.
This year’s event is set to be even more exciting than ever as we welcome the magnificent ELEPHANT TREE as one of the three headline acts set to grace the Oslo stage. With a supporting cast featuring DEAD WITCHES, HANG THE BASTARD, GRAVE LINES, DYSTOPIAN FUTURE MOVIES, GURT, DUNES, MARGARITA WITCH CULT, BODACH, BLACK ORCHIDS and GODLESS SUNS, plus more to be announced across the weekend.
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 16th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
[PLEASE NOTE: This tour is canceled as of Aug. 21.]
I have nothing but a particularly punk rock respect for this kind of tour. Here’s a band, Dunes, venturing across the Atlantic for the first time. Not entirely unknown in the crowded UK heavy sphere — their Gargoyle full-length came out last year, you can stream it below, neither are they ultra high-profile or preceded by a glut of hype. They’re a band hitting the road, rolling the dice on going somewhere new to make friends, probably lose money, play killer shows and make memories that will last the rest of their lives, one way or the other, and most realistically, both. This is a kind of heavy rock ideal, and for an act who gets a chance like this to take advantage as Dunes are is encouraging to see. I don’t know them personally at all, but I’m stoked on their tour and I hope it’s killer for them.
Dunes played Desertfest London last year and are confirmed for Ripplefest Texas, where this tour will end after kicking off at Desertfest NYC. Club dates between two fest appearances on a week-plus foray into foreign soil? This is the kind of thing American bands dream of doing in Europe and the kind of thing European bands dream of doing in America until they get here and live first-hand how most acts are treated on the road here. In any case, it will likely be a formative experience for the band as they move forward after. At very least, they’re gonna have new friends and stories to tell afterward.
They posted the following on social media, and I’ll throw may hat in and wish them the best for the run and say that, if they have the art below on a shirt at Desertfest New York, I’ll pick that up to support regardless of whether they’ve got middle-aged-belly sizes or not. Here you go:
(#127482#)(#127474#) *DUNES USA TOUR 2023* (#127482#)(#127474#)
Very excited to announce that we’re going to be doing a US tour in September!
We’re kicking off at the legendary Desertfest NYC in New York and working our way down to the equally incredible RippleFest Texas in Austin.
We’re going to be touring with Texan legends Red Beard Wall huge love, hails, shouts and horns to Aaron from Red Beard Wall who’s helped us out BIG time putting these dates together, cannot wait to tear it up together.
14-16/09 New York, NY @DesertfestNYC 16/09 Richmond, VA @banditoslounge.rva 17/09 Asheville, NC @fleetwoodsavl 18/09 Atlanta, GA @badearl 20/09 New Orleans, LA @santosbarnola 21/09 Houston, TX @the_end_houston 22-24/09 Austin, TX @ripplefesttexas
Also gotta give a big, big shouts and thanks to Ryan from Lick Of My Spoon Productions / @ripplefesttexas / High Desert Queen for having us on Ripplefest Texas which is where this tour spawned from, cannot wait to get over there and see those mint HDQ folks again ❤️(#129312#)
And while we’re on it cheers to the folks at Desertscene London / Desertfest London n for having us play their New York fest AND Phil Hey from Psychlona who’s given us tons of guidance, advice, warnings and inspiration about getting over and going over to the US (#128588#)
We’ll be joining some great bands on the festivals and gigs while we’re over there as well, cannot wait to get over there to make some noise, meet some old friends and make some new ones (#127867#)
Big love as always to @stevenyoyada for creating this class artwork, you can expect to see it on a t-shirt in the not too distant future, probably.
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 18th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
I don’t feel the need to even really say anything here. The lineup speaks for itself. And those who go to this year’s RippleFest Texas will also speak of it, for years, probably in a similar way people now talk about having been at this or that Emissions From the Monolith when that was going on in Ohio. The stuff of legend, in other words. Yeah, you can put on a fest and try to make it cool and fun, or you can do something like this and make it the highlight of everybody who attends’ year.
Kudos to Lick of My Spoon Productions and Ripple Music on a job well done. This will be something special. Bands have been leaked out one at a time at intermittent daily intervals, but the final lineup is out as of today, and it’s stunning. A blend of generations, a reach from on end of the country to the other, and a swath of the heavy underground all rallied in one place for a few days, pre- and after-parties included. Fucking a. If you’re attending, count yourself lucky.
As seen on socials:
Here it is! The full lineup for RippleFest Texas #3! This will be one for the ages with a stacked lineup and lots of special treats in between. Get your tickets now!
Amazing art by @1horsetown
* playing the Pre-Party + playing the Afterparty
King Buffalo, Acid King, Brant Bjork Trio, Sasquatch, Wo-Fat, Fatso Jetson, Mondo Generator, Unida, The Well+, The Atomic Bitchwax, Telekinetic Yeti*, Duel, Forming the Void, Hippie Death Cult, High Desert Queen*, Avon, War Cloud, Rubber Snake Charmers, Spirit Mother+, Kind, Nick Oliveri, Thunder Horse, Royal Sons+, Restless Spirit*, (Big) Pig, Fostermother, Dead Feathers+, Rainbows Are Free, Warlung*, Sun Voyager, Red Mesa, Dunes, Tia Carrera+, Mr. Plow, The Heroine*, Michael Rudolph Cummings, The Absurd+, GoodEye*, Red Beard Wall, God Damn Good Time Band+
Plus a “Legends of the Desert and Friends” jam session to close out Saturday night!
And as always, the visuals by The Mad Alchemist Liquid Light Show
All-Access passes are SOLD OUT! All we have left are 2 Day Passes and Pre/Afterparty tickets available. Many more bands to be announced! Get your tickets now before the full lineup is revealed and the ticket price goes up!
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 24th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
This looks so good I’m kind of nervous about it. Monster Magnet and Godflesh join the ranks of the Melvins, Boris and Colour Haze at the forefront of the bill for Desertfest New York 2023 today, with the further additions to the lineup of Brant Bjork, Valley of the Sun, Mantar, Huntsmen, Upper Wilds and Dunes. Insert impressed-whistle here.
I guess what we’re seeing in 2023 is that version of Desertfest New York that was what they were growing toward when the festival held its inaugural edition in 2019. It’s been a long-ass time since I’ve seen Monster Magnet, and the promise of a career-spanning set makes me hope all the more it happens, but I’ll tell you outright that there are precious few acts of any genre who can match the intensity of purpose wrought by Godflesh at their best live. I assume they’ll be doing some amount of touring either a lot or a little as they support their upcoming album, Purge, which is set to release in June (info here), but no question they’ll be a highlight of the fest here, if one among many.
Shit, I still haven’t seen Castle Rat, so there’s A LOT to look forward to here. Interesting that it’s Brant Bjork playing and not Stöner, but I’ll take it for sure. You can read the rest of Desertfest New York‘s announcement below, stunning as it is, hoisted from the PR wire:
Desertfest New York reveals further artists for September event including Monster Magnet, Godflesh, Brant Bjork, Mantar & more
Leading independent stoner rock, doom, psych & heavy rock festival Desertfest announces eight new artists for their third New York edition this September. Heavy-rock legends MONSTER MAGNET make their headline return to the event, following their unfortunate 2022 cancellation. The New Jersey space rockers will join the festival for a long-awaited celebratory set, spanning their entire 30-year catalogue.
British industrial icons GODFLESH join proceedings for a rare New York performance, with Justin Broadrick at the helm GODFLESH will undoubtedly shake the Knockdown Center to its very core. If there was one set to add to your “do not miss” list for DF NYC, it’s this one.
Desert-hero BRANT BJORK rolls into the weekend to bring the very best in sun-soaked California stoner vibes. Whilst German sludge-punk duo MANTAR will offer up an ear-shattering live performance with their first New York appearance since 2016.
Elsewhere, the festival welcomes the groove of VALLEY OF THE SUN, genre-bending storytellers HUNTSMEN, psychedelic locals UPPER WILDS & U.K. based stoner rock outfit DUNES to the bill.
The globally renowned event will return to the unique space of the Knockdown Center in Queens, alongside an exclusive pre-party at heavy metal institution, Saint Vitus Bar from 14th to 16th September 2023. 3-day passes (incl. Saint Vitus pre-party) are SOLD OUT with limited 2-Day passes still available.
With more to be announced, including day splits & day tickets in early June, Desertfest is the biggest celebration of underground heavy music that the East-Coast has to offer.
3-day passes (incl. access to Saint Vitus Pre-Party) & 2-day passes (Knockdown Center only) are on sale NOW via the following link –https://link.dice.fm/Desertfest_NewYork
Full Line-Up Saint Vitus – Sept 14th | Knockdown Center Sept 15th & 16th 2023
Melvins | Monster Magnet | Boris | Godflesh | Colour Haze | Truckfighters | Brant Bjork | 1000Mods | Mantar | White Hills | Lo-Pan | Duel | R.I.P | Valley of The Sun | Ecstatic Vision | Heavy Temple | Huntsmen | Clouds Taste Satanic | Mick’s Jaguar | Castle Rat | Grave Bathers | Spellbook | Upper Wilds | Dunes
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 30th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
It’s good to see you again, Desertfest London. The 2022 lineup of the esteemed British edition of Desertfest brings some returning presences who were to have been at the 2020 edition, then the 2021 — both of course gone the way of corona. But we see Electric Wizard, Shellac and Witchcraft in headlining spots, while Corrosion of Conformity will bring their delayed 25th anniversary of Deliverance to Camden Town, and returning kingpins Orange Goblin will play, along with YOB, Truckfighters, Earthless, My Sleeping Karma, Mos Generator, Conan, The Obsessed, the reunited Josiah, Lowrider come for a Refractions victory lap well earned, along with Elephant Tree, Elder, Steak, Deathrite and a ton from the UK’s own ever-blossoming underground scene — Blind Monarch, The Brothers Keg, King Witch, the more established Alunah and Trippy Wicked, and so on and so many.
Note Slomosa. Note Wolftooth. I would expect both to be touring Europe around this time. Green Lung too, for that matter.
There’s no way this isn’t going to be one to remember and it is my sincere hope to be there for it. Maybe I’ll see you there. Maybe we can hug.
Kudos and thanks to the Desertscene crew — Sarika, Jake and Reece — on and for a job well done.
Here’s looking forward:
DESERTFEST LONDON ANNOUNCE FULL LINE-UP FOR 2022 ·
A DECADE IN THE DESERT CELEBRATING TEN YEARS WITH THE BIGGEST & MOST DIVERSE LINEUP YET
EXCLUSIVE UK PERFORMANCES FROM WITCHCRAFT (FIRST UK SHOW IN OVER A DECADE) and SHELLAC
As the home for all the things truly heavy, leading independent UK festival Desertfest have announced their full line up for 2022, which will take place in Camden, London from Friday 29th April – Sunday 1st May.
Celebrating their tenth year, next year’s festival promises to be their biggest and most diverse yet. Covering six venues across the heart of Camden and now including a full line up at The Roundhouse on both Saturday 30thApril and Sunday 1st May.
Founding owner of Desertfest Reece Tee comments, “Desertfest is 10 years old! I’m so proud that our independent festival has stood the test of time. What we have created is special, a decade of great bands, great friends and amazing memories. This year’s line up is a true reflection of how diverse Desertfest has become and with such a loyal audience, Desertfest can champion the underground for decades more to come.”
Headlining the Friday will be Swedish heavy rock masters Witchcraft, with a UK exclusive performance and their first UK show in over a decade. Saturday’s headliners are none other than Chicago’s Shellac, who in another UK exclusive will be bringing their experimental post-hardcore sound to the Roundhouse. Fronted by the iconic Steve Albini, Shellac are one of those bands we all need to experience live, at least once. Whilst closing the festival on Sunday will be UK doom legends Electric Wizard, whose heavy sound encompasses the spirit of Desertfest.
Other acts confirmed include the likes of Corrosion Of Conformity, Orange Goblin and Truckfighters who all played the festival in its debut year in 2012 and there are further UK exclusive performances from hardcore-punks Integrity and the Ukrainian psych space rock trio Somali Yacht Club.
The festival will also see desert legends Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri’s new band Stoner, who will be playing the Electric Ballroom and doomed heavy metallers Khemmis making their UK debut at The Underworld.
Please see below for the full Desertfest 2022 line up / stage splits. Tickets are on sale now and are available at www.desertfest.co.uk
NEW TICKETS FOR 2022 Weekend Ticket (all venues) – £132 +fees Friday Day Ticket (all venues) – £45 +fees Saturday Day Ticket (all venues) – £50 +fees Sunday Day Ticket (all venues) – £50 +fees Saturday Roundhouse only – £35 +fees Existing ticket holders from 2020’s postponed event have a number of options as the festival is now larger, with an added Roundhouse line-up on Saturday 30th April & Sunday 1st May.
EXISTING WEEKEND + DAY TICKET HOLDERS OPTIONS Full refund Weekend roll-over to 2022 without Roundhouse upgrade (access only to Electric Ballroom, Underworld, Black Heart & The Dev) Weekend roll-over to 2022 with Roundhouse upgrade – £15 +fees Day ticket holders can upgrade to a full weekend ticket – £92 + fees – or will be issued a refund. Upgrade options only available until May 7th ’21. For any ticketing enquiries please contact sarika@desertscene.co.uk
Desertfest 2022’s artwork is hand drawn by legendary artist Arik Roper who has created illustrations for the likes of Sleep, Earth, Sunn O))), High on Fire, Kvelertak, Windhand and many more. As always, posters and other merch will be available to buy at the festival.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 20th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Even apart from how it relates to the other festivals under the Desertfest banner — Berlin, Belgium, New York — Desertfest London set an extremely high standard for itself last year, and it was obvious coming into Desertfest London 2020 that they’d have their work cut out for them in reaching those same heights. Their lineup isn’t finished yet, and of course we’ll see how it all looks when the day-schedule is fully unveiled, but bringing Lowrider on board to support their first release in 20 years, Refractions, is nothing if not significant — they played there in 2013 and were fantastic — but they’ll also be the the UK debut for Khemmis from the US and at least the first time at Desertfest for MaidaVale from Sweden. They’ve pretty much lost their minds and added 20 bands in a single shot here, so there’s plenty to dig into, but you’ll note King Witch, who are frickin’ awesome, as well as The Hazytones, Alunah and the slew of others taking part. They’re building a desert empire in Camden Town.
Has it been nine years already? I may have to start planning my return for year 10 if they’ll have me.
From thee social medias:
DESERTFEST ADDS 20 NAMES TO LONDON LINE-UP, INCLUDING GRAVEYARD AS NEXT HEADLINER
Desertfest is thrilled to be kicking off the new year in style with the apt number of 20 names added for our 9th edition this May. Sweden’s most beloved export of hard rock, the impeccable Graveyard will bring their unique bluesy tones to London as headliners of Desertfest London 2020. The Swedish family reunion continues as we welcome back one of the most synonymous desert rock (and Desertfest) bands, the iconic Lowrider return with not only a rare live performance, but their first record in almost two decades. A masterclass in the melting pot of genre fluidity comes from two-man powerhouse Big Business, whilst psychedelic stoner rock trio Somali Yacht Club will make the trip from Ukraine to play Desertfest for the first time.
Speaking of debuts we’ll play host to the first UK show for Denver melancholic doom outfit Khemmis and Sweden delivers once again with rock’n’roll four-piece MaidaVale. Elsewhere on the bill we are thrilled to welcome Your Highness, Hexis, FIREBREATHER, The Hazytones, Opium Lord, King Witch, GURT, Alunah, 1782, Tides Of Sulfur, Doomicidal, Under, A Gazillion Angry Mexicans and Dunes.
As you may have noticed, The Picturebooks have unfortunately had to cancel their performance at Desertfest due to a schedule conflict out of our control. However with more acts still to be unveiled, plus day tickets on sale soon there’s much more to come for our 9th edition.
