This is deeply admirable work, especially as a first edition. Sword of Damocles is a new festival taking place Oct. 19, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. An all-dayer, also with a pre-show the night before, so it doesn’t seem impossible they might expand at some point, but you gotta get through the first one first.

To do so, the DIY-style fest has put together a seven-band lineup with six of the included acts — Yuri Gagarin, Wet Cactus, Maha Sohona, Five the Hierophant, The Lunar Effect and Troy the Band — making their Scottish debuts, while the seventh is headliner Mars Red Sky, who’ll perform with special guest Helen Ferguson (aka Queen of the Meadow) who was so much a part of what made their Dawn of the Dusk LP (review here) such a highlight late last year.

An immediate sense of curation, a breadth of styles covered, and a show that Scotland has never seen before, all in one package. The ambition is noteworthy, but even more, it looks like it’s going to be a great time for those who make it out. May it be the first of many to come:

Tickets: https://damoclesfest.com/tickets/

From the centre of Glasgow, SoD is bringing 7 of the best stoner/alt rock bands to your door, Saturday, October 19th.

Featuring an incredible line-up with Mars Red Sky (plus special guest Helen Ferguson of Queen of the Meadow) headlining the Saturday night, accompanied by Yuri Gagarin, Wet Cactus, Maha Sohona, Five The Hierophant, The Lunar Effect, and Troy The Band. Six of whom are performing in Scotland for the very first time, welcome to the Sword of Damocles.

Independently run, underground at heart, Sword of Damocles offers a new experience to the Glasgow music scene.

Featuring an array alternative acts, from stoner rock to avant-garde, we hope to offer a little something to everyone who’s in Glasgow, and is in to all things heavy!

Expect stoner, psych, and desert vibes as these incredible acts come to grace the stage at Glasgow’s iconic Classic Grand.

Mars Red Sky (excl. set)
Yuri Gagarin (SCO debut)
Wet Cactus (SCO debut – excl. set)
Maha Sohona (UK debut)
Five The Hierophant (SCO debut)
The Lunar Effect (SCO debut)
Troy The Band (SCO debut)

Prices:
1x Adult Ticket – £49 + payment fees
Ticket price on the door: TBD
(Pre-Show: Info coming soon)

Artwork credits: Gravelord Deathworks – Arts & Designs

https://www.facebook.com/swordofdamoclesfest/
https://www.instagram.com/damoclesfest/
https://damoclesfest.com/

I guess we could go on and on about badass festival lineups — and in a way, it feels very, very good to even think that’s true — but you’ll pardon me if I sort of bow under the spectacle here and just say I’m glad Warhorse are getting another chance to go to Roadburn after 2020 falling apart, and that Tau and the Drones of Praise will play. The latter not the least because it gives me an excuse to revisit their set from earlier this year at Roadburn Redux in putting this post together. I hope they play right before the devastating LLNN, but either way, it’s great that along with the huger acts like Lingua Ignota, Emma Ruth Rundle, Russian Circles, and so on, Roadburn remains committed to forward-thinking artists of such various stripes. See also Oslo Tapes playing the Pelagic showcase with Årabrot headlining.

I don’t know if I’ll get to go to Roadburn next year. The fest would be well within its rights to nix the Weirdo Canyon Dispatch ‘zine after so long and adverse circumstances, and it’s not like they need my review or photos badly enough to warrant having me there, but whatever happens, I love this festival, support its growth and direction, and I always will for as long as it goes. No one knows at this point what April 2022 is going to look like. I’m happy to proceed into the fest’s last announcement of 2021 with some sense of optimism, even if I need to force that a bit.

From the PR wire:

New additions to Roadburn 2022 including second Artist In Residence and label showcase

Roadburn has today announced another 17 artists for the 2022 edition of the festival, which will take place between April 21-24 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers, comments:

“With our last announcement before the end of 2021, we are super proud to have Pelagic involved again in Roadburn after their virtual Redux showcase earlier this year. And we know SLIFT will broaden our psychedelic horizons with three shows as artist-in-residence. Further, we offer this announcement in hope that 2022 will see a full return to international touring for festivals and club shows and we can all be together and celebrate in April. We wish you the happiest of seasons and hope you’re looking forward to Roadburn Festival 2022 as much as we are. Thank you for your continued support, faith and trust.”

French psych trio, SLIFT, have been announced as the second Artist in Residence for the 2022 edition (joining Full of Hell who were announced earlier this year). The band will perform three times over the course of the festival, including a collaborative performance with pioneering French musician, Etienne Jaumet (Zombie Zombie).

Pelagic Records will host a label showcase at the festival highlighting the diverse array of talent found on their roster. The showcase will climax with three interconnected performances courtesy of Lustmord, Lustmord and Karin Park performing cuts from their collaborative album, Alter, and finishing off with Årabrot. The showcase will also feature Year Of No Light, LLNN performing Unmaker, new signings Bruit≤, Oslo Tapes and a solo set from Karin Park.

Psych-heads rejoice – Die Wilde Jagd will perform at Roadburn, following two awe inspiring live performances at Roadburn Redux earlier this year. TAU & the Drones of Praise will also reprise their Redux appearance and make their way to Tilburg for an in-person performance.

Hangman’s Chair will complement their already-announced album set with a collaboration with Regarde Les Hommes Tomber. Originally commissioned by Red Bull and performed only once to date; the two bands have written additional material to extend the performance further into the reaches of their collective imaginations.

Originally scheduled to perform in 2020 Warhorse will finally perform at Roadburn 2022. Huntsmen will kick off their first trip to Europe with a special performance at Roadburn where they’ll play their 2018 album, American Scrap, in full.

London’s Five The Hierophant will make their Roadburn debut, as well as performing a collaborative piece with Wyatt E. and MC Slice titled Atonia.

These artists are added to a line up that already features Ulver, Lingua Ignota, Liturgy, Emma Ruth Rundle, Russian Circles, 40 Watt Sun, Backwash and many more. Click here to view the full line up and below to read more on these newly announced artists.

ÅRABROT
ATONIA: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN WYATT E., FIVE THE HIEROPHANT & MC SLICE
BRUIT ≤,
DIE WILDE JAGD
FIVE THE HIEROPHANT
HANGMAN’S CHAIR X REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER
HUNTSMEN
KARIN PARK
LLNN
LUSTMORD
OSLO TAPES
SLIFT (ARTIST IN RESIDENCE)
TAU & THE DRONES OF PRAISE
URAL UMBO
WARHORSE
YEAR OF NO LIGHT
ZETRA

Weekend tickets, and Friday and Saturday day tickets are sold out. Thursday and Sunday day tickets remain in limited numbers. Tickets and accommodation options are available to view via ticketmaster.nl

https://www.facebook.com/events/964112394348925
https://www.facebook.com/roadburnfestival/
http://www.instagram.com/roadburnfest
http://www.roadburn.com

Tau and the Drones of Praise, ‘Dream Awake’ live stream for Roadburn Redux

Slift, “Lions, Tigers & Bears” live video

Not that you needed it, but if you wanted further proof that Napalm Death could go just about anywhere on this silly planet of ours and find welcome, they’ve just been added to Desertfest London 2018. Fancy that. They’ll play the Old Empire stage, along with Winterfylleth, Warning and others. I’m curious to see as the festival continues to take shape, if the aesthetic expansion will keep on or if Napalm Death‘s pioneering grindcore will be a one-off. Certainly the stalwarts are no strangers to standing out in a crowd or on a bill, but maybe this is the year Desertfest gets metal? I don’t know. Could be interesting.

We live in a universe with many different kinds of heavy. In some ways it’s cool to see them getting all crossed up. That’s how new art happens.

From the PR wire:

Napalm Death to headline Old Empire Stage at DESERTFEST LONDON 2018 + more bands announced

DESERTFEST LONDON are thrilled to reveal the bands taking part in the festival’s annual Old Empire stage, that will be hosted on Friday 4th May at the Electric Ballroom in Camden.

Old Empire is now a household name in the London scene, working across an array of acts, venues and cities – we are stoked the heaviest crew, and our favorite drinking buddies, are back in the fold to bring us a stage with some of their most treasured bands! Taking place on the hallowed ground of the Electric Ballroom on May 4th, Old Empire gives you the lowdown below…

For the first time in DF history, Friday will see two headliners sprawled across town – with Swedish stalwarts GRAVEYARD making their long awaited return to London at the iconic Koko, we had to rustle up something of equal measure. An act we have wanted to book across the festival since our first year of involvement, it’s a true honour to announce that British trailblazers of the extreme NAPALM DEATH are the headline act for the OE ritual – their influence on the world of heavy music is undeniable and hard to truly fathom. Never one to disappoint live, a set of insanity is upon us.

Our second artist comes in a wave of God-like reverence to Old Empire, a master of his craft – Patrick Walkers’ WARNING will bring the Electric Ballroom to its knee’s. One of the most poignant and genuinely dark British doom bands of all time, ‘Watching from a Distance’ is a masterpiece of the highest order. Having reformed for Roadburn 2017, we are thrilled WARNING will be joining us in London – all should know and all should follow.

Next up is an act that needs little introduction to the world of Desertfest, and one who perfectly embody the spirit of the Empire – the mighty EYEHATEGOD make their long awaited return. A little bit heavy metal, a whole bunch of venom and buckets of dirty groove – we’re all well aware of the party that ensues when these NOLA legends hit the stage, so it felt about damn time to bring ‘em back!

Another familiar face to the London scene comes in the form of WINTERFYLLETH. Hitting the Old Empire spectrum back in 2011, the Mancunian quartet have since consistently impressed with their unique and anthemic take on black metal. Helping to round of proceedings is FIVE THE HIEROPHANT, whose dark jazz soundscapes and eclectically heavy, yet perfectly refined, mix of sounds will make the live debut at Desertfest 2018. Alongside newbies to the scene ACDX – equal parts Isis, Hawkwind and Opeth. The dictionary definition of this Essex group would simply say, ‘indefinable’.

Old Empire & Desertfest are beyond excited to be brothers in arms once again; we hope our assorted and all-embracing heavy picks have hit the palette in the most satisfying and exciting of ways.

Desertfest London 2018
4th-6th May in Camden Town, London
3-day pass (£115) now on sale AT THIS LOCATION

Our special split payment plan is available until December 12th!
Pay half of your ticket now and the other half in January. Find more info HERE.

http://www.desertfest.co.uk/
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