It hasn’t been that long since the last announcement from the 2026 Freak Valley Festival, which brought the likes of Messa, Child, Longdistancecalling, Howling Giant, Upupayāma and more to join Tranquonauts, Coltaine, Kylesa, Stoned Jesus and Uncle Acid, among others, from the first round. But the message here, clearly delivered, is that Goat stand on their own.

And that’s always kind of been the story for the Swedish cult-psych ritualists. So much the better for them to headline. Their Afrobeat-informed, lysergic, at times vividly funky grooves have always stood them out from the heavy underground enough to enjoy crossover appeal to arthouse indie and the arbiters of cool more broadly speaking, but it’s been well over a decade since their debut album, World Music, and Goat have never really stopped being awesome. Their latest release is a remix of their 2024 self-titled LP done in collaboration with producer The Human Language, and earlier this year they also had a split out with fellow Swedes and Freak Valley veterans, Graveyard.

No coincidence that Goat were added to the bill just as online tickets went on sale over this past weekend. I don’t know that the fest is sold out yet, but usually it’s not too long after the onsale that tickets are gone, and with Goat as added impetus, it’s hard to imagine that not being the case this year too.

From social media:

HEADLINER ANNOUNCEMENT @goatworldmusic live at @freakvalleyfestival 2026

After many, many years of trying… it finally happened:

GOAT will headline FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL 2026!

The legendary Swedish collective, known for their mind-bending mix of psychedelic rock, tribal grooves & hypnotic rituals, are coming to Freak Valley for the very first time!

We’re beyond proud and still can’t believe it. This one’s truly special.

Online Tickets go on sale this Sunday, 02.11. at 17:00 cet at fvf.ticket.io — don’t sleep on it!

http://www.freakvalley.de/
http://www.rockfreaks.de/
https://www.instagram.com/freakvalleyfestival/
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley

Goat, Goat (2024)

A lot of good news in the second lineup announcement from Freak Valley Festival. Beyond the always-significant presence of Messa, who I’m pretty sure will be making their first appearance at the fest (pardon me if I’m wrong on that), and the implication of European returns next summer for both Nashville’s Howling Giant and Australian blues rockers Child — who along with Brown Spirits here and the previously-announced Tranquonauts make it three Aussie/part-Aussie acts on the bill; if there’s a quota, I don’t know about it, so they may not be the last — it’s awesome to see Freak Valley dig deep and bring Italian psych conjurers Upupayāma to the proceedings, while Long Distance Calling highlight the meditative instrumental progressivism that’s long been a staple of the festival’s presentation. It’s a killer batch of names, is I guess the point I’m making, even before you get to Zerre or J-psych rockers Super Jet Kinoko.

I’ve been lucky enough to attend Freak Valley for the last four editions. If that luck holds and I get to be there for number five, there are a few here who’ll be among my most anticipated of the hopefully-sunny June weekend.

The following was posted on socials (hence the atsigns) like half an hour ago:

⚡️2nd Band Wave Announcement🫵🏼

Freaks, the next wave is here and it’s a heavy one! Get ready for a wild mix of doom, psych, and trash metal at Freak Valley Festival 2026!

@messa_band bring their dark, soulful take on doom metal, full of atmosphere and emotion!

@longdistancecalling will take you on a powerful instrumental journey through epic soundscapes and dynamic melodies.

@childtheband from Australia deliver pure heavy blues rock, raw, soulful, and full of fuzzy groove.

@howlinggiant blast off with their cosmic stoner rock — big riffs, big energy, and a lot of heart.

@zerre.thrash hit hard with raw noise and distortion, channeling pure intensity straight to the gut.

@upupayama create dreamy, folk-inspired psych sounds that feel like a trip through the Italian mountains.

@brownspirits bring hypnotic krautrock grooves and vintage tones straight out of Melbourne’s underground scene.

@super_jet_kinoko invite you to explore deep, colorful layers of Japanese psychedelic rock.

And don’t forget: tomorrow night at @vortex_surfer_musikclub, @gyasitheband & @iahbanda &@transonic.science will be playing live. At the show, you’ll also be able to buy up to two Freak Valley 2026 tickets per person!

Design: @branca_studio

http://www.freakvalley.de/
http://www.rockfreaks.de/
https://www.instagram.com/freakvalleyfestival/
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley

Upupayāma, Mount Elephant (2024)

Howling Giant, “Beholder I: Downfall” official video

Child, Soul Murder (2023)

Hard not to get excited at the prospect of covering Freak Valley again next year. I’ve been four times now, and at the risk of honesty, I’ll tell you it’s beginning to feel a bit like a home away therefrom. A first lineup announcement for 2026 brings Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Kylesa, Tranquonauts (that’s Seedy Jeezus with Tony Reed and Isaiah Mitchell), Stoned Jesus, Coltaine, Håndgemeng, The Neptune Power Federation, Ratsalad and BB Blackdog, and if that’s not enough to get you to mark your calendar, it probably should be. If nothing else, Freak Valley has become a regular quick-sellout, so if you’re hemming and hawing, probably best you don’t.

They’ve got local ticket sales starting this weekend and online sales to follow. I could sit here and recommend the experience (which I do, heartily), but if you want to check out the coverage of this year’s Freak Valley, that’s here as well. The following was posted on socials just a bit ago:

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL 2026 – FIRST BAND ANNOUNCEMENT!

It’s that time again, Freaks – the first wave of bands for @freakvalleyfestival 2026 is here, and it’s already looking massive!

Leading the charge:

@uncleacidband – the masters of vintage doom and twisted psychedelia are finally coming to Freak Valley! Expect pure darkness, fuzzed-out riffs, and that unmistakable cult vibe.

@kylesa_band – sludge, groove, and heavy energy straight from Savannah! Their return to the stage is something we’ve all been waiting for.

Tranqonauts – a true supergroup featuring @tony_reed2112 , @isaiahmitchellsounds (@earthlessrips ), and members of @seedyjeezus ! You know what that means: cosmic jams, heavy riffs, and deep space energy.

Also joining the Freak Valley family in 2026:
@stonedjesusband , @theneptunepowerfederation , @coltaine , @handgemeng , @we_are_ratsalad & BB Blackdog!

Get ready for another wild ride through the worlds of heavy psych, stoner, doom, and everything in between. 🤘

🎟️ TICKET INFO:

This Sunday at the @vortex_surfer_musikclub in Siegen, everyone attending the @fomiesband show can buy up to 2 Freak Valley 2026 tickets before the online sale starts! So if you’ve got a ticket for Sunday, you’ve got early access – no waiting, no stress. 🤝🏻

See you in the valley, Freaks!

Design: @branca_studio

http://www.freakvalley.de/
http://www.rockfreaks.de/
https://www.instagram.com/freakvalleyfestival/
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Live in San Francisco, CA, 02.21.25