Especially in light of last year’s bill for Down the Hill, which included the classic-prog likes of Gong and Focus, it’s awesome to see this year’s edition featuring UK ’70s-heavy originals Atomic Rooster along with the rest of its first lineup announcement. No way that won’t be a fun set, and the statesmen o’ riff find suitable complement in MaidaVale, who’ve done more to modernize classic boogie than they’ve ever gotten credit for, presumably because they’re women.

From there, it continues to vary. Pothamus are heavy as a punch to the sternum, while Black Flower and on down from there in the text below, everybody has their own stylistic trajectory. I don’t know Belgium’s Aufhebung well, which is to say at all, though this isn’t the first time their name has appeared on this site (I looked), but I just put on their 2021 album Chasms and it’s killer and crushing, so thanks for the nudge on that one, Down the Hill. Not sure how I would’ve heard it except seeing their name in something like this, though the world has its ways.

Tickets are on sale now for Down the Hill 2026, and I’ve never been, but neither have I, in the five years I’ve covered the festival’s lineups, seen anything that would make me not want to be there. So, here’s this from socials. I’m not pretending it’s brand new news or that I’m at all competent in any way at keeping up with anyone’s anything ever. Thanks for understanding:

Down the Hill 2026

WOW! Already 20% SOLD in the first weekend, and still a big load of bands to announce! Here is our poster, so you get an idea where we are going this year.

Thank you so much for your trust! We won’t let you down 😉. Still 12 names to announce, keep your eyes open on our socials and website in the next few months.

Get ready for another incredible musical journey this year. Here are the first bands joining our stages:

• Atomic Rooster – Legendary British prog-rock pioneers featuring that iconic, heavy Hammond organ sound.

• MaidaVale – Heavy psychedelic rock from Sweden that pulls you into a hypnotic, fuzzy groove.

• Pothamus – Mesmerizing post-metal and sludge; a deep, atmospheric wall of sound.

• Black Flower – A vibrant, cosmic blend of Ethio-jazz, afrobeat, and oriental psychedelica.

• GROS COEUR – Belgian psych-rock from Liège that is as melodic as it is danceable.

• Aufhebung – Raw, experimental noise and industrial textures that push every boundary.

• WASTE – Energetic and uncompromising; the absolute cutting edge of modern noise-punk.

• The Moondig – Local favorites delivering the perfect mix of psychedelic and reverb-soaked vibes.

Much more to be announced!

Don’t miss out! Grab your tickets on our website from Januari 2, 17h!

www.downthehill.be/tickets

http://www.downthehill.be/
https://www.instagram.com/downthehillfestival/
https://www.facebook.com/DownTheHillFestival/

Atomic Rooster, “Devil’s Answer” live in the UK, 08.10.23

Aufhebung, Chasms (2021)

You can see on the poster below it says ‘last names are in,’ which means that yes indeed, this is the final lineup announcement for Desertfest Belgium 2025 this Oct. 17-19 in Antwerp. Seeing the complete bill is cool in itself, from Graveyard and YOB  to Elephant Tree, Acid Mammoth, Black Capricorn and Froglord from this latest announcement, it’s another cross-generational assemblage that, front to back, screams quality. I mean really. Colour Haze, Lowrider, High Desert Queen, Mars Red Sky, MR.BISON, Wren and Oranssi Pazuzu, and that’s hardly scratching the surface. It’s going to be a hell of a weekend.

That’s been the case for a few years with Desertfest‘s Fall flagship edition. Desertfest Belgium has become an epicenter and an intersection on the Fall circuit, but the assemblage is stunning well before you get to it being Orange Goblin‘s last Belgian date ever or Acid King doing two sets — which is probably the only way to top Acid King doing one set — the Mars Red Sky and Monkey3 collab, or Psychlona‘s unmitigated hookmaking. Oh yeah, and Bongripper will be there. So it’s “all this and crush the universe too.” If you’ll be in attendance, mark yourself lucky. Also, note to self: check out Marx.

From socials:

We are beyond thrilled to announce no less than 14 (!) new bands that will be gracing the Desertfest Antwerp stages this fall. Please welcome:

Elephant Tree 🌑 Mephistofeles 🌑 Acid Mammoth 🌑 Nightstalker 🌑 Telepathy 🌑 Black Capricorn 🌑 Froglord 🌑 FVZZ POPVLI 🌑 Huracán 🌑 GROS COEUR 🌑 T E R Z I E L E 🌑 Fomies 🌑 Scott Hepple and The Sun Band 🌑 MARX

Just a quick note that Hedonist will play DF on Saturday 18/10 (instead of Friday) and that Neànder will play DF on Friday 17/10 (instead of Saturday).

All your tickets can be found at the usual spot right now.

https://www.desertfest.be/antwerp/information/ticketing/

Keep on rockin’ and rollin’…! 🤘
The DF-team

http://www.desertfest.be/
https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium/
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_belgium/

Elephant Tree, “The Long Forever” official video

I had already nestled into my not-going-to-Roadburn-this-year melancholy, but a couple weeks ago, I actually got invited to go. And I’m going. It’ll be my first time in Tilburg since 2019, my first Roadburn of the post-pandemic heaviness-redefining era, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. Not knowing most of the artists isn’t a big deal — Roadburn delights in ground-floor introductions and is happy to make them without judgement — but I’ll be in a place that I used to very much think of as a kind of home for the first time in five years. What if it doesn’t feel like home anymore?

I have no logical answer for why it wouldn’t — usually an invitation is a decent sign you’re wanted somewhere, and I’ll say outright that neither the Roadburn Festival as an entity nor any individual or group involved with it has any need of me there — I edited the daily fest ‘zine for years with Lee from The Sleeping Shaman, but that’s long gone and I figured I was with it. Even having that as a place to contribute felt pretty tertiary to the experience of being there, but it was part of the thing. Do you think they’d still let me in the 013 office at 10AM each morning to drink coffee and shoot the shit? Yeah, probably not.

It will be an adventure in where-to-put-myself, but Roadburn‘s got pockets for even the most misanthropic of us to dwell for a few days, and I know once I get there and the music starts everything will be okay. I very much look forward to that. Thank you Roadburn for having me.

Their latest announcement follows. Also note that Inter Arma, whose New Heaven LP was announced today, were already confirmed to play the album in full at Roadburn 2024:

Roadburn adds 16 new names to the 2024 lineup including King Yosef, Lord Spikeheart, HIDE, Brigid Mae Power, Hilary Woods and more

Roadburn has today announced the final names for the main musical programme of the 2024 edition of the festival. The festival’s side programme, art exhibitions and Paradox jazz club artists are still to be announced for the festival, which will take place between 18-21 April in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Roadburn’s artistic director, Walter Hoeijmakers, comments:
The line-up for Roadburn 2024 is finally complete. We are immensely proud of the diverse array of artists that we have gathered, and we feel that we are channeling past, present and future artistically, musically and spiritually. We can’t wait to explore and discover everything that is in store and celebrate our beloved underground together with all of you.

—

Brigid Mae Power will deliver alchemical incantations and dreamy folk-pop melodies.

Channeling intensity and vulnerability, deathcrash’s slowcore will be a welcome addition.

Fear Falls Burning will premiere new music in the form of their new album, The Principle Flaw.

Gros Coeur are set to bring a psychedelic rainbow of sound to Roadburn.

With a new album on the way, Habitants will make their Roadburn debut this year.

Den Haag’s Heath promise “odd time signatures, blazing harmonica and hypnotic guitars” and more!

HIDE will bring their uncompromising live performance to Roadburn for the first time.

Fresh from the success of her latest release, Acts of Light, Hilary Woods will perform at Roadburn 2024.

Bringing a heady blend of industrial noise, hip hop to Roadburn is King Yosef.

Lord Spikeheart will make his Roadburn debut as a solo artist, performing music from his brand new album.

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys have been highly praised for their live show which will make its way to Roadburn this April.

Tilburg’s own Mirusi Mergina will present an experimental mix of whispers and soundscapes.

Neptunian Maximalism will present their ambitious and expansive new album Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu.

Having previously performed at Roadburn with his band, Tau and the Drones of Praise, Seán Mulrooney will return for a solo performance.

The Infinity Ring will head to Europe for the first time and perform at Roadburn 2024.

Throwing Bricks seek to find joy in heaviness and combine elements of punk, black metal, screamo and sludge.

The Spark, Roadburn’s Wednesday night pre-festival party, was recently announced featuring performances from Final Gasp, Sonja, and Riot City.

The above artists join a line-up that includes The Jesus And Mary Chain, Khanate, Chelsea Wolfe, Lankum, Clipping., Blood Incantation, Health, Royal Thunder, Hexvessel, Dool, Inter Arma, Agriculture, Fluisteraars, and many, many more. More artists will be announced in the coming weeks. For all information including tickets, please visit www.roadburn.com

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

Gros Coeur, Gros Disque (2023)