Kristonfest 2023 Makes First Lineup Announcement

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 13th, 2022 by JJ Koczan

When asked if I wanted a logo for The Obelisk to appear on the poster for Kristonfest 2023 — to be held next May 27 in Madrid, Spain — I knew the answer was yes even before I was aware of who’d be playing. The festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the coming year, and with GraveyardThe ObsessedInter Arma and Mars Red Sky in the first lineup announcement, they’re wanting for nothing in terms of reach or scope. This does make me think maybe Inter Arma will be on tour with The Obsessed, but I don’t know that so don’t go spreading it or anything, but regardless, from the heavy blues and classic doom at the top of the bill through the sheer visceral extremity and ever-proggier melodic songcraft that follows here, they’re four-for-four in my mind. And now that I’ve seen the announcement, maybe instead of congratulating myself in “I called it” fashion, I’ll say that I’m humbled they asked about that silly logo in the first place.

Also, that’s the first I’m hearing of a new Graveyard album. So that’s a thing ot watch for.

Expect more to come probably in the New Year, but for now here’s the poster and what Kristonfest has to say about it:

Kristonfest 2023 with logos

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMPLETE POSTER FOR THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KRISTONFEST

This new edition will take place on Saturday, May 27, 2023 in the central La Paqui room (Former BUT room) in Madrid and tickets are now available at www.kristonfest.com

After many turbulent months and full of uncertainty, the Kristonfest is back with a bang and presents itself with a lineup full of quality, variety and that picks up the gauntlet thrown by the fans who, year after year, show their support and encouragement for a self-managed event and focused on rock in its most extensive color palette. Maintaining the philosophy of giving space to different styles and prominence to the participating bands, the 2023 line-up is made up of four bands that perfectly represent what Kristonfest is and wants to be:

The titanic GRAVEYARD will visit the festival for the first time, a double joy since they will be presenting their new studio album, the sixth in their career since their formation in 2005. Entangled in an amalgamation of blues-rock, psychedelia and mesmerizing compositions, accompanied by a voice and lyrics loaded with feeling, make this Swedish quartet a benchmark. They will be accompanied by the historic THE OBSESSED, formed at the end of the ’70s and led by the charismatic Scott “WINO” Weinrich, for many one of the fathers of doom-metal and who treasures an endless career (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan , The Hidden Hand, Wino, Probot, etc…) and that has served as a reference for hundreds of bands that have emerged in recent decades! For this occasion, the band adds a second guitarist to its classic trio format, which will give more strength and power to the show of those from Maryland-USA!.

The INTER ARMA quintet has carved out a well-deserved reputation as a live band, largely due to such majestic songs that act as a facilitating element to offer a brutal and uncompromising set list in which they leave no puppet with a head. Richmond’s quintet outdoes itself on each album it publishes, mixing sludge with black and even post-metal with majestic and apparent ease. We don’t usually see such wild bands at Kristonfest, don’t miss them! To close this vicious circle, some old acquaintances from the underground circuit, the French MARS RED SKY, who have had hundreds of concerts around the world behind them and appearances as significant as those they offered at important festivals such as Hellfest, Motocultor or the homeland Resurrection Fest. Leaders of rock psychedelia in Europe together with contemporaries such as Colour Haze, Causa Sui or Siena Root, the Bordeaux trio is loaded with fuzz, groove and stoner-rock, pure dynamite to round off a night that seems special and worth remembering. THIS IS KRISTONFEST!

Poster by Raul Viana / @backtotheprimitive

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Graveyard, Live on Rockpalast 2018

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Kristonfest 2022 Announces Lineup for May 7 & 14

Posted in Whathaveyou on November 4th, 2021 by JJ Koczan

kristonfest 2022 logo

Two shows on successive Saturdays in May will comprise Kristonfest 2022 in Madrid, Spain, and it’s a to-the-heart-of-it lineup that nods at the country’s own ultra-fertile underground in including progressive heavy psych forerunners Atavismo — new record not nearly soon enough — while also bringing on board heavy-hitting headliners like Witchcraft and Earthless, both of whom look set to make the rounds in a significant way next year. One can also expect to see much of Slift and Stöner and Slomosa, and while they’re due for an album, MaidaVale‘s classic take on heavy is nothing but welcome anytime that Swedish outfit happen to be in the neighborhood. Very much down to business. “All killer,” and so on.

Of course, there was no Kristonfest in 2020 — Masters of RealityBrant Bjork (who’ll be at 2022 with Stöner), Swans and MaidaVale had been set for that, among others — and there was an edition scheduled for 2021 that doesn’t seem to have taken place either, but with the shape the universe seems to be taking, people seem just fed up enough to leave the house again. Can’t argue.

Tickets are on sale, and the festival’s announcement follows, including the buy link.

As per the social media:

kristonfest 2022 poster

First of all, we would like to thank you for the patience that you have shown during all these months, a time that has meant a before and after and that has especially punished our sector, leaving many friends and colleagues on the road with no option of return.

That is why we are especially proud to continue standing and to be able to launch a statement in which 7 artists that we are passionate about will form the line up for the next edition of Kristonfest 2022, which will take place in the Mon venue in Madrid on Saturdays 7 and May 14, 2022. Tickets are already on sale through the festival website: www.kristonfest.com

The first day will be headlined by the Swedish WITCHCRAFT, probably one of the most desired and longed-for bands to see right now. We already had them confirmed for the 2020 and 2021 editions but for reasons that we all know it was completely impossible to enjoy them … it is said that the third time is the charm and we hope so.

Stay with this name, SLIFT, a three-headed sonic whirlwind propelled by The Stooges, Hawkwind, MC5, Kyuss or Can and that looks more contemporary bands like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Wooden Shijps or Moon Duo in the face. They will come to present their huge “Ummon” that everyone is talking about.

To close the first day we will have ATAVISMO from Algeciras, national pride and band with which any lover of sound exploration, psychedelia and improvisation will enjoy an incomparable cosmic journey.

The second day will feature 4 artists who will offer diversity and enjoyment in equal parts. The legendary EARTHLESS will arrive from San Diego to lead the day and our pulse does not shake when confirming that it is one of the best psychedelic rock bands in the world. We already had them in a last edition in which they left everyone with their mouths open and wanting more. Now Isaiah also plays guitar in The Black Crowes but that didn’t complicate it when we asked them to go back to Kristonfest.

From Palm Springs (USA) another of the highlights will be to see the staging of STÖNER, commanded by two godfathers of desert rock such as Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri, both founders of Kyuss, also Mondo Generator, Ché, Fu Manchu, Bloodcot, etc … and Ryan Gut (drums) from the band Brant Bjork & The Bros. You don’t call your band Stöner if you’ve never heard the word before and, as their track record attests, it’s not the first time these three musicians have embarked on a project of this caliber.

MAIDAVALE were confirmed in the edition that we had to cancel due to the health crisis, so we had a debt with them that we can finally pay off! This quartet from Sweden shines like few others in the psychedelic-rock and heavy-blues skies of the last decade. They drink from the influences that the 1960s left for history, contributing to their set list a more direct, atmospheric and forceful sound.

To complete the line-up, nothing better than new blood, the Norwegians SLOMOSA burst onto the scene with a most interesting and appetizing cover letter: Riffs that take you to the frozen dunes of the Scandinavian tundra, muscular and greasy rock on the path of classics like Fu Manchu and the early Queens Of The Stone Age. A good new generation onslaught that confirms the good health of the European desert-rock scene.

http://www.facebook.com/kristonfest
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https://www.kristonfest.com/

Stöner, “Own Yer Blues” from ‘Live in the Mojave Desert’

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Kristonfest 2020 Canceled

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 20th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

Can anyone really blame them? Of course not. With governments across Europe and elsewhere telling people to stay at home, shelter-in-place and other foreboding-sounding shit as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Madrid’s Kristonfest 2020 has pulled the plug on what was to be a killer lineup with Swans and Masters of Reality and C.O.C. at the top of a righteous one-day bill with Brant BjorkMaidaVale and Norman Westberg rounding out. So it goes with just about everything. They’ve got ticket refunds going if you bought, but I think this is pretty indicative of the way things are happening right now, and as I’ve tried to keep up with the fest over the last few years, it’s a bummer to see. Not the first, won’t be the last. They’re smart to cancel outright rather than try to reschedule for the Fall, because who the hell knows what the situation will be in the Fall?

Here’s their statement, pulled from Thee Facebooks:

kristonfest 2020 poster

Kristonfest is still a project made with passion rather than with resources, with enthusiasm and crazy ideas rather than with head, that’s why this is a statement that hurts to write, but given the serious health situation we are suffering and the pessimistic forecasts that are being explaining for the coming weeks, we have no choice but to inform you that Kristonfest 2020 is cancelled.

We want to make it clear that this edition is not postponed, but is cancelled due to the impossibility of being able to match the artists on the same date in the coming months. That is why we open the return period of 30 days so that you can recover the money from your tickets through the Wegow platform. Those of you who bought your tickets at Escridiscos must have a little patience since, due to the State of Alarm decreed by the Government, record stores are not allowed to open within a minimum period of fifteen days.

Now is the time to assimilate and reflect on it, but also to continue supporting Swans, Masters Of Reality – Official, Corrosion Of Conformity, Brant Bjork, MaidaVale and Norman Westberg, who are losing a lot of money with all the cancellations that are taking place all over the world, as they depend on the concerts to keep going. That is why we ask that, as far as possible, you support them by purchasing their music and merchandising through their websites and social networks.

The good news is that this hard blow has not diminished our desire to continue working on line-ups at the height of the festival’s history. For this reason and starting today we are working on the edition of 2021, from which we hope to give you good news in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, take care of each other, follow the prompts of the authorities and act with responsibility and common sense. We will come out of this nightmare together and reinforced.

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https://www.wegow.com/es-es/festivales/kristonfest-2020
http://www.facebook.com/kristonfest
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https://www.kristonfest.com/

Brant Bjork, “Jungle in the Sound”

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Kristonfest 2020 Adds Masters of Reality, Brant Bjork and MaidaVale to Complete Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on November 13th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

kristonfest 2020 logo

As will happen from time to time, the announcement info below was run through a major tech company’s translation matrix, so take the actual verbiage with a figurative grain of salt. The important thing to note is that there are five bands booked for Madrid’s Kristonfest 2020 all-dayer next May and not a clunker in the bunch. Truth. I haven’t seen Masters of Reality — something I’d hope to correct sooner or later — but I’ve seen the other four and they’re all awesome. MaidaVale, who’ll open the show, bring classic rock vibes straight out of tomorrow, and of course you don’t at all need me to extol the many virtues of Brant Bjork or C.O.C., and probably not Swans either, as I’m sure you’ve already heard their latest record and know it’s ridiculously good.

And if you’re still on the fence, I have the utmost faith Masters of Reality will be astounding. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a new record from them around Springtime next year. Doing this and Desertfests means perhaps a tour, and a tour is rare enough to make me think a full-length is coming. Fingers crossed.

Here’s that info:

kristonfest 2020 poster

Kristonfest 2020 – May 9 – Madrid

Masters of reality (USA), Brant Bjork & Band (USA) and maidavale (Sweden) Join Swans (USA) and corrosion of conformity (USA) to complete the poster of the kristonfest 2020. Five Bands with a very marked style That will bring diversity and excellence to a new edition in the La Riviera room in Madrid.

The tickets, which are already available through the website of the festival www.kristonfest.com and in Escridiscos, will not vary their price, staying in the 45 € + Distribution Costs announced initially.

Formed in 1981 and led by legendary producer Chris Goss, Masters of reality is a very important band in the history of rock, as it clearly influenced many bands that were springing up in the state of California at the end of the ‘ 80 And principles of the ’90s, coming to create a musical movement with its own name. So much so that bands like kyuss, fu manchu, sleep, Nebula, yawning man, fatso jetson, etc… have openly declared their admiration for masters of reality.

The different stages of masters of reality have counted with relevant musicians, where ginger baker is featured (Cream, hawkwind, p.i.l.), Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the stone age), Mark Lanegan (screaming trees), Dave catching (Queens of The Stone Age, Eagles of death metal, Mondo Generator, etc…. and where the combination of experimenting with hard-Rockers riffs and their tastes for the progressive rock of the ‘ 70 s let their hobby be revealed by King Crimson and Black Sabbath,… so much so the band took its name from the album that these last published in 1971, “Masters of reality”.

The letters of Chris Goss, who is considered the godfather of the whole desert-rock movement, are like reading the Bible of everything that surrounded the birth and development of a scene that was never supported by the great record labels, but that has managed to keep Live thanks to the passion of your followers.

The fourth confirmation is that of Brant Bjork & band, key name of the stoner-rock scene for being the drummer of the legendary kyuss and who has recently reissued one of his best albums, “Jalamanta” (1999). If To this we add that the great Sean Wheeler is part of the band is a news that makes us very excited, since Sean is a key piece of the desert scene for being the leader of throw rag and have collaborated in many projects next to Jesse Hughes, Josh Homme, Chris Goss, Mark Lanegan, etc….

The last confirmation is that of the Swedish MaidaVale, which shines like few in the skies of psychedelia-Rock and heavy-Blues of the last decade. Without a doubt, Mathilda Roth (voice), Sofia Ström (Guitar), Linn Jóhannesson (Bass) and Johanna Hansson (Drums) drink from the influences they left for history the decade of the ‘ 60 s, contributing to their repertoire A more direct, atmospheric and forceful sound.

His passage through festivals such as Sweden rock, desertfest, freak valley and red smoke festival has helped them to build the reputation of live, soulful and charismatic band, so get ready to be captivated by this quartet that has a lot to say.

https://www.facebook.com/events/793147224452006/
https://www.wegow.com/es-es/festivales/kristonfest-2020
http://www.facebook.com/kristonfest
http://www.instagram.com/kristonfest/
https://www.kristonfest.com/

Brant Bjork, Live at Freak Valley 2019

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Kristonfest 2019 Completes Lineup: The Hellacopters, Earthless, Dozer and Mondo Generator Added

Posted in The Obelisk Presents, Whathaveyou on November 15th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

kristonfest 2019 logo

I can only be honest with you — I have no fucking idea why Kristonfest was like, ‘Hey, we’ll put an Obelisk logo on our poster.’ Anyone with the kind of pull to put together a festival with the likes of EarthlessThe HellacoptersDozerKadavar, Mondo GeneratorChurch of the Cosmic SkullArabrot and Turbowolf needs me like they need a hole in the head. It’s there, the round one next to the memento mori skull at the bottom, and I’m proud as hell of it. But yeah, I don’t deserve that. Here’s a festival in Madrid that will have at least six years of history behind it by the time it comes around in May, and I’m some schlub sitting at my laptop. Something there doesn’t make sense. I’m honored, as the robot said: Does not compute.

Hey, thanks to Kristonfest 2019 for letting me be involved in the small way that I am. I was touched at the sentiment before, but now that the lineup is complete, that’s even more the case. If you can make it to Madrid, you should do that. I mean, you should do that anyway because traveling is amazing, but all the more so when an event of this caliber is involved. Thank you. And thank you for reading, because I’ll tell you outright the only reason anyone gives a shit about this site is because you read it. You will not find me deluding myself that it’s my charming personality and copious wordsmithery making the difference. It’s you. So thanks.

Here’s the final lineup announcement:

kristonfest 2019 poster

Kristonfest 2019

FRIDAY, MAY 10 | WARM UP PARTY KRISTONFEST 2019
SALA CARACOL (MADRID)

SATURDAY MAY 11 | KRISTONFEST 2019
SALA LA RIVIERA (MADRID)

For this 2019, the main novelty is that the next edition will be composed of 2 days: A first day framed in a Warm Up Party or party presentation in the Caracol Room and a second day in the usual La Riviera, both in Madrid.

The Hellacopters, Earthless, Dozer and Nick Oliveri’s Mondo Generator complete the poster of the next Kristonfest 2019, joining KADAVAR, Turbowolf, Church of the Cosmic Skull And Arabrot.

Tickets per day and bonuses now available: www.kristonfest.com

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http://www.kristonfest.com
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Dozer, “Empire’s End” official video

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Kristonfest 2019 Tickets on Sale; Kadavar, Church of the Cosmic Skull, Arabrot and Turbowolf to Play

Posted in The Obelisk Presents, Whathaveyou on August 31st, 2018 by JJ Koczan

Looks like good times ahead. I’ve been asked if I’d like to be a media sponsor for Kristonfest 2019 and my answer was pretty much, “duh yes.” I framed it nicer than that, but that was the gist of it. The festival will be held in Madrid on May 10 (a pre-show) and May 11 (the fest proper) and so far four bands have been announced: KadavarArabrotTurbowolf and Church of the Cosmic Skull, giving an immediate sense of variety in underground heavy from the ultra-harmonies of the latter UK outfit to the mega-hooks of the former to Arabrot‘s noise assault and Turbowolf‘s classic-styled hard rock. Much to dig for just being four acts so far, but I have it on good authority more killer stuff is to be announced, so keep an eye out.

The info below was run through a major internet company’s translation matrix, so keep that in mind as you peruse, but I think the point gets across. Tickets are on sale now:

kristonfest 2019 poster

Kristonfest 2019

FRIDAY, MAY 10 | WARM UP PARTY KRISTONFEST 2019
SALA CARACOL (MADRID)

SATURDAY MAY 11 | KRISTONFEST 2019
SALA LA RIVIERA (MADRID)

For this 2019, the main novelty is that the next edition will be composed of 2 days: A first day framed in a Warm Up Party or party presentation in the Caracol Room and a second day in the usual La Riviera, both in Madrid.

Having said that, the eighth edition of the Kristonfest will be held on May 10 and 11, 2019 and as the first round of confirmations we are proud to present the KADAVAR Germans, who in a short time have become the spearhead of a new generation of artists who have revived and refreshed the most classic sounds of legends like Black Sabbath or Pentagram, adding rhythms more typical of psychedelia or stoner-rock.

Another great confirmation is the TURBOWOLF, English quartet that burst with great force with the edition of its first disc in 2011 and that dragged a debt after having recorded 3 discs and still not to come to Madrid to present it. The wait has been long but we are sure it will be worth it!

In similar circumstances we find CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL, a kind of hippie commune formed by 7 musicians reminiscent of the Electric Light Orchestra, Deep Purple or Fleetwood Mac and that in the European scene is one of the sensations of the moment, Mission fulfilled! It will be the first time they have performed in Spain and we are sure that their show will be one of the highlights of Kristonfest 2019.

To close this first round of confirmations, we are especially excited to announce ARABROT, one of the successful bands of the past Roadburn and that will delight us with their vision of the darker side of rock, evoking the icy landscapes of their native Norway and reminding us of brushstrokes of artists that we admire a lot like Wovenhand, Neurosis or Melvins to name a few.

TICKETS ALREADY ON SALE: WWW.KRISTONFEST.COM

https://www.facebook.com/events/391742591310823/
http://www.kristonfest.com
https://www.facebook.com/kristonfest
https://twitter.com/Kristonfest
https://www.instagram.com/kristonfest

Church of the Cosmic Skull, “Evil in Your Eye” official video

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