Don’t tell anyone — or better yet, do! — but this show turned out pretty solid. I kind of put it together following a couple whims, things I’ve wanted to put in my own head, plus some of the recent Bandcamp Friday stuff — hello Spaceslug and Geezer — and things I’ve covered here recently in Tuna de Tierra and Worshipper and Carlton Melton, etc. Then I just wanted to hear the Shogun and LáGoon tracks for myself, and I’ve been meaning to cover that White Powder record more for weeks, and then I started thinking about songs that have “mountain” in the title and decided to do a whole block of those just for the hell of it, so that’s where we wound up. Mountain climbing.
But in addition to starting off with the maddeningly catchy “It’s Already Written” by Tau and the Drones of Praise — whose Roadburn Redux stream was posted here first thing this week — this one makes a few cool turns and flows and kind of breaks up nicely from one thing to the next, even as “Mountain” gets into “Mountain” into “Longing to Be the Mountain” and “Holy Mountain” and “I’m the Mountain.” This is the sort of thing I think is fun. That’s me. That’s who I am.
Anyway, thanks for listening and/or reading. As always, I hope you enjoy.
The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at http://gimmemetal.com
Full playlist:
The Obelisk Show – 05.14.21
Tau and the Drones of Praise
It’s Already Written
Tau and the Drones of Praise
Carlton Melton
Waylay
Where This Leads
Spaceslug
The Event Horizon
The Event Horizon
VT
Worshipper
Pictures of Home
VA – Bow to Your Masters Vol. 2: Deep Purple
LáGoon
Hill Bomb
Skullactic Visions
White Powder
Rula Jabreal
Blue Dream
Shogun
Delta
Tetra
VT
Tuna de Tierra
Mountain
Tuna de Tierra
Colour Haze
Mountain
Colour Haze
King Buffalo
Longing to Be the Mountain
Longing to Be the Mountain
Sleep
Holy Mountain
Sleep’s Holy Mountain
Stoned Jesus
I’m the Mountain
Seven Thunders Roar
VT
Geezer
Solstice
Solstice
The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is May 28 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 10th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Portland-based fucko freaks LáGoon have a new record coming out on June 19. It’s not this one. This is Maa Kali Trip, which the band put out in March. It’s being released on June 29 on a black and orange LP through Interstellar Smoke Records. You might recall yesterday I posted about Mystery Dudes signing to the label and said there was more news to come — well, here we are. Maa Kali Trip has more the garage’d-out sample-laden sludge than you can shake your bag of caps at, and the record nestles itself into a place that’s likewise filthy, heavy and psychedelic. If you’re feeling freaky, you’re probably not feeling freaky enough. Nonetheless, you persist.
Maa KaliTrip is, of course, streaming in its both-proto-and-post-grunge, sometimes-screamy anti-glory below. Preorders for the vinyl — limited copies, of course — start Friday. The new one from LáGoon is called Father of Death. It’s their fourth overall, and I don’t know if Interstellar Smoke will be putting that out too or not, but hey, if you can handle one trip, maybe you can sign up for another go.
It’s this or Squaresville, Jack:
LáGoon – Maa Kali Trip – Interstellar Smoke Records
This Friday, 12th of June, LáGoon ‚MAA KALI TRIP’ will available in Pre-Sale.
Album comes in single-pocket cover and poster A3 size. Hand-crafted heavy weight 180gr vinyl, Orange & Black solid colour. To get the highest quality sound, pressing in 45 RPM.
Maa Kali Trip is the third full length offering from the Portland, Oregon based two-piece.
The songs on this album were inspired by the maa kali mushroom truffle. Turn up your stereo and step inside the maa kali trip.
Album Art – David Paul Seymour
Orange Haze Edition is limited to 250 pcs Worldwide; at the Store you will have 180 pcs avaialable (!)
Shipping is scheduled at 29th of June 2020.
Thank you in advance for your support
Band Members: Guitar/Vocals – Anthony Gaglia Drums – Brady Maurer
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 12th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Last time, when The Electric Highway 2020 called out its preliminary lineup, I decided to roll with calling it the inaugural-ish edition of the Calgary-based festival, as it’s grown out of the 420 Music & Arts Festival of years prior, but still, there’s no question they’re doing it up for the occasion of the new name and presentation. Poster art by none other than David Paul Seymour has been unveiled, Mothership have joined on with Sasquatch, Wo Fat and Duel near the top of a Texas-dominant lineup — Sasquatch being the outlier geographically — and a pre-show has been announced with Seattle’s Year of the Cobra crossing the border to headline. These updates would seem to complete the proceedings as they’ll proceed, but of course April’s still a couple months out and you know, subject to change and all that. Still, it looks like a pretty badass time if you can make it.
Info came down the PR wire:
Festival Line-Up Announced! All Roads Lead To The Electric Highway In Calgary, AB, Canada!
Buckle up for The Electric Highway Festival, two days of killer bands, rad artists and fuzzy vibes April 17 & 18, 2020 at the historic Royal Canadian Legion #1 in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The Electric Highway Festival has completed its lineup with the addition of the mighty Mothership from Dallas, Texas. The Supersonic Intergalactic Heavy Rock trio’s goal from the beginning has been to carry on the tradition of the classic rock style of the ’70s, updated and amped up for the modern-day. Mothership have created a unique sound that satisfies like a steaming hot stew of UFO and Iron Maiden, blended with the southern swagger of Molly Hatchet and ZZ Top, paired with a deadly chalice of Black Sabbath. Do not miss this chance to hop on board and join Mothership as they tear across the Universal Cosmos!
The Electric Highway Festival has also added Vancouver’s Empress to the lineup. Both Mothership and Empress will be performing at the festival on Saturday, April 18, 2020. That brings the total number of bands performing during the festival to 22.
The Electric Highway Festival is excited to release its official artwork created by the renowned dark surreal artist David Paul Seymour. David Paul Seymour is an internationally known illustrator based in Minneapolis, MN who has created artwork for Municipal Waste, Conan, Mastodon as well as Shadow Weaver and Wo Fat who are both performing at The Electric Highway Festival in 2020. David Paul Seymour is also a driving force behind The Planet of Doom, an Animated Tale of Metal and Art and the creator of the Kumasan comic series.
The rest of the 2020 lineup brings an electric offering of North American bands featuring headliners Sasquatch and Wo Fat laying down their brand of fuzzy, kick-ass Desert Rock & Heavy Psych. Duel from Austin, Texas will be playing Canada for the 1st time at The Electric Highway Festival along with Hippie Death Cult & LáGoon both from Portland, Oregon. Festival favorites La Chinga return from Vancouver for their 4th appearance and Calgary’s Gone Cosmic & Buzzard from Victoria, BC are just a few more of the wicked bands that will be playing on two stages over the two days of The Electric Highway Festival, the full lineup below.
The Electric Highway Official Lineup: Sasquatch (Los Angeles, CA) Wo Fat (Dallas, TX) Mothership (Dallas, TX) Duel (Austin, TX) La Chinga (Vancouver, BC) Gone Cosmic (Calgary, AB) Hippie Death Cult (Portland, OR) LáGoon (Portland, OR) Buzzard (Victoria, BC) Chunkasaurus (Victoria, BC) Bazaraba (Calgary, AB) Shadow Weaver (Calgary, AB) Father Moon (Calgary, AB) Set & Stoned (Crossfield, AB) Row of Giants (Calgary, AB) Hemptress (Kamloops, BC) Pink Cocoon (Montreal, QC) The Sleeping Legion (Winnipeg, MB) The Basement Paintings (Saskatoon, SK) Empress (Vancouver, BC) Locutus (Calgary, AB) The Worst (Calgary, AB)
The Electric Highway Festival is also getting the whole thing started with a Kick-Off Party on Thursday, April 16th, 2020 at The Palomino Smokehouse & Social Club. This killer line up features Seattle powerhouse psychedelic doom duo Year of the Cobra as they return to Calgary. They will be joined by Calgary’s Bloated Pig, Outlaws of Ravenhurst, and newcomers Falcotron along with Red Deer’s Smoothsayer.
2 Day Festival Pass holders can pick up their wristbands a day early at The Electric Highway Festival Kick-Off Party. This event will be free for festival pass holders or $13 at the door for non-pass holders. (Space is limited so make sure to get their early!) Pre-order merch sales will also be available for pick up at this event too. Beat the lineup and come for some bands, beer & BBQ at the Pal!
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 6th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
A little bit of Cali, a little bit of Texas, a little bit of Portland, Oregon, and a whole lot of locals — the first lineup for The Electric Highway has been unveiled and the Calgary-based festival’s mission would seem to be directed toward kickass heavy and stoner rock. Thus, Sasquatch and Wo Fat headlining with Nebula and Duel also on board. And hey man, if you threw any kind of heavy rock and roll party in the entire nation of Canada — and Canada if frickin’ huge — and you didn’t at least invite La Chinga let alone actually have them play, your ass would just be negligent. That’s a band that’s never gonna do anything but make a strong rock bill stronger.
Calling this the inaugural The Electric Highway is fair enough, since it seems to be working under its own concept — pinball tournament! — but it formerly operated under the banner of the 420 Music and Arts Festival, and had a few years to its credit in that form. Still, a new name is a new name, so alright. Maybe “inaugural” with an asterisk. “Inaugural-ish.”
The PR wire has details. The fest has a hashtag that’s probably good advice anyway:
All Roads Lead To The Electric Highway Festival In Calgary, AB, Canada!
#BuckleUp baby, The Electric Highway is excited to announce our inaugural lineup! We wanted to put something special together for our first trip on the Highway and with over 20 bands in two daze, we think we have done exactly that…
Day One, Friday, April 17th Wo Fat from Dallas, Texas will be returning with their brand of Psychedelic Heavy Blues to headline night one, and we are flying in their bro’s in DUEL to share the stage with them that night too! Also laying waste to Friday night are BC’s Buzzard & CHUNKASAURUS, coming all the way from Portland, Oregon we have Hippie Death Cult & LáGoon, joining us from Montreal is PINK COCOON, and representing our amazing local scene will be Father Moon, Locutus, Row of Giants and The WORST.
Then on Day Two, Saturday, April 18th bringing the fuzz from California, we are STOKED AF to welcome back the mighty Sasquatch to headline our whole party and are psyched to have their buds Nebula along for the ride! As for the rest of Saturday, it just wouldn’t be a party without Vancouver’s La Chinga on the bill, along with local faves Gone Cosmic, Bazaraba, and Shadow Weaver from Calgary, Crossfield, Alberta’s Set & Stoned, Hemptress from Kamloops, BC, The Sleeping Legion from Winnipeg and rounding out our first lineup, from Saskatoon, The Basement Paintings.
The Electric Highway is taking place at the Royal Canadian Legion #1 in downtown Calgary, AB, Canada on April 17 & 18, 2020. Tickets go on sale at 10am MDT on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at https://theelectrichighway.ecwid.com/.
The Electric Highway Official Lineup: Sasquatch (Los Angeles, CA) Wo Fat (Dallas, TX) Nebula (Los Angeles, CA) Duel (Austin, TX) La Chinga (Vancouver, BC) Gone Cosmic (Calgary, AB) Hippie Death Cult (Portland, OR) LáGoon (Portland, OR) Buzzard (Victoria, BC) Chunkasaurus (Victoria, BC) Bazaraba (Calgary, AB) Shadow Weaver (Calgary, AB) Father Moon (Calgary, AB) Set & Stoned (Crossfield, AB) Row of Giants (Calgary, AB) Hemptress (Kamloops, BC) Pink Cocoon (Montreal, QC) The Sleeping Legion (Winnipeg, MB) The Basement Paintings (Saskatoon, SK) Locutus (Calgary, AB) The Worst (Calgary, AB)
Posted in Bootleg Theater on September 6th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
Oregonian two-piece LáGoon will release their 2018 EP, L’affaire des Poisons — which follows their 2018 debut LP, Grim Ripper — in October through Deckhead Records (tape) and Norwegian Blue Records (vinyl). The Portland-based duo put out the six-tracker on their own digitally in July, and with it further showcased their raw, garage doom sneer, PNW skate fuckall and a bit of sass thrown in for good measure. The latter can most certainly be heard on “Draculove,” the lyric video for which is premiering below, but the EP also digs into punkier fare on the subsequent closer “Distant Enemy” and offers a particular dirty take on classic stoner riffing in “Kill the Messenger,” somewhere between Fu Manchu and Helmet where opener “Street Freaks” unfurls creeper-doom aggression and a central groove that persists throughout the entire release no matter where an individual song might go stylistically.
Holding the material together on L’affaire des Poisons — as opposed to “L’affaire des Poissons, which would be about fish — is the prevailing nastiness in the recording and a quirky sense of songwriting. It gets weird quickly and stays that way. Part of that is the vocal approach of guitarist Anthony Gaglia, which seems to revel in the feeling of being more than a bit off-center. It’s not necessarily all irony and tongue-in-cheek, though I don’t think one writes a song like “Draculove” without a sense of humor, but Gaglia‘s vocals — almost like Dali’s Llama‘s Zach Huskey taken to more of a semi-spoken extreme and melded with Jus Oborn‘s abiding disgust with humanity — are a defining element throughout L’affaire des Poisons, which uses just two and a half minutes for “The Affair of Poisons,” a tale that could easily be taken as a sequel to Penatagram‘s “Forever My Queen” about a love that leads to murder.
Songs are short, which is another tie to punker roots, and largely straightforward in their structure, but cuts like “Head Tripper,” “Kill the Messenger” and “Draculove” offer hooks to stand behind all that weirdo sensibility. Coupled with some shifts in pace and a prevailing sense of doomed foreboding, L’affaire des Poisons is deceptively skilled in putting the listener in the mindset and mood it’s determined for them, and its presence is is both eerie and fun in kind, like a horror movie that lets you laugh with it.
You can stream the full EP — that whole “released in July” thing — at the bottom of this post, but for a quick sampling and some clever wordplay, the lyric video for “Draculove” follows immediately here.
Please enjoy:
LáGoon, “Draculove” lyric video premiere
Lyric video for the song ‘Draculove’ off our recent EP, ‘L’affaire des Poisons’. Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Sam Lay in Portland, Oregon.
All the edited footage in this video was taken from Tod Browning’s ‘Dracula’ (1931).
LáGoon live: Sep 11 Tonic Lounge Portland, OR Sep 28 Peter’s Room, Roseland Theater Portland, OR
LáGoon is: Guitar/Vocals – Anthony Gaglia Drums – Brady Maurer
