I hadn’t necessarily planned on doing a tribute to Desertfest London 2022. Not that it doesn’t deserve it, just that it didn’t occur to me until last week’s lineup announcement happened to hit at the right moment for my brain to connect the two things: the show and the fest. Sometimes you get these impulses and it’s a good idea to follow.
In the voice tracks here I mumble a couple times about doing a second installment because this is so packed and there’s still so much more that got left out because the show is only two hours long. I may get around to doing a second one, or I might do a Berlin one, a New York one, or a Freak Valley one, Krach am Bach, Stoned From the Underground, etc. There are many, many options, and that’s not to mention Roadburn, which is also happening in two weeks.
But god damn the lineup for Desertfest London 2022 is sick, and I’m happy to report that the playlist below follows suit accordingly.
Thanks if you listen, thanks if you’re reading. Thanks in general.
The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at: http://gimmemetal.com.
Full playlist:
The Obelisk Show – 04.01.22
Witchcraft
No Angel or Demon
Witchcraft
Electric Wizard
The Chosen Few
Witchcult Today
Greenleaf
On Wings of Gold
Echoes From a Mass
Josiah
Malpaso
Josiah
VT
Elephant Tree
Sails
Habits
Steak
Papas Special Custard
Acute Mania
YOB
Quantum Mystic
The Unreal Never Lived
Conan
Eye to Eye to Eye
Existential Void Guardian
King Witch
Under the Mountain
Under the Mountain
VT
Earthless
Gifted by the Wind
Black Heaven
Green Lung
Reaper’s Scythe
Black Harvest
MaidaVale
Another Dimension
Madness is Too Pure
Bongzilla
Free the Weed
Weedsconsin
VT
Old Horn Tooth
True Death
True Death
1782
Bloodline
From the Graveyard
Lowrider
Sernanders Krog
Refractions
The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is April 15 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 16th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
Sonic Whip are making it easy for you. Sitting around your house thinking about whether to travel to Nijmegen next May? Well, they’ve got Motorpsycho and Earthless atop a two-day bill of righteous heavy that kills all the way down the poster. Rotor? Stöner? Mythic Sunship and Slomosa? Who’s going to argue with any of that? I mean, the answer was yes on going to Nijmegen anyway, but if Polymoon and Sacri Monti are showing up, that’s all the more reason.
I’ve got a yelling four year old upstairs to go tend to — it’s about six in the morning my time, he’s up and banging around as he will — but there’s some urgency here as Saturday tickets are already sold out. There’s still Friday, for now, or two-day passes, if you want to do the full Sonic Whip 2022 experience, and apparently if you had bought in for the long-long ago in 2020, you get in automatically. That’s nice.
Here’s info and links:
Sonic Whip 2022 – May 6-7
We are back! It is time to let the guitars roar again on 6 & 7 May in Doornroosje Nijmegen.
Living legends Motorpsycho will headline Sonic Whip 2022 – Official.
Next to them we have invited Earthless, Stöner, Rotor, Sacri Monti, Maidavale, A/lpaca, Polymoon, Mythic Sunship, Slomosa and Kaleidobolt to this killer psychedelic party. And there is more to follow…
The beautiful artwork created by the talented Maarten Donders.
TICKET SALES UPDATE
We are grateful so many of you held on to the Sonic Whip 2020 tickets which remain valid for the 2022 edition. As a result of this and the recent sales the day tickets for the Saturday are sold out now!
Only weekend tickets and Friday day tickets remaining. We can promise you both days will be worth it!
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 4th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
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 Reality, Brant 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:
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.
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 20th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
Tickets are on sale as of today for Desertfest Berlin 2022, which will be headlined by Electric Wizard, Kadavar playing a hometown show and Witchcraft. The rest of the lineup is a thrilling combination of mainstays — which somehow feels extra comforting — and upstarts, plus Stöner, who are kind of both, I guess, being a new band but with Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri at the helm thereof. You’ll note Lowrider and Orange Goblin — the latter celebrating their 25th anniversary, delayed of course — and Elder and Ufomammut (debuting their new lineup), 1000mods and Truckfighters and My Sleeping Karma. Could hardly get more Desertfest than that. Like a reaffirmation of the festival’s core mission. Plus YOB, for extra life-giving vibes.
And with those, you get acts like Slomosa, Slift, Polymoon and Villagers of Ioannina City, underground celebrants like Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs and Samavayo and Dhidalah and MaidaVale and 24/7 Diva Heaven as well as Love Machine, Los Bitchos and Huntsmen. There’s reportedly more to come — and by that I mean that’s what it says on the poster below — but for real, if this was the four days, I can’t imagine wanting to see any less than all of it.
LINEUP: Electric Wizard Kadavar Witchcraft Orange Goblin YOB Truckfighters Elder 1000mods My Sleeping Karma Ufomammut Stöner Lowrider Villagers of Ioannina City SLIFT MaidaVale 24/7 Diva Heaven Samavayo Slomosa Los Bitchos PigsPigsPigsPigsPigsPigsPigs Dhidalah Polymoon Enigma Experience Huntsmen Love Machine
+ more to be announced
After two years without our beloved Desertfest happening, we need you more than ever. We can’t wait to see you all again to party, have some drinks and enjoy the finest of stoner, psychedelic, doom and heavy rock music!
Thank you so much for your continuous support and for holding on to your tickets. We want to give a little something back to you…
Existing weekend passes (3-days tickets) from 2020 will remain valid for the full 4 days in 2022 automatically. Yes, you will be granted access to ONE MORE FESTIVAL DAY ON TOP, FOR FREE!
We hope you’ll understand that there are logistical changes to the original 2020 line-up. Due to these challenges, existing 2020 single day ticket holders will be refunded for their chosen day. More info about our ticket-policy:www.desertfest.de/information
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 20th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Even apart from how it relates to the other festivals under the Desertfest banner — Berlin, Belgium, New York — Desertfest London set an extremely high standard for itself last year, and it was obvious coming into Desertfest London 2020 that they’d have their work cut out for them in reaching those same heights. Their lineup isn’t finished yet, and of course we’ll see how it all looks when the day-schedule is fully unveiled, but bringing Lowrider on board to support their first release in 20 years, Refractions, is nothing if not significant — they played there in 2013 and were fantastic — but they’ll also be the the UK debut for Khemmis from the US and at least the first time at Desertfest for MaidaVale from Sweden. They’ve pretty much lost their minds and added 20 bands in a single shot here, so there’s plenty to dig into, but you’ll note King Witch, who are frickin’ awesome, as well as The Hazytones, Alunah and the slew of others taking part. They’re building a desert empire in Camden Town.
Has it been nine years already? I may have to start planning my return for year 10 if they’ll have me.
From thee social medias:
DESERTFEST ADDS 20 NAMES TO LONDON LINE-UP, INCLUDING GRAVEYARD AS NEXT HEADLINER
Desertfest is thrilled to be kicking off the new year in style with the apt number of 20 names added for our 9th edition this May. Sweden’s most beloved export of hard rock, the impeccable Graveyard will bring their unique bluesy tones to London as headliners of Desertfest London 2020. The Swedish family reunion continues as we welcome back one of the most synonymous desert rock (and Desertfest) bands, the iconic Lowrider return with not only a rare live performance, but their first record in almost two decades. A masterclass in the melting pot of genre fluidity comes from two-man powerhouse Big Business, whilst psychedelic stoner rock trio Somali Yacht Club will make the trip from Ukraine to play Desertfest for the first time.
Speaking of debuts we’ll play host to the first UK show for Denver melancholic doom outfit Khemmis and Sweden delivers once again with rock’n’roll four-piece MaidaVale. Elsewhere on the bill we are thrilled to welcome Your Highness, Hexis, FIREBREATHER, The Hazytones, Opium Lord, King Witch, GURT, Alunah, 1782, Tides Of Sulfur, Doomicidal, Under, A Gazillion Angry Mexicans and Dunes.
As you may have noticed, The Picturebooks have unfortunately had to cancel their performance at Desertfest due to a schedule conflict out of our control. However with more acts still to be unveiled, plus day tickets on sale soon there’s much more to come for our 9th edition.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 20th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Five new names out of the Desertfest Berlin 2020 camp, and they’re good ‘uns at that. Seeing Lowrider get tapped for a return to the Desertfest stage makes sense, since it’s kind of where the reunion really kicked off, and Big Business always seem to make themselves welcome wherever they end up, so right on there too.
Those two and MaidaVale will be shared with Berlin’s sister festival in London, which nine years later remains an amazing cooperation between the two events, but I’m also stoked to see Greek rockers Puta Volcano getting the nod here, as their new album most definitely earns it. And likewise, having been fortunate enough to catch Temple Fang live in addition to appreciating their lineage through Mühr and Death Alley, it’s only good news as far as I’m concerned they’re starting to get out of their home turf. I’m dying for that band to put out a record.
So not that you or anyone asked, but it’s a thumbs up from me on this one, I guess. Again, no one asked. I know this.
From the PR wire:
DESERTFEST BERLIN CONFIRMS BIG BUSINESS, LOWRIDER, MAIDAVALE, TEMPLE FANG & PUTA VOLCANO FOR 2020!
Kicking off into the new year in glorious style, DESERTFEST BERLIN has announced 5 new names for their 2020- edition, taking place between May 1st – 3rd at the Arena Berlin. The leading cult, fuzz and all that is heavy sounds festival will be celebrating their 9th year with high class acts such as the already announced WITCHCRAFT, MASTERS OF REALITY, BRANT BJORK, AMENRA, 1000MODS, ORANGE GOBLIN, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, THE VINTAGE CARAVAN aside many more, and has just confirmed to welcome BIG BUSINESS, LOWRIDER, MAIDAVALE, TEMPLE FANG as well as PUTA VOLCANO to their eclectic line-up in May 2020.
There’s plenty of volume and feelings for party screaming, solo screaming, or just getting through what you’re going through. Desertfest means business, so they will bring you Big Business! The two-piece rock band from Los Angeles, CA, is known for their bombastic and frantic low end attack, marked by a signature vocal delivery. The creative duo, longtime friends and touring mates of The Melvins, began in Seattle, WA in 2003, and released 6 full length albums to date. Their latest output, The Beast You Are, was released in the Spring of 2019, and what a beast of a record it is! Big Business are currently writing new music, touring the world, and will be coming for YOU at Desertfest Berlin 2020!
This year will also see the long awaited return of Sweden’s Lowrider! Blues Funeral Recordings releases the searing new album “Refractions” in February 2020 – the band’s first in 20 years!
Lowrider’s debut EP and seminal album “Ode to Io” were foundational slabs at the dawn of stoner rock, which grew into a worldwide phenomenon with Lowrider clearly established as one of its trailblazers. Their new record will explode with all the churning fuzz and expansive riff-heaviness for which the band is known and loved for, shot through with a re-energized purpose and maturity. The grooves swing, the bottom end rumbles, and the melodies growl and soar, delivering at long last on Lowrider’s longing-to-be-fulfilled promise. Finally, the undisputed kings of the Swedish fuzz rock scene are back to deliver on their undeniably deserve mythic status, live at Desertfest Berlin 2020!
As one of the most prominent acts in the new generation of psych music, Swedish four piece MaidaVale create a reckless and experimental rock that keeps diverging from what’s expected. After first emerging on the live rock scene in 2014, followed by two highly acclaimed albums, MaidaVale currently belong to one of the most promising new bands of the scene. The band is exstensively touring Europe, and known for their musicality and the electric connection between both musicians and audience, their reputation has grown with each show. MaidaVale are showcasing their experimental and dynamic sound in a very special way, that confirmed their place in the psych rock scene. Aside mesmerizing festival appearances at such as Freak Valley or Duna Jam, Desertfest Berlin is psyched to welcome them again!
Rising from the ashes of Death Alley, bassist Dennis Duijnhouwer and guitarist Jevin de Groot put together their new band, Temple Fang, with guitarist Ivy van der Veer and drummer Jasper van den Broeke, combining the wild rock-abandon of their former outfit but with deeper, more cosmic leanings. Rock n’ Roll as a means to attaining spiritual freedom, but one is sure, this will be a wild ride!
Amidst the continuous and enjoyable struggle the survivor of an indie rock n’ roll band has become, Puta Volcano are building up their legacy and fanbase, one gig, one album, one song at the time. Being a significant cog in the acknowledged machine that Greek heavy rock is, they keep pushing forward what was set in motion back in 2012, when their debut EP was released.
2017 was the year that Puta Volcano planted their feet firmly to the ground and today, the band has a new album titled ‘Amma’ ready, a ton of confident excitement for it and a series of plans to back it up among which a 25-dates European tour mapped out, which will include Desertfest Berlin in May 2020!
DESERTFEST BERLIN is known for the best band line- ups of the entire heavy psych underground as well as its unique atmosphere and surroundings visited by desert rock fans from all over the globe, directly located at the riverside in the heart of Berlin, the Arena. After last year’s changes of a new sound system, the ‘Black Box’, that got high praise from both guests and critics alike finding themselves back at an intimate, high-energy underground club show, the festival will provide many more specials, space, and again a chill- party – AND live zone on the popular Hoppetosse boat! Don’t miss the fuzz and haze rock party of the year, at the capitol of the almighty riffs: The 9th edition of DESERTFEST BERLIN 2020, presented by Greyzone Concerts and cult live institution Sound of Liberation, who will be celebrating their 15th anniversary at the same year, is ready to take over Berlin this May!
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 13th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
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 – 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.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 24th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
It was good lineup after one announcement, but here we are and SonicBlast Moledo 2019 has announced the next batch of acts for its bill, which, when you step back and really take it in, seems all the more formidable. Note the San Diego infusion this time around from Sacri Monti, Harsh Toke and Petyr. I can’t help but wonder if that might mean those bands will head out on tour together in Europe sometime around August. Would make sense, since they all seem familiar with each other anyhow, but of course that’s speculation.
What isn’t speculation is that one continues to daydream about a quick weekend trip to Portugal in order to see this festival. Have you ever watched videos from SonicBlast? Seen pictures afterwards? It looks pretty incredible, and somehow the thought of seeing Monolord in such a rare and gorgeous setting seems all the more fun, let alone the classic-style rock of MaidaVale.
Ah, to dream.
The announcement was posted on the ol’ social medias and looked an awful lot like this:
We’re thrilled to announce ten more bands to the 9th edition of SonicBlast Moledo!
Monolord, LUCIFER, Toundra, Satan’s Satyrs, SACRI MONTI, HARSH TOKE, PETYR, KALEIDOBOLT, MaidaVale and MAGGOT HEART will bring us some loud heavy fuzzy doom tunes!
