Posted in Whathaveyou on March 18th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Set for the weekend of Oct. 18-20 and (I think?) celebrating the 10th anniversary of the first Desertfest Belgium, which was held in 2014, the 2024 edition of the Antwerp-based Desertfest has made its first lineup announcement, anchored by Fu Manchu and Russian Circles and featuring a host of others ranging in both geography and style. From the fluid textures of REZN and classic melodic prog rock of Mondo Drag to the reunited Scorpion Child, Bongzilla‘s singularly stoned crust and the expansive riffery of Stoned Jesus, whose Mother Dark complement to early-2023’s Father Light (review here) is awaited, it’s a well-rounded bill even before you account for heavy psych rockers Seedy Jeezus and bluesy ’70s traditionalists Child making the trip from Australia, the latter on the heels of Heavy Psych Sounds reissuing their catalog, the expansive sounds of Messa, and so on.
That it looks like a cool time isn’t really a surprise. Desertfest Belgium has developed a character of its own as the flagship Fall Desertfest in Europe, and while I’ve never been, I always look forward to seeing what it brings to the seasonal cohort of heavy festivals. Already we know REZN will be on tour with Russian Circles, as that was announced last week too, but it’s likely more tours will come from Mondo Drag, Ritual King and others below that haven’t been revealed yet if they’re even at this point finalized. In addition to the usual daydreaming-about-travel, I find thinking about these things and imagining tours and who might have new records out by the time October gets here to be a particular kind of nerdy joy.
The announcement, as per social media:
It’s that time of year again! It’s with great pride and excitement that we announce the first names for DF24! 👁️
Confirmed for Desertfest ANTWERP are: Fu Manchu Russian Circles Stoned Jesus Bongzilla Scorpion Child MESSA Wolvennest Mondo Drag Seedy Jeezus CHILD REZN Ritual King The Abbey Lethvm RRRags Crouch Kara Delik
Three days of delirium and heavy delight are surely awaiting us all in Antwerp!
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 14th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
With Pentagram at the top of its thus-far bill playing what will reportedly be their final Swiss show ever on a retirement tour that will also stop through Desertfest Berlin 2024 this Spring, the Sound of Liberation-associated Up in Smoke Festival has made the first lineup announcement for its 10th anniversary edition. Set for Oct. 4-6, it is at the spearhead of what will almost certainly be a busy month on the European underground touring circuit. And as one expects news to follow shortly from other October festivals throughout Western Europe — Keep it Low in Munich, Desertfest Belgium in Antwerp, Høstsabbat in Norway that I’ve been fortunate enough to go to a couple times, and so on — knowing that the likes of Truckfighters, Monolord, Lowrider, Greenleaf and Slomosa will be out on the road, at least the latter two of them behind new records, warms the heart in February’s drear. Will I be there? Probably not, barring a miracle or some kind of grant that doesn’t exist, but someone will be, and that’s rad enough of a thought to get me through the end of this sentence, so I’ll take it.
Wonder if we’ll see new stuff from Gnome this year, and I think Messa were beginning the process this winter of their next LP. October is far enough away that just about anything can happen between now and then, and I guess that’s part of the fun in posting these things in the first place. Thanks for talking that one through with me.
And while we’re here, happy 10th anniversary to Up in Smoke, and many happy returns.
Here’s the latest:
⚡️UP IN SMOKE FESTIVAL 2024 – FIRST BAND ANNOUNCEMENT⚡️
Hey Smokers,
Today, we are thrilled to announce the first bunch of amazing bands for the 10th-anniversary of our beloved Up In Smoke Festival!🖤
None other than Bobby Liebling and his crew in Pentagram will be joining us to celebrate their last show in Switzerland ever! 🔥
So great to see our Scandinavian friends Truckfighters, Monolord, Slomosa, Greenleaf and Lowrider joining the madness with exclusive Switzerland shows.
In addition to this, we are introducing the dark, haunting sounds of the female-fronted doom outfits Messa and Wolvennest, along with the experimental rockers Djinn, Belgium’s one and only Gnome, and the UK riffmasters Psychlona.
Up in Smoke takes place near Basel and Switzerland offers some excellent bands as well! Check out Tar Pond, Preamp Disaster, Norna, No Mute and Glue.🇨🇭
Make no mistake, this was just the beginning!👀
Up in Smoke 2024 will be a massive heavy rockin’ birthday bash and the stoner party of the year!🪩
Line Up:
Pentagram *last Swiss show ever* Truckfighters Monolord Lowrider Greenleaf Slomosa Messa Wolvennest Gnome Psychlona Djiin Tar Pond Preamp Disaster Norna No Mute Glue & many more
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 29th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
If you’re the type who likes to take care of things early, well, you’re apparently in good company with the Munich-based Keep it Low Festival. The two-dayer fest, which is one of many under the umbrella of Sound of Liberation booking, is held annually in October, and that’s when it’s set to take place in 2024 as well, at Backstage in Munich on Oct. 11-12. Tickets, however, are on sale almost 10 full months early.
Why? I’m not sure, but I have a definite answer in “why the hell not?,” and I find that when I try to answer that question, I come up blank. So yeah, it seems like that’s really early, but on the other hand, why not put tickets for next year on sale while people are at the fest this year? It’s different, I don’t know if it’s been done before, but doesn’t that just make it a new idea, and is that something so terrible to be chasing down in a climate where live music is trying to draw people out of the entertainment hotbeds we’ve built in our homes?
I’ve gotten sidetracked from this lineup announcement, which came out the other day from Sound of Liberation and hints toward Fall 2024 European tours for at least Fu Manchu, Monolord, Truckfighters, Greenleaf, Messa and Psychlona, but I like to keep an eye for how things evolve from year to year and for all I know, Keep it Low has been doing this every year for the last decade (happy 10th anniversary, by the way) and I’m just picking up on it now because, well, I’m kinda slow sometimes, but it stood out to me as something you might not see all the time. And maybe you like to make early travel arrangements. I know I do.
From social media:
KEEP IT LOW 2024 – ⚡️FIRST BAND ANNOUNCEMENT & TICKETS ON SALE!⚡️
Hey Keepers,
we are super excited to present you the first bands for next year’s edition of the Keep It Low festival!🔥
Please welcome:
FU MANCHU TRUCKFIGHTERS MONOLORD GREENLEAF MESSA WOLVENNEST PSYCHLONA APTERA DJIIN ZERRE HECKSPOILER MINDCRAWLER & MANY MORE!
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 14th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Some crossover here, admittedly, in acts like Messa, Amenra, Blackwater Holylight, the Giant Squid reunion (nice), Mother of Graves, Body Void, and so on. Immortal Bird, whom I’ve spent the last 15 years feeling like I should be writing about, etc., alongside the extremity of grindcore pioneers Repulsion and plenty of other noise of varying harshnesses. I’ve covered the fest before, but if you’ll note the first word of the post, it’s “some” crossover, and that’s true here too. Even some bands, like Sumerlands or Mother of Graves, I can’t decide if they fit here or not. I like that about them, and I like that about Northwest Terror Fest 2024, which has early bird tickets on sale as of 1PM Eastern yesterda.
But while there’s badassery in the bill and that’s not at all a surprise, the dual-prong motive for posting is sharing the GoFundMe link for Northwest Terror Fest (and Southwest Terror Fest) founder David Rodgers, who has a rare form of cancer detailed below. I remember working with David about a decade ago when he had his band Godhunter (still ahead of their time) going and his label Battleground Records, both of which seem to take a back seat ultimately to the success of the festivals, and fair enough. He’s someone who’s done excellent work to move aesthetic forward, in his own artistic output and in terms of supporting the work of others, and if you can help, you should. This country has shit for medicine and doesn’t care if you live or die. Would in many ways prefer you dead. All we as humans have is each other. No one’s coming to save us.
From the PR wire:
Northwest Terror Fest Announces 2024 Line-up; Early Bird Tickets On Sale Monday November 13, 10am PST
NORTHWEST TERROR FEST, the Pacific Northwest’s only destination extreme music festival, will make its triumphant return for its 6th year, in Seattle, WA.
A limited number of early-bird tickets go on sale Monday, November 13, 2023 at 10am PST.
The inclusive extreme music festival will take place over three days – May 9th to May 11th – at two of Seattle’s premier music venues, Neumos and Barboza, located in Seattle’s historical Capital Hill neighborhood.
Over three days of NORTHWEST TERROR FEST – which is sponsored by the highly revered heavy metal site NO CLEAN SINGING, – the festival will showcase extreme metal, hardcore punk, and experimental music from 36 acts from the heavy metal underground and beyond. The festival packs a powerful lineup with Washington/Oregon exclusive performances by Daeva, Eternal Champion, Forbidden, Giant Squid (reunion performing Metridium Fields), Repulsion, Spiritual Poison, Sumerlands, and Weekend Nachos!
About the festival, The Northwest Terror Fest Planning Committee shares:
“We’re excited to once again bring three days of diverse and devastating music to Seattle in May, 2024. This year’s lineup features many of the most exciting new bands in metal, a handful of long-awaited reunions, excursions into industrial and darkwave, and a showcase of young and ambitious bands keeping underground music alive in the Pacific Northwest. Team NWTF is eternally grateful for the support of Washington and Oregon’s extreme music community – Northwest Terror Fest will always be for you. We’re looking forward to seeing you all in the pit. Until then, leave no cross unturned!”
Northwest Terror Fest VI 2024 Full Line-up May 9-11 2024 | Seattle, WA Neumos & Barboza
David, a founder of Southwest Terror Fest and Northwest Terror Fest, has unfortunately been diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer called Multiple Myeloma cancer. The cancer can only be treated, with the goal of entering a remission state that will allow David to live longer. Without treatment, his life expectancy would be two years, at most. The end of his life would be on a dialysis machine. David’s family has decided to throw everything they have at this and fight it with chemotherapy and stem cell replacement therapy. His doctors are hopeful that these treatments will push the cancer into a dormant state. They believe that this will give David nine years, or more.
Anything that you can give will help David and his family greatly. If you are unable to financially support the fundraiser, simply sharing the Gofundme page on the internet would be immensely appreciated:https://www.gofundme.com/f/xuvgvh-davids-cancer-fund.
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 4th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
It was somewhat inevitable, I guess, that Messa would come to the US to tour. They’ve crisscrossed Europe already in support of their 2022 album, Close (review here), and given the broad swath of plaudits that record continues to receive, the demand is legitimately there in a way it isn’t always for bands traveling from Europe for Stateside shows. The US has a reputation as being a more difficult touring sphere than Europe in no small part — long drives, scrounging meals, and so on — but sharing those burdens with co-headliners Maggot Heart should take some of the sting out. And in any case, Messa no doubt have a touring routine down that will be applicable as they go coast-to-coast and hit spots in between.
Only one chance to see them the first time, and this is a band you might just brag about seeing. Dates from socials:
MESSA – US TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT
MAGGOT HEART & MESSA are joining forces for a co-headline coast-2-coast US tour this fall.
Says MESSA: “We’re so thrilled to finally play on the American soil! We will be on the road for three weeks with majestic and brilliant @maggotxheart . We can’t wait to play in the USA and meet all of you!”
Says @maggotheart : “2 albums, one EP and a pandemic later we’re finally coming back to the States. Can’t wait to show what kind of band we’ve turned into, and to share the stage with the great and hardworking MESSA every night”
Presented by @overrun_booking & @swampbooking , the dates are as follows. Tickets on sale NOW!
Oct 17 NYC NY Le Poisson Rouge Oct 18 HAMDEN CT Space Ballroom Oct 19 PHILADELPHIA PA Kung Fu Necktie Oct 20 WASHINGTON DC Comet Ping Pong Oct 21 CLEVELAND OH Beachland Oct 22 CHICAGO IL Empty Bottle Oct 23 YPSILANTI MI Ziggys Oct 24 CINCINNATI OH Woodward Theatre Oct 25 NASHVILLE TN The Cobra Oct 26 ATLANTA GA The Earl Oct 27 ORLANDO FL Will’s Pub Oct 28 MIAMI FL Gramps Oct 30 NEW ORLEANS LA Gasa Gasa Nov 1 DENTON TX Rubber Gloves Nov 2 AUSTIN TX The Lost Well Nov 5 SAN DIEGO CA Brick by Brick Nov 7 SAN FRANCISCO CA Bottom of the Hill Nov 8 LOS ANGELES CA Zebulon
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 13th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
A little bittersweet, to be honest. Roadburn 2022 was the first one to be held since 2009 that I didn’t attend, and among the great swath of performances I missed out on that weekend was that of Italy’s Messa, who were there supporting their 2022 release, Close (review here), which by all accounts was a breakthrough for the band. I’m glad they’re releasing the set, and anytime I get to write about something Marcel Van de Vondervoort (also of Astrosoniq) recorded, I’m happy to do so, but yeah, thinking about not being in Tilburg last year, thinking about not being there again this year, maybe never getting to go back, is pretty sad for me. That was a big part of my life for a long time, a rejuvenation, a home I returned to each April. Things change, and I know that. I change. The festival certainly has changed. But there’s a place in my heart that might always pang for that experience. If that’s nostalgia or just missing friends, fine.
Live atRoadburnis out April 28. Perhaps if you, like me, have never had the chance to see the band live, it will give some sense of what they do on stage. Context. I haven’t heard it yet so can’t really say, but preorders are up as the PR wire informs:
MESSA to Release New Album ‘Messa – Live at Roadburn’ Out April 28th
Italian Doom trailblazers, MESSA captured live at the Roadburn Festival 2022 with a special extended lineup, have been immortalized on LP, CD and digital via Svart Records with their new Album, ‘Messa – Live at Roadburn’.
Relive MESSA’s main-stage Roadburn Festival triumph, featuring songs from album ‘CLOSE’, and joined by a unique constellation of musicians and instruments that give their massive new album its distinctive sound.
This stunning new live album presents select cuts from the band’s critically acclaimed album ‘CLOSE.’ MESSA’s packed out Roadburn set was one of the most talked about of the 2022 edition, and left the audience gob-smacked in their wake.
‘Messa: Live at Roadburn’ CD/LP/Digital 1. Suspended 2. Orphalese 3. 0=2 4. Pilgrim
Of their Roadburn set MESSA said:
“Our appearance at Roadburn 2022 saw us performing a specially dedicated and one of a kind set. We played songs from our new record ‘CLOSE’ with a unique line-up that included other fellow musicians within our project. We involved Giorgio Trombino (Oud, Duduk, Saxophone), Alex Fernet (Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar) and Blak Saagan (Synthesizers) to recreate the sounds of ‘CLOSE’ in their true form.Our aim with MESSA’s performance was to embrace a musical wandering that could allow all of us – on and off stage – to drift away into another place. We couldn’t wait to be on Roadburn’s stage again and we were very excited to be part of the 2022 edition.”
Seeming to both embrace and defy everything it means to be a metal band, MESSA mesh Mediterranean sounds with crushing doom riffs, with an emphasis on atmosphere and unusual use of instrumentation. MESSA are one of the leading lights in the heavy underground, and this performance at Roadburn saw the band shine forth with a brilliant and dominating presence. Get closer than ‘CLOSE’ and witness for yourself what the bottled magic of MESSA’s live alchemy can bring. ‘Messa – Live at Roadburn’ is out on April 28th via Svart Records.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 6th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Based in Seelbach, Germany, the Hoflärm Festival will host its fifth edition this August, as seemingly every weekend of Europe’s Spring and Summer fest season seems to increasingly have something going on somewhere at sometime. A glut of cool events is nothing to complain about for anyone who remembers a couple years back when there was nothing — which, as much as one tries to repress those particular memories, I still do — and the lineup here is right on in terms of vibe with Acid King, Mars Red Sky, Messa and Elephant Tree so far at the top of the bill with Rotor, Swan Valley Heights, Mondo Generator, Grin, Black Lung, Eremit, Madmess, Old Horn Tooth and Kvinna rounding out and a few black boxes on the poster like the rest of the lineup has been redacted for the purposes of protecting classified information.
And I won’t argue with Hoflärm adding another six or seven bands, but, I mean, this is already pretty killer on first blush. You’ll note this takes place over three days, so spreading the 20 bands out over that long, it seems like a pretty laid back kind of deal — at least until Mondo Generator starts ripping into Kyuss tunes, but that’s fun too — and not necessarily as overwhelming as some multi-stage fests in Europe and elsewhere. This is the five-year anniversary of the fest, and to see Acid King and Mars Red Sky alone, it’s already got me daydreaming, so I take that as a win.
Details follow as per Hoflärm‘s socials:
Hoflärm – 5th Anniversary – GO FOR THE RIDE
Join us this year for the 5th stony ride to Hoflärm 2023! We are very happy to announce the first bands of the line-up today! We also announce the start of the presale for 05.02.2023 at 5 pm!
Started in 1993, we are more than proud to welcome Acid King! The band around Lori S. looks back on 30 years of band history and will bring their new Album to Marienthal in August.
Mars Red Sky and Elephant Tree will drive you into the sunset with their all time classics like Strong Reflection or Wither! We’re already feeling the vibe around the yard!
A very special highlight we are looking forward to is Messa. The Italian doom band combines the raw and rough sides of doom with the warm summer evenings of the Hoflärm.
Just last year, stoner legend Nick Oliveri visited us with his band Stöner. Nick liked it and had reason enough to come knocking on our door again in 2023. We are looking forward to Mondo Generator, Mr. Oliveri!
We also have visitors from Berlin again, on the one hand we are happy to welcome Rotor, our tractors are running at Vollast! But on the other hand also Grin! We can’t imagine a Hoflärm without Jan, Sabine and Andre! In 2021 the three played with Earth Ship, in 2022 with Slowshine. This year, however, only Sabine and Jan will be on stage, Andre will mingle with the audience while Grin plays their crushing riffs.
Black Lung and Madmess will bring you through our hot afternoons with their heavy psych rock!
Doom over Marienthal: Eremit and Old Horn Tooth will be blasting the darkest riffs into your ears! Live Slow Die Old!
Last but not least, we are happy to welcome 2 bands that have played at the Hof in the past! Swan Valley Heights and Kvinna! Kvinna was the band that opened the first Hoflärm, who of you was there and can remember?
Stay tuned for even more announcements! We have more Bands, as well another Headliner & Co Headliner to announce!
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 3rd, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Desertfest Berlin killing with their 2033 lineup it is no real surprise, but I’ll take it, and this third announcement crosses genre bounds with the likes of Crowbar, Greenleaf, Messa, Plainride and Fatso Jetson, The Great Machine — not to be confused with The Machine, who are also pretty great — and the increasingly ubiquitous High Desert Queen, whose inevitable Spring tour announcement feels all the more immanent as time goes on. As with its London counterpart, Berlin is flagship Desertfest in Europe — what one hopes New York will become as the brand expands perhaps to other US locales, potentially even the desert for which the fest and genre are named. These are future considerations, but let it tell you something that a decade after first being established, the forward potential for Desertfest remains so vital and so much a part of what it is. Berlin fosters that hope here, which is something to appreciate on multiple levels.
Mono, Mr. Bison and Perilymph round out the round, as the PR wire confirms and assures there’s still more to come. Awesome:
DESERTFEST BERLIN- MORE BANDS ADDED TO THE 2023 LINE-UP
MANTAR GREENLEAF MESSA FATSO JETSON HIGH DESERT QUEEN MR. BISON PERILYMPH CROWBAR PLAINRIDE MONO THE GREAT MACHINE
⚡️ Full Line-up:
UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS MANTAR CROWBAR MONO CORROSION OF CONFORMITY MONOLORD KING BUFFALO SLIFT DOZER CHURCH OF MISERY BONGZILLA BLOOD CEREMONY MINAMI DEUTSCH GREENLEAF L.A. WITCH MESSA SOMALI YACHT CLUB VALLEY OF THE SUN MOTHER ENGINE FATSO JETSON THE GREAT MACHINE ECSTATIC VISION DAILY THOMPSON GNOD PSYCHLONA DOMMENGANG KANAAN GNOME GAUPA PLAINRIDE HIGH DESERT QUEEN MR. BISON PERILYMPH & MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
Weekend tickets for Desertfest Berlin 2023 are on sale NOW via the link in our bio or www.desertfest.de
The new venues for the 2023 edition will be Columbiahalle and Columbia Theater Berlin (with additional outdoor space & stage). Address: Columbiadamm 13-21, 10965 Berlin.
Desertfest Berlin May 19th – 21st 2023 will take place at Columbiahalle and Columbia Theater (with additional outdoor space & stage) this year.
