Admittedly, they had me beforehand too, but had that not been the case, for sure they’d have had me at Acid King doing 2015’s Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere (discussed here, review here) in its entirety. One of the best heavy mellow psych records I’ve ever heard, in addition to being up to Acid King‘s own high standard of riffing. Behold Desertfest Belgium 2025, clearly following on from the last couple years in going big and making the lineup count.

Also in Acid King‘s cohort here are UK prog/post-metallers Wren, ascendant Brooklyn theatre-nerds Castle Rat, Nick Oliveri‘s Mondo Generator, as well as Neptunian Maximalism, MR.BISON and an international assemblage of others — Desert Storm should be listed as ambassadors from Desertfest London — adding to the festival’s already stellar list of names, which you can see in full on the poster below. Obviously they’re not screwing around.

From socials:

Hi Desertheads!

It’s been a while, but my oh my, do we have some ear candy in store for you. These 11 new bands will be gracing the Desertfest Antwerp stages this fall:

Acid King 🌑 Mondo Generator 🌑 Desert Storm 🌑 MR.BISON 🌑 Neptunian Maximalism 🌑 Castle Rat 🌑 Wren 🌑 neànder 🌑 Witchorious 🌑 The Miffs 🌑 Requiem Blues

And what’s even cooler, ACID KING will be playing two nights in a row at Desertfest! ⚡️⚡️

On Saturday they will be performing their classic album ‘Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere’. The album was carved in stoner metal exactly 10 years ago. On Sunday the band will be playing a mix of biting, acid hits for your ears only!

Unfortunately, Bongzilla won’t make it to Desertfest Antwerp due to health reasons and so we wish them a speedy recovery. Earth Tongue had to cancel their gig as well, because they got a great offer to tour the US this fall instead. All the best!

On a brighter side, the day splits will be announced and our day tickets will be available this Wednesday 18th June at 11:00 am CET. Keep an eye on our website and socials!

You can pick up your weekend tickets below:

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

In the meantime, keep on rockin’…! 🤘
The DF-team!

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

Acid King, Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere (2015)

Don’t tell Keep it Low, but I’ve had a secret crush on the Munich-based Fall fest from Sound of Liberation pretty much since its outset. The look has gotten a little different over time, a little more in line now with the likes of Up in Smoke or Desertfest Belgium, but the vibe has always struck me as laid back even on the scale of pro-shop Euro heavyfests, and once again I find myself looking at the poster, seeing the bands getting added — in this case: My Sleeping Karma, Mondo Generator, Psychlona, Ritual King, Kant, Bikini Beach and Thra — and daydreaming of an absconding that’s not to be. Another year, another Keep it Low as my loss.

But it’s a win if you’re headed there, from Graveyard and Bongripper and Colour Haze‘s annual hometown throwdown to Blue Heron and Hidas and whoever’s still to come. You’ve got Conan and Lowrider and Kanaan and High Desert Queen and, well, yeah. Imagine taking two days of your life and dedicating them to the purpose of experiencing this thing. Just for a minute, think about it. Here’s the poster with the full list of names as it stands and the latest short announcement from the festival, which is set for Oct. 10 and 11 at Backstage, again in Munich, which does have its own international airport:

KEEP IT LOW 2025 – ⚡️NEW BANDS ANNOUNCED!⚡️

Hey Keepers,

More sonic firepower incoming – 7 new bands are joining the Keep It Low Festival 2025 lineup!

My Sleeping Karma
Mondo Generator
Psychlona
Kant
Ritual King
Bikini Beach
Thra

Prepare for psychedelic journeys, desert grooves, and crushing heaviness! 🔥

Hosted by Sound Of Liberation (Desertfest Berlin, Up In Smoke, Lazy Bones Fest a.o.), Keep It Low will be taking place between 10. – 11. October 2025 at Backstage.

Join the Facebook event for more updates at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1200732624331625

Tickets are on sale at: www.sol-tickets.com

https://www.facebook.com/keepitlowfestival/
https://www.keepitlow.de/
https://www.soundofliberation.com/
http://www.sol-tickets.com

My Sleeping Karma, “Ephedra” live at Desertfest Berlin 2025

With no Desertfest New York this year (and, let’s face it, maybe not next year either), I don’t have the luxury I’ve enjoyed throughout the 2020s thus far of consoling myself at missing Ripplefest Texas by seeing some of the same acts coming through without having to fly out to do it. Not so much this year. In unveiling its full lineup for this September, Ripplefest Texas 2025 lays out an absolute dream of a bill — from Weedeater to Suplecs to Mothership to Author and Punisher (new record by then?) to Sundrifter and Mr. frickin’ Plow and Lake Lake — it’s the most imperative US festival lineup I’ve seen pretty much since Ripplefest Texas last year.

I’ve never been to Ripplefest Texas and it’s been over 15 years since the last time I set foot in Austin, but I’d be there in a hot minute for this one. Gonna start a GoFundMe for the flight and lodging (more likely, beg my wife). If you get there, congratulations on your life.

Check out the new adds and the full lineup below. It’s a beautiful thing:

The best family reunion of the year is back! The lineup for RippleFest Texas 2025 is now complete and you will not want to miss your chance to see the best music at the friendliest festival in the world. Lick of My Spoon Productions brings you the only open air festival in the US with ABSOLUTELY ZERO BAND OVERLAPPING! New bands added to an already stacked lineup are ASG, Author & Punisher, Mondo Generator, High Desert Queen, Bronco, Rainbows Are Free, The Absurd, Volume, Gran Moreno, Karma Vulture, and Desert Suns.

The festival will once again be held at The Far Out Lounge and Sagebrush in Austin, TX on September 18-21, 2025. Get your tickets now at www.lickofmyspoon.com.

Full List of Bands:
Weedeater
Whores.
Mothership
Author & Punisher
Mondo Generator
ASG
Unida
Wo Fat
Valley of the Sun
Left Lane Cruiser
High Desert Queen
Mos Generator
Telekinetic Yeti
Human Impact
Mountain of Smoke
Thunder Horse
Suplecs
Kind
Bronco
Sundrifter
Rainbows Are Free
Fostermother
Mr. Plow
Kupa Pities
Luna Sol
Shun
Gran Moreno
Stone Nomads
Volume
The Absurd
Desert Suns
Karma Vulture
Lake Lake
Sons of Gulliver

https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LOMSProductions
https://www.instagram.com/LOMSProductions/
http://www.lickofmyspoon.com/
https://linktr.ee/Lickofmyspoon

Author & Punisher, Krüller (2022)

Here’s a daydream for you. Hop on a plane and land somewhere in Spain that’s (quite literally, as I understand it) out of a Sergio Leone film to see three full days of international quality heavy from Mondo Generator and Unida and Nightstalker on down to Xispa and the Wild Pigs. I’m assuming the six tickets that were left when Tabernas Desert Rock Fest 2025 posted its full lineup the other day are long gone by now, or if not, congratulations if you’re one of the last six. I’ve talked to people who’ve been to this one and it looks amazing. Think of an experiential festival, kind of like Duna Jam or Bear Stone, but in an old-style Western setting.

And not to harp on it, but the lineup is really solid. I’m less familiar with Convoy or Scrotem or Baläte near the bottom of the poster, though at least the latter have played before, but with the likes of High Desert Queen, Kal-El, Rotor, Temple Fang, Godsleep, Ritual King and Tankzilla, it’s a cross-generational assemblage limited to 300 tickets and what seems to be an intimate setting that, at very least, is going to look incredible when you share the photos of everyone ripping it up. This is one I’ve been keeping up with for the last few years, and I think it’s easy to see why when you check the bill.

Again, I’m assuming those six tickets are gone, but you never know until you reach out at the email below:

So now here it is, our official confirmed LINE-UP for 2025 edition, with still one surprise ;-) = ENJOY!

WE ONLY HAVE 6 TICKETS LEFT, GET YOURS NOW BY MAIL:

tabernasdesertrockfest@t-online.de

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/fort-bravo/tabernas-desert-rock-fest-2025/1077631823361309/

NICK OLIVERI’s Mondo Generator (USA):
Unida (USA)
Nightstalker (GR)
Kal-El (NOR)
Rotor (DE)
Godsleep (GR)
Ritual King (UK)
High Desert Queen (USA)
Temple Fang (NL)
TankZilla (NL)
Psychogarden (DE)
Convoy (DE)
Baläte (ESP)
Scrotem (DE)
XISPA & THE WILD PIGS (ESP)

https://www.instagram.com/tabernasdesertrockfest/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057087564915

Unida, live in Gothenburg, Sweden, Sept. 19, 2024

Am I taking this entire Desertfest Berlin 2024 announcement as an excuse to put on Ruff Majik‘s Elektrik Ram yet again even though I was playing it approximately 40 hours ago while writing the best-of-2023 post? You bet your ass I am. 40 hours is about as long as I’ve made it all year. Less if you count hearing the songs in your head when the music isn’t actually on.

Elsewhere here, check out Masters of Reality confirmed for both flagship Desertfests. Another record might be too weird for planet earth, but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. And I’ll note that this is the first I’m hearing of a farewell tour from Pentagram to take place in 2024/2025, but apparently that’s going to be a thing. Call it a low-level surprise? Nobody’s gonna say Bobby Liebling didn’t put in his time, even if you only count since the band got going again in 2009, never mind the better part of four decades prior.

I’ll be expecting tour announcements from Mondo Generator and Ruff Majik — maybe they’ll be out together; that would kind of rule as a pairing — Daevar, Pentagram, Arthur Brown, etc., and will post accordingly when I see what I see.

From the PR wire:

DESERTFEST BERLIN confirms PENTAGRAM, MASTERS OF REALITY, MONDO GENERATOR & many more new band names for 2024!

Desertfest Berlin has announced new names for their eclectic 2024-edition, and confirms iconic PENTAGRAM (last Berlin show ever!), MASTERS OF REALITY, THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN, MONDO GENERATOR, RUFF MAJIK, DAEVAR, APTERA, ZAHN, ZERRE and EINSEINSEINS! Get ready for THE riff party of the year – aside a wild and high-class blend of finest psychedelia, stoner rock, doom, desert punk blues, sludge and all that is metal, this is also going to be your last chance to see PENTAGRAM live in Berlin on their final Farewell Tour in 2024/2025!

Desertfest Berlin will take place between May 24 – 26, 2024 at Columbiahalle and Columbia Theater. Tickets, that would also make some perfect Xmas gift, are on sale at: www.desertfest-tickets.de

AMENRA | OSEES | PENTAGRAM
MASTERS OF REALITY | ACID KING | BRANT BJORK TRIO
THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN | TAMIKREST
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS | MONDO GENERATOR
MONKEY3 | SIENA ROOT | DŸSE |EARTH TONGUE
DIRTY SOUND MAGNET | THRONEHAMMER | RUFF MAJIK | FULL EARTH
NEÀNDER | APTERA | ZAHN | DAEVAR | ZERRE
EINSEINSEINS | PRAISE THE PLAGUE
& MANY MORE

TICKETS ON SALE NOW: www.desertfest.de

www.desertfest.de
www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin
www.instagram.com/desertfest_berlin

Ruff Majik, Elektrik Ram (2023)

Okeydokey, what do we learn here? Bongzilla will be in Europe this Spring, and Mondo Generator will be out to follow up on Nick Oliveri‘s winter solo tour, and Kadabra will go supporting their most excellent 2023 outing, Umbra (review here), though that was already apparent from the first Desertfest London announce. Along with MR.BISON, the esteemed Ufomammut — who’ll have a new LP out sometime in 2024, allegedly — Greek mainstays Nightstalker and upstarts 1782, speedrockers Tankzilla and punkers The Clamps, that’s the bill as it stands that will swap acts back and forth across two nights in Bologna and Trieste next May for Heavy Psych Sounds Fest Italy 2024.

This is not the end of the announcements, of course, but it’s a rousing start as the Italian label and booking agency continues to branch out to new places. You’ll note Trieste is home for Rocket Panda Management, who are involved here and also behind the StonerKras Fest that’s taken place the last couple of years later in the summer. I assume that’s still happening too, and will do so until I hear or see otherwise.

I don’t have numbers on the site’s readership in Bologna or Trieste, but I think these things are relevant anyway exactly because of the above: they show you who’s going to be where when. And it gives me an excuse to post the Kadabra record again. Double-win.

From the PR wire:

Heavy Psych Sounds to announce HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST ITALY 2024 Bologna & Trieste – TICKETS PRESALE + FIRST BANDS !!!

Heavy Psych Sounds Records & Booking will smash Bologna and for the first time Trieste with their highly acclaimed mini festival-series, the HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST!

In cooperation with Freakout Club and Rocket Panda Management, today Heavy Psych Sounds has announced the first confirmed bands + TICKETS PRESALE for the upcoming HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST ITALY 2024 !!!

The HPS Fest Italy will be taking place 3rd and 4th of May at the Teatro Miela in Trieste and 4th and 5th of May at the TPO Club in Bologna !!!

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST ITALY 2024 – BOLOGNA & TRIESTE

@ TPO, Bologna // 4th and 5th May 2024

@ Teatro Miela, Trieste // 3rd and 4th May 2024

feat.
BONGZILLA
MONDO GENERATOR
UFOMAMMUT
NIGHTSTALKER
1782
KADABRA
MR. BISON
TANKZILLA
THE CLAMPS
+ more TBA

BOLOGNA WEEKEND TICKETS:
https://www.freakoutbologna.com/hps

TRIESTE WEEKEND TICKETS:
https://www.miela.it/spettacoli/heavy-psych-sounds-fest-italy-2024/

heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
www.heavypsychsounds.com
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/

Mondo Generator, We Stand Against You (2023)

Kadabra, Umbra (2023)

Nick Oliveri has put out records this year with Mondo Generator and The Dwarves. He’s toured incessantly, either on his own like the ‘Death Acoustic’ — as opposed to ‘death metal’ — European run he’s got scheduled for early 2024, or with Mondo Generator, who are a trio on fire with Mike Pygmie on guitar and Mike Amster on drums, and in the last couple years, he’s brought forth and developed the band Stöner with former Kyuss bandmate and longtime collaborator Brant Bjork, issuing two albums, a live record and an EP to-date while also touring domestically and abroad to support. He’s done nothing the last few years but work, and to see him on stage as I’ve been lucky enough to do twice in the last two years with Mondo Generator, he’s both a frontman of marked presence and a raw-as-nails punk rocker with a scream that’s unmistakable.

What will next year bring? One assumes more. Oliveri obviously wants to keep momentum on his side, and with full-band stints likely to follow (or precede; one never knows) these March dates, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to expect more word soon. That’s before you get to festivals and all that.

From the PR wire:

NICK OLIVERI – Death Acoustic 2024

– new updated shows –
WE 06.03.24 IT TREVIGLIO – NAMA BREWING
TH 07.03.24 IT RAVENNA – BRONSON
FR 08.03.24 IT PORDENONE – ASTRO CLUB
SA 09.03.24 PT TORRES VEDRAS – BANG VENUE
SU 10.03.24 DE RAVENSBURG – IRISH PUB SLAINTE
MO 11.03.24 DE WEIDEN – SALUTE LIVE CLUB
TU 12.03.24 DE OPEN SLOT
WE 13.03.24 NL ARNHEM – LUXOR LIVE
TH 14.03.24 ES BILBAO – GROOVE
FR 15.03.24 ES MADRID – WURLITZER BALLROOM
SA 16.03.24 ES BARCELONA – SIDECAR
SU 17.03.24 NL DORDRECHT – NL BIBELOT POPPODIUM
MO 18.03.24 UK DOVER – THE BOOKING HALL
TU 19.03.24 UK NEWCASTLE – THE CLUNY
WE 20.03.24 UK GLASGOW – SLAY STUDIO
TH 21.03.24 UK BOLTON – ALMA INN
FR 22.03.24 UK CARDIFF – FUEL
SA 23.03.24 UK LONDON – SIGNATURE BREW
SU 24.03.24 UK BOURNEMOUTH – BEAR CAVE
TU 26.03.24 NL DEN HAAG – PAARD
WE 27.03.24 NL ALKMAAR – VICTORIE

https://www.facebook.com/officialmondogenerator/
https://www.instagram.com/nick_o_1971/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Ug0EkTXplXiip0C2OzVi7
https://www.mondogenerator.net/

heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
www.heavypsychsounds.com
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/

Nick Oliveri, How to play “Autopilot” from Playthisriff.com

The names here are really the thing. Suicidal Tendencies, Cancer Bats, Nightstalker, Ozric Tentacles, Mondo Generator, Sunnata, Kal-El, Psychlona, Kadabra, Saint Karloff, Ashenspire, WAKE, Bongripper, Gozer, Orme, Borehead, Sagan, Acid Throne — did I miss anybody? Hell, probably. Every year, Desertfest has a couple announcements like this where they add basically an entire festival to their festival and it’s always kind of staggering to consider the scope, never mind what Desertfest has become, particularly with London as an epicenter. One of these years I’ll get back over. It’s been too long.

Also, told you Psychlona had more news. They’ve still got more to come.

The latest word follows from the PR wire:

Desertfest London welcomes Roundhouse headliners Suicidal Tendencies plus Ozric Tentacles, Cancer Bats, Bongripper and 15 more artists for 2024

Friday 17th May – Sunday 19th May 2024 | Weekend Tickets now on sale

Desertfest London proudly welcomes the legendary Suicidal Tendencies to their 2024 event as Roundhouse headliners. Celebrating 40 years since their genre-defying first album, prepare to have your mind Institutionalized! Whilst Desertfest remains synonymous with showcasing the best of stoner, doom and psych for over twelve years, Suicidal Tendencies’ headlining performance will add a new dimension to the festival, bridging the gap between the punk and metal scenes that have inspired countless bands worldwide.

Hailing from the sun-soaked streets of Venice, California, Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir helped shape a cultural landscape, whilst simultaneously pioneering a new genre. Taking the essence of skating, surfing and the Dogtown scene & infusing it with a unique style of hardcore punk. Their seamless un-apologetic musical blend, breaking of conventions and fearless take on challenging socials issues changed the landscape of heavy music forever. Suicidal Tendencies’ performance at Desertfest not only welcomes the band back to London for the first time in seven years, but marks a new point in the festival’s evolution as a celebration of underground counter-culture.

The icons keep rolling in as Ozric Tentacles join the bill, also celebrating a monumental 40 years, Ozrics’ unique lysergic soundscapes helped merge the worlds of psychedelia, progressive rock and dance music. Formed during a solstice at Stonehenge in 1983, Ozric Tentacles are true trailblazers – laying the tripped-out road which so many acts in the Desertfest-sphere now follow.

Heavy music’s hardest-working, and hardest-partying, road dogs Cancer Bats will up the ante with their rock’n’roll shenanigans as they bring the energy. Satan Worshipping Doom, three words that need no explanation to Desertfesters’ as Bongripper make their first appearance at the event since 2013. Plus, the prodigal son returns as Nick Oliveri’s Mondo Generator showcase their immense catalogue of desert-drenched tones.

Elsewhere the festival announces Greek stoner-Gods Nightstalker, avant-garde-jazz meets black-metal mania from Ashenspire, a spellbinding ritual from Sunnata and further melting-pot madness from crushing Canadian’s WAKE.

Additionally, Psychlona, Kal-El, Kadabra, Saint Karloff and Lord Elephant bring the grooves, whilst heaviness reigns with homegrown talent Gozer, Acid Throne & Orme. And finally rounding things off Desertfest warmly welcomes, Borehead & Sagan.

Weekend Tickets for the event are on sale now via www.desertfest.co.uk with more artists, day splits & day tickets released in January.

Full line-up
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES | MASTERS OF REALITY | GODFLESH | OZRIC TENTACLES | BONGRIPPER | MONOLORD | ACID KING | UFOMAMMUT | BRANT BJORK TRIO | MASERATI | MANTAR | MONDO GENERATOR | CLOAKROOM | MONKEY3 | NIGHTSTALKER | BLANKET | ASHENSPIRE | DOMKRAFT | ASTROQUEEN | PIJN | SUNNATA | WAKE | SUGAR HORSE | STINKING LIZAVETA | WET CACTUS | PSYCHLONA | KADABRA | DARSOMBRA | SERGEANT THUNDERHOOF | SAINT KARLOFF | KAL-EL | GOZER | LORD ELEPHANT | GOBLINSMOKER | ACID THRONE | DUSKWOOD | BOREHEAD | ORME | CLOUDS TASTE SATANIC | SAGAN | WARPSTORMER | SONIC TABOO | WIZDOOM

TICKETS ON SALE – www.desertfest.co.uk

http://www.desertscene.co.uk/support
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestLondon
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_london/
https://www.desertfest.co.uk/

Suicidal Tendencies, “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow”