Live Review: Planet Desert Rock Weekend V – Night 3
Posted in Reviews on February 2nd, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Afternoon – Before Show
“Freelance Fiend” stuck in my head. I’ll talk about why tomorrow. You could do so much worse, though. Eternally.
Tonight is the apex of Planet Desert Rock Weekend V. Six bands, front-to-back with Green Desert Water opening, Omega Sun, Solace, The Watchers, Sergeant Thunderhoof and Mos Generator. A thing to look forward to, and I have been since the day-splits were announced. As has been the case over the last two nights, there will be ties between one set and the next, I expect, and I’m curious how it will all play out, though however it goes, holy mackerel, it’s gonna rock.
It’s also a venue switch, moving from Count’s Vamp’d, where nights one (review here) and two (review here) went down, to The Usual Place, which I know John Gist — of Vegas Rock Revolution; this is his fest — has done a bunch of stuff at, including as part of past PDRWs. I came here trusting it was going to be a good experience, expecting to have a good time, and it has exceeded that. I am fortunate to be here. Happy to be here. If I’ve mentioned that before, it’s worth repeating. Tattoo it in block letters on my forearm.
The room itself is bigger than Vamp’d — I’m not sure I can call it that having only been there twice, but I’m gonna throw it out there and see if I get in trouble — and it’s another cool spot; would expect no less. Gorgeous desert sky on the way in, with impossible blues and oranges and such like something off a non-denomonational-but-definitely-‘inspirational’ wall calendar. At the same time, it was probably as close as I’ve come to what people think of when you say you’re in Las Vegas, still at reasonable remove from the Strip itself, but a fun juxtaposition either way. Yes, I was good and stoned.
It was a relatively early start for club shows and still unlike the bulk of fests worldwide for its manageability, 6:30 or so, and there was some technical issue requiring a new bass head, but two minutes and a fog machine blast later, here’s how it went:
Green Desert Water
Downright electric was the heavy boogie blues and fuzz roller energy wrought by Spain’s Green Desert Water to open the night. It seemed early to bring the house down, but the three-piece called everyone up to the stage to party for Saturday, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the running theme for the evening hadn’t just revealed itself. I don’t know about you, but I dug the gosh darn heck out of the band’s 2021 LP, Black Harvest (review here), and they opened with the title-track, meeting old-soul vibes with not-old-yet energy, guitarist/vocalist Kiké Sanchis a frontman of classic leading-a-trio presence, impeccably suited to the songs, which are class in the leads and shuffle in the bass of Juan Arias García and drummer Dani Barcena, the latter of whom also backed Sanchis on vocals. They mellowed out mid-set and the bass held it with warmth while the guitar went stepping and every molecule coming out of that fog machine felt earned. They were here in 2019, so maybe it’s no surprised they were so comfortable on the stage now, but at a certain point, chemistry is chemistry. Green Desert Water were duly fluid, but what made them perfect to start was the fact that they were electric on stage. Engaging the crowd, thanking Scott from Small Stone Records (who’s here and I haven’t seen him in like 12 years and I got to hug him and it was wonderful), locking in a succession of monster blues nods and changing it up when it served the song, modern in spirit but coming from a classic place in influences. Plus soulful shred and thick low end. Sounds killer, right? They absolutely were. “The Whirl” was a highlight, but speaking as someone who’s had “Freelance Fiend” in his head all day, the strut in “Shelter” was no less suited to cap their set than they were to start the night.
Solace
I did not write one word during Solace. Not one. First time in three days I wasn’t writing during the set. That’s who Solace are to me. Tell your friends you love them. They’ve been on the road since last week. Their tour was over as of the end of the set, and though apparently two-fifths of the band were sick, they brought it as only Solace could, their stoner metal, hardcore intensity and ’90s tonal crunch still so much its own blend. A band able to be joyous while punching you in the face, and not in like some schlock Joker kind of way, I mean the music is a joy even at its hardest hitting — often especially at its hardest hitting — and while I’m not going to pretend I’m impartial about Solace. I have memories with those songs going back over 20 years, even aside from the Jersey connection, doing shows together, and so on. Just as a fan. Whether a club show or a fest, Solace was always the band who played last and blew it out. To have them play second — I thought Omega Sun were on after Green Desert Water; have not yet found out what happened there or if I was just wrong; you can imagine which is more likely — was different in my mind, but as with Green Desert Water, Solace did in fact blow out, they just started doing so before 8PM. Fair fucking enough. Accuse me of playing favorites if you want; you’re absolutely right and that’s the point. As long as Solace are a band forever we’re fine.
The Watchers
Definitely we’re working with the blowout as the narrative. The Watchers, whom I’ve never seen, carried forward a bit of Solace’s ’90s crunch in their dudely heavy grooves, and put it to a classic heavy swing with a thick charge. They went back to the band’s beginnings with “Today,” and gave a showing to the more metallic side of last year’s Nyctophilia (review here). John Gist, again, the guy throwing the party, likes a frontman. Doesn’t necessarily have to be a standalone singer like Goins from Solace or Tim Narducci from The Watchers, but someone with presence and a voice. At least that’s what comes through in the curation to me. I’ve always kind of been on the fence with the band, if we’re being honest, but there was no question going into the set they’d bring it, and they’re songwriters, so you know the songs by the end whether you know the record or not. I bet it was warm up there in a leather jacket, but The Watchers not only held their own after Solace, they brought the momentum of the webbing evening forward with force. They made it a party and closed out with “Sabbath Highway,” because duh. And I’m still hoping Omega Sun will show up sooner or later.
Sergeant Thunderhoof
Come over from the UK hot on the heels of last year’s The Ghost of Badon Hill (review here), Sergeant Thunderhoof brought Desertfest vibes to Planet Desert Rock Weekend V, and in the melody and presence, they were both a logical follow-up to The Watchers and in the role of adding texture to the night in a way that, granted, is less psych-based and more solidified as heavy rock/prog, felt like kin in purpose to JIRM last night or MR.BISON the night before. Sergeant Thunderhoof’s name isn’t all-caps, but their sound has a breadth and range, and the vibe is that much richer for what they’re bringing to it. They did “Blood Moon” and “Salvation for the Soul” (catchy catchy catchy and they nailed it; harmonies on point) from the new album, but they’ve got a catalog to draw from at this point and they’ve never been here before, so it makes sense they’d want to represent more than just the latest LP, which they did anyway. Some metal-feeling roots came through for sure, but they weren’t lacking for swing despite the push and sprawl and purpose behind each of their turns. The singer wrapping himself in a US flag near the end left me cold, but such are the times we live in. I have to wonder if they won’t be back in the US before too long.
Mos Generator
I was talking to someone earlier this evening about oldschool bands, second-gen stoner if we’re on the fourth now, maybe, not getting their due. Hi, Mos Generator. Draw that line right to Fireball Ministry headlining as well. My first time seeing the Mk. I lineup of the Port Orchard, Washington-based stalwart heavy rockers, with Shawn Johnson drumming and Scooter Haslip on bass, Tony Reed of course holding down guitar and vocals. Special band, and no, they’ve never really gotten their due. Their latest work, with the new lineup — Jono Garrett on drums, Sean Booth on bass — leans more into prog and is more introspective in spirit, but onstage they dove in hard. Reed: “I feel like boogieing, you feel like boogieing?” And then they go ripshit on “Breaker” from Electric Mountain Majesty (review here) — “Don’t waste your time trying to save my life/ I’m dying now the way I want to” — and even as dark as that sentiment is, that song just moves and moves. They followed it with the roll of “Step Up” and jammed out the solo a bit, which ruled, and then before I knew it they were wrapping up saying they needed to immediately drive 24 hours straight to get I’m not quite sure where and split. Get in, kick ass, get out. They could give a shit for getting their due. Places to go.
Omega Sun
Found them! Turns out the Slovenian trio were closing out in a post-headliner position. They appeared lower on the poster, hence my confusion. In any case, they held a fair amount of people in the room and the songs left no question why. This is their second time here, but my first, and they brought big-groove riffs in classic desert rock fashion. Nothing too fancy — bassist/vocalist Igor Kukanja, guitarist Aris Demirović, drummer Sebastian Vrbnjak — but they’ve got riffs, melody, hooks and volume and they know what they’re doing with them. Their second full-length, Roadkill (review here), came out in 2023, and though it was late by the time they were done, the showing they gave was righteous. If you’re in this for more than five minutes, you know that desert rock outgrew Californian geographic exclusivity decades ago, so a Slovenian desert band isn’t super-crazy, but you sure don’t get to see one kill it as Omega Sun did every day, even if you’re entrenched in the country’s native underground. They shouted they last song out to John, as will happen, and hit into a drive that was both of-genre and their own chemistry, stamp and tone. One last big-riff finish, and it was over, a final emphasis for the day on the idea of community; people from different places coming together to share common interest and experience. In that, they were no less suited to cap than Green Desert Water had been to open, and the flow of the night in sound, style, idea and logistics was ideal, right unto the thanks and goodnight. They bought a $100 Epiphone guitar to play their tour and gave it away when they were done.
—
This was a really, really good day.
I still kind of have “Freelance Fiend” in my head, but I’m too tired to strut. More pics after the jump, and more words tomorrow as Planet Desert Rock Weekend V moves back to Count’s Vamp’d to close out.
Thank you for reading.
