Megadeth, Opeth and Electric Wizard headlining. Performances from the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Mark Lanegan to Carcass and The Faint. High on Fire and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Truckfighters and Fu Manchu and Clutch and Graveyard. Power Trip and Rotting Christ. YOB. Uncle Acid. The Obsessed.

I’m not sure what else really needs to be said about the Psycho Las Vegas 2019 lineup. For a festival that’s so much about spectacle, and which has grown its reach every year thus far in its relatively short tenure, this would seem once again to up the scale and reach a new level. But here’s the thing. There’s a lot of ground covered in this lineup between the varying kinds of metal and rock, etc., included — but that’s part of Psycho too. That sheer moment where you have to step back and realize that Tom G. Warrior‘s Triumph of Death and Glassjaw are sharing a bill, and you’re like, “What? How should that work?” But it will, somehow. And those taking over the Mandalay Bay for that weekend in August will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime assemblage. As regards heavy fests, I’m hard pressed to think of anything that’s ever been done in America on this scale.

You’ll be telling your grandchildren about it. They’ll be like, “Who’s Opeth?” Ugh. Kids these days, right?

From the PR wire:

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019: Megadeth And Opeth Join Electric Wizard To Headline America’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Bacchanal; Final Lineup Including Mogwai, Beach House, 1349, Yakuza, And More Revealed + Tickets On Sale Now

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 continues to make waves as it confirms its final lineup for this year’s three-day, four-stage takeover of Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino August 16th – 18th, 2019.

Swedish progressive metal titans Opeth and Grammy award-winning thrash metal legends Megadeth will join UK doom icons/PSYCHO LAS VEGAS alumni Electric Wizard as this year’s mainstage headliners. Opeth’s performance will mark their only US appearance of the year. As if that isn’t enough, the curators of the event have also added Scottish post-rock unit Mogwai, former Screaming Tees frontman/alternative rock icon Mark Lanegan, the multi-talented Bruce Lamont who will appear with his avant metal unit Yakuza as well as his Led Zeppelin tribute band Led Zeppelin 2, psychedelic stoner rock unit Dead Meadow, Norwegian black metallers 1349, and American thrash veterans Vio-lence among others.

Additionally, the world’s only heavy metal talk show, Two Minutes To Late Night, will bring its popular YouTube show to the festival stage while multi-talented recording artist, music producer, and self-help guru Andrew W.K. will bring the weekend ceremony to a close for the second year in a row with a DJ set.

See a full list of confirmed artists below.

The highly-coveted “Psycho Special” passes and “High Roller VIP” passes are now sold out, however “Tier 1 Weekender General Admission” passes are still available at $249 but will increase to $299 once the first tier sells out. Single-day tickets priced at $109 will be available in the coming weeks. All ticket prices are exclusive of taxes and fees. Tickets and more information are available at VivaPsycho.com.

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019:
When: August 16th-18th, 2019
Where: Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino – Las Vegas, NV
Tickets: VivaPsycho.com

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 Final Lineup (alphabetical):
1349
Amenra
Andrew W.K.
Bad Religion
Beach House
Black Mountain
Candy
Carcass
Clutch
Cold Cave
Dead Meadow
Deafheaven
Devil Master
Dvne
Electric Citizen
Electric Wizard
En Minor
Fu Manchu
Full Of Hell
Glassjaw
Goatwhore
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Grails
Graveyard
Hangman’s Chair
Have A Nice Life
Hell Fire
High On Fire
Ilsa
Kadavar
L.A. Witch
Led Zeppelin 2
Levitation Room
Mark Lanegan
Megadeth
Mogwai
Monophonics
Mork
Mother Mercury.
Motorbabe
Night Horse
Nothing
Old Man Gloom
Opeth
Oranssi Pazuzu
Perturbator
Polyrythmics
Power Trip
Rotting Christ
Royal Thunder
Soft Kill
Spindrift
The Black Angels
The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown
The Faint
The Obsessed
Tobacco
Tomb Mold
Triumph Of Death
Truckfighters
Twin Temple
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats
Vio-lence
Warhorse
Yakuza
Yob

And be sure to kick off the weekend with PSYCHO SWIM, the previously-announced all-day, prefest pool party at Daylight Beach Club at Mandalay Bay on Thursday, August 15th featuring Corrosion Of Conformity, Lucifer, Danava, ASG, Primitive Man, Idle Hands, Howling Giant, and Thrown Into Exile. Tickets are separate from the three-day festival and on sale now for $35 (excluding tax and fees) for those 21 and older. Grab your tickets today at VivaPsycho.com.

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 Pre-Party:
When: August 15th, 2019
Where: Daylight Beach Club – Las Vegas, NV
Tickets: VivaPsycho.com

** This is a 21+ event **

Lineup:
Corrosion Of Conformity
Lucifer
Danava
ASG
Primitive Man
Idle Hands
Howling Giant
Thrown Into Exile

https://www.facebook.com/events/2035404693146567/
https://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas/
https://www.instagram.com/psycholasvegas/
http://vivapsycho.com

Electric Wizard, Live in Athens, Greece, Feb. 23, 2019

You know, last year, when Psycho Last Vegas hosted the likes of Bell Witch and Wolves in the Throne Room at its Pool Party pre-show (review here) in the 100-plus degree heat, the “this I gotta see” factor was pretty high. The tone of spectacle that the Pool Party sets is in no small part a defining factor for what makes Psycho Psycho. And by that I mean it’s completely insane, front to back, concept to execution, and yet somehow it not only works, but works well. You’re gonna put Primitive Man — one of the most abrasive, filthiest-sounding, heaviest acts on the planet right now, on a stage used for poolside dance parties and techno nights? How does this even make sense?

It doesn’t need to. Corrosion of Conformity headline the newly-christened Psycho Swim — because you’re god damn right they do — and Lucifer, Danava, ASG, indeed, Primitive Man, Idle Hands, Howling Giant and Thrown into Exile will play. It’s the biggest Pool Party yet that Psycho has hosted, because duh, of course it is, and it seems that as the fest itself continues to scale upward on just about every level — creative scope, reach of the acts it pulls in stylistically and geographically, and the number of venues and attendees — it’s bringing the Pool Party along for the ride. All the better.

Lineup and ticket info follow. It’s going to be limited space, so keep that in mind before you get stoned and try to wander in late or something.

Dig:

PSYCHO SWIM 2019

Official Psycho Las Vegas 2019 pre-party Aug. 15. Daylight Beach Club, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
LUCIFER
DANAVA
ASG
PRIMITIVE MAN
IDLE HANDS
HOWLING GIANT
THROWN INTO EXILE

limited to 1500 people, 300 vips get in for free and receive private cabanas and dipping pools as part of the psycho vip experience….tickets are only available online while supplies last. tickets are $35 & $55.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2035404693146567/
https://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas/
https://www.instagram.com/psycholasvegas/
http://vivapsycho.com

Corrosion of Conformity, Live in Atlanta, GA, Feb. 23, 2019

Psycho Las Vegas makes a point to say this isn’t the complete 2019 lineup — headliners and others are still to come. But if it was, would you really be able to complain? This is three days’ worth of bands, easy. But it wouldn’t be Psycho if it wasn’t completely over the top, and as it continues to solidify its primacy among American festivals that want anything whatsoever to do with the heavy underground, the latest batch of bands proves duly sick. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Triumph of Death — and what on earth will Tom G. Warrior make of the Mandalay Bay? — The Heavy Eyes, Grails, Black Mountain, a return from DVNE and Night Horse, Ex Minor and a host of others. All you have to do is look at the list bands to know it’s going to be wild.

So here’s that list of bands:

America’s rock ‘n’ roll bacchanal returns as PSYCHO LAS VEGAS brings its annual debauchery and unbridled volume to the Strip itself, with a move to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that sets the stage for a Las Vegas Boulevard takeover, the likes of which have never been seen.

Lineup so far:
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats
High on Fire
Triumph of Death
The Faint
Cold Cave
Nothing
Tomb Mold
Royal Thunder
The Heavy Eyes
Night Horse
Ex Minor
Candy
Goatwhore
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
The Obsessed
Tobacco
Glassjaw
YOB
Perturbator
Kadavar
Oranssi Pazuzu
Electric Wizard
Fu Manchu
Graveyard
Truckfighters
WarHorse
L.A. Witch
The Black Angels
Devil Master
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Hangman’s Chair
Amenra
Deafheaven
Old Man Gloom
Clutch
Power Trip
Bad Religion
Rotting Christ

Slated for August 16th through August 18th, PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 will feature four stages, including the newly renovated Events Center, the iconic House Of Blues, the Mandalay Bay Beach, featuring a wave pool and lazy river, and an old-school Vegas-style Lounge smack dab in the middle of the casino floor. While all of the venues are located on the property, Mandalay Bay is connected by a complimentary tram service that provides easy access to affordable accommodations such as Luxor and Excalibur. Attendees will have access to discounted rates at all of these properties and other MGM hotels and resorts down the Strip.

The highly coveted “Psycho Special” passes, notorious for selling out instantly, are priced at $99, plus taxes and fees and go on sale Thursday, November 29th at 10:00am PST. Weekender General Admission passes are priced at $249, plus taxes and fees, and will increase to $299, plus taxes and fees, once the first tier sells out. Only 300 High Roller VIP passes will be sold at $499, plus taxes and fees, with package details to be announced in December. Single-day tickets will be available in the Spring at $109, plus taxes and fees. While the festival format will remain largely the same as previous years, the Thursday pre-party at DAYLIGHT Beach Club will be a more intimate event for attendees and will require a separate ticket from the festival pass. Tickets and more information available at VivaPsycho.com.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2035404693146567/
https://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas/
https://www.instagram.com/psycholasvegas/
http://vivapsycho.com

Black Mountain, “Future Shade”

Psycho Las Vegas 2019 has continued to defy press release-style convention and leak out bands one at a time for its lineup this August at Mandalay Bay on the Strip. I don’t think you need me to tell you this is going to be fucking off the wall, but consider it said anyhow. And it’s worth noting just how broad the latest batch of additions is. From post-rock kingpins Godspeed You! Black Emperor to a reunion for the perennially drummer-less Truckfighters to bringing Hangman’s Chair over from France with so-hot-right-now black metallers Devil Master to importing WarHorse for a non-Eastern Seaboard appearance — from what I hear, Terry Savastano (Grief, Come to Grief) will be playing guitar for this show as well — and lysergic soakers The Black Angels, it’s every bit as all-things-to-all-deviants as one could ask, and whatever stages these bands are actually playing on, you just know it’s going to be a win.

The images as posted by the fest follow here, along with what I’m pretty sure is the complete current lineup — if it isn’t, it’s certainly badass enough to cover it — and ticket info from the PR wire.

Dig it:

America’s rock ‘n’ roll bacchanal returns as PSYCHO LAS VEGAS brings its annual debauchery and unbridled volume to the Strip itself, with a move to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that sets the stage for a Las Vegas Boulevard takeover, the likes of which have never been seen.

Lineup so far:
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats
High on Fire
Glassjaw
YOB
Perturbator
Kadavar
Oranssi Pazuzu
Electric Wizard
Fu Manchu
Graveyard
Truckfighters
WarHorse
The Black Angels
Devil Master
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Hangman’s Chair
Amenra
Deafheaven
Old Man Gloom
Clutch
Power Trip
Bad Religion
Rotting Christ

Slated for August 16th through August 18th, PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 will feature four stages, including the newly renovated Events Center, the iconic House Of Blues, the Mandalay Bay Beach, featuring a wave pool and lazy river, and an old-school Vegas-style Lounge smack dab in the middle of the casino floor. While all of the venues are located on the property, Mandalay Bay is connected by a complimentary tram service that provides easy access to affordable accommodations such as Luxor and Excalibur. Attendees will have access to discounted rates at all of these properties and other MGM hotels and resorts down the Strip.

The highly coveted “Psycho Special” passes, notorious for selling out instantly, are priced at $99, plus taxes and fees and go on sale Thursday, November 29th at 10:00am PST. Weekender General Admission passes are priced at $249, plus taxes and fees, and will increase to $299, plus taxes and fees, once the first tier sells out. Only 300 High Roller VIP passes will be sold at $499, plus taxes and fees, with package details to be announced in December. Single-day tickets will be available in the Spring at $109, plus taxes and fees. While the festival format will remain largely the same as previous years, the Thursday pre-party at DAYLIGHT Beach Club will be a more intimate event for attendees and will require a separate ticket from the festival pass. Tickets and more information available at VivaPsycho.com.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2035404693146567/
https://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas/
https://www.instagram.com/psycholasvegas/
http://vivapsycho.com

WarHorse, As Heaven Turns to Ash… (2001)

If we’ve learned anything at all about Psycho Las Vegas in the last few years, it’s that Psycho is gonna do its own shit its own way. It’s not about being the American Roadburn, or about being a non-suck Coachella. It’s Psycho Las Vegas. It’s its own thing, and to think otherwise is simply to have a mistaken impression. If you’ve been, you know this already.

It would seem to be in that spirit that where every other fest doles out its lineup either at once or piecemeal in a succession of announcements — trust me, I know: I write them — Psycho is once again doing its thing its way. With barely any text whatsoever, band posters have been trickling out through the Psycho Las Vegas Instagram, and if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve started to see some of the festival take shape. There was a first announcement way back in November, and I’m sure when it’s all said and done they’ll have more official word, but until then, it’s worth keeping your eyes open to see how it’s playing out. I’m trying to keep up as best I can.

To that end:

We’re upping the ante and taking this party to the strip. Join us August 16-18, 2019 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino for Psycho Las Vegas––featuring four stages, late night parties, and exclusive performances you won’t see anywhere else. Early Bird + Tier I tickets are on sale now at vivapsycho.com.

Lineup so far:
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats
High on Fire
Glassjaw
YOB
Perturbator
Kadavar
Oranssi Pazuzu
Electric Wizard
Fu Manchu
Graveyard
Amenra
Deafheaven
Old Man Gloom
Clutch
Power Trip
Bad Religion
Rotting Christ

America’s rock ‘n’ roll bacchanal returns as PSYCHO LAS VEGAS brings its annual debauchery and unbridled volume to the Strip itself, with a move to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that sets the stage for a Las Vegas Boulevard takeover, the likes of which have never been seen.

Slated for August 16th through August 18th, PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 will feature four stages, including the newly renovated Events Center, the iconic House Of Blues, the Mandalay Bay Beach, featuring a wave pool and lazy river, and an old-school Vegas-style Lounge smack dab in the middle of the casino floor. While all of the venues are located on the property, Mandalay Bay is connected by a complimentary tram service that provides easy access to affordable accommodations such as Luxor and Excalibur. Attendees will have access to discounted rates at all of these properties and other MGM hotels and resorts down the Strip.

The highly coveted “Psycho Special” passes, notorious for selling out instantly, are priced at $99, plus taxes and fees and go on sale Thursday, November 29th at 10:00am PST. Weekender General Admission passes are priced at $249, plus taxes and fees, and will increase to $299, plus taxes and fees, once the first tier sells out. Only 300 High Roller VIP passes will be sold at $499, plus taxes and fees, with package details to be announced in December. Single-day tickets will be available in the Spring at $109, plus taxes and fees. While the festival format will remain largely the same as previous years, the Thursday pre-party at DAYLIGHT Beach Club will be a more intimate event for attendees and will require a separate ticket from the festival pass. Tickets and more information available at VivaPsycho.com.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2035404693146567/
https://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas/
https://www.instagram.com/psycholasvegas/
http://vivapsycho.com

Fu Manchu, Live in Vancouver, BC, Nov. 11, 2018

Well, I hope Uncle Acid are playing the pool. Today, to mark the on-sale date for early-bird tickets, Psycho Las Vegas has unveiled what it’s calling its teaser lineup. What does that mean? It means they’re just giving a taste of what’s in store, but in names like the aforementioned Uncle Acid, YOB, Kadavar and fest-regulars High on Fire, they’re also providing some reassurance of their commitment to underground heavy. This is the same festival after all that gave DVNE their first US appearance this year and did the same for Elephant Tree in 2017. Even as they change venues and effectively double the scale of the event, I would expect that ethic to hold firm.

So, more to come. And until then, seeing the likes of Oranssi Pazuzu and Glassjaw and Perturbator already on the bill also reaffirms the fest’s ongoing readiness to do whatever the hell it wants. Psycho gonna be Psycho.

Get your ass to Mars, and by Mars, I mean Las Vegas:

We’re upping the ante and taking this party to the strip. Join us August 16-18, 2019 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino for Psycho Las Vegas––featuring four stages, late night parties, and exclusive performances you won’t see anywhere else. Early Bird + Tier I tickets are on sale now at vivapsycho.com.

Lineup so far:
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats
High on Fire
Glassjaw
YOB
Perturbator
Kadavar
Oranssi Pazuzu

America’s rock ‘n’ roll bacchanal returns as PSYCHO LAS VEGAS brings its annual debauchery and unbridled volume to the Strip itself, with a move to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that sets the stage for a Las Vegas Boulevard takeover, the likes of which have never been seen.

Slated for August 16th through August 18th, PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 will feature four stages, including the newly renovated Events Center, the iconic House Of Blues, the Mandalay Bay Beach, featuring a wave pool and lazy river, and an old-school Vegas-style Lounge smack dab in the middle of the casino floor. While all of the venues are located on the property, Mandalay Bay is connected by a complimentary tram service that provides easy access to affordable accommodations such as Luxor and Excalibur. Attendees will have access to discounted rates at all of these properties and other MGM hotels and resorts down the Strip.

The highly coveted “Psycho Special” passes, notorious for selling out instantly, are priced at $99, plus taxes and fees and go on sale Thursday, November 29th at 10:00am PST. Weekender General Admission passes are priced at $249, plus taxes and fees, and will increase to $299, plus taxes and fees, once the first tier sells out. Only 300 High Roller VIP passes will be sold at $499, plus taxes and fees, with package details to be announced in December. Single-day tickets will be available in the Spring at $109, plus taxes and fees. While the festival format will remain largely the same as previous years, the Thursday pre-party at DAYLIGHT Beach Club will be a more intimate event for attendees and will require a separate ticket from the festival pass. Tickets and more information available at VivaPsycho.com.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2035404693146567/
https://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas/
http://vivapsycho.com

Kadavar, “Into the Night” official live video

Psycho comes to the Strip for the first time. The Las Vegas-based festival has made its preliminary 2019 announcement and put out word that it will relocate from the Hard Rock to Mandalay Bay, add another massive venue and double the amount of tickets sold. This is now a major US festival. What began as Psycho California with a skate ramp or whatever it was has now put itself in an entirely different echelon of events. And they’ll no doubt have the lineup to stand up to that.

I love the tag “America’s rock ‘n’ roll bacchanal.” Love it. It captures so perfectly what Psycho Las Vegas does, the odd spirit of the fest and the coming together of different worlds between the weirdo longhairs and the town of Vegas itself, so propped up by ideas of glamour and wealth. I helped write the press release that’s coming out sooner or later, but I didn’t come up with that tagline. I wish I had.

There are still lots of details to be announced about the stages and all that stuff. I’ve heard some of what’s going to happen, and it’s kind of staggering, so keep an eye out. Those worrying about the beach need not be concerned. I’ll say that.

The lineup hasn’t come through yet either, but is slated to later this month. If it’s December, that wouldn’t necessarily be unexpected, but you can pretty much figure it’ll be a beast when it does. After all, they’ve got all those extra tickets to sell.

More to come, of course:

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 To Take Place At Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino August 16th – 18th; Tickets Available On November 29th

America’s rock ‘n’ roll bacchanal returns as PSYCHO LAS VEGAS brings its annual debauchery and unbridled volume to the Strip itself, with a move to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that sets the stage for a Las Vegas Boulevard takeover, the likes of which have never been seen.

Slated for August 16th through August 18th, PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 will feature four stages, including the newly renovated Events Center, the iconic House Of Blues, the Mandalay Bay Beach, featuring a wave pool and lazy river, and an old-school Vegas-style Lounge smack dab in the middle of the casino floor. While all of the venues are located on the property, Mandalay Bay is connected by a complimentary tram service that provides easy access to affordable accommodations such as Luxor and Excalibur. Attendees will have access to discounted rates at all of these properties and other MGM hotels and resorts down the Strip.

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS is unmatched in its level of presentation and 2019 promises not only a bigger and better festival but the experience of a lifetime. Anything goes. All bets — aside from the actual ones in the casino — are off. And if you think you knew what to expect, you’ve obviously never made the trip. Heralded as the vacation destination for those who worship all that is rock ‘n’ roll, PSYCHO LAS VEGAS’ move to Mandalay Bay is a monumental milestone in the growth of the event. The resort is one of the crown jewels of MGM Resorts International and is home to over 3,000 affordable rooms, nine bars and lounges, and 24 restaurants. Occupying 120 lush acres of land on the Strip, the world-class property defines grandeur in every sense of the word while still providing a sense of seclusion that is necessary for the PSYCHO-takeover that fans have come to expect. Make no qualms about it, PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2019 will usher in a new era of spectacle, performance, and production.

The highly coveted “Psycho Special” passes, notorious for selling out instantly, are priced at $99, plus taxes and fees and go on sale Thursday, November 29th at 10:00am PST. Weekender General Admission passes are priced at $249, plus taxes and fees, and will increase to $299, plus taxes and fees, once the first tier sells out. Only 300 High Roller VIP passes will be sold at $499, plus taxes and fees, with package details to be announced in December. Single-day tickets will be available in the Spring at $109, plus taxes and fees. While the festival format will remain largely the same as previous years, the Thursday pre-party at DAYLIGHT Beach Club will be a more intimate event for attendees and will require a separate ticket from the festival pass. Tickets and more information will be available at VivaPsycho.com.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2035404693146567/
https://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas/
http://vivapsycho.com

Sleep, Live at Psycho Las Vegas 2017

08.20.18 – 6:57AM – Monday morning – McCarren Airport, Las Vegas

My cab driver on the way over here was from Athens, a retired cargo-ship captain whose pension got taken back from him and who’s been in the US for eight months. I talked up the Greek heavy rock scene to him and apologized for the weirdness of the times here. He said, “I think America is the best country,” and compared it to Albania, where he said it’s harder to make a living. When we got to the terminal, I gave him a good tip and wished him good luck.

Maybe it was a story he tells everybody. Maybe he made it up. Whatever. I like a story.

Flight is in about an hour. My original reservation said I was flying to Houston. When I checked in this morning with my magic confirmation number, it was San Francisco. Vegas to San Fran to Boston. I’ll get into Logan in about 13 hours, reportedly.

Before I close up the laptop so I can sit anxiously here at Gate D58 and wait for boarding to start, as though my staring would somehow expedite this process — shout to Steve Murphy, who’s seen this in action — I have to say thanks. Thanks to you for reading and for your support and just everything. I was overwhelmed this weekend at the kindness of everyone who came up and said hi, people who knew the site and others with familiar names from the social medias who introduced themselves. Bands I’ve written about and bands I should’ve written more about, and everybody else. It was incredible. Thank you.

Thanks to Evan, Ronnie, Jay and everyone else from the Psycho crew for having me out here. It was a festival unto itself. The big Psycho comparison point is European festivals, the Desertfests, Roadburn, etc. Psycho is its own thing.

Just like American bands and European bands trading influence back and forth across the ocean, Psycho is the start of that conversation from this side of the world. It’s not the first US heavy fest by any stretch, but it might be the first on this scale, and all weekend rumors were circulating about venue changes and even bigger things for next year. Should be interesting.

But thank you. Thank you to The Patient Mrs. for running point on The Pecan and allowing me to be here. I’ve had a couple trips fall through this year and this was one I was glad to make.

When I get back it’s time to knuckle-down for Fall. The Patient Mrs. starts a new semester of teaching right after Labor Day, and that means I’ll be doing my share of daddytime in a way that this weekend I most definitely was not. He’ll be 10 months this Friday. First steps accomplished last Wednesday. Three teeth, fourth coming in. Dude is killing it, and if you didn’t see it, that Vol. 4 cover made by the esteemed Slevin is album art of the year as far as I’m concerned.

They just delayed my flight, so I need to run and find out what that does to my connection. Maybe I’ll get to Houston after all. Here’s to adventure. Thanks again for reading and all the best from wherever the hell I’m headed.