This is one of the best lineups I’ve seen for a US-based heavy fest in the 15-plus years I’ve been running this site. I don’t know what else to say about it, honestly. For the fact that Ripplefest Texas is bringing Dozer over alone, let alone any of the other Euro acts involved who have, say, been to North America in the last 20-plus years, it’s astonishing. And not just bigger bands like Dozer and Truckfighters or Mars Red Sky and Belzebong, but Domkraft and Kal-El, bands you know if you’re into this thing but that haven’t been around as long and aren’t as ‘huge’ in the whatever sense that applies in underground music.

And it’s not like they’re skimping on within-US geography either. Of course the desert is well represented, and Texas has a significant presence as it invariably would, but with Gozu and Leather Lung headed out from Boston, Borracho traveling from D.C., Temple of the Fuzz Witch from Michigan, Robots of the Ancient World from Portland, Oregon, and so on, they’ve got all the corners and between pretty well covered. La Chinga coming from Canada. Demons My Friends giving Mexico a nod. It is extensive.

And quality. I don’t know that I’ll be there to see it, but I’d imagine that for most who get to be, it’ll be the stuff of legend. Congrats to Ryan Garney and Lick of My Spoon for bringing it into the world, and safe travels to all involved:

Here it is! The lineup for RippleFest Texas and the amazing art by Simon Berndt @1horsetown 🤘🔥❤️

We still have a few surprises left but this roster is stacked! Don’t miss your chance to see the world’s best heavy music at the largest family reunion of the year. Plus this is the ONLY premier festival that has absolutely ZERO OVERLAPPING so you can see every second of every band! Get your tickets now and we will see you in September!

Tier 2 tickets are almost sold out and the price increases on Monday so get your tickets now:

www.lickofmyspoon.com

DOZER
TRUCKFIGHTERS
BONGZILLA
MARS RED SKY
BELZEBONG
DOMKRAFT
LEGIONS OF DOOM
FATSO JETSON
GOZU
HOWLING GIANT
THE HEAVY EYES
HIGH DESERT QUEEN
KAL-EL
20 WATT TOMBSTONE
THE OTOLITH
TEMPLE OF THE FUZZ WITCH
LEATHER LUNG
THUNDER HORSE
HASHTRONAUT
BONE CHURCH
BORRACHO
SUN CROW
CRYSTAL SPIDERS
TIA CARRERA
ROBOTS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
MR. PLOW
LA CHINGA
FOSTERMOTHER
BLUE HERON
TEMPTRESS
FORMULA 400
DEMONS MY FRIENDS
VERMILION WHISKEY
VIOLET RISING
HUDU AKIL
BUZZ ELECTRO
SHADOW OF JUPITER

GRAND FINALE w/ MARIO LALLI & THE RUBBER SNAKE CHARMERS “Desert Jam Session”

Plus the best light show in the business by @themadalchemistliquidliteshow

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

Mars Red Sky, Live at Rock in Bourlon 2023

This is a good show. It’s telling that Ripple Music can pick out a spot in a country like France, Germany or Sweden — not to mention any number of US locales — and say, yeah, let’s do a festival there, and have enough bands in the area to fill out a lineup. And I guess what it tells you is the label has a lot of bands associated with it, but also that Cali-based Ripple‘s international reach has continued to grow, and as much as it seems like they got a package deal at Costco on bands from Texas, they can still piece together a two-dayer like this and have it be a killer and diverse-sounding group of acts playing.

Incidentally, the Costco Texas-band unit pricing is sick. Just kidding, Texas. But they do breed ’em riffy down there.

Also in France, it seems. Also pretty much everywhere. Whatever else you might say about this time — plenty — never doubt you’re living in a golden age of heavy rock. Ripple Music has become a big part of why.

From the PR wire:

First edition of stoner and doom festival RIPPLEFEST FRANCE announced on March 18-19th in Nantes; tickets available now!

Ripple Music presents the first edition of RippleFest France, the stoner and doom festival to take place on March 18-19th at Le Michelet in Nantes, with Los Disidentes Del Sucio Motel, The Necromancers, Stonebirds, Kabbalah, Appalooza, Tremor Ama, Fire Down Below, Electric Jaguar Baby and Birds Of Nazca.

After California, England, Germany and Sweden, US stoner and doom powerhouse Ripple Music is treating French heavy rock aficionados with the first edition of RippleFest France. This celebration of the genre will feature bands from the Ripple roster, as well as a fine selection of French and European acts. On site, festival-goers will be able to enjoy local artists, homemade catering as well as merchandising throughout the weekend. The stunning artwork designed by Wild Horse Artwork will also be available for purchase!

RippleFest France
18-19th March 2022 at Le Michelet
1 boulevard Henry Orrion, Nantes (FR)
Day pass: 15€ // Weekend pass: 28€

Join the official event: https://www.facebook.com/events/5041887175830741
Tickets: https://yurplan.com/event/RIPPLE-FEST-FRANCE-2022-Le-Michelet-Nantes/79489#/

FRIDAY 18th MARCH
Los Disidentes Del Sucio Motel – (post-rock/prog rock – Strasbourg)
Appalooza (heavy rock – Brest)
Tremor Ama (stoner rock – Paris)
Electric Jaguar Baby (fuzz duo – Paris)

SATURDAY 19th MARCH
The Necromancers (heavy rock – Poitiers)
Fire Down Below (stoner rock – Ghent)
Kabbalah (doom rock – Pampelune)
Stonebirds (sludge/post-metal – Brest)
Birds Of Nazca (heavy psych rock – Nantes)

https://www.facebook.com/events/5041887175830741
https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://www.instagram.com/ripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/

Los Disidentes del Sucio Motel, Polaris (2021)

Just now, putting this post together, I read that Stonebirds are back in the studio working on their next album for a presumed 2022 release through Ripple Music. That they’ll be at the upcoming Ripplefest Cologne 2021 alongside Plainride — who as I recall have a hand in organizing the festival — Savanah, Fire Down Below, (that) Vug (under the rug), Aptera and Astral Kompakt is all the more appropriate, then, as they’ll have new material to showcase. Somehow I doubt they’ll be the only ones. As the pandemic-era dust begins to settle across the European touring circuit, governments ease lockdowns with a seemingly permanent “for now” attitude, it’s worth emphasizing how special something like this really is for the bands playing it and the people fortunate enough to be there.

That is, there’s a part of me for which an event like this — little more than a poster and a list of cool bands as far as I’m concerned; it’s not how I’m spending my Thanksgiving weekend — feels mundane. Then there’s the part of me that’s lived through the last 20 months or however long kicking myself in the brain with the reminder that, no, this is something to be treasured.

So take a breath, I guess is where I’m at. If it doesn’t hurt to do so, be glad.

From the PR wire:

German stoner and doom festival RIPPLEFEST COLOGNE reveals final names for 2021 edition, to take place on November 27th at Club Volta!

Ripple Music announce the final batch of names for the 2021 edition of RippleFest Cologne, taking place at Club Volta on November 27th. Tickets are on sale now!

RIPPLEFEST returns! After almost two years of pandemic break and three postponements, the Ripple Music-curated event finally returns to the city of Cologne. On November 27th, Club Volta will get suddenly filled with the finest retro rock, heavy rock, psych metal, and doom riffage, provided live by European up-and-coming acts Savanah, Aptera, Fire Down Below, Astral Kompakt, Stonebirds, and Vug.

During the day, festival-goers will be able to enjoy the fine delicacies of the Ripplefest food truck, some great art with local and international poster artists showcases, and the expertise of Diana Matthess and her Guitar Tech Truck — a special workshop offering guitar setups and repairs to musicians. Tickets are on sale now, so don’t wait any longer to treat yourselves to this one-off rock event in the beautiful city of Cologne!

RIPPLEFEST COLOGNE 2021
November 27th, 2021 at Club Volta (Cologne, Germany)
Info & Tickets (14,90€/19,90€) at ripplefest.de

❱ PLAINRIDE
Beer-fueled heavy rock (Germany – Ripple Music)
❱ ASTRAL KOMPAKT
Light-bending instrumental doom (Germany)
❱ FIRE DOWN BELOW
Interstellar psych metal (Belgium – Ripple Music)
❱ STONEBIRDS
Soul-crushing existential doom (France – Ripple Music)
❱ APTERA
Titan-slaying doom metal (Germany)
❱ VUG
Time-traveling 70’s hard rock (Germany)
❱ SAVANAH
Planet-devouring Psychedelic Stoner Doom (Austria)

Join the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/234338981846289/

https://www.facebook.com/events/234338981846289/
https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://www.instagram.com/ripplemusic/
https://twitter.com/RippleMusic
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/