It’s a pretty distractible morning apparently, but I’m going to try to finish this post before my head meanders to one of the other three I’ve currently got going at the same time. So it goes when you’ve spent the week not answering emails while doing a Quarterly Review; always a bit of catchup. I’m happy to note, though, that this news only came in yesterday, so I’m not nearly as behind on it as, well, whatever will probably go up on Monday, for example.

StonerKras Fest 2023 has announced its complete lineup for this July in Trieste, Italy. The final bands added are Heavy Psych Sounds upstarts Margarita Witch Cult from the UK — their self-titled debut came out in April — as well as the evidently prolific and weird Long Hours and Mystic Majesty, whose first record was released in March. They join the ranks of 1000mods and Mondo Generator, who will headline the all-dayer set for July 15, and cap a bill that’s already grown more diverse from the first edition’s lineup last year. ‘Plant a seed and work your ass off to watch it grow,’ I think is the saying about music festivals.

As much fun as it is to pretend one might be able to abscond to the Italian northeast and catch this gig, it doesn’t seem likely I’ll make it out, but it’s been cool to keep up here and I’ll look forward to how StonerKras continues to develop in 2024. In the meantime, if you are in a position geographically or financially to get there, tickets are on sale now.

As the PR wire tells it:

STONERKRAS – 15.07.2023 – Prosek-Prosecco (Trieste, ITA)

FULL LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT

StonerKras is a psychedelic music gathering based on stoner, doom and heavy psych music. The festival has an international footprint but with the aim of enhancing the local heavy scene (both Slovenian and Italian) while attracting spectators from the region but also from neighboring countries.
Youth aggregation and cultural exchange accompanied by good music.

!!! TICKETS PRESALE STARTS TODAY !!!
FIRST 100 EARLY BIRD TICKETS
ONLY 20€ (+presale tax)

https://biglietteria.ticketpoint-trieste.it/dettaglio-spettacolo.php?negozio_spettacolo_id=569

!!! THREE MORE BANDS ANNOUNCED TODAY !!!

*** MARGARITA WITCH CULT ***
– new proto metal-doom UK sensation –

Hailing from the home of metal, Birmingham UK, Margarita Witch Cult are the Sabbath City’s newest heirs to the throne of darkness serving a merciless concoction of stoned sludge, demented thrash, and proto-metal weirdness.

Their self-titled debut album was released via Heavy Psych Sounds in April 2023.

*** LONG HOURS ***
– Elvis performing on acid.. –

Long hours has been coined as being lofi, nowave, synth punk croon-core, gothdoowop with a relentless live show inspired by frontmen such as David Yow (the Jesus lizard) JG Thirlwell (Foetus) Alan Vega (suicide). Long hours has performed up & down the east coast of Australia countless times and has toured Japan twice. He has also released 27 albums in the space of 3 years.

Imagine an Elvis performance… on acid!

*** MYSTIC MAJESTY ***
– hard robot rock from Italy –

Born in 2018 from the ashes of different projects, inspired by the stoner scene with psychedelic influences and without forgetting their roots, Mystic Majesty is an explosive and powerful mix of sound and lyrics defined Hard Robot Rock. Their will is to bring the listener out of space/time to make us feel one with the universe.

Even just for a brief moment..

– – – – – – – –

*** STONERKRAS FEST ***
15.07.2023 – Prosek-Trieste (ITA)

1000MODS (stoner rock, GR – exclusive show for north-east Italy/Slovenia/Croatia in summer 2023)
MONDO GENERATOR (stoner punk, USA)
MARGARITA WITCH CULT (proto metal/doom, UK)
TSO (alternative rock, ITA)
JEGULJA (instrumental stoner metal, SLO)
LONG HOURS (lo-fi/punk/acid folk, AUS)
MYSTIC MAJESTY (hard robot rock, ITA)

** FOOD & DRINKS **
** MARKET STANDS **
** PSYCHEDELIC LIGHT SHOW **
** FREE AFTERPARTY DJ-SET ***

– – – – – – – –

!!! TICKETS PRESALE !!!
WWW.STONERKRAS.IT

https://www.instagram.com/stonerkrasfest/
https://www.facebook.com/StonerKrasFest/

Margarita Witch Cult, Margarita Witch Cult (2023)

With Mondo Generator, Trieste’s own TSO and Slovenian instrumentalists Jegulja in this second announcement, 2023’s StonerKras Fest embodies what seems to be the core mission of the festival in bringing together higher-profile touring acts — recall the first band unveiled was Greece’s 1000mods — with those local to the event’s locale near the Italy/Slovenia border. Trying to make something happen, to spread the word about a regional scene and support its bands while benefiting as well from providing a stop on European tours where otherwise there probably wouldn’t be one.

It’s an all-dayer, and last year’s inaugural edition had six bands, so it seems reasonable to think there’s at least one more announcement coming ahead of July,

STONERKRAS – 15.07.2023 – Prosek-Prosecco (Trieste, ITA)

TICKETS PRESALE starts today + 3 more bands announcement

StonerKras is a psychedelic music gathering based on stoner, doom and heavy psych music. The festival has an international footprint but with the aim of enhancing the local heavy scene (both Slovenian and Italian) while attracting spectators from the region but also from neighboring countries.
Youth aggregation and cultural exchange accompanied by good music.

!!! TICKETS PRESALE STARTS TODAY !!!
FIRST 100 EARLY BIRD TICKETS
ONLY 20€ (+presale tax)

https://biglietteria.ticketpoint-trieste.it/dettaglio-spettacolo.php?negozio_spettacolo_id=569

!!! THREE MORE BANDS ANNOUNCED !!!

*** MONDO GENERATOR ***

– stoner punk legends from California –

Mondo Generator was formed in 1997 by Queens of the Stone Age bassist/singer Nick Oliveri. Initially intended as a solo/side project, the classic “Cocaine Rodeo” album was recorded that same year, but shelved until the Southern Lord label released it and its unique brand of criminal insanity to widespread acclaim and horror in the summer of 2000. The follow-up, “A Drug Problem That Never Existed,” was released jointly in the Summer of 2003 by Ipecac/Rekords Rekords to further critical acclaim. A worldwide tour followed that was chronicled on video for the DVD release “Use Once and Destroy Me”.

In 2004, Mondo Generator recorded and released “III The EP.” Oliveri began a solo acoustic career shortly after, which would see two full releases, “Demolition Day”, and 2010’s “Death Acoustic.” In 2006, Mondo Generator released “Dead Planet: SonicSlowMotionTrails” on English label Mother Tongue. It would be released worldwide the following year on Suburban Noize Records. In late 2010, Mondo Generator would be put on a back-burner as Oliveri rejoined Kyuss, re-branded as Kyuss Lives! (and now Vista Chino), which also featured John Garcia, Brant Bjork, and new guitarist Bruno Fevery. In summer 2012, the new Mondo Generator album, “Hell Comes To Your Heart,” was released by Mondo Media/Cobraside.

The band has come back with a new lineup (Nick Oliveri with Mike Pygmie on guitars and Michael Amster on drums), a brand new album FUCK IT and a bunch of represses via Heavy Psych Sounds !!!

*** TSO ***

– alternative rock from Trieste –

Founded by Abbrescia brothers in 2013 in Trieste, with two albums and a bunch of tours, TSO are working on their third record.

Catchy tunes, heavy riffs, some oddities and underground wizardry.

One of the best bands in town!

*** JEGULJA ***

– instrumental stoner metal from Slovenia –

Jegulja is a psychedelic stoner/metal trio with seventh drummer.

Jegulja has completed its second album Exit Sandman in 2020. The first Darkest Light album was [released in 2017].

Jegulja is Rok ‘Boogie’ Henigman on drums, Jure Gašper – baritone guitar and Jan Kozel – Fender Stratocaster.

+ more bands TBA !!!

– – – – – – – –

** FOOD & DRINKS **
** MARKET STANDS **
** PSYCHEDELIC LIGHT SHOW **
** FREE AFTERPARTY DJ-SET ***

– – – – – – – –

!!! TICKETS PRESALE STARTS TODAY !!!

FIRST 100 EARLY BIRD TICKETS
– ONLY 20€ (+presale tax) –

https://biglietteria.ticketpoint-trieste.it/dettaglio-spettacolo.php?negozio_spettacolo_id=569

https://www.instagram.com/stonerkrasfest/
https://www.facebook.com/StonerKrasFest/

Mondo Generator, Live at Freak Valley Festival 2022

Based in the north of Italy near the borders with Slovenia and Croatia, StonerKras Fest will hold its 2023 edition this July, with Greece’s 1000mods as the first act to be announced. That’s a solid pull out of the gate, though I’m left wondering if they’ll headline. You might recall in 2022 Nebula topped the bill, and while 1000mods are not necessarily as long-tenured as the reinvigorated L.A./desert mainstays and so can’t yet claim the same kind of generational influence — though their native underground would not be what it is without them, to be sure — they’re probably right around the same in terms of draw.

Last year’s StonerKras also dug into its regional sphere with a Glory Owl reunion featured in 2022, and certainly between Northern Italy, Slovenia and Croatia there’s plenty more to include and explore in that regard as they work their way toward a full lineup this time around. It was six bands in 2022, and if 1000mods aren’t headlining and there’s another big name coming in for the day, that already ups the stakes for this July. I know nothing, as ever, so we’ll see how it comes together presumably over the next few weeks/months as tickets go on sale and so on.

Or, to put it another way, more to come. For today, here’s this:

Rocket Panda Management is proud to announce STONERKRAS

– 15.07.2023 – Prosek-Prosecco (Trieste, ITA) –

II edition

StonerKras is a psychedelic music gathering based on stoner, doom and heavy psych music. The festival has an international footprint but with the aim of enhancing the local heavy scene (both Slovenian and Italian) while attracting spectators from the region but also from neighboring countries.

Youth aggregation and cultural exchange accompanied by good music.

!!! FIRST BAND ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY !!!

*** 1000MODS ***
– stoner rock legends from Greece –

!!! VERY EXCLUSIVE SHOW FOR NORTH-EAST ITALY, SLOVENIA and CROATIA IN SUMMER 2023 !!!

+ more bands TBA !!!

– – – – – – – –

** FOOD & DRINKS **
** MARKET STANDS **
** LIGHT SHOW **
** FREE AFTERPARTY DJ-SET ***

TICKETS PRESALE AVAILABLE VERY SOON

https://www.instagram.com/stonerkrasfest/
https://www.facebook.com/StonerKrasFest/

1000mods, “Electric Carve” official video

The final act to be announced for the first StonerKras Festival — to be held next month in Trieste, Italy — is hometown rockers Glory Owl, whose reunion rounds out a six-band bill topped by Nebula but mostly featuring acts from Italy and Slovenia. This only makes sense, considering that’s where the promoters putting it together are based, so the only question that remains is how everyone will work alongside each other on this first go, and I guess if next year StonerKras will be held in Slovenia instead.

And if you’re not up on geography (not that I am), Trieste is in the north of Italy, in Prosecco — yes, like the not-quite-champagne — and Prosek in Slovenia is part of the same region despite being in the neighboring nation. There you have it.

Oh, and here you have it too:

Rocket Panda Management & Mladinski Krožek Prosek-Kontovel are proud to present STONERKRAS FEST

– 20.08.2022 – Prosek-Prosecco (Trieste, ITA) –

StonerKras is a psychedelic music gathering based on stoner, doom and heavy psych music. The festival will have an international footprint but with the aim of enhancing the local heavy scene (both Slovenian and Italian) while attracting spectators from the region but also from neighboring countries. Youth aggregation and cultural exchange accompanied by good music.

!!! LAST BAND ANNOUNCEMENT !!!
EXCLUSIVE REUNION SHOW OF THE ITALIAN LEGENDS

*** GLORY OWL ***

(stoner rock from Trieste)

Do you like distorted guitars and Black Sabbath? Do feel nostalgic for football from the 80’s? Well then Glory Owl is the band you’re looking for!

Glory Owl are five good looking, ravenous adults: their hearts are full of untapped teenage anger.

Your nostalgia for much simpler times will be triggered, when a players’ prowess was measured on the length of their moustache or on how many cigarettes they smoked on a bench.

Or even better times, when beer was a currency and sweaty armpits were the latest fashion in Former Yugoslavian’s underground clubs.

————————————————–

*** STONERKRAS FEST ***

– 20.08.2022 – Prosek-Prosecco (Trieste, ITA) –

NEBULA (heavy psych, USA)
BUSS (heavy psych, ITA)
OMEGA SUN (stoner doom, SLO)
GLORY OWL Exclusive Reunion Show (stoner rock, ITA)
SAMSATION (psychedelic rock, SLO)
BIG BLACK WHALE (stoner rock, ITA)

– – – – – – – –

** FOOD & DRINKS **
** MARKET STANDS **
** AFTERPARTY DJ-SET ***

– – – – – – – –

Tickets at the door: 20€
For info and reservations: info@rocketpandamanagement.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/532235522016554
https://www.instagram.com/stonerkrasfest/
https://www.facebook.com/StonerKrasFest/

Glory Owl, The Weight of Stone (2017)

When Nebula announced their extensive European tour back in April, the Aug. 20 date in Trieste, Italy, was left as a TBA, and it’s been revealed that the reason for that is that the band’s first Euro run supporting their new album, Transmission From Mothership Earth — which was itself announced just about two weeks ago — will cap at the inaugural edition of the StonerKras Fest, a collaboration between Rocket Panda Management (this means I won’t be surprised when Trieste locals Buss are added) and Slovenia’s Mladinski Krožek Prosek-Kontovel. The stated mission is to represent both regions, and fair enough since there’s plenty of heavy to go around, but with Nebula on board, their reach proves immediately international and I doubt the Cali legends will be the only act from elsewhere to play.

Though I say that and I have no idea how many bands there will be on the finished bill, so take it for what it is in being next-to-baseless speculation, but whatever. Even as a single-day all-dayer, I have every reason to believe this won’t be the last edition of StonerKras Fest given the personnel involved, and who knows, maybe you’ll be in that part of the world in August following Nebula on tour like some kind of hippie revivalist thing and you’ll hit this one up. Or maybe you’re just sitting on your ass thinking it would be rad to go someplace you’ve never been and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience there. I say do it. Life’s too short and too generally wretched to let that kind of opportunity slip. As ever: quit your dayjob. For yourself, if not for rock and roll.

From the PR wire:

STONERKRAS FEST

20.08.2022 – Prosek-Prosecco (Trieste, ITA)

Rocket Panda Management & Mladinski Krožek Prosek-Kontovel present STONERKRAS FEST

– 20.08.2022 – Prosek-Prosecco (Trieste, ITA) –

StonerKras is a psychedelic music gathering based on stoner, doom and heavy psych music. The festival will have an international footprint but with the aim of enhancing the local heavy scene (both Slovenian and Italian) while attracting spectators from the region but also from neighboring countries. Youth aggregation and cultural exchange accompanied by good music.

!!! FIRST BAND ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY !!!

NEBULA (heavy psych, USA)

+ more bands T.B.A. !!!

** FOOD & DRINKS **
** MARKET STANDS **
** FREE AFTERPARTY DJ-SET ***

Tickets at the door: 20€
For info and reservations: info@rocketpandamanagement.com

STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO COMING SOON…

https://www.facebook.com/events/532235522016554
https://www.instagram.com/stonerkrasfest/
https://www.facebook.com/StonerKrasFest/

Nebula, “Highwired”