You’ll pardon me if I spare myself looking back to see I’ve probably said the same thing every year for the last decade or so, but Keep it Low is always a very particular kind of daydream. First of all, it’s the kind that usually includes Colour Haze, and that’s an autowin as the Munich-based heavy psych progenitors have a tendency to do the hometown party. But second, among all the busy times happening around Europe each and every October, Keep it Low has always stood out to me in having vibe as part of the mission from the go. Like it’s not just about you and the bands in the room, but how that space is being shared.

I’ve never been, which is kind of a bummer, and I’m not expecting to go anytime soon, but it’s a pleasure to see who’s going to be there and wonder at the implications for who might be on the road next Fall between the likes of 1000mods and Spirit Mother, etc. I’m pretty sure this is the first October-weekend fest announcement I’ve seen — you have to admit, it’s early — but the low-key-killer first announcement below is part and parcel to why I’ve lost so many minutes over the years wondering what it would be like to actually be at this thing.

From social media:

KEEP IT LOW #12 – ⚡️FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT IS HERE⚡️

Keep It Low Festival returns to Munich in 2026 — heavier, louder and fuzzier than ever.

📍 Backstage München
🗓️ 09 – 10 October 2026

We’re kicking things off with a massive first wave of bands:

1000MODS
THE DEVIL AND THE ALMIGHTY BLUES
DEATHCHANT
SPIRIT MOTHER
FOMIES
SUCK
SKYJOGGERS
KOMBYNAT ROBOTRON
LEBER
& MANY MORE TO COME!

Two full days of heavy rock, doom, sludge & psych. Two stages, an outdoor beergarden, and all the vibes you need to get lost in the low end.

Stay tuned — this is just the beginning! 🔥

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

1000mods, Cheat Death (2024)

The Marienthal, Germany-based Hoflärm festival has made its initial lineup announcement for August 2026, putting it ahead of some of the summer’s events in Europe while giving a sense of who’s going to be touring when. Dead Meadow, Kyesa and Caste Rat spending time on the road next year will be continuing on from active 2025s for each, ditto Conan on that. Add to that Kadavar at the top of the bill, who released two albums this year, and you can see the beginnings of another killer weekend even before you get to the thread of punk here or the prospect of more announcements to come.

I’m always interested to see who’s playing where, but if you’ve ever caught pictures or video from Hoflärm, it looks like a vibe’s vibe. The festival’s announcement from socials follows here, along with the ticket link and such:

Hoflärm 2026 – First Bands + Pre Sale Start – Habt ihr Bock oder was ?

We’ve been holding this back for a while, and now it’s finally time. The first wave of bands for the 2026 Hoflärm Festival is here. Tickets are live through: https://hoflaerm.ticket.io/yozKZeOt/?

Kadavar x Hoflärm – It’s one of those things that just has to happen in life, just like Fries and Mayonnaise. Berlin’s heavy rock powerhouse is going to come to Marienthal. Get ready to see Kadavar in a one-of-a-kind setting on our farm. You know this is going to have a truly special vibe. We’re really excited to welcome the four Berliners in 2026!

Kylesa A mix of sludge, psych, and raw energy. A band that always pushes their sound forward. We’re truly honored to welcome this iconic band to our place.
True to their name, Midnight will unleash a special anniversary performance of Satanic Royalty at… you guessed it, midnight Blackened speed metal in its purest form. Fast, dirty, and unapologetically wild.

Dead Meadow Heavy, dreamy, and hypnotic. A blend of psych rock and hazy desert vibes.

Conan Crushing, slow, and loud. Doom metal distilled down to its heaviest essence. Bring your Axe for Caveman Battle Doom!

Meatbodies Garage rock twisted with psych and noise. Catchy, chaotic, and full of character.

Castle Rat Dark, theatrical, and riff-driven. You know what you get, this will be a true battle on the fields of marry valley.

Suck High-energy punk rock with no frills and no breaks. Sharp, fast, and fun. We cant wait for Gabba Gabba.

Cardiel A two-piece from Mexico that mixes punk, psych, and surf with serious intensity.

Mother Bear Dark, immersive, and just a little untamed. Mother Bear’s music drifts in like a storm you didn’t see coming. You have to check this band, its probably one of the most underrated german underground bands.

There’s plenty more on the way! We have additional headliners and co-headliners, plus some truly special up-and-coming bands. But this is just the start of 2026. Tickets are available now via the link in our bio.

As every year: Heinzelmännchen Hofcafe, Freida Bar and FatStreetBoyz will serve you cool drinks and delicious food 🖤

https://www.hoflaerm.de/
https://instagram.com/hoflaerm/
https://www.facebook.com/Hofcafe.Hoflaerm

Kadavar, Kids Abandoning Destiny Among Vanity and Ruin (2025)

Suck, Time to Suck (1971)

All told, Suck were a band for less than a year. Obviously they were hoping someone would take notice of them — their name and album title cloying at controversy — but I guess it didn’t work out. Time to Suck was issued in 1971, and then where there was a band, there wasn’t a band. That’s how it goes sometimes. It couldn’t have been easy to play heavy rock in Johannesburg, South Africa, without the interwebs for distribution. As I understand it, the 2009 reissue of Time to Suck was also its first official release in the US. They cover both King Crimson — giving “21st Century Schizoid Man” a good dirtying up — and Black Sabbath, so if nothing else, they had their ears to the ground. Couldn’t have been so many people on top of “War Pigs” as to cover it on a studio release the same year it first came out.

—

Well no, this week wasn’t so mind-bogglingly terrible, thank you for asking. Happy to report that I didn’t lose any more jobs. I did get a brushoff from a bar owner when I inquired about buying his place, but it was hardly the same kind of burn as watching half my already-plenty-meager income go down the toilet in the course of an email. Other than that, a few resumes sent out, a few non-responses, and me, just plugging away because what the hell else can I do? Tonight I cooked sausages. That always helps.

Thanks to everyone who downloaded the podcast this week or otherwise listened to it, shared the link, and so on, and thanks to everyone in general for reading. I’m really happy with where this site is at right now and I’m enjoying the writing and putting the time into it. Other than my marriage, I think I can safely say this is the most rewarding endeavor I’ve ever undertaken. So yes, thanks again.

Next week, reviews of Mansion and the new Trippy Wicked EP, and I’m gonna try my damnedest to get that Vista Chino interview with Brant Bjork up. It was a good one, him talking about the desert and spirituality and whatnot. I dug it, anyway. That record is good, and I’m pretty sure it’s out now. If you haven’t given it one yet, it deserves a fair chance, however you feel about the whole Kyuss reunion thing. You’ll either dig it or you won’t, but it seems better to me to at least not like something for what it is rather than how it came about. Easier said than done sometimes, I know it well.

Might also go see that Fistula and Nightstick show in Allston on Monday on that tour that was just posted. That would probably be the sludgiest show I’ve seen in a while, but sounds like a good way to spend Labor Day, blow out my ears before the week actually starts. Could be worse.

Whatever you’re up to on this long weekend (I may or may not post on Monday, we’ll see), I hope you have a great and safe time.

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