Posted in Whathaveyou on December 18th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Feast your eyes on the Brian Mercer poster below — oh golly, I hope they make t-shirts — and behold not only the art’s glory but also the know-your-shit gauntlet being thrown down by the initial lineup for Emissions From the Monolith 10, which will be the first edition of the festival in 19 years. And some of these bands are veterans of the event to be sure — Rebreather are the hometown staple, Solace, Stinking Lizaveta, Deadbird, The Brought Low, Disengage, Weedeater would’ve likely played, while Generation of Vipers and Telekinetic Yeti have come up in the interim. The message being delivered here lives up to what the returning festival said it would do in terms of blending the oldschool Emissions palette with newer incarnations of heavy.
I’m planning on going to this. I don’t know where I’m staying yet. I don’t know how I’m getting there — maybe a train? is that crazy? — but I knew damn well before this initial, more-to-come lineup was announced that I wanted to be there for Emissions 10. The bill thus far only makes me look forward to it more. No, it won’t be like it was at the Nyabinghi in 2006 when I got voted off the island (it was okay, I eventually got back on, but like a decade later) and the guys from SunnO))) were throwing hissyfits on the stage monitors. It’s been 19 years. But in addition to the reunion aspect of it, I can’t wait to see who else gets added, because Emissions From the Monolith‘s Greg Barratt has always had a very particular ear for sludge and heavy, and especially with the hints here in Telekinetic Yeti and Generation of Vipers, I’m curious to know who else makes the cut. Would Howling Giant be a fit? What about Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol?
Presumably it’ll be the New Year before the next announcement is made, but tickets are available if you want to come hang. We’ll sort out the details like travel and lodging later. Probably too late.
From social media:
Emissions From The Monolith 10
October 8–11, 2026 Westside Bowl — Youngstown, Ohio
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 27th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Not content to let this most wretched of years end without giving it one last kick in the ass — and all the more admirable for that — North Carolinian sludge institution Weedeater will be back on the road in December, touring around a sold-out Chicago date that also includes High on Fire and the well-managed return of Acid Bath and a date alongside Eyehategod, keeping company with next-gen NC sludgers Bronco, born out of Toke, and The Goddamn Gallows. My big question is whether they’ll play the reignited Emissions From the Monolith next year, but I suppose we’ve got time before finding out.
Oh, and Weedeater‘s still-most-recent LP, Goliathan (review here), turned 10 this year. Happy birthday and such. Strange to think of 2015 as “simpler times,” but yeah.
The PR wire has the latest:
Weedeater Announce Final Tour Dates for 2025
Cape Fear Legends Ending Year on Headlining Run + Dates with Acid Bath, High on Fire and Eyehategod
Fresh off grinding the ol’ dusty trail with Melvins, Napalm Death and Baroness, Weedeater are sending 2025 up in smokes with a December headline tour. The Cape Fear Legends will sling their heavy and colorful strand of weed metal all the way from Belgium to Pennsylvania Dutch Country and the American Midwest before heading back down south. Joining the band for this fresh stash of dates are Rust Belt psychobilly cowpunks The Goddamn Gallows and doomy fellow Cape Fear natives Bronco.
Along the way, Weedeater will join the recently reunited Acid Bath and Grammy winners High on Fire for a sold-out show at Chicago’s Salt Shed, followed by a night in South Carolina with the mighty Eyehategod.
Weedeater December 2025 Tour Dates with The Goddamn Gallows and Bronco
December 6 – Eeklo, Belgium @ Empire of Groove* December 9 – Harrisburg, PA @ Capitol City Music Hall December 10 – Toledo, OH @ Frankies December 11 – Columbus, OH – Skully’s December 12 – Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed w/ Acid Bath + High on Fire [SOLD OUT] December 13 – Murfreesboro, TN @ Hop Springs December 14 – Little Rock, AR @ Whitewater December 16 – Austin, TX @ Lost Well December 17 – New Orleans, LA @ Southport Music Hall December 18 – Panama City Beach, FL @ Moseys December 19 – Piedmont, SC @ Tribbles w/ Eyehategod December 20 – Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones *only Weedeater
Weedeater’s full discography is available now on Season of Mist
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 5th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
With no Desertfest New York this year (and, let’s face it, maybe not next year either), I don’t have the luxury I’ve enjoyed throughout the 2020s thus far of consoling myself at missing Ripplefest Texas by seeing some of the same acts coming through without having to fly out to do it. Not so much this year. In unveiling its full lineup for this September, Ripplefest Texas 2025 lays out an absolute dream of a bill — from Weedeater to Suplecs to Mothership to Author and Punisher (new record by then?) to Sundrifter and Mr. frickin’ Plow and Lake Lake — it’s the most imperative US festival lineup I’ve seen pretty much since Ripplefest Texas last year.
I’ve never been to Ripplefest Texas and it’s been over 15 years since the last time I set foot in Austin, but I’d be there in a hot minute for this one. Gonna start a GoFundMe for the flight and lodging (more likely, beg my wife). If you get there, congratulations on your life.
Check out the new adds and the full lineup below. It’s a beautiful thing:
The best family reunion of the year is back! The lineup for RippleFest Texas 2025 is now complete and you will not want to miss your chance to see the best music at the friendliest festival in the world. Lick of My Spoon Productions brings you the only open air festival in the US with ABSOLUTELY ZERO BAND OVERLAPPING! New bands added to an already stacked lineup are ASG, Author & Punisher, Mondo Generator, High Desert Queen, Bronco, Rainbows Are Free, The Absurd, Volume, Gran Moreno, Karma Vulture, and Desert Suns.
The festival will once again be held at The Far Out Lounge and Sagebrush in Austin, TX on September 18-21, 2025. Get your tickets now at www.lickofmyspoon.com.
Full List of Bands: Weedeater Whores. Mothership Author & Punisher Mondo Generator ASG Unida Wo Fat Valley of the Sun Left Lane Cruiser High Desert Queen Mos Generator Telekinetic Yeti Human Impact Mountain of Smoke Thunder Horse Suplecs Kind Bronco Sundrifter Rainbows Are Free Fostermother Mr. Plow Kupa Pities Luna Sol Shun Gran Moreno Stone Nomads Volume The Absurd Desert Suns Karma Vulture Lake Lake Sons of Gulliver
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 24th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Okay, so here’s the deal. Last year, I found myself wanting to keep up with Ripplefest Texas‘ lineup additions and couldn’t really do anything coverage-wise because they were happening daily and that kind of turns the site into a one-subject show in a way that doesn’t really help. Took me a year to figure it out, but I’m going to do Friday updates like this one — a roundup of what’s been coming out every day from the fest since the last announcement — for as long as they go with the daily adds. I don’t know when that will be, how many bands are playing — 2024 was huge, I’d expect 2025 to be correspondingly proportioned — or what time your flight needs to get into Austin for you to get there in time for the start on Sept. 18. I’m low on insight. But this is a party that’s becoming central to the year here in the US, so I want to cover it as much as I can.
The fest had quite a week. This is in order from oldest to newest, so Weedeater were the first added, etc. Here you go:
RIPPLEFEST TEXAS 2025 – NEW BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: WEEDEATER
Those infamous sludge outlaws WEEDEATER bring their own branded “weed-metal” to RippleFest Texas. Their style marks the crossroads where true Southern rock and metal meet raw humour, old religion, as well as weed and whiskey.
If you’ve seen them live before then you know what a great show they put on! If you haven’t seen them then you are in for a treat! Get your eardrums and your livers ready!
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NEW BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: LUNA SOL
Denver’s high mountain stoner blues rock band, LUNA SOL, is fronted by singer and lead guitarist DAVID ANGSTROM, known from Hermano, Supafuzz, Black Cat Bone, and Asylum On The Hill. Celebrating their 14th year, they released an epic album, VITA MORS, on September 20, 2024, via Todd Severin’s kickass Ripple Music label.
On VITA MORS, Angstrom collaborates with drummer ZETH PEDULLA and bassist DOUG TACKETT, creating a unique chemistry that inspired them to capture the raw energy of their sessions. VITA MORS delivers a live sound, immersing listeners in an atmosphere reminiscent of a dive bar with heavy riffs and vivid Southern Kentucky roots. The album embodies a mix of fury and delicacy, providing a perfect backdrop for Angstrom’s powerful storytelling.
Following 2015’s “Blood Moon” and 2017’s “Below The Deep,” VITA MORS spans 50+ minutes, exploring themes of betrayal, love, murder, and heartache. It features contributions from friends across various bands, continuing LUNA SOL’s tradition of collaboration. Angstrom noted, “The riffs were flowing, the tones were massive …and the fun continues.”
LUNA SOL is currently scheduling various US dates + an EU 2025 tour. The band’s live show is always impressive and delivers a fistful of full frontal riffs and immense power from a wall of vintage amps …and beer. There’s always a lot of beer.
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NEW BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: SHUN
Shun is a four-piece heavy, atmospheric post-rock band from the Western Carolinas (Greenville, SC / Asheville, NC) comprised of Matt Whitehead (Throttlerod), Rob Elzey, Jeff Baucom, and Bo Leslie (ex Throttlerod). Shun’s debut album was self-recorded during pandemic isolation, mixed by J Robbins (Clutch, The Sword, Coliseum, and so many more), and released on Small Stone Records. With styles ranging from melodic noise rock and heavy riffs to atmospheric largesse with contemplative, patient contraction, Shun emerged from the pandemic and began playing regional shows with bands like Shiner and Spotlights.
In 2024, Shun reteamed Small Stone and with J Robbins for their follow-up record, Dismantle, this time recording at J’s Magpie Cage studio in Baltimore, Maryland. Dismantle continues several crucial threads from the self-titled in terms of songwriting, while expanding their scope with a more refined crunch and drifting, ethereal outreach. It is heavier and paints a broader landscape in Matt Whitehead’s vocal and guitar melodies and reshapes it as the backdrop for weighted post-rock while refusing to sap its own vitality in service to shoegazey posturing.
Dismantle is able to push, pull, crash down loud or recede into float as Shun wills. That they’d wield such command in their craft likely won’t be a surprise to those who took on the self-titled, but among the things Dismantle undoes, it strips the listener of expectations and replaces them with its unflinching creativity and refreshingly forward-looking take.
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NEW BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: TELEKINETIC YETI
Based out of Iowa, Telekinetic Yeti is a two-man band that delivers sonic brutality melded with psychedelic doom wizardry, forged by the worship of the almighty riff and honed by relentless touring and dedication to their craft.
Creating music as cryptically enchanting as it is heavy, you wouldn’t guess that the impressive cacophony pouring out of the speakers like molten, metal syrup is being produced by only two people. Founder and guitarist Alex Baumann explains, “Originally I decided not to have a bass player purely for logistical reasons, it was just another schedule to work around, another person who’s boss could tell us we can’t tour, but then I started seeing it as a challenge, like let’s see how heavy we can make it with just two people.”
After having Telekinetic Yeti 2 years ago at RippleFest Texas, we couldn’t wait to have them back!
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NEW BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: WHORES.
Formed in 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia, the trio has established themselves as one of the most successful and motivated bands in the genre today. Elements of Helmet, Melvins, and the Amphetamine Reptile roster can be heard throughout their catalog, but Whores are no regurgitated throwback act. Through intense, cathartic live performances and the perfected aggressive tenacity present on their recordings, the band has gained a fervent following sure to do nothing but grow in the years to come.
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NEW BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: HUMAN IMPACT
Human Impact, the New York-based outfit founded by Chris Spencer (Unsane) and Jim Coleman (Cop Shoot Cop), who recently released their sophomore album, Gone Dark (Oct. 4, Ipecac Recordings).
The Human Impact arsenal is more formidable than ever thanks to the addition of two more noise-rock veterans: bassist Eric Cooper (Made Out of Babies, Bad Powers) and drummer Jon Syverson (Daughters). Spencer had spent the 2020 COVID lockdown working on a cabin in the East Texas woods and would travel into Austin for informal jam sessions with the pair in the Cooper’s garage. Friendly blasts through vintage Unsane songs ultimately resulted in the rhythm section being fully absorbed into Human Impact.
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NEW BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: VALLEY OF THE SUN
After fourteen years of rocking and rolling across the world, Valley of the Sun released their fifth lp, “Quintessence”, which explores new sonic dimensions for the band, who is once again in a three piece format. Over the years they have graced the stages of clubs and festivals alike, including Hellfest, Palp Festival, Keep It Low, Tabernas, Lazy Bones, Motocultor, and Desertfests New York, Berlin, London, and Belgium. Hellbent on dominating the world with their unique, unapologetic twist on stoner-grunge, they finally bring the show to Ripplefest Texas.
There is no greater family reunion than RippleFest Texas, so get your tickets now and get your eardrums and bodies ready for lots of crushing music and warm hugs!
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 11th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Just in case you don’t have the energy to read insta-handles, the lineup for Doom City Fest 2024 this September in Mexico City is as follows: Weedeater, Eyehategod, Belzebong, Weedsnake, Mizmor, Reverence to Paroxysm, Deep Sea, Age of the Wolf and Desollado. And 1,200 pesos is about $68 USD, so don’t be put off by the price. This is the second edition of the festival behind one that took place in Feb. 2020 with Amenra, 16 and others, and well, if you had to live through the entire world shutting down a month later, that probably would’ve been a better precursor to that experience than most around the world had.
Weedeater are of course regulars on the US circuit, and ditto that Eyehategod, but I don’t know how often they hit Mexico City, let alone Belzebong coming over from Poland or Mizmor from Portland, Oregon, or Age of the Wolf from Costa Rica. With four of the total nine acts being Mexican, there’s respectable representation of the country’s native underground, and you can hear Weedsnake‘s 2023 album, Grimorium Cannabinarum, below. I missed it when it came out in the Fall — but as I like to remind others, it’s never actually too late — but they fit right in with the crusty weedianism at the top of that bill. Gonna make friends with Belzebong for sure.
I know September is packed in various parts of the world between the US and Europe, and here’s one more to add to that list:
Doom City Fest 2024 – Sept. 21
4 years had to pass, but we came back stronger. We hope you can join us on this new adventure.
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 2nd, 2024 by JJ Koczan
I guess at some point between the first announcement and now, Spirit Adrift and Fistula dropped off the lineup for Mutants of the Monster 2024, but fair enough for Cancerslug and Left Lane Cruiser to sign on and Little Rock, Arkansas, hometown post-sludge heroes Rwake — whose frontman Chris “CT” Terry is behind the fest — to make a return appearance along with a slew of others from the Southeast US and beyond. Anytime Deadbird show up just about anywhere, it’s notable, never mind tour-buddies Weedeater and Telekinetic Yeti stopping through or John Garcia doing a solo set that pretty much guarantees everyone in attendance will be able to go home saying they watched him do Kyuss‘ “Whitewater” in person.
Also known as Mutants Fest for short, the three-dayer is set for May 16-18 in North Little Rock, and looks like a good, intermittently harsh time. The PR wire brought the final lineup and ticket links so you still have some time to get your travel plans together:
MUTANTS OF THE MONSTER FEST 2024 Reveals Final Lineup, Announces Special Sale for National Concert Week
Featuring John Garcia (Formerly of Kyuss), Weedeater, Telekinetic Yeti, Rebelmatic, Cancerslug (Just added), Deadbird, Rwake (Just added!), Flummox + more!
Taking place in North Little Rock, AR at the Argenta Community Theater and Four Quarter Bar from May 16-18!
MUTANTS OF THE MONSTER FEST will return in 2024 to Little Rock, AR from May 16-18! The multi-day festival will take place in the Argenta Arts District and has revealed the final lineup, which now includes the new additions of CANCERSLUG and RWAKE. The full lineup can be found below!
In honor of National Concert Week, the festival is now offering a special discount on tickets and passes that will run until this Tuesday, May 7 @ 11:59 P.M. EDT. Currently, fans can score single day tickets for Friday and Saturday for only $20 while a full festival pass is temporarily discounted at $95!Passes are now available HEREand will cover both stages for all three days of the event.
The full lineup is as follows:
JOHN GARCIA (Formerly of Kyuss playing all of the hits!) WEEDEATER DEADBIRD TELEKINETIC YETI DEEPSTARIA ENIGMATICA MEDICINE HORSE ADAM FAUCETT REBELMATIC FLUMMOX WHETHER SEAHAG OROROR CRANKBAIT MAMMOTH CARAVAN SPORTS DIREWOLF RWAKE CANCERSLUG
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 28th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Highlighted their headlining spot at this year’s Grim Reefer Fest in Baltimore and the Rocks Off Concert Cruise boat show they’ll do in NYC — or at least on the river — the upcoming Weedeater East Coast US tour also sees the North Carolinian sludge stalwarts re-teaming with Midwestern riff-chargers Telekinetic Yeti and picking up Heavy Temple, Left Lane Cruiser and Restless Spirit each for a few dates along the way. The former two, Heavy Temple and Left Lane Cruiser, have new records en route to release and Restless Spirit just put out their third LP this past Fall, so if you go, expect to hit the merch table. Probably a good policy, anyhow.
With steady touring a couple times a year and a now nine-year stretch without a studio full-length, am I crazy for thinking maybe a Weedeater live album wouldn’t be the worst idea? Yeah, they’re raw live, but they’re raw on-record too, and at least they’d have something new for the aforementioned merch table. It’s not like they suck. If they sucked, I’d get it.
In any case, the tour precedes stops later in May at Mutants of the Monster (Mutants Fest), which is in Arkansas, and Modified Ghost Festival, which is in Vancouver two days later. That should be a fun bit of continent crossing during that day between. As ever, safe travels to Weedeater, and a special thanks to the PR wire for the weed puns and the sneaky Cathedral reference in the tour announcement below:
Roll up a fat one, because Weedeater are ready to ride another rip-roaring high. The sludge-stoned tar heels are chasing the dragon up and down the East Coast this spring. Along the way, they’ll be throwing wizard fights aboard the Rocks Off Concert Cruise and chunking $20 peanuts at Grim Reefer Fest.
Joining as main support on all 15 days of this excellent adventure are the Iowa stoners in Telekinetic Yeti. Purveyors of fifth dimensional riffs Heavy Temple will open the first leg. Next up are bonafide blues rockers Left Lane Cruiser, followed by badass doomsayers Restless Spirit.
Tour dates 04/16 Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor* 04/17 Richmond, VA @ Cobra Cabana* 04/18 York, PA @ Skid Row Garage* 04/19 Youngstown, OH @ West Side Bowl 04/20 Asheville, NC @ Eulogy 04/23 New York, NY @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise 04/24 Portland, ME @ Geno’s Rock Club# 04/25 Manchester, NH @ Jewel# 04/26 Newark, NJ @ QXT’s# 04/27 Baltimore, MD @ Otto Bar – Grim Reefer Fest# 04/29 Chesapeake, VA @ Riffhouse^ 05/01 Panama City Beach, FL @ Mosey’s^ 05/02 Cape Coral, FL @ Nice Guys’^ 05/03 Tampa, FL @ Crowbar^ 05/04 Augusta, GA @ Grantski Records^ * Heavy Temple # Left Lane Cruiser ^ Restless Spirit
Weedeater’s bong will stay locked and loaded long after this tour goes up in smoke. Later in May, the band will bring plenty of god luck and good speed to this year’s Mutants Fest, as well as the seventh coming of Modified Ghosts Festival. More dates coming soon!
Additional Dates May 17 Little Rock, AR @ Argenta Theater as part of Mutants Fest 2024 May 19 Vancouver, BC as part of Modified Ghost Festival VII
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 18th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
I was lucky enough to attend the April 2023 edition of the Baltimorean all-dayer Grim Reefer Fest (review here), which featured Bongzilla as headliners and the likes of Sun Voyager and Holy Fingers, among others. Returning from last year’s bill for 2024 are Haze Mage, who are involved in organizing the fest — fair’s fair — and that’s it so far, though there are still two bands TBA, which tells me there’s probably a tour waiting to be announced or something like that. Sometimes it’s logistics as much as teasing with these lineup reveals.
But with the undebatable Weedeater in the top spot for 2024 backed by the atmospheric heavy rock of Black Lung, Yatra‘s we’re-the-death-metal-band-the-heavyheads-like extremity and Leather Lung‘s sludge metal party, along with High Leaf coming down from Philly, Foehammer up from VA and Bleak Shore, who just played their first show this past December, the day seems pretty packed even before you get to the two TBAs. It’ll be a fun one if you’re in the neighborhood on April 27, which you might consider being.
The announcement came down the PR wire thusly:
This April we return to the legendary Ottobar in Baltimore on Saturday April 27th for our 5th annual fest, bringing a very full day of the dankest & heaviest riffs around!
This year’s lineup includes: Weedeater Black Lung Haze Mage Yatra Leather Lung High Leaf Foehammer Bleak Shore
Plus we’ve got a couple more to still announce! Stay tuned!
Once again, the amazing Golden Grillz food truck will be parked outside all day and night to take care of all of your munchie needs!
