Desertfest Belgium 2017 Saturday

I like music with good grooves and most music I listen to has exactly that. It doesn't have to be rock music, but can be all types music. I do like rock music a lot which is obvious and stoner rock is exactly the kind that features heavy grooves. Desertfest is a festival in London, Berlin and Antwerp focusing on stoner rock, doom, psych and sludge. Since the Antwerp edition is pretty close and featured Graveyard, we decided to pay it a visit.

Desertfest Belgium 2017 Saturday at Trix Antwerp, October 14 2017

Although not all bands are playing stoner rock and I'm not really into doom and sludge, there are many interesting acts on the bill. We arrive at the venue early and catch the last 10 minutes of A Supernaut. I didn't get a good change to see what they were all about so let's head to the next one.

Hidden Trails

Belgian band Hidden Trails are one of the less heavier bands today and play psychedelic prog rock music, focusing on long compositions that build on atmosphere. Singer Jo Neyskens has a pleasant clear voice and it reminds me of Steven Wilson now and then, especially in the more quiet songs. The trio are playing very focused and I like their sound. The songs have plenty of depth and sound layered. Traces of Pink Floyd and the psychedelic side of Motorpsycho can be heard. A good way to start the day.



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The Vintage Caravan

Somehow it seems Iceland doesn't have a lot to offer to me musical wise, since famous Icelandic acts like Björk, Sigur Rós, Of Monsters and Men really don't appeal to me. Fortunately there are also bands that can please me a lot better. The Vintage Caravan play no-nonsense classic rock complete with hair flipping and the rock poses that go with it. This sounds like they are going through all the clichés which is actually true, but the band are having so much fun with it and add just enough tongue of cheek that it doesn't get too ridiculous or cheesy. It also helps they have a bunch of good songs, play well and singer Óskar Logi Ágústsson's voice has improved from the last time I saw them. It may not be very original, but sometimes you don't need a lot more.

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King Hiss

The live reputation of Belgian band King Hiss is pretty big by now after tearing down stages at several festivals this summer. I was expecting a fuller house because of that, but I guess most people were getting ready for Stoned Jesus who are playing the main stage later on. It doesn't get this band down at all. Nor do the technical problems at the beginning. Once all amps and effects are fired up, there's no stopping in King Hiss. A mind splitting mix of stoner, smudge and heavy metal rocks the stage and makes the venue tremble. "The bastard child of Mastodon and Kyuss" they call themselves and that is a good way of describing their music. Add to that the incredible voice and charismatic stage appearance of Jan Coudron and it's clear this band is onto something. Coudron is all over the stage, has a few incredible moves and is constantly in touch with the crowd, energizing them with his enthusiasm. What an incredible show!

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Stoned Jesus

Many people apparently did skip King Hiss to get a good spot for Stoned Jesus since the main hall is quite full. For a good reason it turns out, since the band from Ukraine are playing a convincing show. Coming from a stoner doom solo project by Igor Sidorenko their music now has more psychedelic melodies that make their music lighter and brings more variation. Live it sounds pretty tight and the band is having fun on stage. This energizes the crowd who get what they came for, which is a lot.



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Unsane

Noise rockers Unsane have been around for almost thirty years and the current line-up has been together for most of that period. The band took a break from 2000 until 2003 after founding member and singer Chris Spencer got seriously injured when he was attacked during a concert. The threesome's performance is loud and heavy with Spencer mostly screaming his lyrics. It is definitely intense and you can see these guys have been together for a long time, playing like a well-oiled machine. However they are constantly playing at the highest noise level, without leaving much breathing room. After half an hour we're completely numb from the pounding noise. It would have been better if they could mix in some of their lighter songs here and there.



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Troubled Horse

Swedish band Troubled Horse are touring with Graveyard as a support act which explains their name on the bill. Singer Martin Heppich's face is painted black which gives a gloomy effect on this dark stage. Music wise there's a lot going on in their garage sound, too much actually. All guitars and drums are trying to play as much and loud as possible and it makes their songs really messy. This band is simply overdoing it in many ways and it makes their performance far from convincing. We decide to take a look at the merch stands instead.

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Beastmaker

When you're listening to Beastmaker's music it's hard to deny they sound like Black Sabbath. It is clear they draw inspiration from old heavy metal and classic hardrock. The band does a good job recreating that music but they look so serious on stage. Also I find there's not a lot of variation in their music, as if they are playing the same chords, riffs, grooves and fills in every song. In the end it even gets a bit boring.

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Windhand

Another big name on the bill is doom metal band Windhand and the main hall has filled up again for them. Doom metal is definitely not my kind of music but maybe they'll surprise me. The slow heavy grooves and gloomy visuals create a dark and sinister atmosphere. Singer Dorthia Cottrell has a good voice but she's far from charismatic or active on stage. When she's singing she isn't exactly a ball of energy and during the long solo's she's just simply standing there waiting her turn. This definitely isn't for me.

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Graveyard

Headliner Graveyard on the other hand are definitely something for me. From the moment I saw the Swedes for the first time they have grabbed me and never let go. They were supposed to play over here last year but then the group disbanded to my disappointment. Fortunately it didn't take long for them to reform and now they have come to make up for lost time. Deeply grounded in the blues their music can be heavy with big grooves and a big sound. Other times they go back to those blues roots and play a heartfelt ballad with crying guitars. And of course there is singer Joakim Nilsson with his amazing sandpaper voice that cuts through the music with incredible howls and deep lows. Together with the laid back approach of their music it is why I really love their sound. Tonight again they are showing what makes them such a good band with a focused performance and their best music. I'm really happy they are back and hopefully we can expect some new music in the near future.



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DŸSE

We don't want to go home yet and decide to check out the last band of the day. German duo DŸSE know how to end this day on a high with crazy noise rock music that seems to go in every direction. But the two make sure it never ends in a mess but know exactly what they are doing and play very tight. Who said Germans lack a sense of humour? These two guys have great jokes and don't look too serious while at the same time their skills are superb with great control over their instrument. The duo has a lot of fun themselves on stage and I can see only smiling faces around me. A great way to end this long day.

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This has been a wonderful day at the Desertfest festival. I did notice that many bands are not exactly playing my kind of music but when they have a few bands in the line-up that are appealing enough like today I will definitely be back some time.

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On Stage: Speedfest at Klokgebouw Eindhoven

For the tenth time Eindhoven band Peter Pan Speedrock are organizing their Speedfest festival, that focuses on everything heavy. Things took an ugly turn last week with the Paris terrorist attacks that cast a dark shadow on the music scene and took away one of their headlining bands Eagles of Death Metal.

Speedfest at Klokgebouw Eindhoven, November 21 2015

The schedule was shuffled a bit to deal with the empty spot in the line-up and security was increased. It causes a bit of a delay when entering the festival which was announced by the organization days ahead of the festival, but the seemingly long line moves fast. We arrived a little later than planned anyway and unfortunately therefore have to miss some of the early bands.



Scorpion Child
We can still catch the last bit of Scorpion Child's show, a hardrock band from Austin, Texas who made the big step across the pond this year. Their retro style hardrock, on the heavy side of Led Zeppelin, is not a bad start of the day. Solid guitar riffs on heavy grooves support the howls of singer Aryn Jonathan Black. It definitely got us warmed up for what's more to come.

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Backyard Babies
A big skull, the logo of the band, is grinning at us from the back drop behind the Swedish Backyard Babies, but at the same time red LED lights are running around the amps on stage. This means it's time for some sleaze rock from this group that has been around since 1987. All these years pay off in a tight show that is a mix of hard rock and punk, but always with some tongue in cheek. Their sound reminds of Guns N' Roses a lot, but more importantly the band is playing very convincingly and with a lot of heart. They showcase all rock poses known to men and make use of small risers at the front of the stage to go through them. It results in a very entertaining show and positive vibes across the hall.

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Nick Oliveri's Mondo Generator
I was disappointed with Nick Oliveri's latest album and wasn't even planning on going to his performance today. Fortunately my friends wanted to go, so I find myself at a surprisingly tight show with lots of stoner. The former Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age bass player is going through his whole long music background and is playing a mix of stoner and metal. Of course the name "Mondo Generator" comes from the Kyuss era, but especially the stoner songs sound great, with heavy grooves, laid down by the three piece band, sounding very tight. Oliveri shows why he was so important for Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age in the earlier days.

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Giuda
Unfortunately it leaves little time for Giuda who are about to wrap up their show. The Italian band play retro style glam rock in the style of T. Rex and The Sweet and are doing a good job at it. Both band and crowd are all fired up and singer Tenda's voice is strong. Hopefully next time I will be able to watch them longer.

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The Dictators NYC
Punk band The Dictators are regarded as the missing link between bands like MC5 and The Stooges and the later punk wave in the late seventies. They had a few line-up changes but still have some of the original members including front man Richard Manitoba, guitarist Ross Friedman. They went on a long hiatus halfway the seventies only to return beginning of the nineties. The band, solely relying on their old songs because of lack of new material, shows why they are still meaningful with an inspired performance that breaths their long history. Especially Manitoba, Friedman and bassist Dean Rispler, although grey and older, act like young dogs and show they still haven't lost their touch.

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Crobot
One thing I like about this festival is the number of fresh hardrock bands like Crobot. The band from Pennsylvania has a typical retro hardrock sound with that heavy blues core. They went on tour with Motörhead a few months ago and by the sound of it will have won some new fans over. Singer Brandon Yeagley has an impressive voice and looks like a rabies dog now and then when he has his eyes spread wide open. It certainly rubs off on the crowd and it results in an energetic performance.

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Danko Jones
By the time Danko Jones take the stage, this festival is running at full speed and power now and you can leave it up to Danko Jones to put some more oil on the fire, especially on a festival like this. It is clear Danko Jones himself is feeling like a kid in a candy store, with so many great rock bands around, something he tells the crowd halfway the show. It makes their show even more explosive where bass player John Calabrese is firing up the crowd in his usual fashion with a never fading smile on his face.



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Refused
All fired up it is time for Refused to keep this party going and it's exactly what they are doing. The Swedish band became something of a cult name during their hiatus that started end of the nineties. I was expecting to find more people at their show, but maybe I've just overestimated their popularity. It doesn't matter since the band is still full of fire and is playing an inspired show. Singer Dennis Lyxzén is all over the place and the wild punk songs sound sharp and convincing. Always a band to share their political opinion Lyxzén briefly addresses the Paris attacks at the end of the show, with a well meant short speech. Hopefully they are now here to stay for many years to come.



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After their show is over, there's a moment of silence out of respect for the victims of the terrorist attacks. This is the spot Eagles of Death Metal was supposed to play and it's the only time today the Klokgebouw is absolutely quiet and isn't shaking from the heavy rock grooves. It's a well chosen moment and everyone honours the silence.



Peter Pan Speedrock
Organizers Peter Pan Speedrock are now playing themselves and moved up in the bill to fill up the empty spot. The large turn up for their performance, shows everyone is fine with this change in the line-up. Their no-nonsense straight on heavy rock, reminds of Motörhead sometimes with double bass grooves and blast beats. It's obvious it goes down well with the crowd, who shake their heads and down a few more beers.



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The Vintage Caravan
The festival is far from over after the show of the hosts and there are a few more bands still to come. We watch our last band of the day, The Vintage Caravan from Iceland. The band is playing classic style psychedelic rock inspired by the big bands from that era like Led Zeppelin, Rush and Cream. The band is doing a good job at it, playing heavy groovy jams with great sounding guitar solos. However sometimes the prog rock elements can make it a bit weary and unfortunately singer Óskar Logi Ágústsson's voice isn't really strong. Still it is a nice end to a heavy but satisfying day.



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Today showed that the terrorist attacks in Paris has left its marks in the music scene especially the rock scene. Personally I feel it affected me too, since music has always been my happy place. No matter how I feel, when I play a record, but especially when I go see a band play, I feel energized and happy again. The attacks in Paris violated that world and my happy place. But today Speedfest and all the wonderful people at the festival restored it in all its glory. It also showed that you can't rob us from our music, since it will always bounce back.

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