The riff party in Berlin is an annual pilgrimage for us and we cross our fingers so that a filth of binouze virus popular with hipsters will not spoil us! Having skillfully distanced themselves from the original style in terms of programming, for a few years now, the event has opened up to a more eclectic audience and allows fans of formatted groups to rub shoulders with new sensations. The balance of original stoner and related styles is dosed in the same proportions as last year and, if the sound remains as qualitative, the audience as receptive and the groups as incisive, we will have three days of dream on the banks of the Spree.
Among the host of hyper-entertaining things to see this year, my 10 priorities will be:
10 / Spirit Adrift:
The dubious taste shown by this heavy metal combo to choose the artwork for its covers earns me my sympathy and I am aroused by curiosity since I have never seen them struggling on stage. I will naturally be in the pit to nod and stamp my feet given the style as accessible as it is effective that this band of rockers of another time practices. The epic plans combined with an enormous rhythm should also bring back some hair in the front rows and, even if the price of innovation will not be awarded to them, they should put in the pocket more than one Germain fond of this sound – very – dated.
9 / Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs :
First there is the group’s blaze which can only augur the subtlety while finesse. Then there are the barred shots of these Britons who are eyeing the punk emergency taped to big, heavy riff that is blossoming the NWOBHM revival. Finally there is the nihilistic approach of these four boys in the fog of Newcastle which can only be a scenic slap if they have the good idea to send us “Reducer” the extraordinary first extract of their new long format: ” Viscerals ”which will join the gondolas of the large distribution soon.
8 / Big business :
O joy, these seriously ill are back in the area and I will be able to be brutalized by the blows struck by these troublemakers who evolve in the wake of the mythical Melvins. Big names of a kind shaken, but affordable, these virtuosos do not often cross my path, I look forward to rubbing shoulders with these veterans with impressive discography. The formation has seen a myriad of actors from the independent scene succeed over the years to collaborate on his crazy projects and it is the excitement that overwhelms me at the mere thought of finding these seriously ill.
7 / Corrosion Of Conformity :
I see your puzzled looks at the mention of this name in my list of things not to miss given the recent omnipresence of Americans in our lands in recent times (in rooms with very variable capacity which challenge). Still, more than thirty years after his birth, the band at Pepper Keenan remains a huge sensation on stage given the bottle of lads and their good inspiration to draw in all their discography of fire pits to stick in our ears. A makeover in sight for the elders of the audience (and believe me there is one fiddled with this feast and I do not target anyone rest assured).
6 / Amenra :
Belgians don’t have a lot of stoner in the absolute and frankly I don’t really mind. These guys have created a tremendous dynamic around their Church Of Ra and they deploy a phenomenal spectacle during their stage performances. Glacial and organic their concerts confine to the gathering of devotees ovationating the darkness. No offense to wearers of fringed jackets and elephant pasta cut out of East German tapestries from the seventies: it will be damn good to leave the fuzz to have a brute during these three days.
5 / Orange Goblin :
Roastbeefs is downright zero-level programming risk in a stoner festival or even in a very short festival (their performance at Sylak a few years ago before an audience of neophytes had confirmed it to me). Seen and seen again and again, the giant Ben Ward’s troop has always fucked up no matter where or when they perform. Even if surprise or discovery level I will go my way, you can count on my apple to take a big pleasure during this umpteenth set of Orange Goblin which I will have the pleasure of attending because one thing is certain: they do not m have never disappointed!
4 / The Vintage Caravan :
I have never been a fan of this Icelandic band and probably never will be. In the old days, these kids gave me a fucking pleasure during several improbable shows which I had the pleasure of attending. If their music almost leaves me unmoved, the intensity of their shows has always worked with me. They invest the scene as well as its close surroundings with such energy, that it would be just totally stupid not to sting one’s face to attend their Berlin concert all the more so when you get older (it doesn’t happen only others), they caught a sacred mastery of their art without distancing themselves from the fury that inhabits them on stage.
3 / Witchcraft :
The stars of Scandinavia show up in Berlin and I remember a handful of years ago they forfeited this festival for a reason that I can’t remember and were replaced by Troubled Horse. It is quite touching to see that they have managed to last and will be back in the German capital as I had the impression that this training was confidential. To recover from my frustration at the second edition of this festival – as far as I can remember – I will wiggle my neck twice more and invite you to join me because Witchcraft live is simply excellent!
2 / Masters Of Reality :
Icon of our kind of predilection, the formation of Chris Goss is a myth and I strictly forbid to oppose him the least reproach. His frontman made the history of the movement that makes you read me today in front of or behind the console; he participated in the most exciting projects of the holiday stoner around the generators and the people who will be surprised outside the hall during this show will be flogged, stoned and then hanged on the deck of the boat which housed the second scene l last year. You are all warned: I count on your strong presence for a group whose discography is most exciting!
1 / Lowrider :
Another icon of our favorite genre, Swedish training is also a myth! Both wildly exciting and incredibly lazy discographically speaking, the Scandinavians once committed incredible nuggets then: nothing! Nada! What a slab! They however gratified us with live performances making us moisten our spit during this period of scarcity production issue. Each time I took a huge slap and each time it took time to see disappear the stupid smile that I displayed stupidly at the end of one of their sets. At the start of 2020, Lowrider released The Disc Of The Year and no one will be able to cope with it. The equation is simple: myth of the stoner * beasts of the stage * disc of the decade = you miss the concert, you missed your life!
Bonus: Brant Bjork alias Mr Cool will be there again as will the Hellenes of 1000Mods as well ; the norwegians of Motorpsycho will perform an exclusive 90-minute show on this occasion!
If you want to know a little more, take a look at the site https://www.desertfest.de and especially go regularly to the Facebook page of this highly cultural event: https://fr-fr.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin/
Source desert-rock.com
Translated from French