Text and Photos by Astrid Tonella
Here it is, the favorite time of the year for doom, stoner, psychedelic and avant-garde music amateurs coming from every part of the globe. The Roadburn line-up gets more and more amazing each year, and constantly draws newcomers to the fest. Last year’s edition was a complete success and it was hard to imagine how Walter and his crew could pull this off once again. But the team took the challenge and made this year’s edition particularly exciting, composing a roster full of many “big dogs” such as Sleep, Yob, Jesu, OM, Agalloch, Killing Joke and many promising bands like Bongripper, Conan, Dopethrone, Hexvessel…
Thursday, Day 1
The first day of the fest is always the most exciting. As I was walking to the venue, the electric atmosphere is definitely palpable. What is unique about Roadburn is that not only this is a formidable fest but this is also the place where people build strong friendships over the years and the feeling to belong to a big family, the “Roadburn Family”.
The Icarus Line
After a warm welcome and a shot generously offered by the Roadburn crew, I’m off to the “Green Room” to check the first band opening the fest: The Icarus Line. To be honest, I only knew very little about this band, but I was curious to see what type of performance they were about to deliver. The first song starts, and the singer comes on stage fitted with a pair of sunglasses, a hand bag and a vest. A bit far off from what we are used to seeing at Roadburn, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with pushing our boundaries. After watching the full set, I would say The Icarus Line isn’t really my cup of tea. The band executes a proper set, but the lack originality simply doesn’t do the trick for me. However, their vibrant energy makes The Icarus Line a good band to put you into the mood of the festival.
Full Gallery after the jump!
Saturnalia Temple
It is 5.30pm in Tilburg, and the festivities have seriously started. While Agalloch is finishing their set, I’m getting ready to move towards the Green Room once again to see Saturnalia Temple. Their performance promised to be epic, as the Swedes play a subtle mixture of heavy and occult psychedelic doom. The first song starts and the band immerses the audience right away into its dark and wicked atmosphere. There is no way but to surrender to the power of the low and obsessing riffs they play. That night, Saturnalia Temple surely set the bar high up and set the tone for the rest of the festival.
Unfortunately, the schedule is tight, and I have to leave the transcended room to walk over to see Christian Mistress play the Batcave. The band performs in front of a room completely packed, which makes it impossible for anyone to get in. Bummer, I really wanted to see those guys play.
OM
It is now 6.30pm and OM is about to take on the main stage. This band, who hasn’t returned to Roadburn since 2009, is highly awaited and quickly fills the room. Sometimes, less is better, and the minimalistic duo bass/drums fed by subtle layers of guitars really does the trick. On stage, OM is a very intense ride, and the perfect mix of obsessive bass riffs, sitar and percussions effortlessly throw you into another world. The band played most of their famous songs: Rays of the Sun/To the Shrinebuilders, Cremation Ghat…All in all, a very spiritual show that left me pensive.
Killing Joke
After OM I decide to check on Killing Joke. I have to say I only knew a few of their songs, but many attendees seemed to be stoked about their appearance, so I thought it might be worth to see them play. The show starts a bit slowly, with an audience somewhat mellow, but after a little while the public starts to sing along. Some songs are catchy so I try to participate in, but the set seems a bit artificial and static to me, so I decide to leave the room a bit before the end of the set.
Orchid
Shortly after that, it was time to move on towards Het Patronaat, the new venue replacing the previous Midi Theatre. This year it seems the audience is larger than during the past editions, and it is getting very hard to get around. So to no one’s surprise, when I get to the venue, the room is already full and my way up to the front row seems to be neverending. These guys from San Francisco play solid doom rock, just as it should be, going from hit to hit from their two opus, and manage to set the audience on fire no problem. Not only does the band deliver a kick ass performance, but they also prove their quality of good musicianship – probably one of the most memorable perf for many Roadburners present in the room.
Chelsea Wolfe
The day is coming to an end, fatigue starts to show, and I decide to cool down watching Chelsea Wolfe in the Green Room. One can say this ebony-haired woman has really made a name for herself during the past year, and recently touring with the most surprising bands, from Wolves in the Throne Room to Nails and Ceremony. The room rapidly fills up with a very eclectic audience. Quickly, the Californian puts a spell on her public, and as she starts a long introduction of haunting vocals on “Movie Screen,” a religious silence fills up the room and you can only perceive the sounds of the cameras; very impressive. The whole set was a nice blend of her latest album Apokalypsis and The Grime and The Glow, and despite a few technical problems, Wolfe delivered a sublime set that cannot leave you unmoved.
Stay tuned for Day 2…
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