A promise for a pilgrimage

Anyone who has had a five-minute conversation with me knows that I’m a pretty out and proud atheist. I don’t believe in the supernatural. God, gods, and “Quantum” gods (See: Deepak Chopra) all fall into the same pile of bullshit for me.

However, I do acknowledge the spiritual need. By spiritual, I suppose I really should say psychological, because that’s really what is. It’s a need for emotional and intellectual fulfillment. I call it spiritual because it’s easier. The soul essentially means the same thing to me, it’s not a separate part of a person, rather it is the person. It lives with me, and it’ll die with me.

I do believe that folks get their spiritual needs fulfilled in many different ways. Some get it by reading an ancient holy book. Some get it by praying/meditating/chanting. Some do it by making sure evolution isn’t taught to schools. There are many ways to skin a cat.

For me, my spiritual means are met by a different way. Music. Heavy, psychedelic, beautiful fucking music. That’s right, I am an atheist, but I’ve been attending the church of the riff since high school.

This sounds silly, linking music to my emotional and intellectual fulfillment. To be truthful, I can’t really explain it, but something clicks for me. Nothing compares to seeing Neurosis live, watching the band come together to form an avalanche of trance inducing tones. Nothing compares to watching Matt Pike demonstrating a baffling amount of control over the power over his own riffs, or Wino playing solos like he was working on a doctoral dissertation.

Every time I witness such events, something is spiritually awaken. It feasts on the sound and atmosphere, and subsequently feeds my soul with enlightenment and understanding. I feel the pseudo-genes in my body tingle as they remind me that I am connected with every living thing on the planet.

Sometimes I need an entire spiritual re-working. The last time this happened was in 2001, in San Francisco. Beyond the Pale. The memories of those four days alone are sometimes enough sustain me, but the more I think on it, the more I long for another experience like that again.

The dramatics in my life not withstanding, it has been far too long. It is time to make another pilgrimage. For evangelical fuzz heads who need riffs to worship, there is really only one place to go, Tilburg. The Netherlands. Roadburn. The biggest, heaviest, riffiest, stoneyest, doomiest, sludgeyist, droneist festival to ever threaten the planet and crack the skies. Last year a volcano erupted. Just saying.

I have decided that I’ve held back my own life long enough. 2012, I am going to Roadburn. That is a promise.

Now, for the record I haven’t the slightest idea who is playing at next year. Hell, people are still anxiously awaiting this years (and why wouldn’t they be?) I have no clue who is going to be there and that is kind of the point. When we went to Beyond the Pale, we only knew Neurosis and Isis. We had some concepts of bands like Tarentel and Zeni Geva, but no idea who Michael Gira, Joe Preston or Steve Albini were.

The point is, it doesn’t matter who’s going to be there. It’s going to be awesome. Roadburn has a rich history of heaviness, check out their lineup since 2006:


2011 edition

Thursday, April 14

Godflesh (playing Streetcleaner in its entirety)
Pentagram
Wovenhand
Buzzov*en
Soilent Green
Alcest
In Solitude
Zoroaster
Naam
Quest for Fire
Carlton Melton
Hallows Die
Cough
Wardruna
Acid King
Circle
Blood Ceremony
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble
Count Raven
Ghost
Today Is the Day
Year Of No Light
Winterfylleth
The Atomic Bitchwax

Friday, April 15

Sunn O))) (curator)
Corrosion of Conformity (Animosity line-up)
Winter
Earth
Keiji Haino
Voivod
Incredible Hog
Pharaoh Overlord
Place of Skulls
Year Of No Light
Caspar Brötzmann Massaker
Scorn
Mamiffer
Beaver
Sabbath Assembly
Hooded Menace
Menace Ruine
Aluk Todolo
The Secret
Void ov Voices
Trap Them
Grave Miasma
Summon The Crows

Saturday, April 16

Swans
Candlemass (playing Epicus Doomicus Metallicus in its entirety with Johan Längqvist)
Shrinebuilder
Voivod
Weedeater
Liturgy
Lonely Kamel
Wolf People
Stone Axe
Ludicra
Imaad Wasif
Ufomammut (playing Eve in its entirety)
Circle
Dragontears
Rwake
Master Musicians Of Bukkake
The Gates of Slumber
Ramesses
Evoken
Yakuza
White Hills
Black Math Horseman

Sunday, April 17 : Afterburner

Black Mountain
Dead Meadow
Blood Farmers
Black Pyramid
Sourvein
Coffins
Dragontears
Sungrazer
Samsara Blues Experiment
Spindrift

2010 edition

Thursday, April 15

Goatsnake
Enslaved
Kylesa
Yob
Eyehategod
Jarboe
Sons of Otis
Shining
Monkey3
Bong
Russian Circles
Earthless
Mouth of the Architect
Ancestors
Firebird
Troubled Horse
Monarch!
Magnus Pelander
Øresund Space Collective
Samsara Blues Experiment
The Wounded Kings
Night Horse
Eagle Twin

Friday, April 16 : Tom G Warrior’s Only Death is Real

Triptykon (curator)
Sarke
Thorr's Hammer
Trinacria
Comus
Karma to Burn
Church of Misery
Master Musicians of Bukkake
Death Row
Bohren & der Club of Gore
Pagan Altar
Witchfynde
Valborg
Altar of Plagues
Shever
Noneuclid
Eagle Twin (extra set)
Suma
Long Distance Calling
Dive
Dream of an Opium Eater

Saturday, April 17

Enslaved / Shining (The Armageddon Concerto)
John Garcia plays Kyuss
Nachtmystium
Sons of Otis
Witchcraft (replaced Shrinebuilder)
Brant Bjork & The Bros
Astra
Jex Thoth
Yob
Sons of Otis
Karma to Burn (extra set)
Moss
Altar of Plagues
Death Row (extra set)
Fatso Jetson
Los Natas
Horisont
Mother-Unit (extra set)
The Lamp of Thoth
Totimoshi
The Machine (extra set)
Ahkmed


Sunday, April 18 : Afterburner

Eyehategod (extra set)
Graveyard
Church of Misery (extra set, 4th show in three editions)
Orange Sunshine (added on 17 April)
Jex Thoth (extra set)
Oceana Company
Capital Sentimental
The Machine


2009 edition

Thursday, April 23

Motorpsycho
Amon Düül II
Orange Goblin
Baroness
Ufomammut
The Devil's Blood
Wolves in the Throne Room
Zu
Minsk
Radio Moscow
Gomer Pyle
White Hills
Alexander Tucker
Black Sun
Rose Kemp
Farflung
Burial Hex
Aderlating

Friday, April 24

Saint Vitus
Cathedral
Mono
Colour Haze
Angel Witch
Bohren & der Club of Gore
Church Of Misery
Scott Kelly
Dragontears
The Outskirts of Infinity
Atomic Bitchwax
Steve Von Till / Harvestman
Negura Bunget
Saviours
Omega Massif
Shora
Roadsaw
Vibravoid
The Winchester Club
Seven That Spells

Saturday, April 25 - Neurosis presents "Beyond The Pale"

Neurosis (curator)
Om
The Young Gods
Earth
Grails
Tribes Of Neurot
Skullflower
Guapo
Zeni Geva
Six Organs of Admittance
A Storm of Light
Amenra
US Christmas
Nadja
Eugene S. Robinson
Grey Daturas
The Outskirts of Infinity
DJ's Kosmik Ken & Astro

Sunday, April 26 : Afterburner

Wino
Firebird
Dead Man

2008 edition

Thursday, April 17

Down
Grand Magus
Capricorns
The Devil's Blood
Taint
Diagonal
Litmus
Serpentcult

Friday, April 18

Isis
Trouble
Witchcraft
Earthless
Blood Of The Sun
Mos generator
Scott Kelly
Tony McPhee's Groundhogs
Witch
Black Shape of Nexus
Baby Woodrose
Danava
Church Of Misery
La Ira de Dios
Gentlleman's pistol
Zone Six
Assemble Head

Saturday, April 19

Enslaved
Cult of Luna
Acid Mothers Guru
Boris
Cephalic Carnage(playing Halls of Amenti in its entirety)
Long Distance Calling
Kongh
Dixie Witch
Tia Carrera
Wolves in the Throne Room
The Heads
Jesu (solo)
Electric Orange
Year of No Light
My Sleeping karma
Nadja
Kruger
Lesbian

Sunday, April 20

Current 93
Baby Dee
Hush Arbors

Afterburner

Graveyard
Repomen
The Glasspack
Orange Sunshine
Dzjenghis Khan
Beehoover


2007 edition

Friday, April 20

Melvins / Big Business
Blue Cheer
Clutch
Orange Sunshine
Volt
Causa Sui
Guru Guru
Sun Dial
Porn (The Men of)
Pharaoh Overlord
The Sword
Rotor
Josiah
Siena Root
Earthling Society
On Trial

Saturday, April 21

Neurosis
Om
Red Sparowes
The Hidden Hand
Acid King
Colour Haze
Pelican
Orthodox
Circle
Growing
Black Cobra
Stinking Lizaveta
Thrones
Amenra
Monkey3

Sunday, April 22 : Afterburner

Sunn O)))
Bohren & der Club of Gore
Fear Falls Burning

2006 edition

Friday, April 21

Astrosoniq
End of Level Boss
Spaceship Landing
Toner Low

Saturday, April 22

Hawkwind
Orange Goblin
Ozric Tentacles
Colour Haze
Witchcraft
Ufomammut
Solace
Leaf Hound
The Heads
Abramis Brama
The Bevis Frond
Gorilla
Orange Sunshine
Capricorns
Brant Bjork & The Bros
Spacehead


Some, if not most of those bands I’ve never heard of, but those that I have make this goal all the more promising. The expectations are high, but Roadburn never disappoints. In fact every year appears to get better and better. I know it will be worth it.

For now, there is no goal higher than that of Roadburn. It won’t be easy, the tickets for this year sold out in 17 minutes. It won’t be cheap, plane tickets never are. But that’s the point of a spiritual pilgrimage, a long, hard journey to reach that coveted enlightenment. I will chronicle my journey via text, audio and video. To be continued.


Command Image: Spirit Command

A few thoughts after an exhausting Tuesday: Pale Nostalgia riding a Wavering Radiant.

It's going to be a rough couple of weeks folks. While I'm still trying to find my keyhole into the Western Metropolis of Los Angeles by applying for internships. So while I survived my hardest day of classes. So I had some thoughts that I would like to share with you since I'm exhausted and need to oxidize my brain a bit. With that in mind....Away we go.

So in parts of three.

Part one:

Tuesdays are always really hard for me. I'm in go mode from about 10:00am until 10:00pm. Long days. Usually the days where everything happens. At least there are small times for down times and long limes for music...times.

Usually during my downtime I spend time messing around on the Internet and do nothing. But along with sorting out some production work; I continued my quest for the internship to whisk me away to the deserts of California. Some internships mention places, sections, suburbs of LA that I've never heard before. Honestly, my limited experience in California transpires in the north. It was my first love with a big city. I think I was in the 6th grade. The next time I would reach the foggy bay would be well into High School.

Which brings us to part 2: Beyond the Pale

Richard and I had just turned 16. I had gotten my drivers licence literally the day we flew out there. I had worked all summer at the library to save up and go to the first ever Beyond the Pale festival, hosted by Neurosis.

As many of you may or may not know Richard and I are huge fans of Neurosis. I mean huge with a capital HUE. There will be more on that later on this thing I'm positive.

This was to be our first time ever seeing Neurosis live. I'll never forget how cool meeting them was and how remarkable nice they were. And, seemed impressed that we had flown out to see them. The Beyond the Pale festival had a many number of my favorite bands when I was 16. Isis, Tarentel, Michael Gira, Amber Asylum....the list goes on. After the fourth day of the festival, my god worship of Neurosis had only enhanced and grown to epic proportions.

It was also our first time seeing Isis. At the time Isis had only come out with Celestial, so that's what they were known for. Before Isis played, there was Thrones. Not knowing, or ever hearing of Thrones, you could only assume I had no idea who Joe Preston was. Joe Preston! Former bassist for The Melvins and Earth! I was so close to meeting him and had the chance to, but due to my young ignorance, I had never heard of him. Had I known then what I know now, I would have been a lot more receptive and anxious to see him.

Anyway, Isis was not as well known then. I remember after their set Richard and I wanted to meet them. They were pretty cool and demonstrated the same reverence that we had because.....Neurosis was coming.

After Neurosis, we had to step outside and reflect on the experience. I remember looking over and the whole band of Isis was just leaning up against the wall of the Great American Music Hall. Aaron Turner and I made eye contact and had a "whew" moment.

Now Isis has really come into their own. Touring with Tool and building a nice worship crowd of their own. I feel proud of them as musicians and as a fanboy myself that I remember the Celestial days. It's nice observing the ground floor of a future great band.

Link that to my conclusion.

Part 3: Wavering Radiant

Isis's new album had recently been leaked on the Internet. And before I give my thoughts on the album, I want to state with great confidence that I WILL PURCHASE THE CD WHEN IT COMES OUT! I'm not Roger Freidman or anything and revealing any Wolverine pirates or anything; but thanks to whoever leaked it to confirm what I already knew. I am going to buy and love this album.

Okay, that should cover my ass right?

Anyway, Isis's new albums are always a strange experience for me. I never listen to their albums and click right away. It's a slow process. To give you hint, I've only recently realized how brilliant Oceanic (their previous album) is. I always like it, but it can take months to years to LOVE the album.

It's produced clean and complicated. To any of this albums naysayers; I only have this to say. Listen to Isis from Celestial to In the Absence of Truth and you can hear the evolution. So this album really shouldn't have surprised anyone. Melodically tuned with some deep toned riffs. Like Beyond the Pale, their fandom and companionship with Neurosis teaches this band what other bands should learn. There is a difference between selling out or growing up with experimentation and maturity. I'm not saying Isis has never taken themselves seriously, but I can hear them taking it MORE seriously with every album.

Okay, not really a review. But what do you want?!?! I have no command over the thoughts that come out of my head.

It just needed to happen.


Command Image: