Posts Tagged ‘JJ Koczan’

The Obelisk: Roadburn 2013 Afterburner Recap by JJ Koczan

Posted on Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

My watch alarm went off at 13.00 to serve notice that it was time to wake up, get cleaned up and head back over to the 013 for Astra kicking off the traditional Afterburner, the final, pared-down day of Roadburn 2013. I hadn’t fallen asleep until after seven, could hear people leaving for an early start to the day outside my room, but rolled into the Main Stage room still with minutes to spare to see another showing of Costin Chioreanu‘s Outside the Great Circle. This time through, I learned Current 93‘s David Tibet was also involved in the music. Not that it was lacking dark and artsy cred anyway, but Tibet always seems to have some to spare.

Though it was a contrast to Outside the Great Circle‘s bleak visuals and the Attila Csihar groans those visuals came with, Astra‘s Cali sunshiny early-King Crimson prog was a welcome way to start the Afterburner. The lush melodies and multiple layers of keyboard wash work especially well in the morning, though of course it was 14.30 when they got on stage. Morning to me, though, so right on. They played most of last year’s The Black Chord (review here), including the title-track, “Bull Torpis,” “Cocoon,” “Quake Meat” and the closer, “Barefoot in the Head,” but ultimately, they went back to the first album, The Weirding, to finish out with the eponymous cut.

I was a much bigger fan of the second album than the first, but “The Weirding” is a good song and Astra did justice to the expansive and psychedelic feel of their albums, without losing themselves in the staid, passionless presentation prog often winds up having. Switching between guitar and the keys (a Melotron and then some, it looked like), Richard Vaughn was out front and center with lead guitarist Brian Ellis, who seemed to have dressed up for the occasion. I hadn’t seen the San Diego five-piece since 2009 and they seemed all around a more solid band at the 013, and their heavy prog was just the sort of complex but welcoming start a lineup like this one deserved.

A second round of Pallbearer? Sure, why not? Diagonal, who were supposed to open in the Green Room, canceled on account of illness, so the Arkansas four-piece stepped in for another round in the smaller space — the Green Room is the middle space at 013; smaller than the main stage, bigger than Stage01; also smaller than Het Patronaat, which was closed today at least to Roadburn 2013 types — and were once more filled with potential, emotionally resonant and crushingly heavy.

The setlist varied some from the Thursday night show, but they got their point across anyway. Interesting that for such morose music, the mood in the room was pretty up. I guess people were excited to see Pallbearer again or excited to see them having missed out the other night, but when whoever it was in the crowd shouted out a request for “Owner of a Lonely Heart” came through, there were laughs on stage and off. Even guitarist / vocalist Brett Campbell was more animated — not quite thrashing out like bassist Joseph Rowland or guitarist Devin Holt or drummer Mark Lierly — but still more than he was on the Main Stage earlier in the fest.

Continue reading: The Obelisk: ROADBURN 2013 Afterburner Recap

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The Obelisk: Roadburn 2013 2013 Day Three Recap by JJ Koczan

Posted on Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

Before Black Magician went on at Het Patronaat to start off day three of Roadburn 2013 and the final day of the fest proper (the ceremonial Afterburner is tomorrow with two stages instead of four-plus), there was a showing of Costin Chioreanu‘s animated short film, Outside the Great Circle, which ...read more

The Obelisk: Roadburn 2013 Day Two Recap by JJ Koczan

Posted on Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

I was early to Het Patronaat for the start of day two of Roadburn 2013. Stupid early, as the kids might say. Dread Sovereign – the new and doomly trio from Primordial vocalist Alan Averill and drummer Simon O’Laoghaire, also with Bones on guitar — were going on until 14.00, ...read more

The Obelisk: Roadburn 2013 Day One Recap by JJ Koczan

Posted on Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

I was early to the Green Room, which is the middle-sized space at the 013. The first band on for Roadburn 2013 would be Black Bombaim, and if you’ve been here before, you know the crowds are serious and that if you’re not careful, you can wind up watching an ...read more

Album of the day: Blaak Heat Shujaa – The Edge of an Era

Posted on Saturday, April 6th, 2013

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: Since the release of their 2010 self-titled debut, Blaak Heat Shujaa have moved from Paris to Los Angeles — with a stop in New York City as well for a time — have honed their desert rocking chops on tours with Fatso Jetson and Yawning ...read more

Album of the day: New Keepers of the Water Towers – The Cosmic Child

Posted on Monday, March 25th, 2013

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: It’s been two years since Stockholm heavyweights New Keepers of the Water Towers released their sophomore full-length, The Calydonian Hunt, through MeteorCity, and that span of time has found them making a jump in more than just their label. Issued via Listenable Records, their third ...read more

Album of the day: Victor Griffin’s In-Graved – Victor Griffin’s In-Graved

Posted on Sunday, March 10th, 2013

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: Coming subsequent to guitarist / vocalist Victor Griffin putting to rest his band Place of Skulls to rest and once more severing his ties to American doom legends Pentagram, it’s not at all a challenge to read his forming of the new outfit In~Graved (also ...read more

Album of the day: The Kings of Frog Island – IV

Posted on Tuesday, February 19th, 2013

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: The aptly-titled fourth album by amorphous UK outfit The Kings of Frog Island marks a number of changes for the band. Foremost, IV is their first full-length without the contributions of guitarist/vocalist Mat Bethancourt of Josiah / Cherry Choke, and second, it’s their first album ...read more

Album of the day: Archon – Ouroboros Collapsing

Posted on Friday, February 15th, 2013

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: On the inside of the gatefold digi-sleeve that houses Ouroboros Collapsing, the second full-length from NYC-based doom outfit Archon, is inscribed the lines, “Psychic death brings us to our dismay  / Inevitable to end this way / Void/Crushes / Magnificent.” These lyrics are the only ...read more

Stream The Machine / Sun Grazer Split In its Entirety; Club Show on Feb 14th at 013 Venue, Tilburg (NL)

Posted on Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

Stream The Machine / Sun Grazer Split in its entirey below, courtesy of VPRO 3voor12, Holland’s major media network. “Comprised of six tracks (three each) totaling over 47 minutes, The Machine and Sungrazer‘s joint effort was recorded by The Machine guitarist  / vocalist David Eering, who makes a good argument ...read more

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