Desertfest 2022 - London Edition.

After a long 7 year hiatus and the covid gap - the longest period of time without going to see some live music since I started the habit. The stacked line up decided that it was time for Desertfest London 2022. Below are just thoughts, observations with some pictures from the festival. I’d just relocated and was sleeping in a less than full size single bed so I took it easy with my young manz sciatica.

29/04/22 - "Desertfest London"
Spirit Adrift w/ Seven Sisters, 1000 Mods, Lowrider

So I happen to catch Lowrider’s return since the last time they played Desertfest. I’m very fond of Ode to Io and the performance is fine, but little more than this. But it got me grooving and they played the best song of the new album, which is important. 1000 Mods? Well, we all know about the Super Van Vacation album and well, they didn’t play enough songs from that record. But nevermind. I sound like I’m moaning, but you know… it’s just the reality, you can’t go see the Melvins and expect Houdini in full! I caught a little bit of Seven Sisters whilst ensuring early arrival for Spirit Adrift. Sounded good, lots of leads and speed/NWOBHM stomps.

Now… the main event, SPIRIT ADRIFT.

This was I believe their first UK tour and why oh why they weren’t put on the main stage is beyond me. Heavy, melodic, catchy and still rock’n’roll. This was likely my entire fest highlight and best believe I was up the damn front. Their sound has evolved over the records, but just imagine a traditional heavy metal sound, sometimes leaning on 80’s Ozzy with those really warm Scorpions style leads. I often wonder, who will be the new headline acts of the future? These guys have got the opportunity for sure. After the ruckus of the set ended (two members crowd surfing after all the music stopped!) I bonded briefly with a German geezer, “this is the real thing!! This is the real thing!!!!!”. Too right mate. I went outside and purchased all available vinyl, hehehe. Their latest EP single in particular just deserves to be on high frequency repeat on classic rock radio everywhere. 

30/04/22 - "Desertfest London"
Orange Goblin w/ Greenleaf, Elder

So this was the most underwhelming day of the festival for me. The lack of bands I saw is mostly due to the fact that I fell asleep in the afternoon and woke up late. Clearly rest was required. I love Elder and really wish they would aggressively poise themselves to crossover out of the underground. Nick DiSalvo has the talent and the world deserves to hear this guy work on music full time, no doubt in my mind. My comments above about Lowrider’s performance being fine also applies to Elder really. That means I found Elder’s performance to be adequate but not poised for grand venues just yet. With Greenleaf, I just went in to kill some time and why did they kick my ass! Really good vibes. Funniest thing is listening to Greenleaf on studio record again, it still didn’t move me. But live the same songs really came to life - so fair play. Orange Goblin are stalwarts of the London scene and did their thing, I would have had quite a different set list but the local crowd enjoyed it all. Wasn’t too keen on the corny talk between songs but I know my younger self would feel differently after all.

01/05/22 - "Desertfest London"
Bongzilla w/ Yob, Eyehategod, Trouble Cover Band, Parish

Parish play a nicely proto-Doom sound with a nice little theme and I enjoyed. Same for the Eric Wagner tribute that played after (hello Rev Al!). Eyehategod? I thought the setlist selection was so-so, lots of new ones and a few classics that got me moving. They arrived late, Mike was pissed off, the crowd was pissed off and the sound wasn’t quite right in my opinion. You could feel the tension in the air though. By the end, the antagonists had played their part. 

Yob were extraordinary. For such an esoteric sound they filled the Roundhouse sonically. It just felt really powerful. They actually played songs from my least favourite Yob record and despite this, I was really impacted by the connection they managed to create. I thought the performance as well as the ‘sound’ were just much more sophisticated then what Elder managed - which is why I called their performance fine, whilst Yob’s managed to be majestic, almost transcendental. A tour de force in its execution. Next time they play anywhere near me I’ll be making efforts to go catch em. Thank you Yob. Namaste.

Bongzilla where headlining a smaller stage. Both Yob and Bongzilla where some of the initial bands I had fallen in love with almost two decades ago. The Illusion of Motion and Gateway are important albums for me. Slowly over the years the incredible skill and drum work of Bongzilla’s Magma grew and grew on me. So to catch them both for the first time ever was one of the main reasons I attended this year.

Bongzilla’s set was just awesome. The drumming live was much more central than on the studio records in terms of performance. Fills for days. The kid who had dressed up like the Sleep druid was around and we got some horsehead moshing. The atmosphere was great and the thick warm fuzzy tone comforted me as I… headbanged and whatever to the music. 

All in all, my favourite Desertfest of the bunch actually.
Don’t think I’ll attend 2023, but… let’s bloody see right?

ps. 10/05/21 - Tool w/ Brass Against

My pal offered me a free ticket for Tool and 02 (once the infamous Millennium Dome). Not being a dumbo I instantly took him up on this offer! Having found '10k Days' to be songs not good enough to be on Lateralus, I really really enjoyed Fear Inoculum and it came out of the blue for me, like this god damn ticket. I had always been on the position, fuck spending £80 on a Tool show but, consider me god damn converted. Sober as shit, the sensory overload was real. Elite performance, elite show. This is exactly where I want to see Elder heading (have to go there a 3rd time), cause Nick DiSalvo got it homie.