It should be no surprise considering the veracity Covid-19 has taken the World by and safety of everyone is paramount, and even working with the Desertfest Berlin team, it seemed impossible to fit a rearranged date in the year. The team has worked at every angle tirelessly, and considering the festival is completely independent of any investors, corporate sponsors or financial backers, it really has hit hard. There isn’t a fanbase quite like the desert scene and if ever there was a festival that fits the moniker ‘For the fans, by the fans,’ this is it

For the team to compensate for this, they have set up a few options for those with tickets or planning on buying tickets already.

Firstly, Keep your ticket. 2019 ticket holders will find their tickets honoured at Desertfest 2021, set to celebrate their tenth birthday, they are looking to make for the best one yet and those keeping their tickets will find themselves in a far better position financially to prepare for this. Ticket holders will also receive a free Desertfest patch in the coming months, and also exclusive merch at Desertfest 2021.

The second option. 10 Year Anniversary Voucher. Much like the first option, this will be a huge boost to the festival in supporting them, this option acts effectively as a super early-bird ticket release, and who doesn’t like getting early bird tickets?

Lastly, Refund your ticket. Times are difficult for everyone and it is fully understandable that people may be keen to get a refund. The Desertfest team are completely understanding of the situation and predicament people are in and the ticket will be refunded in full at your point of purchase by contacting Dice who will be able to assist you through this.

There comes another option for those that just want to show their support and try to help Desertfest through these times, and there is a donation option which can be found here and with donation options comes the choice of free merch depending on how much you donate as a way of thanks.

It is a sad time to see such a fantastic festival cancel, it isn’t the first and likely will not be the last, but the small team of three behind it sign off in their own way to all.

“This cancellation affects not only the three of us but our amazing line-up of artists, please support them by buying music and merch directly from their sites. We also want to extend our love to our huge and incredible crew of stage managers, merch sellers, photographers, writers and so many more – all of which we can’t wait to hug and drink a pint with next May.

Thank you so much for your understanding, support and kindness at this time. We are nothing but a small team of people wanting to bring joy to other music lovers. Please stay home, safe and healthy. We can’t wait to see you in May 2021.

Much love,
Desertfest London – Reece, Jake & Sarika”

We look forward to seeing them again in 2021 and celebrating that tenth birthday with quite simply, the best crowd and family music has to offer.

The post Desertfest London 2020 Cancelled But There Are Options appeared first on RAMzine.

The sole support came from Blankets, their sound sits closest to ambient/post-rock, and their stage attire definitely leads to that end of the music spectrum. Musically, their talent is clear, a very emotive driven touch, but for all the talent it does seem far too polished and for me and a few others, a little pretentious.

While going through the changeover, the masses push on through and the place fills quickly, until through the murky darkness come the figures of 6 clad in black. They waste no time in creating an atmosphere that you just cannot get without being part of the experience. A harsh contrast to the support act, but the gentle subtlety of the blues and gospel side lather a smoothness that really comes through to the forefront of the live performance with two singers flanking the mastermind behind it all, Manuel. His command dominates as his intent glare stares through the centre of the crowd.

The energy of the show is completely encapsulated and embraced by the crowd that reciprocate in fantastic form, the crowd become one as everyone loses themselves in the moment, with the bigger response as the set goes on. The band are relentless in delivering the goods. Manuel makes a point to not waste time between songs with talk and filler, getting as much music in as possible, and the mammoth sized set delivers the goods precisely and consistently. There isn’t much more that can be asked of Zeal and Ardor with what they bring to the table, their blend of music is fantastic, their presence matches it perfectly, and their performance as a whole is just something else.

Look out for our interview with Manuel as we caught up with him before the show on RAMzine soon.

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A cracking day around London with two great mates and some awesome pubs was a great way to set me in the mood, and while we went our separate ways, I found my way to the bar in Camden ready for the nights show. Getting myself comfortable at the bar and sinking a few more pints, I had the pleasure of guitarist Dan Edwards come over, say hi and have a small chat, his own enthusiasm for the show was infectious. Vocalist Harry gives a nod hello across the bar before they scurry off upstairs to get set for the night. Having not done any homework on the support acts other than their name, I was going in blind.

Disappointment was something I knew I wouldn’t feel that night music wise, just how far from that word the opener would be was just completely out of site. Cairo Son opened proceedings. A bluesy hard rock trio based in London. Not sounding too much out of line with the headliners, they provide a set that weaves through some splendid musicianship and are true eye opening act, sharing jokes and thanks between songs with the crowd. Matching heaviness with a soft touch, Cairo Son deserve a bigger crowd to be in attendance for what proves an awesome performance.

Next up, travelling much farther than any of the others are Voodoo Blood, travelling all the way down from Manchester and bringing the sounds in their own words as “Blues on steroids” or “big bad blues with balls”, they seriously couldn’t get closer. With impressive soaring power from the female led quartet, they smash any and all pre-made assumptions and ideas of what they can bring, an energetic back line with vocalist Kim making full use of the stage, and floor for that matter really drawing in the venue. I can’t imagine a single person in the venue not being drawn into their impressive display, even before any of the suggestive dancing Kim brings, she certainly knows how to get the attention in the room. With big hair, big beards and even bigger smiles, their fuzz filled music provides a time warp to when blues rock was ripe. An absolutely spectacular performance that perfectly leads to our main act.

Blind River finally get themselves crammed into the tiny stage, and it seems to have been a good year for them with how the room has packed out, with recently finishing recording their debut release, all that is potentially known to the masses are their three demo released tracks. ‘Can’t Sleep Sober’, ‘Going Nowhere’ and ‘Resurrection Sister’ but matched with their live performances and good time attitude, it is more than enough to get the room moving. As they plow their way through track after track, they make sure to celebrate the two previous bands and the venue, with soft reminders that it is a free show and to not forget to support the bands merch sales, after all the pay of being a musician these days is hard to come by. As much a fan of the scene as they are a part of it, it is probably that element to them that has seem them rise and rise through the year. It is almost a shame they haven’t more material as they could have played for hours as opposed to what seems a short set. Time really does fly when you’re having fun though, and all three bands deservedly brought some fun, if only all gigs and weekends could start out like this!

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Fast forward a week since my return to gigs and I find myself in one of my favourite Camden rock/metal pubs; The Black Heart. A sucker for great beer and good music, this place is perfect for me and many others, and tonight is a great night to be down. In the extremely small capacity venue upstairs are three bands preparing to provide a night of pure heaviness, and the crowds downstairs are well underway in drinking in anticipation.

Up first were God Complex, a four-piece metal outfit newly started out this year hailing from Merseyside. Despite their lack of years as a unit, they are under Tone Management which really shows just how much promise the band has. A heavy, bludgeoning set off tracks giving those that love a beat down plenty to get their energy out in, they provided a great start even if not to the taste of everyone, come the end of their set, it may have seemed almost incomplete as they finish and clear the stage as the final song ends with little to no word, but they certainly started the night well.

Following up were another band I didn’t know too well, but I knew enough of what I thought to expect. Corrupt Moral Altar raises the bar and keeps it there throughout their show. Hard to pigeonhole into anyone few styles, but all to the far end of extreme with each one. Punk, sludge, grind, hardcore, it is all there and strongly present with absolute masses of presence. Music aside they are highly entertaining too, but you can’t expect a band not to be when they take to the stage with bottles of Buckfast in hand. A seamless set with pinpoint accuracy, not a moment is left wasted in the alcohol-fuelled frenzy. Worth the cost of the ticket alone, they are a must-see band, but until you get a chance if you missed out, it is highly worth checking their band camp site to find their latest album release with a name your price tag on it (Don’t be shy on that price, it’ll be worth it).

Possibly the most intimate gig they’ll be doing this year, Venom Prison had the venue at full capacity, a far cry from when I last captured them on the main stage at Bloodstock Festival earlier this year. It was never in doubt that they would have the place sold out, and for good reason. Many bands have flirted with both hardcore and death metal but never has a band blended they two so well together. Dropping all the lights to almost nothing with strong, floor level strobe lighting from behind, it brought they already compact room into the palm of the band’s hands, and they throttled the life out of it. Larissa made full use of what little room she had on the packed stage, often leering into the crowd, at times thrusting the microphone into their faces grabbing their vocals, a truly most encapsulating experience that those fans will not forget. Jay seemed to be lethal hidden away behind the kit in-between the amps, firing on all cylinders, while bassist Mike and guitarists Ash and Ben run an extremely tight ship on the strings. Their set rested mainly on their one full release ‘Animus’ of which the tour is supporting, with a couple of tracks from their EP ‘The Primal Chaos’, but it did seem to fly through too quickly. Maybe it was the fact it was a Sunday night, or perhaps taking into account the sheer energy and enjoyment that all had, one thing is for certain though. Despite how short it may have felt, they left nothing on that stage and most definitely got the most out of the crowd. Just to add to the level the band goes to, within moments of finishing and leaving the stage, Larissa made her way back to meet and greet fans and have pictures taken without a moments hesitation, a real fans band and perhaps the most ideal role model any female could find in a frontwoman, let alone in just the person she is and what she stands for, the World certainly needs more people like her. I imagine come next year where they will be supporting Trivium will see them wasting no time between being on the stage and at their merch stall to meet the people. I for one will be doing all I can to get myself back down to see them again without a shadow of a doubt!

Venom Prison setlist:

Abysmal Agony

Babylon the Whore

Desecration of the Human Privilege

Corrode the Black Sun

Devoid

Perpetrator Emasculation

Womb Forced Animus

Celestial Patricide

Primal Chaos

The post Live: Venom Prison at The Black Heart, London appeared first on RAMzine.

Already kicking-off the final night of the UK tour as most of the crowds were arriving, was Palace of the King, I knew nothing of the band before the gig, and can be quite honest with the fact I am almost angry about not knowing of these! Straight up classic Rock and Roll with a hint of psychedelic and bluesy tones to really get you in the mood. The only disappointment I found was the lack of a full crowd to check them out, the subtle swagger of the band fits well, and a perfect starting act for the show. Joining fellow countrymen Airbourne was really a damn good idea, and despite their early start and short-lived set, they still found time to smash out a great drum solo. A band I’m gutted I probably won’t be seeing for a while considering where home is, but a band I seriously will be making an effort for the next time they cross to our shores, I suggest you do the same.

Next out the block were a band I am familiar with, February last year I caught them supporting Black Label Society, and they blew me away then. 21 months later, a new album out Welcome to Fat City, and I am ready for the show. What wasn’t expected was just how much they had improved in that time. A far larger crowd being easily moved by the funky blues-infused Rock and Roll of Pennsylvanian rockers, Crobot. The funk is strong with these guys, and they nail a rapport with the crowd many headliners sometimes struggle with. Frontman Brandon Yeagley throws more moves together than any birth child of Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler could hope for (a cracking frontman of a band – you need to see!), while the rest of the band lay down the tightest of sounds with no effort at all. They are so good that you could go home content on these two bands alone, but they build the crowd up constantly and really get the engine purring for the main event that has really brought everyone together.

Being slightly late to the stage just seem to get the crowd more excited than impatient, as the stage flows with smoke. Airbourne smash out of the starting blocks like a bat out of hell. Spinal Tap nailed the best way to describe them when Nigel Tufnel spoke about his amp stating “These go to 11”, it really is the perfect statement for everything about Airbourne! It feels like little time is wasted with all the energy in the room, as they rip through track after track. Before us photographers know it, our three songs are up and we all start to move out of the pit, only for Joel O’Keeffe to shout out to us all and tell us “Fuck the rules, this is a rock and roll concert! You guys can come in here and shoot all night!” Nothing beats a band letting us do that, to let us capture the show as it really gets going as well as the reactions of the fans as the show goes on is a treat, what a hero!

Obligatory can smashes and the shoulder carries into the crowd are ever present followed with a special solo to make it a true night to remember for those in the disabled viewing area, if ever there was a ‘fans band’, it’s Airbourne. With a fitting tribute to the Rock God Lemmy, and a short but to the point story of how thanks to them taking Airbourne on the road, they probably would be still doing the pub circuit back home. Joel really gives it all when performing, I can’t even begin to imagine the high he must get from the reactions of the crowd. The frontman is only part of the show though, with brother Ryan hidden away behind the kit somewhere in a mass of lights, guitarist David and bassist Justin make full use of the stage with perfectly timed ‘Status Quo-esque’ moves. A solid band if ever there was one, despite how energetic and mad the frontman may be.

It’s a night I wish I could relive, and often. There are many gigs I’ve been to this year, some of my all time favourite bands and heroes too, but everything about this show was just perfect. Airbourne really are the living embodiment of what Rock and Roll is all about, and it is a real pleasure to have been able to go along for the ride!

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Running 15 minutes late — they did not say “Hello” to the public — but maybe that’s the way this gruff artistic grunge punk-rock outfit “BARB WIRE DOLLS” approach such things.

They didn’t seem so much “Desperate” [the title of their latest album] — than “seriously pissed.” Perhaps that’s because the musicians looked out at the pitifully small audience, a handful of fans who managed to turn up on school-night, and thought “sod this for a game of soliders…” [Or greek equivalent.] Why-oh-why were they on so early? And no band either!

It was only last year that the BARB WIRE DOLLS were noticed by Lemmy, signed to Motörhead Music and had legendary manager Todd Singerman take over. My, how time flies in Rock! The new album was recorded at Sonic Ranch, mixed by Jay Baumgardner [Evenescence] — so this band are ultra-hip right now.

The recent renovation of the Barfly meant that the lino on the dancefloor was no longer sticky, the air-con operated efficiently and the lighting was more “Saturday Nite Disco” than balls-out “Rock Venue.” However, it was pretty decent all the same.

Numbers such as “Heart Attack” have belligerent screams and a torrid nature The sizzling guitars and blondie’s voice were immediate and on fire. There is no denying that Isis Queen is hotter than hot. And she does not stop moving for a second. But the voice is less Hazel O’Connor more Courtney Love — and we don’t mean that in an insulting way — but it’s lazy and full-on: Not neat and expressive.

Other corrosive numbers include the shiny ‘rebel yell’ number “Drown.” This has a skateboarder’s rumbling riff and the kind of agigated drumming from Krash Doll that is really something special. This song has it all — melody, attitude and fat guitars. In fact it suggests that Punk Rock is still alive and lives on a rock in the Mediterranean Sea.

God bless all those who supported this show live. We just wished the band were not such a bitter crew of Angry Birds… Oh well, that’s anarchy for you!

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The Pros of the day were the absence of rain and the fact that you definitely don’t need wellingtons as there’s no mud and toilets are located in each pub or bar. The only downside may be the fact that you have to plan ahead which band you really want to see as you need to join long queues, especially for the bigger acts, and they won’t allow any more people in when the venue reaches its capacity. On the other side I don’t believe that people would pay to go to this kind of festival without expecting crowds or even being squashed in small places to enjoy a gig. In my opinion Camden is the best place to host a festival and this should happen more often.

Since midday queues formed around The World’s End pub as fans eagerly waited to pick up their wristbands to start this rock marathon. The first place I get to hit is the Dingwalls where I get to see the extraordinary London SS. They kicked off proceedings with an explosion of profoundly physical Proto-punk. The latest incarnation of the legendary 1970s outfit delivers without question. The set is a relentless barrage of punk rock classics, more akin to the MC5 and New York Dolls than any latter-day snot-merchants. Founding member Brady has lost none of his Keith Richards- ish swagger, the rest of the band are tight and look like they’re ready to kick ass. The singer resembles a considerably skinnier Iggy Pop as he prances around on and off stage and tumbles spectacularly over the ‘safety barriers’ like a bedraggled mannequin. But what’s a rock n roll show without blood and torn PVC jeans, eh? Musically -garage-punk springs to mind, with a New York Dolls cover thrown in to end proceedings… definitely recommended.

 After this adrenaline rush I literally ran towards the Electric Ballroom to watch Damn Dice. They are the very first band to play at the Electric Ballroom today. It was great to see that even at this early hour the place was full as the band took the stage. And what a way to kick things off. They came out full steam and there was no let up for the whole of their set. As always at the Ballroom the sound was great, and Damn Dice really pack a punch. They blasted the crowd with their double kick drum rhythm section and big riffs and had us all singing along with the choruses. They played songs from their album ‘The Great Unknown’ for the most part, though they also threw in a new song from which you can definitely tell that they are sticking true to their metal roots. Apart from the songs themselves, Damn Dice didn’t disappoint in terms of their live spectacle. If you haven’t seen them before, then you are missing out on one of the most energetic and intense live shows around. I was watching the guitar players and bass player headbanging, running around the stage when at one point point I noticed the singer hanging off the scaffold at the side of the stage. Damn Dice played a great set and really set the ball rolling for the rest of the day. If you have yet to see them live, I can only recommend that you get out there and go see them.

After hanging around with some friends and grabbing a quick lunch I get to sit down with Ali from Zebrahead for our interview which turned out great as we learned new aspects of the band and got some updates about their imminent plans. Thirty minutes later I was having a chat with Olli from Reckless Love who told us some funny stories and focused on the promotion of the new material. At that point I had already missed Gun but I didn’t mind as much as I was very excited to see Reckless Love live once again. They were also performing at the Electric Ballroom which was quite busy but not as crazy busy as I imagined it to be. From the very first moment they got on stage it was quite obvious that the band seemed pretty happy to be back in London and just like the last time I saw them at Scala, the energy Olli puts in the show was still admirable between running, jumping and high kicks you do wonder where he gets enough stamina to do all this and still have an impeccable voice, but again, that’s what creates such a great atmosphere and transmits energy to the fans. With a quick ‘Hello’ they launch into ‘Animal Attraction’ and follow with ‘So happy I could die’ and everyone is on fire. They are brave enough to play some of the new songs too which you don’t usually get in festivals set lists. ‘We are the weekend’ is part of the brand new album ‘InVader’ but most people were already singing along to it and the lyrics are a perfect representation of the band’s spirit. They end the set with my three favourites ‘On the radio’, ‘Night on fire’ and of course ‘Hot’. The irrepressible Finns fronted by Captain six-pack Olli Herman return to bring fond memories of the 80’s where girls followed the bands because they loved their looks and the boys dressed like the band because they knew it would get the girls. Of course this is not just about looks but it’s fun to see how both band and fans make an effort to look more glamorous than casual. This is a band that doesn’t take themselves seriously. Their easy sing-a-long choruses and feel-good anthems are designed for a great night out and it works perfectly in this setting and every single time they perform live.

After this amazing show, I head to the 55 Bar where I get to see the Lounge Kittens. I already knew them as they supported Steel Panther in the past so it was quite nice to have the chance to see them live again. They have soared in popularity over the years due to their fun lounge renditions of rock and metal covers and despite being three ladies stood spread over the stage rather than bouncing around playing guitars they never look out of place. They are good looking and musically talented and those are both great features for a girl band. Many in the audience obviously knew what to expect and reception was good, they started early with the cover of ‘Party Hard’ from Andrew WK and then gained a lot of cheers with their version of ‘Rollin’ from Limp Bizkit, ‘Duality’ from Slipknot and ‘Glory Hole’ from Steel Panther.

 At this point I get so excited at the thought of finally being able to see Zebrahead as I remember being a big fan of them back in the day. Zebrahead fill a strange space between pop-punk and hip-hop and The Underworld is full of kids ready to party like they were in one of those American Pie movies. Inflatable balloons and cups are flying around, everyone is ready to go. The pop-punk guitar sound and the Matty Lewis’s melodic co-lead vocals contrast with Ali’s rap segments almost as perfectly live as they do recorded. They have the same passion since 1996 and they still want to party and involve the crowd to do so. Their touring experience and individual musical merits shine through, and the set is smooth, fun and expertly executed. The energy the band puts into the set is only interrupted by brief pauses for chugging contests and other alcohol-fuelled antics. I was so happy to hear songs like ‘Hell yeah’, ‘Hello tomorrow’, ‘Rescue me’ and ‘Anthem’. For a band that has been doing this for nearly 20 years Zebrahead are still fun and full of energy and get the crowd moving in a way that some bands in their 20s probably couldn’t.

To end my day I decide to head to the Black Hear where I get to see a new band called M O S E S. The band was composed by four members: Scott, Matt, Juno and Victor all pretty young but already sounding like they know what they are doing. The band formed in 2015 and they remind of very early Blur but with a more innovative vibe. I couldn’t take my eyes off the guitarist, he was probably the one that made the whole performance even more memorable. His technique was just blowing me away. All in all a great band with a strong impact and tracks.

Last band I got to see was Warrior Soul. At that point the venue was absolutely packed and unfortunately there was no air conditioning which made both band and audience quite uncomfortable. I found Kory Clarke, founder and frontman of the band, in perfect shape. Despite the heat he delivered a very strong performance just like he used to do in the past. The band reformed in 2007 and has been touring since then. Most of the people in the crowd sing along and do their best to keep the energy level up. Would be definitely recommended to check this band on a different stage.

Although there were many amazing bands playing at Camden Rocks, a few other notable mentions must also include;

Evil Scarecrow – Drawing a massive crowd for such early on in the festival, Evil Scarecrow bring the fun through their metal, party poppers and a giant alien on stage. The crowd dig it, We at RAMzine dig it and its without a doubt one of the definite hits of the day.

The Kings Parade – An awesome little acoustic set downstairs in Brewdog. Its cramped, its hot, its sweaty but a great set by a great band.

Florence Black – This band are the party rock soundtrack to your summer. There are good vibes through their hard rock that packs out the Monarch and everyone is enjoying it including the band who eats it up. Great band for fans of Black Stone Cherry.

Camden Rocks couldn’t be more fun and filled with talent this year!

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Gurt were nothing short of amazing and completely packed the Underworld out. A great start for the opening band of the day. Fighting my way through the crowds, I eventually managed to just about squeeze into the Underworld to catch Raging Speedhorn for the first time since December, original guitarist Gaz even managed to make the journey all the way from Stockholm making this an extra special show for them. Playing as tight as ever, louder than hell, and to a crowd hanging on every song, they nailed out an utterly mesmerising set full of fan favourites and even 3 new tracks off the upcoming album. The only annoyance, and this happens a lot throughout the festival, is having to leave early to head elsewhere, and with Crowbar soon on at the Electric Ballroom, I soon ran off to get a good spot. Crowbar have never let me down live, and celebrating their 20th anniversary tour of album Broken Glass this was set to be something. Dominating the stage with their presence, they nailed through a predominately old set with only a couple of songs off the latest few releases. Come towards the end of the set they nailed out the performance of the day, with all the regular crowd pleasers being played; ‘When Planets Collide’, ‘All I Had I Gave’, ‘The Lasting Dose’, but the most special and unexpected was their 1993 cover of No Quarter which went down a storm, catching up with a good friend not long after Crowbars set, his exact words were “Oh my God, they played No Quarter! That’s almost worth the £100 ticket alone!”.

Staying put in the Electric Ballroom and sacrificing the chance of seeing JK Flesh in the Black Heart proved worthwhile as it soon ended up with a one in, one out policy for those wanting to catch Corrosion of Conformity. Having recently been rejoined with Pepper Keegan, this is a throw back to the dirty, southern sounds of the 90’s/early 2000’s playing tracks from all the albums in between. Smashing through song after song, they put on a hell of a performance to a loving, packed out venue. A superb way to finish off the first night and made my journey home fly by.

On day 2 venues are packed out just like Friday thanks to all the weekend and day tickets being sold out. Scurrying down towards the Electric Ballroom I managed to get myself right down to the front ready for Conan. The Liverpool lads only last year released Revengeance which we were lucky enough to review. Although it has more pace than previous releases, it still holds true to the Conan style, and they brought that crushing sound alive on stage with an absolute monster of a set. Despite they sheer heaviness of the band, the set seemed to lack a little something, not through the lack of bands efforts, but the front of house and quite possibly the way the sound engineer set it just didn’t quite have the power as the last few times I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the band. Making up for this though was having to cut Conan short to get back down to the Underworld for Slomatics. Having not heard of these before and them even being recommended by Conan, they certainly brought the heavy. Even with earplugs in they brought a new meaning to the word crushing. Only staying put for 20 minutes before running to catch TruckFighters, the Underworld put up a fight to let me out, and when I finally managed, the queue for the Underworld was a real decent size proving Slomatics to have been one of the must see bands of the weekend.

Truckfighters probably stole the show with the sheer energy and showmanship on stage. Guitarist Dango especially, like a man possessed he barely stood still! Clearly the journey from Sweden didn’t tire them out at all! Highly entertaining, and a good wake up like a shot of adrenaline in a day full of slow and heavy, which takes me back to the Underworld for Monarch! The French band are something special indeed, with a 50 minute slot being enough to only fit in a handful of songs, such is the mammoth size of their music. Sounding like something so dark and heavy, even the devil would be nervous, but with the voice of Emilie Bresson being as hypnotic as her beauty. Using such a dynamic range of vocal talent, witnessing them live is really something to behold, just a shame so many people were intent on talking through it all. Having to sacrifice my spot in the Underworld where Samothrace and Unearthly Trance were set to destroy, and while Crystal Head and Mantar were preparing to play in the always packed Black Heart, I settled on a spot for Pelican and Russian Circles to finish off my night, i was not disappointed. Both instrumental acts have not shared a stage with each other for the past decade, and both made their time worthwhile. Pelican pulled off the tightest, and most amazing set, making them quite possibly the band of the weekend for me. While Russian Circles tried to upstage them with their own styles, the crowd soaked up the atmosphere and lit up all over the venue, driving security wild in search of the earthly smell that people were enjoying to make a perfect end to the days festivities.

Day 3 seems to have arrived far too quickly, and with the addition of The Koko in venues being used with such an impressive line up, cutting bands short to run from venue to venue to beat the rush seems key! Grabbing a quick pint in Brewdog around the corner before cutting through the Desertfest village, the Black Heart is yet again rammed, no surprise! So the Underworld for the first band it is. Upon arrival, it is yet again filled out quickly as Ohhms have not long taken to the stage and brought a set that could cause more destruction than the North Korean armoury, and the stage presence you expect from only the finest of seasoned bands. After 45 minutes, necks are sore and bodies are starting to feel the effects of the weekend, so another quick break is already needed along with a quick pint and chat with fellow ‘festers, before a steady stroll north to catch a quick bit of Bast whom never disappoint. Having caught them over previous years at Damnation festival and Bloodstock, what they brought was typical Bast which is nothing to complain about, but after only 15 minutes the walk towards The Koko to catch opening band Monolord was needed. The band started impressively with the venue filling out quickly, setting the standard for the day. With sets now reaching an hour long, more leaving venues early to catch other bands had to happen, much against my wanting to relax and enjoy a band!

Leaving Monolord early to check out some recommendations made it completely worthwhile though, arriving back in the Underworld to check out my first unknown of the day, Dyse, and they proved to be one hell of a superb three piece instrumental band. Being a guitarist myself and seeing bands for so many years, you get to a point where you think you’ve seen everything, so when the guitarist brings the guitar up towards his head I expected the typical flamboyant behind the head or teeth picking, instead I was treated to the man screaming into his pick ups with great effect! Always nice to get a little something new! The language barrier between the band and crowd held nothing back from the band as a whole as they, and the crowd thoroughly enjoyed every minute of their set. Meanwhile however, Elder were preparing to bring their epic music to The Koko, and even while jokingly saying that “It’s not a live gig without any technical difficulties!” with an issue with guitar pedals in the first song, they were flawless. Well worth the trip down the road in the rare hot sun.

Sienna Root were set to take the stage at 19:00, and being told numerous times they are one not to miss I headed back not knowing what to expect, squeezing my way into the Underworld I arrived just as the band took to the stage looking far different from every band over the weekend I had seen so far. Living up to their appearance, they brought a fresh sound to 70’s inspired psychedelic rock, well worth checking out! Doom legends Trouble had made the journey over seas to join the line up of The Koko while celebrating their 35th year, and in doing so brought their classic sound to life in a way only fitting by a band of such stature. Struggling to work my way through the crowd to get up towards the Electric Ballroom is testament to the bands following, as if having to leave before they get through their set wasn’t hard enough! Toronto based Blood Ceremony proved worth the effort with their female led, doom laden performance. Touching slightly on folk with thanks to some flute playing, they created a superb atmosphere that grabbed hold of every person in the venue. Following on from Sienna Root back in the depths of the Underworld were heavy rock trio Mothership, owning the stage in their own style, they ripped through song after song making it impossible for anyone in earshot to not stand still. Wo-Fat were preparing themselves to decimate the Underworld soon after, and with a recent new release people that stayed were set to be destroyed, but much like everyone else, the highlight of the night was to be at The Koko. Headliners Electric Wizard were set to close the legendary venue and it was always going to end up overflowing with people. So begrudgingly leaving anywhere in Camden to make sure you could get into The Koko was on almost everyone’s minds. Three days of travel, liver abuse and superb bands was set to come to a close real soon and people were soon hanging around in huge crowds outside the venue chatting away over cheap beers from local shops about their weekends highlights while brimming with excitement for the great wizard. Climbing the stairs in the venue passing people going every which way, finding a decent viewing spot was proving a struggle, tired legs making hard work of all the stairs but this was soon to be forgotten as the background music faded before the band took to the stage. Almost instantaneous, plumes of smoke start coming up throughout the crowd everywhere as people spark up, while others are still rushing around trying to find a place to fit themselves into every nook and cranny to see the stage from the balconies. With the walls sweating, Electric Wizard made the struggles worth it, their crushing doom reverberated through the place, feeling it in every limb. Maybe it may have just been where I had found myself stood, but vocals were almost incomprehensible over the sheer volume of it all, and the natural harmonies of the building seemed to fall in tune with long held chords, which even overpowered everything and even caused my ears to suffer despite decent ear plugs. Other than that though, Electric Wizard put out a performance worth remembering. It was always going to be something special, but they left me completely and utterly broken! Godflesh were set to be the final act of the festival over at the Electric Ballroom, but such was the battering of Electric Wizard, my time at the festival was up and slowly I was in a place where I had to steadily start getting my battered body towards the train station for my last journey home of the weekend.

Desertfest 2016 certainly left its mark on me, Damnation and Bloodstock have sadly now been put back a place in levels of favourite festivals with Desertfest taking to the top spot in flying colours. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t have its flaws though, Desertfest proved one major flaw all weekend, and regardless of what can be done or said, this flaw will be forever present. Quite simply, it just has far too many superb bands playing over the weekend that you just cannot see them all without missing out on loads! You will always get your weekend tickets moneys worth, but you cannot help but also miss out on as many bands worth seeing as you actually do see. You can never have too much of a good thing though, and there is always something somewhere on of great quality. Now there is just the long wait until next years, unless of course you travel to one of the European Desertfests… Now where’s my passport?!

The post Live: Desertfest 2016 appeared first on RAMzine.

Signed to Sony BMG and their own label MFZB (Mother Fuckin’ Zebrahead, Bitch), the guys have released twelve studio albums over the years, picking up a cult worldwide following. Known for their energetic and mosh-pit-filled live gigs, Zebrahead have recently hit the UK for the Slam Dunk festival and followed it up with dates in Cardiff, Plymouth, Poole and today they are playing Camden Rocks Festival in London.

We have had the pleasure to have a chat with Ali who confirms he is still a party guy but on this occasion we have also seen the very genuine and humble side of the frontman.

RAMzine: How’s coming back to the UK and what do you like about it?

Ali: – We have been coming to the UK for years now and we have made a lot of new friends too so whenever we are around it’s good  to have the chance to hang out together and see what’s new in their lives.

RAMzine: Last year you released a new album ‘Walk the Plank’, can you tell us something about it?

Ali: –  We wrote the album and recorded it in about six months, the last two months we went in the studio with a new producer, Paul Miner, and next we had a gentleman named Kyle Black and we never worked with either of them before so it was kind of a new experience for us and a very positive one. I feel we have recorded in a pretty quick manner compared to the other albums and it feels like we got such a positive reaction from our fans with this album since it’s been released and we’ve been touring on it. You know most of the times fans come to the shows to hear the old songs but this time they have also been asking for the newer songs and I feel like that’s a good sign so we are pretty happy with it and will be touring throughout the summer and after the new year we are gonna go back to work on a new album.

RAMzine: Do you have a favourite song from ‘Walk the Plank’?

Ali: – I do and it’s called ‘Who brings a knife to a Gunfight’, I think it’s because it’s so fun when we play it live.

RAMzine: You are also known for your fun covers. If you had to choose, what song from nowadays would you like to cover?

Ali: – I would say ‘Hello’ by Adele, it’s a very good song and would make a great cover too (laughs).

RAMzine: Music business changes constantly, do you think pop punk is still a big influence in music today?

Ali: – I feel like maybe from the past eight years rock music, especially in America, is not guitar driven anymore but within the last year I think I’ve seen resurgence of punk and rock music, you know with Blink 182 coming back and getting back together and bands like 5 Seconds of Summer, also younger kids start to appreciate pop punk so I think it’s getting better. It’s been kind of a rough time for this genre in the last eight years but I’m sure it’s growing again. I think it’s a wordwide feeling thanks to the internet whatever is popular in one place gets popular elsewhere too so people get to listen to different kind of music.

RAMzine: You guys have been together for so long, what is that you enjoy the most of being in a very well known band?

Ali: – For me it has to be being able to travel the world and play music. This is a pretty great job and we are so lucky to be able to do it so I always say and remind myself how lucky we are.

RAMzine: Do you still have the same passion and energy of when you first started?

Ali: – We definitely do, I think it’s more focused now. When we first started we didn’t know much about touring or like how the business worked and stuff like that but since we have been around for a while now we are kind of more efficient when we are touring. Initially when you start touring you live with a bunch of people on a tour bus so you kinda have to learn when somebody is in a bad mood or anything like that. And that takes a little while. As I said I think we are definitely more efficient and we wouldn’t do this if we didn’t love it.

RAMzine: Your main music videos are all about parties and good times, is that how you are still running your life?

Ali: – Unfortunately yes. A little too much sometimes but it’s fun, everyone on the tour bus is like family so we just enjoy hanging out.

RAMzine: Is there a particular song you will never get bored of performing live?

Ali: – You know you get bored of songs after a while but they come back around. One day I might be like ‘O man I wish we didn’t play this song today’ but then maybe wait a month and I’m like ‘I miss playing that song’. That’s why you gotta change it up a little bit, have a bit of variety. Although if I had to choose I think ‘Anthem’ will always be so much fun and that’s when the kids go the most crazy and you can definitely feel that energy.

RAMzine: Any plans for the future?

Ali: – We are going to be touring throughout the whole summer and we will be playing a lot of festivals. We will keep doing that next year and we are already working on a couple of new songs so hopefully between touring and other stuff we will have enough material to go back into the studio early next year.

The post Interview: Zebrahead at Camden Rocks Festival appeared first on RAMzine.

The Underworld in London is waiting to go back in time and look like one of the venues of the Sunset Strip in 1987. Tonight LA Guns will headline the show and everyone can’t wait to see them especially after quite a long absence from the UK. Before them, we get to see the rock band Killit. Their members have extensive experience of touring the live circuit and rocking hard, born from bands such as King Lizard and Ace Mafia (which also featured current members of Judas Priest and We Are Harlot), the band have begun to prove their worth in the capital playing sold out shows at The Monarch, 12 Bar and Cargo.

Originally hailing from Hungary, Israel, Argentina and Britain, Killit was founded at the beginning of this year and they quickly released their first video for single ‘Shut It Down’ and have recently released a new one ‘Crash and Burn’ which reached over 31,000 views. Their members are Gaz Twist who delivers an excellent performance as frontman and vocalist of the band, Niro Knox with his impeccable skills as lead guitar player, Byron Marr at the rhythm guitar, Geos Letona on bass and last but not least the volcanic Pete Jean on drums. I realized long time ago that London is a hotbed of amazing and talented rock/metal bands, the list of which is now too long to outline and grows every day. This particular band deserves to be checked out and seen live. Their energy and their technique is outstanding, the songs and the lyrics are fresh and their sound is very far from being the usual rock band.

Killit open with ‘Shut It Down’, same song that started them up as a band and the already rammed venue gets involved in the groove. Throughout the whole set they never fail to deliver a strong and powerful performance, something that is more significant and striking when experienced.

After this great opening act, everyone in the crowd got even more pumped up waiting for LA Guns, the legendary veterans of the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Since their eponymous album in 1988, these Electric Gypsies have constantly been delivering their unapologetic rock-n-roll releasing iconic hits, unforgettable music videos, and touring non-stop all over the world. These rock ‘n roll gypsies still epitomize sleaze rock at its finest.
Around 8:30 pm LA Guns finally made their way to the stage. By that time, the crowd around the stage had thickened and I had to stand to the side of the balcony. I have to say this was the first time that the reviewers didn’t get offered a wristband to be able to stand on the balcony which is situated on the left side of the stage.

There were far too many people to be able to enjoy or see the whole gig clearly. I am not entirely sure which part was to blame for this as the guys from the venue kept saying it wasn’t down to them but to the bands management and PRs.  Apart from that I had a good time, LA Guns delivered an excellent set with a lot of old-school songs. They had a no frills looking setup but it did not matter as they launched from one classic to the another starting strong with “No Mercy”, “Showdown” and “Sex Action” which had the whole crowd jumping and singing. It has been almost 29 years since the band debut on Sunset Strip and it is so refreshing to see the band is still performing a great set of hits. Over the years the band has endured many line-up changes but it seems that LA Guns has found the right chemistry that clicks.

LA Guns is currently comprised of Phil Lewis on vocals, Steve Riley on drums, Michael Grant on guitar and Kenny Kweens on bass. They unleashed their powerful fury throughout the whole performance. Tonight The Underworld looked like everyone’s outfit and attitude was coming right from the 80’s, the whole audience spawned their best sleazy look and big hair and just like in the past most of the girls in the audience clawed their way to the front of the stage.

Over the years, LA Guns has been known for their great guitar riffs and even in this occasion the band ruled the stage playing some of mine and everyone’s favourites, “Never Enough” and “One More Reason” to mention a couple. Phil Lewis’ voice and looks is like a fine wine that never ages.

They ended their set with the beautiful “The Ballad Of Jayne” and “Rip And Tear”. The gig was ok, the band sounded like the band although they don’t reinvent the wheel but they could never be boring even if they tried.

The post Live: LA Guns, Camden Underworld, London appeared first on RAMzine.