Psycho California Recaps for Day 1 here and Day 2 here.
Day three got off to a bit of a slower, and earlier, start. Pounding back the local cold brew, I was hoping to be alert sooner rather than later for the last day of music ahead. When the fog started to clear in my mind, I headed over to the Monarch Stage to see who was playing.
Texas trio, Mothership, had already taken the stage and were putting on one hell of a show. They’ve got that classic heavy rock sound and were just what most of us needed to get our day started. Brothers Kyle and Kelly Juett claimed the stage as their own while they wailed on their guitars in celebration of their parents’ 35th anniversary. Seeing Mothership definitely got the blood pumping, setting the mood for what was next.
I stayed at the main stage to see old school rockers BANG. These guys were playing in the early 70’s and influential to the beginning of the doom genre with their heavy distortion. BANG had the crowd all to themselves due to the courtesy of the Theif Presents allotting this timeslot to only them. Getting to see vocalist/guitarist Frankie Glicken and bassist/vocalist Frank Ferrera was like being able to have a little glimpse into the past. I discovered their easy-going attitudes translated off stage, as well, catching up with Ferrera later. He grabbed my hand and kissed me on the mouth not once, but three times that day, leaving me weak in the knees and showing me what living was all about it!
Wo Fat was setting up on the Grizzly Stage next and the line was massive. From one end of the hall to the other, eager festival goers smashed into each other while waiting to get in. And for good reason! These stoner/psych rockers from Texas shook the house with their super groovy southern blues. Playing most of their Psychedelonaut release, you could tell everyone was in psychedelic haze undoubtedly making their set a highlight for the day.
The groovy fast paced vibe kept with Truckfighters from Sweden. This heavy hitting trio is world renowned and rumored to be one of the best live performances one could see in a lifetime. My expectations were high. As soon as they walked on the stage, I knew that I would not be disappointed as all three of them quite literally jumped into their set. The groovy fuzz encased my body while I watched bassist/vocalist Oskar ‘Ozo’ Cedermalm run about the stage in his wrapped ankle and athletic shoes. He looked like he could be trying out for professional basketball with his high jumps and intense energy. Cedermalm wasn’t the only one hyped by the crowd. Vocalist/guitarist Niklas ‘Dango’ Kallgren and drummer Andre ‘Pancho’ Kvarnstrom showed just as much as enthusiasm. You could tell these desert rockers wanted to be there. Their passion explodes from their instrumentation and performance truly living up to the hype making them a highlight of the weekend.
Still riding high from the tangible energy of Truckfigthers, I meandered about between stages catching glimpses of Tombs and The Well. Talking with friends about our personal favorites, you could feel the bittersweet nostalgia setting in. The festival was nearing it’s end and the glaze in our eyes was from a myriad of highs.
Speaking of high, Bongzilla was about to play the Monarch Stage, so I hurried over. Legendary stoner metal heads from Wisconsin set up while guitarist/vocalist Mike “Muleboy” Makela dutifully encouraged us all to light up in a sort of homage to who they were and what the music was about. The American flag set the backdrop from their Amerijuanican album, which was only suiting, as the band jammed for a good hour. They are always a pleasure to see and even moreso these days since they don’t tour much anymore.
Afterward, I headed over to see Elder. This band was another ‘must see’ for the weekend and the room was full to capacity. This heavy psych band hailing from Massachusetts are the epitome of what a power trio should be. Their instrumentation showcases their talent individually and seamlessly transitions together as a whole. Unraveling stories through their amazing orchestration and incredible songwriting, Elder stole the crowd. Whether you were lucky enough to see them on the small stage, or heard from the packed hallway, you were bound to be left traveling through lengthy musical landscapes throughout the evening. Keep on eye on these guys because they should be the next big thing.
Earthless was next on the main stage picking up that musical soundscape right where Elder left off. San Diego stoner rock trio never fails to send you on a psychedelic journey. Whether you’re riding sky shattering riffs, or spiraling into the back of your skull from the elemental heat, there’s no doubt you will leave with your senses altered. When you think you’re lost in the cosmic abyss, the trio plug their instruments into the center of time and translate its rage. They swallow you up and spit you out into a blazing inferno of burning strings and crashing cymbals. Thick, heavy, aggressive—always leaving you, well, earthless.
I quickly came back to reality in preparation for the destruction and death that Coffinworm was surely going to bring. These guys rarely tour and it was admittedly their first time ever on the West coast. As the saying goes, “I’ll die with my boots on,” you can tell that they are set in their ways. The anticipation was high, but I don’t think the crowd was fully prepared for the onslaught of sound that was about to commence. Vocalist Dave Britts cryptic growl is amazing and amplifies the shrill and creepy sounds that cut through the sludgy bass tones. Once the pit opened up, it seemed few people knew what to do with it. However, with the handful of people throwing themselves around, it looked as if a full on spiritual war was about to take place. The chilling shriek coming from Britts was the battle cry beckoning us minions to destroy.
The adrenaline was so high from finally seeing Coffinworm, I could hardly enjoy the beginning of Om, who had started playing on the main stage. However, it didn’t take long for me to shift my senses from the spiritual battle I was partaking in to a spiritual awakening. Robert Lowe (Lichens, 90 Day Men) brings immaculate talent to this trio. Lowe’s contributions consist of a variety of instruments, as well as his unique high pitched vocals. Having the opportunity to see vocalist/bassist Al Cisneros perform twice in one weekend is a blessing in itself. The whole experience is like walking into the manifestation of a prayer at gloaming. It is a familiar call from within and Cisneros knows how to expel it and translate it emerging onto a higher plane. He seems to be almost one beat behind drummer Emil Amos, and it works. Once again I became lost in the low-end soundscapes of a ritualistic cleansing being performed right in front of my eyes.
I needed that cleansing to prepare myself for the festival’s finale with prolific doom metal band Pentagram. It was going to be a special evening with both founding members Bobby Liebling and Geof O’Keefe in the same room. Standing next to O’Keefe while we watched together from the pit was a moment that I am going to remember. Watching them make eye contact and smile at each other summed up forty years of friendship and connected all the generations of doom metal lovers that followed their suit. Liebling still doesn’t skip a beat while he entertains the crowd with each hip swivel and air grind. The band was super in tune with each other as they played all of First Daze Here and a few other songs that I haven’t heard live before. As the set progressed, I enjoyed it with new friends from up on the balcony. I knew there would be an encore and was suddenly impressed with the deep desire to fully be part of the crowd and feel free. So I ran downstairs into the pit, looked at my best friend Jon in the eye and told him I wanted to crowd surf. Just like that, he picked me up and threw me in the air. I was finally floating on that musical cloud I had been experiencing internally all weekend. As I glided on the friendly fingers of my comrades, devil horns high, I felt like what lovely lady Liebling had been singing up. It was icing on the delicious doom cake. Hail Satan!
Psycho California Recaps for Day 1 here and Day 2 here.
More Photos From Psycho California: Day 3
Collaborative write-up: Vana Black and Jon Christensen
Photo Credit: Vana Black