Roadburn 2024 will take place in Tilburg, The Netherlands, from the 18th to the 21st of April!
Last year marked the beginning of a new path in the history of Roadburn festival. The festival continues steering its focus towards up-and-coming bands and underground projects. While maintaining the same level of unique appeal (which made it successful throughout the years) it keeps breathing new life into the event. This has been accomplished by embracing the needed changes due to the challenges that these recent times have brought upon us.
As per usual, particular attention is given to make the festival a place of inclusion within the tight-knit “Roadburners” community. A place where one can cultivate and nurture old and new connections. A wide variety of acts will provide plenty for everyone, with the traditional commissioned works and curated projects. The “redefining heaviness”-concept from last edition has evolved into this year’s “underground futurism”, presenting the bands of today, but also attempting to anticipate the trends of tomorrow.
Khanate will lead the way – as it has done in many ways by inspiring who came after them, and continues to do so – with their return to live performance after a hiatus of nearly two decades. It will be a fitting and welcome performance in this edition. After last year’s release of “To Be Cruel” this is something to look forward to for, particularly for the hardcore fans.
Hexvessel are a band dear to Roadburn, and at the same time it can be said that Roadburn is a festival dear to Hexvessel. Therefore, this year the band will perform their latest effort “Polar Veil” in full, as well as a special commissioned work entitled “Music for Gloaming: A Nocturne by the Hexvessel Folk Assembly”. I am curiously looking forward to see what these guys have in store for us this time, knowing that whatever it will be, it won’t disappoint.
Knoll is another highly anticipated participant to this year’s Roadburn, particularly for those who are up for extreme sounds in the realm of the grindcore/death/noise. They will have the chance to showcase their latest “As Spoken”. Inter Arma, sludge/black/death/post-metal ensemble, on the other hand, might give the audience a sneak peek into their “New Heaven”, which is coming out a week after the festival.
For the fans of death metal and experimentation, another band playing a double set will be Blood Incantation. The Americans are going to treat the audience with performing their ambient record “Timewave Zero” (for the first time in Europe), as well as a more traditional set inclined towards the extreme range of the music scale we are accustomed to by these eclectic combo.
Rotterdam-based dark heavy rock Dool is another band to look forward this year, with the release of their album “The Shape of Fluidity” coinciding with their Roadburn appearance. Let’s not forget Chelsea Wolfe’s ethereal compositions, as I eagerly wait to see her with new material from the 7th ambitious record “She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She” – with the emotional trip that comes with it.
From the States, the experimental avant-garde rockers Xiu Xiu will be something to keep an eye for. The wild card of the festival might turn out to be Clipping, who will perform two shows pushing the boundaries of hip hop. On the other side of the spectrum, Agriculture will be performing for the first time on European soil with their “ecstatic black metal”.
The lovers of folk music will not want to miss Irish Lankum, or Richard Dawson. As I mentioned Irish and English artists, what about the Scottish alternative rockers The Jesus And Mary Chain? This legendary band will surely delight with their timeless classics as well as the upcoming “Glasgow Eyes”.
Let’s not forget HEALTH, coming back to Roadburn with “Rat Wars”, or the dark ritual of guttural sounds by Attila Csihar’s Void Ov Voices. There is also the chance to step into the weird territory of Lana Del Rabies (mixing industrial, dark electronic, metal and gothic noise) and the Chicago-based duo HIDE – Both promising disturbing soundscapes in which one can submerge the senses.
Among the local (read Dutch) bands, other than what I already mentioned, and especially for black metal fans, Fluisteraars is definitely something not to miss out. There are two chances to see them, so try to catch at least one of them!
In terms of variety, another commissioned work “Lion of The Lord’s Elect” will see Kavus Torabi (Gong, The Holy Family, The Utopia Strong, Knifeworld) play some original material specially crafted for Roadburn – which is, well, the purpose of having it as a commissioned set. In the same theme of commissioned work, Die Wilde Jagd will partner with the Dutch Metropole Orkest in a performance entitled “Lux Tenera – A Rite To Joy”, which promises to be a thrilling experience for both the artists and the audience.
Coming from Australia, UBOA will have three different noise sets over the weekend as Artist in Residence. If this wasn’t enough, for the excitement of these two artists’ fans, there will be an original collaboration entitled “The Ash from Mount Saint Helens”, between Ragana and Drowse, who will also perform separately.
“Roadburners” will also see Wiegedood in an entirely different vest, performing their soundtrack to a silent 1926’s Japanese horror movie called “A Page of Madness”. Avant-garde black metallers White Ward will hopefully be able to take part to the festival, after being forced to cancel the last time (as well as in 2020).
Other special appearances include Birds in Row performing the entire “Gris Klein” (2022), Body Void doing the same with their latest “Atrocity Machine”, Frail Body with their European live
debut, and so will Sunrot and The Infinity Ring. Torpor will play “Abscission” in its entirety, and Laster will fully perform their new “Andermans Mijne”. Royal Thunder is going to play a double set composed of a career-long retrospective entitled “TIME + SPACE + REVIVAL” as well as a show dedicated to their newest effort “Rebuilding The Mountain”.
Many more artists of various background and musical orientation will have a chance to showcase their work, and possibly blow some minds in the process. In fact, for those who want to further dip into the experimental, jazzy side of the festival, this year will see once again the collaboration with The Paradox venue – which has witnessed a wide range of unique performances within Roadburn in the past two editions. For the 2024’s edition, this venue will host the performances by Deepsky, Drone Assembly, Echoes of Zoo, Hedvig Mollestad Trio, NI, OTTLA, and Raw Fish’s Heavy Jazz Jam.
This year’s visuals are a collaboration with French artist David Fitt, whose work has been featured in an exhibition the past year. The artist has collaborated, among others, with Perturbator and Grave Pleasures. Given the presence of Mat McNerney (who composed the music for Fitt’s presentation – video which can be found here) it is granted that his creations will help set the tone and atmosphere for the four days of celebrations of music and art.
Thanks to the Offroad initiative there will be plenty to do outside of the main festival program. In a collaboration with local businesses from Tilburg there will be extra activities, discounts, special menus and even extra performances – to those “Roadburners” who dare to venture deeper into town, rather than “pinballing” around the usual venues. You can check more on this topic here.
Surely in this overview I have forgotten many names, but I am sure that there will be something for everybody’s taste. In the words of Roadburn’s pulsating heart and soul, as well as Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers:
“[…] We are immensely proud of the diverse array of artists that we have gathered, and we feel that we are channeling past, present and future artistically, musically and spiritually. We can’t wait to explore and discover everything that is in store and celebrate our beloved underground together with all of you.”
Are you excited? Cause I definitely cannot wait to be there again this year and witness what these tireless people and talented array of artists will have in store for the audience! Enjoying the best festival environments one can hope for with new and old faces. I am confident it will be a blast!
As a final note, the traditional pre-party will b composed by the trio Riot City, Sonja, and Final Gasp, who will be tasked with opening the festivities for the early arrivals to Tilburg. The appointment is at 013 on Wednesday 17th, 2024.
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