ROADBURN
My feet hurt, but my heart is full.
I’m returned to Tilburg this year. Tilburg, once the Wool Capitol of the Netherlands, is home to Roadburn Festival these days. Each April, the festival looms (textile pun) over the country’s seventh-largest city. Thousands of black tees and combat boots descend upon the 013 Poppodium, Koepelhal, Lady Bird Skate Park, and the surrounding restaurants, bars, cafés, and gelato shops.
This was my third time in attendance. This year, my wonderful partner, Natalie, joined me as well for her first time at Roadburn. As in previous years, I went as a fan and as a part of the side programming. This was my third year hosting conversations and panels with musicians and performers. This year, I had two.
On Friday, I sat down with Johannes Persson (vocals/guitar) and Thomas Hedlund (drums) of Cult of Luna where we talked about the band’s past, present, and future as well as the relationship between the band and Roadburn over the years.
Saturday afternoon, my panel, Dismantling Convention, included Lev Weinstein of Krallice, Sam An (who performs as Lana Del Rabies), Matt King from Portrayal of Guilt, and Leo Ashline from Street Sects. We discussed how they approach many facets of the music industry—social media, marketing, touring, etc.—as the landscape continues to change in unsavory ways.
I won’t share too much more about these at this time. The recordings of these conversations will arrive in the near future and I will share them once they are released.
What I will share too much of is how much this festival continues to inspire my creativity and fuel my love of heavy music. I have, admittedly, been in a rut creatively and professionally for longer than I care to admit. I have taken steps to rectify this however (that is another story). Roadburn came at a critical time for me this year and even in the few days that I have been home, I am feeling purposeful and energized—despite the minor jet lag.
Regardless of who is playing the festival, the most important aspect of Roadburn for me is seeing friends who I do not get to see very often. I owe a lot to my friend, Becky Laverty, who, without her belief and support, I wouldn’t be able to do the cool things at the festival that I get to do.
The music is great too, of course. Seeing friends play multiple times over the course of the festival was a treat. Krallice played three sets: Future, Past, and Present on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, respectively. Inter Arma, Primitive Man, and Portrayal of Guilt played multiple sets covering new or key moments from their discographies.
Inter Arma’s performances of Sky Burial and The Cavern were, personally, a big deal for me. Those albums were my introduction to the band at a time when I was discovering what heavy music can be.
I saw Yellow Eyes play for the first time in a decade despite knowing the Skarstad brothers for even longer. We finally got some long-awaited hangs throughout Roadburn. My buddy, Omar, and his project, Iskandr, debuted new music during their set. His project has evolved significantly over the years, and it has been exciting to see it grow.
There were also several performances from artists I have been following for years that I was excited to see for the first time. Billy Woods, ELUCID, and, ultimately, the Armand Hammer secret set were high on my list and did not disappoint. Slow Crush played two album sets that came to life beautifully. Street Sects and Warning also played amazing sets. The pinnacle of the festival was OTAY:ONII’s Moonstruck Old Tales.
From what I heard from others and saw on social media, there were so many other brilliant sets and performances across the festival. It’s impossible to see it all!
For every iteration of Roadburn I have attended, I am always sent home with a renewed love of heavy music and a reminder that I am involved in some really incredible things. From the briefest moments of shared experiences to the overwhelming sense of pride seeing friends present their art, I am reminded that there is power and purpose in music and community. I can’t wait to go back.