STONED FROM THE UNDERGROUND 2019

We missed Osaka Rising due to all our friends we first have to cheer and embrace, so VUG from Berlin offered us Vug´n Roll, which we couldn´t resist to shake our hips and bang our heads. This was one of the first surprises here on our most beloved festival.

Each and every bass player would be an obstacle in this wall of sound and power, created by those to guys from the Bay Area. It takes a huge endurance to stand their blend of Sludge and Hardcore.

Weedeater are quite lovely blokes backstage and they convert to a grinding and smiling bulldozer to smash you in the ground. I liked their music for almost half an hour and then I had to relax for a while. Their breathtaking monster-sound and their nerve-wrecking slowness made me almost to destroy things.

Solid fuzzed Stoner Rock from Beam orchestra, the locals around Leipzig. Incredible, what a lot of talented bands exist around this Festival and this is, what it makes so special. I rather prefer the small groups, doing their thing with passion and volume. A great kick-off for the second day, with a lot of ´eadbangig. Very good band, brilliant sound, nuff said.

Really not my thang.. I don´t like Sludge and Doom. I try it always but after a few minutes, I always have to leave. Sorry.

Really not my thang.. I don´t like Sludge and Doom. I try it always but after a few minutes, I always have to leave. Sorry.

Due to the weather conditions, we all have to wait till the sky cleared up at 6.30pm. So spent the time with the guys from Bushfire, especially with Bill. Then Beth from Sond of Liberation arrived with the changes of the running order and the venues. So Bushfire started on the Mainstage, followed by The Zig Zags on the Tentstage and Nashville Pussy on the Mainstage. Those changes saved the day and actually also the mood and the atmosphere on the festival. The Great Machine´s slot at 6.30 pm moved to 0.30am, because Omer had to pass a police control close to the Festival and so they couldn´t play earlier. This mix of waiting, weather and wankers was the fuel for one of the most unforgetable concerts in the history of SFTU.

Five guys, four nationalities and one aim: powerful Rock, no mather if it´s a bit bluesy, rocky, grungy, psychy, its pure power and with Bill on the vocals, they have a real frontman who catches you no matter where you stand on the festival ground. The restarted the fire of the festival, as they lured out the spectators after a 2 hour rain break.

A good choice to let this band play on the Tentstage. Their blend of 60´s Thrash, Protopunk and 80´s Thrash Metal really blew off the last raindrops on my hairs. Yes, there was a circle pit, a mosh pit and my neck ached after almost one hour of kerosine fueled rock. Grat band, great concert.

Needless to say, that Nashville Pussy dried the ground after the rain and we almost had some dusty air around the Mainstage. They don´t reinvent the wheel, but their wheels left deep, black traces on the stage. No matter where this band acts, you will always have 100% action on stage.

Imagine, Mount Kea´s Lava could produce blues shemes while streaming down to the Pacific Ocean. Then it is quite close to this air-shaking and breath-taking power of Samsara Blues Experiment.

Better to sleep in our hotel bed than in front of Color Haze. I saw them many times and I never dig them, although I respect their importance for the new German Psychrock-Scene. So I returned around midnight for 24/7 Diva Heaven´s 90´s girlie power rock and still have to wait almost an hour for what should happen here on the Tentstage.

As a result of all issues happened to them before the festival, there should have been a reaction of this band. I mean, the hihat foot-machine collapsed even during the soundcheck, police control and a fine of 500€ prior to the festival. And than this calm bomb of a band explode in an orgy of noise, power, agitprop until the drumkit and bassplayer Aviran surfed over the heads of the crowd. Then, in the first third of the tent, Omer on guitar and Michael on the drums, started to jam and pushed the frenzy crowd again with groovy and loud hardcore blended stoner and psychedelic rock. So what. This was more than a concert, it was a therapy for the band and the audience to get rid of all accumulated anger.

Wow, what a blast in the morning! Barely survived last night´s mayhem just to get f***ing impressed by this band. Correct speed, sound and singer. A genious blend of Punk, Stoner, Rock´n Roll and just a little Psychedelic and Blues. Best way to wake up and to be hungry for the next day. Their album Xenia is a must-have after this show.

Musically interesting band with a powerful voice and a classical blend of 70´s Progrock. Better to hear it at home with a a headphone to dig all what those guys are able to play.

The worldwide phenomen of Stoner or actually the second revival of Classic Rock, played with better equipment, flooded bands from all around Europe to this festival. But to wait until midnight to see Smoke Blow and survive Mantar or Yawning Men, which we saw many times before, made us leave with a head full of ideas for the next Stoned and fully satisfied with all we saw, with all the bands and people we talked. We usually leave festivals, when they are at their best, no matter who will play next. We were deeply impressed about the diversity of styles and manners to perform and we definitly will be back next year to celebrate the 20th edition of this wonderful festival. We thank the SFTU-Crew for the invitation and the possibiliy to be a part of this impressive movement. Cheers!!