Live Review: Desertfest - Friday
15th May 2026
Words: Matthew Williams
Photos: Jessi Lotti
After months of anticipation and listening to hours of music, the country’s finest weekend for all things stoner, doom and psych was now here. The sense of anticipation surrounding the festival was heightened somewhat by the release of a new song from Green Lung earlier in the week, with their December tour dates posted outside The Underworld, which got lots of people talking.
Kicking it off by climbing up the narrow staircase of The Black Heart to try and see Iron Slug, but it was already rammed, a theme for most of the weekend after excellent ticket sales, so I turned to The Underworld to watch Bismut. This turned out to be a masterstroke, as the three piece from Netherlands kicked the festival off in some style with lots of feedback as guitarist Nik Linders played with his pedal board and the riffs kicked in. It’s a hedonistic mix of trippy, psyched out heaviness, with waves of different tempos and a rattling snare sound. The crowd are loving them and the rhythm between drummer Peter Dragt and bassist Huibert der Weduwen is incredible as the expansive nature of the music is played out in all it’s glory. We get told that this is the 10th anniversary of the band and they have provided a performance that sets the standard for everyone else to follow.
Lorquin’s Admiral were next on the list, an intriguing band who up until now, had never actually played live before. With members of Hermano, Sons of Alpha Centauri and The Afghan Whigs, frontman Dandy Brown and wife Dawn, take the mics with the lyric sheets placed neatly in front of them. They open with “My Blue Wife” and swiftly follow it with a new song called “Tension”. The rhythm is on another level once again, with smooth transitions and inspiring solos.
There’s a slower build into “Could Have Been Forever” as the couple dance together filling the room with love. “My Blue Husband” has a rockier edge to it, with a prominent bass sound before I sense a bit of Screaming Trees during “Aren’t We” ahead of the more expressive and thoroughly joyous, “Burn and Heal”. Brown comments that this has been “a great first rehearsal, and a great first show” as they finish off with the elegant “Inexplicable Things”.
It was then a hop over to the Electric Ballroom for a fleeting glimpse of London’s progressive metal groovers Capricorns, who surprised me somewhat, as I wasn’t expecting them to be that damn good! They have sways of emotions and moody lighting that accompany their exciting soundscapes, and the crowd were captivated by what was happening. However, this was in stark contrast to what I was about to witness at The Black Heart.
Having reviewed their album back in January, Praetorian were on of my “must see” bands for the weekend and they did not disappoint. It’s a fiery melting pot of noise and begins with a guttural scream from demonically possessed frontman Tom Clements. They kick off with “Fear & Loathing in Stevenage” as Clements clears a path, almost like having his own catwalk as the brutal nature of the music unfolds. With “Chain of Dead Command” up next, they thank us for being here at 5pm on a Friday, and all hell breaks loose.
The vocal is a bit muffled at times, but we hear him enough to get our hands up and wave from side to side as there’s more destructive bass sounds from the stage. With Clements insisting that he’s a “sparkling water wanker” the immense power of “Gutwrenching” fills the room as he prowls through the crowd. A slow circle pit moves around him before intensity levels are raised with “Remnants of Head” and “Proletariat”. The evil, menacing build up to “Ode to a Drunk Driver” precludes the singer battering into people before the finale of “Burly Haemorrhoid” sees him stretched out in the middle of the room and ends a quite stunning set.
The first visit of the weekend to The Dev was up next, catching the last song of Iron Rat, before getting in position to watch Italian stoners Supernaughty. Another band whose album I reviewed last year, so I was excited to see what they were like live. The drums lead the way as the stage is in darkness, before blue lights burst on, and “Poseidon” rings out. An insane laugh heralds the beginning of “Black Witch Mountain” which has some top-notch riffs and good vocal harmonies.
“Hell Boar” has a sinister, heavier feel to it which ramps up later but is drowned by “Weird Science” with its superb guitar sound. They have elements of real groove across their songs, and when frontman Angelo Fagni asks if we want more, the crowd get excited. “In(o)culation” has more pace and rhythm, mixed with a slower mid-section, before “The Way I Wish to Die” explodes out of the speakers followed by the excellent “Apocalypso” and ending with “Queen of Babylon”.
Heading back to The Underworld, it was an absolute joy to see New Jersey’s Solace back on the stage. As frontman Justin Goins said, “it’s been a long time coming” and they were obviously keen as they started about 10 minutes early, kicking off with the stunning “Spiral Will”. They have a huge presence and remind the crowd just how good they are flowing into “Desert Coffin” with ease. There’s a change of tempo with “Light is a Lie” but the pace is quickened, the sound electrified, as the heaviness takes over once again.
Guitarist Justin Daniels dedicates “Suspicious Tower” to Orange Goblin, whom they first toured the UK with many years, starting on the very same stage in Camden, ahead of the incredible “Indolence” showcasing Goins vocal talents in all it’s glory. The raucous “Whistle Pig” was dedicated to original singer Jason who passed away last year as their explosiveness gets the crowd moving before they end with the stunning “King Alcohol”. With the packed crowd moving, I heard them come back, but it was too late and the Electric Ballroom was waiting for a set I won’t forget in hurry.
It must be difficult being the voice that spawned a whole genre of music, but that will be the legacy of John Garcia for future generations. With the Ballroom packed to the rafters, this was the band I was most excited about seeing and having secured an excellent viewing space upstairs on the balcony, it was time. And we waited, and we waited, until 15 mins later than scheduled, Hermano hit the stage in London for the first time in quite a while.
“How are you motherfuckers doing?” asks guitarist Dave Angstrom as the crowd cheers, getting louder when John Garcia, looking like an extra from The Sopranos, swoons onto the stage. This is the spectacle that most have waited some time to see, and they waste no time starting off with “Cowboys Suck” followed by “The Bottle”. With Garcia drifting from front to back, the music consumes the venue, and the crowd start a few pits near the front.
“Crack, meth, viagara all out front tonight, so we are wired” comments Angstrom ahead a stunning rendition of “My Boy”. This is what we’ve come to see, the songs, the riffs, the melodies, the group working together in perfect harmony, as the heavy “5 to 5” gets the crowd going off again. The distinctive riff that leads “Senor Moreno’s Plan” brings a beaming smile to my face, as this is classic Hermano and it’s an audible treat from a song that is pure genius.
There’s a gorgeous bass sound that appears during “Love” with Angstrom commenting that “you guys never cease to amaze me” as the pit fires up again for “Breathe”. Without really saying much, Garcia has such stage presence and during the monstrous “Kentucky” he has the audience eating out of the palm of his hands. After introducing the band one by one, they play “Out of Key, But in the Mood” followed by the frantic craziness of “Quite Fucked” which is juxtaposed with the gentle bass lead into “Murder One” as a stunning riff illuminating the room. We go back to the heavy with “Adoption Boy” with a drum solo to boot, before “Left Side Bleeding” which is performed with effortless ease and grace.
They have a sublime balance of tempos, power and vocal cords, and with “Angry American” a song that resonates with so many people around the world right now. “We can do two more songs, and this next one is from Olivia Newton John, called Physical” jokes Angstrom as they launch into “Landetta (Motherload)” before ending this religious experience with “Our Desert Home.” What a way to end the night, a truly unforgettable moment for all who witnessed it.
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