Like every year, when the Roadburn tickets go on sale, there is a small gig at the 013 venue. Tickets go on sale a few hours early here, and with the exciting announcements made so far for Roadburn 2017, tickets will be going steadily. Playing tonight are Ortega and Gomer Pyle.
Gomer Pyle are a Dutch psychedelic stoner rock band, who manage to keep that Kyuss/ Queens of the Stone Age desert feel in their tunes. Mixing catchy tunes with more psychedelic, transcendental instrumental songs, they manage to keep a nice balance between quiet and straight to rock n roll. The vocals are on the edge of gnarly, and very strong with a classic rock vibe, clearly a band heavily inspired by American rock traditions, as opposed to the more continental/British vibes you often find in psychedelic bands.
After getting some nice rock n’ roll from Gomer Pyle, Ortega take the stage, and deliver a heavier dish for us. Ortega is a lot more abstract, and a lot heavier, thundering riff roll over the crowd and the vocals are along the rough screaming lines. Cutting through this layer cake of heavy are some light electronic atmospheric parts and higher post-rock type riffs, nicely slicing the monumental riffs and giving the listener a good contrast. Apart from the guitar being a little off in the solo’s occasionally, the band perform very well, even if they don’t do a lot of audience interaction, and definitely go down well with the medium full room.
Having announced such gems as Coven (playing their first ever European gig) and Baroness (John Baizley of whom is curating) Magma, Ulver, Warning, Chelsea Wolfe and Deafheaven, among others, and having appointed Gnod to be artist in residence we know, that even though this is just a peek through the window, Roadburn 2017 is going to be an exceptional edition. Tickets are on sale now and going hot. Get them while you can.
Tickets can be purchased from this link.
4 day – 195 Euro
3 day (Thu, Fri, Sat) – 172 Euro
Single day ticket, Sunday only – 54 Euro
Thursday, Friday and Saturday single day tickets will be on sale at a later date.
WORDS AND PHOTO S BY SUSANNE A. MAATHUIS