«10»: Our most anticipated performances of Roadburn 2026 - Part A’

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Mid-March for some, for others St Patrick’s Day, marks the countdown to the beginning of  Roadburn Festival, the festival that over the years broadens our musical horizons and captures our attention in the spring for new releases and sonic discoveries that revolve around it. So we too, delve a little deeper into this year’s selections along with the release of its schedule. In four parts, we will explore peformances we absolutely don’t want to miss, as we make our plans to manage to fit in all the beautiful music it offers us, within four days.

For the first official day of the festival, Thursday April 16, we will leave out choices such as Acid Mother’s Temple and Krallice, since as artists in residence they will accompany us for the first three days of the festival with different performances each day, both of them. We also choose to skip the much-loved Maruja despite our adoration, as we will meet them again a few days later, in Athens. Finally, for similar reasons we will not suggest the performance of the Italian giants Ufomammut, who kept us company about a year and a half ago. So, let’s explore a little deeper. For even more digging, you will find a bit of everything good that Roadburn has to offer us in the playlist below:

Spotify Playlist

1

Crippling Alcoholism (14.00-14.50, The Terminal)

No matter how much we have (over)talked about this insane gem, a little more so with their nightmarish debut, "With Love From A Padded Room", all the way to the more alternative "Camgirl", words seem not to be enough to demonstrate the full scope of the darkness of Crippling Alcoholism. If their name alone doesn’t give it away, then surely a listen to their records will convince you. How they manage to jump from sadistic doom madness to the most eloquent choruses is astonishing, and they have opened a very fertile path ahead of them. This performance will in fact be their first on European soil (okay, their second including the festival’s warm-up where they will also appear), as well as the one that will kick off four days of magic in Tilburg. There is no chance we will miss it.

2

Shearling (15.00-15.50, Engine Room)

Always on the frontlines of musical weirdness, Antonis K.’s suggestions never disappoint. It is no coincidence that he very quickly turned our attention to the masterpiece by Sprain, "The Lamb As Effigy". Before we even managed to digest what was offered to us, Sprain disbanded, ready to search for even more extreme paths. Alexander Kent did not take long to stretch the extensions of extreme sound, and thus presents once again his musical becoming with Shearling and the monstrous "Motherfucker, I Am Both: "Amen" And "Hallelujah"". Consisting of a composition of about one hour, the bet seems simple, without being so at all. It is a genuine wonder, which ten minutes will be cut from the set. Blood and otherworldly intensities await you. Something, that you must not miss from a Roadburn that respects itself.

3

Machukha (15.30-16.10, Hall Of Fame)

With roots in Ukraine, deeply wounded by a senseless war, where destruction seemingly continues undisturbed, Machukha from Germany defined their own personal darkness somewhere at the intersection of black metal and post-hardcore. With an album unearthed from the most cultivated train, "Mochari" stands out for its impressive quality as well as its otherworldly cover, with an aesthetic affinity to previous releases, where the basis is the red shibari rope. Resistance takes on special dimensions when it is sung in languages that were forced to get to know it the hard way. Sometimes such works are a risk to seek out live with expectations. Hopefully they will shatter them for us.ς όταν τραγουδιέται σε γλώσσες που αναγκάστηκαν να τη γνωρίσουν με το ζόρι. Καμία φορά τέτοιες δουλειές, είναι ρίσκο να τις αναζητήσεις ζωντανά με προσδοκίες. Μακάρι να μας τις καταρρίψουν.

4

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs performing "Death Hilarious" (17.20-18.20, Main Stage)

The seven little piglets overturned the fairy tale and devoured the wolf, simply because they were all insane. The British seven-times-pig are known, at least in our circles, for delivering amazing performances – those who were there at their show with Melvins know it very well. They are climbing onto the main stage of Roadburn though, where they belong, to perform in full their latest album, "Death Hilarious", a composition harsh yet funny within the irony of life and death. Their presence is important right after the emotional charge of the spin-off of Birds In Row, namely Pain Magazine, which will be playing nearby at the same time.

5

Habak (17.40-18.20, Engine Room)

In the realms of crust punk and post-hardcore, we find from time to time many remarkable works. It is, for anyone who follows our space, a common secret our weakness for the Spanish-speaking territories of this sound. One of the bands we supported from the beginning, of course through its connection with Alerta Antifascista Records, is the Mexican Habak, who confirmed our expectations with last year’s "Mil Orquideas En Medio Del Desierto", with relentless sequences of aching melody and lots and lots of flowers. The time has come for us to meet on the live stage as well. Maybe we girls do this extreme thing better.

6

Eyes (18.40-19.30, Hall Of Fame)

What happens when a band from a random country like Denmark manages to perfectly combine noise rock and metallic hardcore? Sometimes the result can make you want to rip your eyes and ears out, other times it offers you cases like Eyes, a band that knows no mercy and is rumored to deliver excellent performances as well. Judging from the energy of their latest album, "Spinner", those attending Hall of Fame should be very careful of stray feet that may get very close to their heads. If all this didn’t convince you, give a try to their collaboration with Ken Mode.

7

Billy Woods (18.50-19.40, The Terminal)

Roadburn’s relationship with hip hop and rap sounds has been intricately enriched in recent years, with performances like those of Clipping. and Backxwash and others that, as we see, are coming. Billy Woods is most likely the new offspring of experimental hip hop and does not hesitate to unfold his talent with mastery even in its darker extensions. Driven by last year’s impressive "Golliwog", Billy Woods strengthens his relationship with his ever-growing audience. Could the fact that Elucid and DJ Haram are also performing at the festival on the same day foreshadow an unsurpassable triple performance of "All These Worlds Are Yours"? We won’t take long to find out.

8

Filmmaker (20.00-20.50, Next Stage)

If you have even slightly engaged with dark electronic music, the neon iconostasis of your home will be adorned with at least two of Filmmaker’s countless releases. The Colombian music producer promises images of urban madness within the darkness. Last year he reached three releases, while this year within just one quarter he has already reached two. With an inexhaustible madness for music, stemming from the bottomless social inequality that appears in various forms around the world, Filmmaker never forgets to express a political message through his art. From the emblematic "Visceral", "The Love Market" and "Spectral" to his recent explorations, he certainly will not leave anyone dissatisfied. Except for those who are left outside.

9

Cult Of Luna early era set (21.20-22.30, Main Stage)

It is a fact that Cult Of Luna have over the years made a turn in their career, towards more journey-like and atmospheric sounds that are structured within the framework of cinematic soundtracks and collaborations – that is another story altogether. Over the years they have evolved into titans on stage with solid performances and a massive sound, leaving no doubt about their dominance as one of the greats of post metal. In a rare opportunity, they will gift us selected pieces from their early albums, to which they return very rarely πλέον, but with the same respect and love for their rougher side. Perhaps we will get a little emotional during this performance.

10

Unsane performing "Occupational Hazzard" (23.10-00.10)

We recently saw Unsane in Greece shortly after their short break and the global quarantine, and was it my first live report in the realms of rocking.gr? Yes, however their towering presence in the hard underground could only be honored with the highest honors at the festival that celebrates its legacy. Thus, late at night, the furious industrial noise rock of the Americans will come to life with legendary proportions. For a while, we will return to 1998 and "Occupational Hazzard", a release that marked the noise sound irreversibly, almost apocalyptically. It will be there in physical form next to us and in a remastered version, fresh, this year’s. We will move, with our gaze lost in the void, to close our night in absolute shock at the adjacent set of Blawan.