FESTIVAL REVIEW: SONIC BLAST 2022 Live in Vila Praia de Âncora – Portugal

Summer brings the open-door festivals. Big spaces, many bands. Some are well-known for the rain and mud, while others are always sunny and hot. SonicBlast falls under the latter. Beach and riffs add to the blazing sun and vast surrounding coastal area. Built just meters away from the lips of the Atlantic Ocean. Nearby, a small fishing village offers a touch of “urban flavor” that some people need. But the sea, trees, sand, and a small river, give the festival the seaside vibe that festival goers seek. The music. Rock music. Loud, heavy, rock music.

This year was the tenth anniversary of Sonic Blast Fest. The last couple of years were written off due to travel restrictions, so there were a lot of bands keen to get on the lineup. Stoner and psych rock were the dominant genres. Every day, between 2 pm and 3 am (even 4 am) there were bands, playing at one of the three stages on offer. It was at stage 3 that the festival kicked off. On the first night, the standard welcome night for campers, free music, and four bands playing late through the night. Attendance is way above expectations.

It all began with a dream for the organizers couple, Ricardo and Telma, old true rock fans, and now Rock n’ Roll royalty to the vast sold-out festival fanbase. They single-handedly thought about creating a festival where they could give their friend’s bands a chance to play side by side with some of the biggest headliners only then possible to see live at festivals outside Portugal. Sonic Blast was born. This festival is the one rock and metal bands keep asking to come back. All that’s needed is a quick browse at old posters’ lineups, and see how often the same names appear over the years. Sometimes, the bands themselves make an effort to stay for the entire duration of the festival.

Day one, after a couple of local bands, Devil and the Almighty Blues, from Norway, played stage one. A stereotypical Stoner / Sonic band: good to see, easy on the ear while seeking another fresh beer, food, or browsing the merch stalls. Different, but offering a familiar sound. Arnt O. Andersen is a charismatic frontman. The band offers the right musical backup, and the singer knows how to step back when needed. A band to keep an eye on for future editions. Slomosa was the next, another Norwegian act, and were pretty good. Just a good level of desert rock. The following act, however, King Buffalo, was far superior, interesting, and very consistent. For some possibly one of the best acts of the weekend. Just before sunset, disappointing all the way from California, the US of A, came Meatbodies. Unfortunately not coming across as a very strong band. Never mind, it’s just the first afternoon and a bunch of people were still arriving on site.

Sunset arrived with Emanyeo “Jagari” Chanda taking the stage, and the audience with him. The Zamrock veteran, who founded W.I.T.C.H. back in 1972, along with Patrick Mwondela. This afternoon, after all the music that already appeared on stage, only Jagari could step it up another notch. It’s been a decade since the band was resurrected. Jagari – a master of flattery; the audience could feel it, when he decided to create a song live on stage, just for them, at that moment in time, by the sunset, absorbing that sea breeze and amazing vibe. A mix of rock, classic 70’s prog, and some influences from local Zambia music. The highlight of the afternoon by far.
With the arrival of a very bright Aquarius full moon, came Eddie Glass with Nebula. The trio mixed old songs with new material. A perfect mix, a remarkable show. Immediately after, another set of legends, guitarist Brant Bjork and bassist Nick Oliveri, took the stage under the moniker Stöner. Yeah, the guys were in Kyuss, but they don’t carry the name just for sport, they deliver a very strong show, on the back of their higher-level musicianship.

After two great shows, arrive the death and destruction act, under the name Toxic Shock. The Belgian play a crossover between Hardcore and Thrash, and they know how to deliver it well. All orchestrated by a madman of a frontman that brought the fire the night was asking for. The night was to get even better, with the next band about to start on the left twin stage (2) – SLIFT. The French trio plays a mix of stoner and screamo. Backed with the best light show the festival had on offer, they were the biggest surprise of the night. Extraordinary band, the kind of activity that you can sense is going to get huge. A difficult act to follow for the post-headliner Portuguese acts who occupied the stage next, it was very hard to capture the audience’s attention after such an explosive performance.

On the second day, people had already found their feet in the brand new location to accommodate double capacity for this 10th anniversary of SonicBlast. Festival goers found the comfort of local food and the oh-so-refreshing ocean. Then, the day begins with Rosy Finch, 24/7 Diva Heaven, and Luna Vieja, as the first bands to take the stage. However, it was with The Machine, from the Netherlands, that things really started kicking off. I have Mixed feelings about them, as they were as good on the jamming side of things, as they were bad when approaching their familiar tracks. The Brits Green Lung were in the house, offering a strange blend of Epic Metal and Stoner. They need to mature a bit and get tighter on those riffs, but there was a spark in there somewhere. On other hand, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs there were not just sparks. We’re talking about a fully-fledged bonfire. To top it up, there was a name to it, Matthew Baty. The singer is the perfect blend between a Hardcore frontman and Freddie Mercury. The kind of person that will always steal the show and still strike a grin as if it had nothing to do with him. Adam Ian Sykes clearly displayed how he is a bloody good guitar player. John-Michael, what a mentalist of a bassist! The other guys are alright hahaha. But yeah Baty, oh dear, that guy just stole the show.

After the {Pigs X 7} tornado, El Perro came out as just ok. They ended the set with a very interesting jam at a drum party, and that was all on offer. Not to worry, Frankie and The Witch Fingers next brought a bit of fun and appeared to be enjoying playing as much as the audience watching them. The vibe was grand! Everything was nice and cozy, mellow even when something carrying the name “Conan” arrived onstage. Their distortion levels are EVIL. The riffs are mean. Conan taking the stage always brings up the darkest of feelings, and the problem with that is that it is in fact rather enjoyable.

Ricardo Rios, the Festival co-founder, and co-organizer has some ink on his arm. A single word – Witch. And that was the next band on the bill. Took ten years for him to get them to that stage, but it was finally happening. They came without J Mascis, replaced by Mario Rubalcaba, more known for sitting on the drums for Earthless. «Seer» and «Hand of Glory» were some of the tracks played, in a gig that progressed quite well, despite the rather slow-paced beginning. Next on Stage 2 a surprise, the Galician’s Moura, blending Galician folk (Celtic routed and traditional Spanish Folk) with 70’s prog. An interesting recipe.

Electric Wizard were the fully justified, and highly anticipated headliners. What an amazing journey they had on offer, from «Return Trip» to «Funeralopolis». Jus Oborn is undoubtedly the living definition of sludge. The epic «Chosen Few» became the tune of the night. Oborn may sound happier with life these days, you can almost catch a glimpse of a smile amongst the vibrantly dominating red light illuminating the stage. But the music, light show, and visuals are still as hypnotic and transcending, and profane as ever before. “Take me higher, higher”! – he screams, backed by the full force of the crowded ensemble, “Black Mass”. Goosebumps.

Kaleidobolt came after. Instrumentalists and the polar opposite of Electric Wizard. Whilst the latter holds a note for seconds, meanwhile the former delivers a cascade of notes and riffs. A nice band to see live in a club, and be amazed by their music skills, but difficult to take away the higher state of transcendence after being possessed by Electric Wizard. The Goners and Deathchant followed on stage 3, I was physically present.

On the final day, in hindsight, a lot of good music has been presented so far. The sunshine dials were up considerably compared to previous days. Tons more festival-goers are hanging out by the beach and by the river. Four out of ten are Portuguese. Half Spanish, mostly from the Galicia province just bordering the north of Portugal, a few kilometers/miles away, 20 minutes drive or so. Exactly where the next act, Bala, comes from. An impressive Stoner Rock / Grunge duo. The drummer is a force to be reckoned with, also singing. The singer, and guitarist, have a “pretty” aggressive screaming tone to offer too. You could feel it by the way the crowd reacted. Mdou Moctar, take stage one. Yet another surprise. The Tuareg from Niger gave a brilliant performance and enchanted the entire place. In the end, their frontman managed to leave the stage with the entire crowd singing the chorus for «Afrique Victime». What a moment.

The standard stoner rock of The Atomic Bitchwax was a comeback to the festival. Also a reminder of its original roots, and a good natural opening to Pentagram. Bobby Liebling is an absolute star, the kind of guy that mobilizes crowds just to watch his stage gimmicks. Of course, there’s the music too. «Run My Course», «Sign of the Wolf» and «Last Days Here» were all there, but in the end, it is always Bobby. Between comical facial expressions and an inadvertently irreverent attitude, the singer marks his solid place in Rock history, as what was experienced was a piece of history, on stage.

The Greeks 1000Mods played Stage 2, followed by My Sleeping Karma. It was a great comeback for both bands. They evolved, got tighter, and had a bigger audience than ever before. Also with an ever-expanding audience in every festival appearance, are Orange Goblin. Undoubtedly the most Metal act on the lineup. Songs like «Scorpionica», «Sons of Salem», «Made of Rats» and «The Filthy & the Few», were strategically placed on the setlist exactly for that effect. Ben Ward continues to carry himself as a great frontman. Huge, as usual taking the stage by storm. The light helps, of course, but the band is tighter than ever delivering a damn good show.

The festival comes to an end with Weedeater. With Bobby Liebling, and Dave “Dixie” Collins as the most irreverent musician on the bill. Probably more genuine than Bobby, and he can play guitar. Even while drinking his half-finished Jack Daniel’s bottle. It was already late, and the crowd was tired, but Weedeater came out like a storm with undoubtedly one of the best acts SonicBlast 2022 had to offer. The last band on a bill full of great names.

In an outstanding festival with one of the best atmospheres on the scene. Time to plan ahead for 2023, and for an even better lineup, and more of this medicine.

All Photographs captured by Miguel De Melo