DESERTFEST OSLO 2026 – Day 2 review
- Posted on 16-05-2026
Photo galleries by photographer Jonathan Mazin can be seen here
First band of the day was The Big Rip, a young Norwegian stoner/doom act from Porsgrunn and their performance on the backyard stage of Revolver. As there were too many people gathered at the entrance to the yard, I couldn’t really swim through and see the band, but what I heard was certainly enjoyable. Skilled guitar riffs and nice melodies and you could feel the good energy through the crowd. After a few songs and a bit too many headbacks, I relocated to John Dee and waited for the Nashville based jamming psych-wizards Howling Giant. Like many other bands on the lineup, this was another one that I knew nothing about prior to the festival. And by all gods that handle the mighty riffs, these guys were such a please sure experience live. They brought infectious enthusiasm to the stage. Their progressive stoner rock style felt somehow adventurous without becoming overly technical, and 150% pleasant. They had excellent chemistry and obvious joy while performing, especially the guy behind the drum. Who, besides the huge smile for the duration of the concert, also had an incredibly nice voice which he could keep under control while drumming. Impressive. One of their guitarists struggled with the technicalities of a broken amplifier, so the other 3 decided to jam while waiting for him to catch up and fix the missing sound. That was the best concert save I ever witnessed. I believe they delivered one of the most purely entertaining performances of the weekend.
Earthless has built quite a name on the international stage of heavy, psychedelic rock and their instrumental performances become an epic adventure. heir performance felt less like a conventional concert and more like witnessing an open-ended cosmic transmission unfold in real time. Isaiah Mitchell’s guitar playing was completely hypnotic throughout the evening, drifting effortlessly between blues-heavy riffs, space-rock explosions and endless fluid solos. Their songs were naturally flowing from section to section and I know they tend to improvise most of their shows, making it quite mind blowing to have such a natural way of building momentum in these heavy rhythms. Yet, after a while, that momentum and the novelty of it all somehow faded. I could still admire the beautiful drumming on that simple kit (as a side note, this day was the day of simple drum kits as most bands I saw seemed to have one floor tom and one tom only and the basic number of cymbals) and the art of making beautiful guitar riffs and live compositions. But it also felt right to leave at some point and wait for the next band at John Dee stage to being.
American trio Blackwater Holylight, which was the only female-only act at the festival – as far as I noticed – were another fantastic discovery for me. The ladies created one of the dreamiest atmospheres of the weekend with their harmonized vocals that floated beautifully over thick psychedelic riffs. They found a nice way to balance heaviness and melody exceptionally well. And having the guitar and bass switching instruments, adding a pinch of black metal like song part while the vocals stayed as dreamy as before, that combination was daring and refreshing. It was a perfect example of modern heavy psych done right.
Main stage was reserved for the British doom/sludge trio (another side note, most bands of the second day performed as trios) Conan and their very downtuned and distorted sound and that gives it an extra layer of heaviness. Every riff arrived like a collapsing mountain, while the bass frequencies seemed determined to physically damage internal organs. Jon Davis roared through the material with monstrous intensity, though the true power came from the sheer density of the sound itself. Conan’s music leaves very little space for subtlety or nuance and it somehow blends well with cartoon images from Conan related comics. And movie scenes. But people were not gathered there to watch TV, so there was a lot of heavy headbanging and enjoyment among the band’s fans or those who just discovered them and were mesmerized.
Daevar seemed to blend doom and grunge influences, at least after the first few minutes after which I had to leave as I was recommended to catch the next band at Revolver. While waiting for the doors at the cellar to open, I watched Moonstone on the outdoor stage, a band that combines heavily distorted guitars, a gut wrenching bass with thunderous drum beats. The musicians were really immersed and locked into the mood that they delivered and it was a joy watching them and listening to their warm and expansive guitar tones. Ending up watching Mr. Bison afterwards because a friend recommended it makes you feel lucky to have friends who can make such awesome recommendation. The other Italian act of the festival was as surprising as Giobia on the first day, but with an energy level 10 times as higher. Their very young looking guitarist and launchpad player was very restless, barely standing still, always trying to do some gimmicks, to jump (even if the ceiling didn’t allow for very high jumps) or to show off with his stretchy legs and lean gradually on his back until he fell on the floor. Everyone had such a good mood and the show was so intense. Plus there was a lot of fuzz, reverb, effects and another hard to forget experience.
The fact that Dozer and their desert-rock were up next didn’t help much with their cause for me. I heard good words about them and I must admit that their riffs sounded enormous inside Rockefeller, balancing groove, fuzz and melody with effortless confidence. So I understand why they are considered legends on the European stoner scene, but I most likely have to watch them again to understand all that. It just didn’t land with me at that moment, but the groovy moves of their guitarist totally stood out. Primitive Man at John Dee also failed at catching much of my interest, but in this case it’s because I only stayed for one song as, once again, I wanted to rush to Revolver and catch a spot there. Yet, during that one song, their heavy and dramatic mood started creeping in already, so I am sure that by the end of the setlist, the whole venue was transposed to a very unbearable slowness and oppressive atmosphere, with each and everyone of the horrifying (in a good way in this case) riff and drumbeat.
Before Primitive Man started, I met a friend and he suggested the next band at Revolver as they play some Middle Eastern/ancient rhythms blended into their doom/psychedelic music – namely Wyatt E. Of course I want to see that live. We were wondering how the five members of the Belgian act would fit on stage, but they only traveled as a trio. And the trio brought their black cloaks/coats/fake beards/headwear. I don’t really know the name of each item of clothing that they wore, but it surely made you picture some people coming from the desert after having had met some wise ancient beings. They delivered one of the most unique performances at Desertfest Oslo. Their Middle Eastern-inspired melodies created a hypnotic ceremonial feeling, accompanied by otherworldly vocals and effects, all meant to build a time traveling immersive experience. I’m sure they must enhance their shows with visuals if they have the chance and they made it really high on the list of bands I’ll now have to watch live as often as possible. And re-live this magic ritual.
2026 edition of Oslo Desertfeat was wrapped up by another American heavy veteran act, The Sword. With over 20 years of existence, the band is able to deliver exactly the kind of swagger and confidence expected from modern heavy rock royalty. Their set balanced heavy riff worship with undeniable groove, giving mixed feelings of old fashioned, yet refreshing overall mood. Unlike some of the acts from the rest of the day, they didn’t seem to dwell much into experimentation. The audience was ecstatic when they heard familiar riffs and there must have been plenty of those. Once again, I had to sadly leave before the end and didn’t get to hear how this massive set ended. But I am grateful I got to watch these legends live, I am grateful that this festival has made its way into the heart of Oslo and that I had a chance to attend it. Here’s the more heavy riffs and good mood to come in the next years!