Category: Festival Coverage

So Hopscotch was already two whole weeks ago (even though it feels like that weekend took place in a different world entirely) and I’ve had a little time to reflect on my experiences.  While this was indeed an incredibly successful Hopscotch, I still kept it real by making it hard for myself in stupid ways.  Here are just a handful of things that made me think this past Hopscotch (this list ins’t as long as the last one, which is a good sign).

1. After you check the weather, dress accordingly.  No white t-shirts on days that it’s going to downpour.

2. Charge your phone ahead of time!  Unless you’re a regular watch wearer, I’m gonna bet that your primary means of checking the time is through your phone.  When you’re at an event that revolves around a very strict schedule, a functioning time-telling device is sooooo helpful.

3. Think about which venues serve cheaper drinks.  If you know you’re going to CAM after Slims, drink up before hand to avoid the $5 PBR charge at the latter venue.

4. Those wristbands can get tight if you’re not careful!  Don’t mess with them, you’ll only make it worse, trust me.

5. Keep it classy if you’re friends still have to be seen with you.

6. No one suspected there wouldn’t be an official map this year, but that’s what happened. Next year, just in case, I will hopefully have the entire downtown area memorized so I’ll never wander around aimlessly wishing my phone wasn’t dead ever again.

Thanks to everyone who was a part of Hopscotch’s 5th year.  I had a sincere blast (minus that night when I was stopping everyone who walked past me to ask what time it was) and I was filled with love and esteem for my hometown for at least 4 days during and surrounding Hopscotch weekend.  See ya there next year, suckers.

Love,

DJ ACORN

Hopscotch has came and went leaving in it’s wake a mass face-melted people struggling to readjust to the wares of every day life. With three days of non-stop partying and an unending stream of music, it’s easy for some bands to fall through the cracks. One of my goals this year was to find some new metal bands to keep an eye on this year, and boy howdy did I find some. Here are a few that I think deserve some attention.

SubRosa

SubRosa is a sludge/doom band out of SLC. If I had to describe this band in a single word, it would be haunting. Their slow, drudging sound reverberates with the two violins in the band that create what could be the soundtrack of an actual ghost house. Rebecca Vernon’s vocals have a tension and ferocity to them all while sounding somewhat dissonant against the sludging assault behind her. This band was the biggest surprise for me of all of Hopscotch, I highly back them.

Listen: “The Usher” from “More Constant Than the Gods”

FFO: Electric Wizard, Thou, Sunn 0)))

Artificial Brain

Artificial Brain are a technical death metal band from Long Island. Artificial Brain are a mega-aggressive, super technical, time signature changing buncha dudes. Along with the typical tech death flair, Will’s deep, guttural vocals really impressed me. The tech death sound can be difficult to pull off accurately live, but these guys did a solid job.

Listen: “Absorbing Black Ignition” from “Labyrinth Constellation”

FFO: Gorguts, The Faceless, Decapitated 

Witch Mountain

Witch Mountain is a doom metal band from Portland. Now most people hip to the doom metal scene are aware of this band, but I want to keep an eye on them for a different reason. Uta, the lead vocalist, recently announced that she will be leaving the band, meaning that Hopscotch was one of her last shows, making it quite a special show. I’ve always thought that this band sounded like driving down a back road in a wooded, mountainous area at 2 in the morning with the windows down, just thinking about where everything in your life has led you to. Granted, that isn’t the main theme of their music, but that’s how it has always resonated with me.

Listen: “Can’t Settle” from “Mobile of Angels”

FFO: Dark Castle, Sleep, Cough

~Slaughterhome