Few announcements fill us with joy as much as one such as this: Roadburn Festival is returning in 2022 after two years of absence, the latter of which was mitigated by the lovely online Roadburn Redux. Perhaps the highest point of that online edition was the performance of «This Shame Should Not Be Mine», which left many around the world in tears (the writer of this piece included), by GGGOLDDD, then known as Gold (the band change name recently to make it easier for people to find them). Fittingly, not only will they perform that commissioned piece live in Tilburg, but the band’s mentors Milena Eva and Thomas Sciarone are curating the festival.

“It was a heavy year personally,” the duo explains, “we got asked to do a commissioned piece” and “the only way going around it was to write this piece about very personal trauma.” Thankfully, they “couldn’t have gotten a better response. It was such a special experience. Really unbelievable.” Since then, the piece grew into a fully formed album and, come April, will be performed at Roadburn. You can read more about the piece at this location (content warning: sexual assault).

Milena and Thomas already announced a few acts that will be part of their curatorship. Among them is Zambian-Canadian rapper Backxwash, who is set to perform two special sets of her visceral industrial hip-hop. The first one is titled «I Lie Here at Roadburn» and will focus on her latest album «I Lie Here Buried with My Rings and My Dresses», whereas the second is titled «Nine Hells» and will dive both into her back catalogue, as well as include new material. You can find more information about these performances here.

Another artist set to perform twice as part of the festival is Liturgy‘s Hunter Hunt-Hendrix. First, as Liturgy, they’ll play their 2019’s album «H.A.Q.Q.». Then, Hunt-Hendrix herself will guide both Liturgy and a chamber ensemble in a rendition of 2020’s «Origin of the Alimonies». More about Liturgy’s Roadburn appearances can be read here.

Moreover, Melbourne based duo Divide and Dissolve will be bringing their doom to Roadburn (you can find the announcement here). Recall they have put out one of the best doom albums of the year by way of the enormous «Gas Lit», one about which the curators state “forward thinking, confrontational, personal, emotional.”

Finally, remember when The Flenser was set to have a showcase of their own in the 2020 edition of Roadburn? Yeah, we were really looking forward to that too. So far, no such showcase has been announced, but Midwife is set to bring her wonderful music to Roadburn on what should be equal parts melancholy and beauty.

Roadburn 2022 is set to take place in Tilburg between April 21 and 24. You can find tickets at this location.