Smokemaster

(Psychedelic Rock/Krautrock, Cologne)

Smokemaster is a psychedelic rock band from Cologne that will blow your mind, we promise!

Formed in 2020, the band already landed a gig at WDR Rockpalast in May with their debut album, and now we're happy to welcome them for their very first gig in Karlsruhe.

Smokemaster's musical spectrum ranges from slow and spherical parts reminiscent of Pink Floyd to colorful jam parts reminiscent of The Doors or Colour Haze.

Surely we will also hear material from their soon to be released second album at the premiere in Karlsruhe.

Not convinced yet? Better check out the music video for their single Astral Traveller, created by psychedelic artist Larry Carlson from New York. Their music video for War Song is also worth watching, it was produced by Iranian director Saba Moghadami under adverse circumstances.

Website: https://smokemaster.rocks

Da Captain Trips

(Psych Rock/Space Rock, Italy)

Da Captain Trips is an instrumental psychedelic rock quartet coming from the north of Italy. Formed in 2009 by Peppo on bass, Tommaso on drums, and Riccardo on guitar, the band's line-up was completed shortly afterwards by Paolo and his magical synth play. Their music is heavily influenced by psychedelic rock from the sixties and seventies. It is crafted during endless jam sessions, which is obvious once you have experienced them live on stage. The band's name is a tribute to the amazing saga “The Dark Tower” of Stephen King, and their music is a perfectly fitting soundtrack to it: Infectious Californian grooves, wandering somewhere between ethereal space-rock and heavy-psych jams, but always maintaining the smooth style and mellow warmness of the desert.

Da Captain Trips have traveled many festivals across Europe and shared stages with bands like Samsara Blues Experiment, Yawning Man, White Hills, Vibravoid, Fatso Jetson, the Cosmic Dead, and Golden Void.

We can't wait to have them back on stage with their latest release ”Maths of the Elements”, an album which revolves around the themes of nature, elements of nature, and the slow growth of everything.

Website: https://dacaptaintrips.bandcamp.com

Glasgow Coma Scale

(Post Rock/Stoner Rock, Frankfurt)

The Frankfurt-based instrumental band Glasgow Coma Scale, named after a scale used in medicine to measure a person's level of consciousness, is widely known as a post rock band. So a pretty laid-back grooving experience? No way, this isn't just plain post-rock. Genre-typical guitar loops alternate with crashing riffs, here someone seems to perform not only in a particular genre.

The band has the fascinating ability to change the timbre within a piece almost imperceptibly, yet sustainably. When a song starts out of a mystical electronic snippet, it sounds strongly like ambient, but through sensitive handling of intensity, tension build-up and pressure, it quickly develops into a highly energetic power number, powerful, rousing and ecstatic. Quite wonderfully, themes develop through circling repetitive guitars into ever higher spheres and open your mind. Well, this not a mind-expanding drug - no, it's just good music.

Their compositions exude a strong, suggestive power, causing images and landscapes to grow up in your own cerebral convolutions. Expansion of consciousness on a note-by-note basis. Get in and buckle up, Glasgow Coma Scale is going to send you on a journey.

Website: https://www.glasgowcomascale.de

Shem

(Krautrock/Space Rock, Stuttgart)

Here's a well-kept secret: If you are in the need of psychedelic jam rock from outer space you don't have to go far. Shem is a music collective from Stuttgart ready to take you on a mind journey full of droney spaced out sounds. They manage to bring psychedelic rock back to the experimental roots of krautrock, only to add a twist and craft a sound you surely haven't heard before. Inspired by Krautrock-bands like Amon Düül, Can und Neu!, as well as space rock in the style of Hawkwind, and contemporary psychedelic acts as Electric Orange, Föllakzoid and Kungens Män, Shem creates fractal-like sound patterns that will raise to immersive sonority. Dramatic, dangerous sometimes, but always beautiful!

This February you have to go even less far, because we kindly asked them to come to the upcoming PsyKA Underground Experience and they said yes.

Website: https://shemtrails.bandcamp.com

Samsara Joyride

(Heavy Blues/Desert Rock, Vienna)

Samsara (Sanskrit संसार | literally: "constant wandering"): the perpetual cycle of being, the cycle of becoming and passing away or the universal law of cause and effect.

Shaped around guitar driven melodies and stirring rhythms, Samsara Joyride’s sound is a smooth blend of mesmerizing riffs, intense guitar solos and striking vocals. The genre is best described as blues rock, implementing strong psychedelic elements and a desert (rock) vibe.

Located in Vienna, Austria, Samsara Joyride started as two guitarists in a living room in early 2020. Only a few month later the first – fully home recorded – EP was released and and got positive response right away. As a consequence, bass and drums were added to the formation, constantly working on and fine-tuning new material for their upcoming first studio album.

Don't miss their show!

Website: https://samsarajoyride.bandcamp.com

Zoahr

(Heavy Blues/Stoner Rock, Pirmasens)

ZOAHR is a power trio from the South West of Germany, playing heavy blues infused with psychedelic desert rock. Their sound draws further inspiration from 70s hard rock with several excursions to stoner rock. ZOAHR are Thorsten on bass, Philipp on drums, and Jessie on guitar and vocals.

After their 2019 debut they return with a new album, "APRAXIA", which, in their words, covers mostly the dividing and decay of our society and how we measure and value people and individuals, mental health, depression, and the reflecting on the personal past and present.

In spite – or perhaps because of – the serious untertone, their impelling music will captivate you for sure!

Website: https://zoahr.bandcamp.com

Phönix Retro Light

(Liquid Light)

When it comes to analog light art in the style of the San Francisco ballrooms of the 60s, the artists of the collective PHÖNIX RETRO LIGHT are among the best known experts. With them, the visual setting on this day will be as unique as the music: In the spirit of the sixties, they will underlay the musical performances with their unique analog oil projections.

Website: https://phoenix-retro-light.jimdofree.com