ArcTanGent Festival 2024 – A Musical Haven, 10 Years Strong

Ten years is a lot of time. While it may look like it goes by in a flash – sometimes 2014 does feel like it was yesterday – pretty much everything can change in 10 years. You can reinvent yourself as a person multiple times, you can live through what it feels like wildly different lives and your music taste can change so much you barely listen to stuff that you were sure you’d listen to forever. And a small, weird festival can grow into something truly remarkable.

2024 marked the 10th edition of the ever growing ArcTanGent Festival, one of the most unique European summer festivals out there. In its infancy, ATG was a small gathering that mostly catered to math rock and post rock fans. It quickly grew a loving community and expanded its arms to welcome other genres: nowadays, ArcTanGent is also home to the very best acts in post metal, progressive metal, sludge, stoner rock, psych rock, post hardcore, emo, tech metal, electronic music, and pretty much anything that’s ‘out there’ in the heavy music realm.

As an independent festival focused on quite niche genres, ATG grew its community the hard way, and it paid off. While it’s way larger now than it was back then, it’s still small enough that it manages to maintain its atmosphere of community and belonging.

This year’s edition is the grandest the festival has ever been. You only turn 10 once in your life after all, and boy, they went all out on this lineup, featuring some of the very best names on the modern heavy music realm and the giants Meshuggah, Explosions In The Sky and Mogwai as headliners. I’ve attended ATG for the first time on 2023 (you can find a writeup about that over here) and I had such a grand time I decided I just had to be there again. And I’m so, so glad I did.

My journey with ArcTanGent

Before I talk about the festival experience with you, I’d like to contextualize why this was a big deal for me, so bear with me for a second. I swear we’ll get to the bands soon.

Last year, attending ArcTanGent was a big achievement for me. As a Brazilian guy who likes ‘out there’ music (you can tell because I write for this blog), I’ve always looked at the GLORIOUS lineups in the European festivals and could only dream of attending such an event. ATG 2023 was my first, and I couldn’t have chosen a better place to pop my festival cherry.

Not only did I manage to see bands I’ve always dreamed of seeing live like Brutus, Caligula’s Horse, Russian Circles and my personal favorite artist of all time Devin Townsend, I lived through all of that on my birthday, while getting to know what is a remarkably friendly festival with an super easygoing vibe. Seriously, the people who attend ArcTanGent are just too nice.

That made for some of the happiest days of my life, and I was sure I’d like to attend again. As this year’s lineup began to be unveiled, once again I was beyond impressed. Caspian? Amenra? Julie Christmas? All in the span of my birthday yet again? Yeah, I’m in. Having attended the festival before, I was also way more prepared for the entire experience this time. As in, knowing that sometimes you just HAVE to take a break. It’s hard to find spots for some downtime when there’s something interesting playing all the time, but I’m almost 30 now, you know, and there’s only so much that Red Bull can do for you.

That being said, while I was hyped for ATG this year, I did have some big stumbles before I got there. Right before I took my flight to the UK, I was at a really bad place mentally. I won’t get into details, but I was feeling very vulnerable and just a big pile of sadness. I almost cancelled the whole thing because I was not sure that a solo trip was the best thing for the state of mind I was in at the time.

With the support of some friends who convinced me I should go, I did. I also had faith on the healing powers of hearing tons of weird music on a field with strangers, and that faith was well deserved. Before I embarked for my trip, I joined a group of fellow solo venturers who were planning on meeting up during the festival. That was honestly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, as these people did a lot for me during these days in the fragile state of mind I was in. They made my festival experience way, way richer, and I was reminded many times over the next couple of days that the people who attend ATG are just too damn nice. But I’ll get into that later.

Alright, let’s talk about bands!!

Wednesday (the big family reunion)

The first day of ArcTanGent is always kind of a warmup day, as the shows happen on a single stage and the lineup is formed by highlights from the last edition. It’s a perfect way to get yourself on the festival mood and relax a bit for the busy festivals days ahead of you. I say it’s ‘kind of’ a warmup because man, this day alone already beats most festivals out there.

I started my festival with Hidden Mothers and Din of Celestial Birds, two bands I saw last year and that I was hoping would make it into the Wednesday lineup for this edition. Getting to see these smaller local (UK local at least) acts is quite unique for me, and it’s a testament how there’s a ton of new blood out there we may not know about. ATG is a great place for musical discovery, as the curators do keep up with what’s hot on the underground scene.

Soon after, I had the chance to see Psychonaut again. They’re just great post metal and they sounded as massive as they always do. If someone ever tells you post metal is not suited for festivals, you should show them Psychonaut. Point made. Following in epic fashion, Conjurer and Pijn stepped into the stage for their joint project Curse These Metal Hands. Now this is the kind of thing you can only experience at ArcTanGent. A hardcore band and a post rock band getting together to play some epic, beautiful tunes filled with Baroness energy? This is the stuff of legends. Some of these riffs can knock you off your feet, and I really hope they get together for another album soon.

I was then shot with a double dosage of some heavy goodness with LLNN and Bossk. I’ve been meaning to see LLNN for a long time now – their Lovecraftian approach to hardcore infused post metal is second to none, and boy, was I surprised at how good it was. It sounded straight up scary at times, and songs like “Imperial” are just gargantuan live. I loved it. And while I’m not familiar with all of Bossk‘s work, I see I need to correct that – live post metal does not get much better than that.

Ending the night on a very high and special note was And So I Watch You From Afar, playing a special fan voted set. They were headliners on the very first ATG, so having them close the first night of the 10th anniversary is beautiful cosmic justice. They’ve said this festival is like their spiritual home, and it’s true – seeing a tent full of people dancing and chanting to some truly bonkers instrumental rock is a sight to behold. It was fun, full of energy and also, liberating. Remember when I said I was kind of bummed when the festival started? Yeah, it was all washed away right at this set.

Having those guys hammer home that ATG is more than a festival, it’s a family, ended up hitting me really hard. During “Big Things Do Remarkable”, I was standing there, tears rolling down my face, chanting ‘The sun is in our eyes again and again’ with a bunch of strangers who were not really strangers to me anymore. One of the most cathartic moments of my life, and it made me realize that ATG is way more than a fun time for me. It’s a place I can call home. I mean it.

Thursday (Christmas came early this year)

Having had a BLAST on my first day, I was then fully prepared to enjoy the second day to its fullest. And I had to, because this was my busy day. Meaning, most of the bands I was most excited about played on this day.

I was served some musical breakfast by A-Sun Amissa, a drone band. Yes, this is the only place you can have drone music playing at 11 am and it does not feel out of place. While I’m not huge on drone music, I quite enjoyed their set. I then rushed to see AVKRVST, one of my favorite upcoming prog metal bands. Mixing that classic Opeth and Porcupine Tree kind of sound with some Nordic sauce, I’m a big fan of their debut and seeing some of those songs live was really really cool.

My next big act was Healthyliving. Their debut album was one of my 2023 highlights, and while I was expecting a great show, I was blown away at just how amazing they are live. Their particular brand of sad rock is like 10 times more energetic, thanks in no small part to frontwoman Amaya López-Carromero. She can really command a crowd, and while it was still really early on the day, they had headliner levels of energy to their set. Instant favorite, and I hope to see them again eventually!

After a few other shows, I then saved my energy and got myself a nice spot for what was my main attraction for the entirety of the festival: Julie Christmas. Her latest album, Ridiculous And Full Of Blood, is still my favorite release this year and I’ve heard that her live performances were even more intense than the recordings, so I had overwhelmingly high expectations. Somehow, she still managed to blow them out of the water.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone be as vulnerable and intense as Julie Christmas is on stage. Her music deals with a lot of pain and personal struggles, and she bares all of those emotions on stage for you, inviting you in to share on her pain, her anger, her grief, as her trademark screams cut through your very soul. It’s truly enchanting in every sense of the word. Me and some nice folks I met before the show all shared a very intense moment during “End of the World” and I’m pretty sure I’ll remember it forever. Also, Johannes Persson from Cult of Luna was there, and he rules.

So yeah, there’s no one doing it quite like Julie out there. Do yourself a favor and if her live show is ever within your reach, consider it a must. There’s no way you’ll not have a grand time.

Still buzzing from that out of body experience, I then kept my place for Baroness, and boy, do these guys know how to put on a FUN show. It has all the energy you could ever want out of a rock show, and honestly, I can’t see anyone not enjoying a Baroness concert. They’re just a fantastic singalong band, and there’s no way you can’t feel an energy rush when bangers like “Take My Bones Away” are playing. You’ll jump, you’ll sing, and be met with mighty fine riffage.

Soon after, I was met with another festival classic: rain. Yup, it’s not always sunny at ATG, but as a festival veteran this time around, I came prepared with boots and everything. I rushed to the next stage to see Kalandra at a packed out tent. Maybe because of the rain? Sure, but those unaware that were for protection were met with Kalandra‘s gorgeous Nordic and poppy prog rock. I really like their music, and seeing their show be accompanied by some light rain was probably the most on-brand way to see them.

Then it was time to see the almighty Amenra. They’re one of those bands which are fine on studio, but truly shine when presented on a live setting. Their show is just visceral – the band’s whole ‘mass’ presentation is taken to a whole new level, where you’re entranced by crushing sludge riffs and screams like it’s truly a religious experience. Textures were playing during the same time, and I would’ve liked to see them, but Amenra live is just unmissable. If you know, you know.

Despite being beyond tired after Amenra, I mustered up some energy to see Explosions In The Sky. I gotta be honest, I’m not familiar with them outside of their classic The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place, but you gotta see some post rock legends if they’re right over there. It was a beautiful show and if felt like a palate cleanser after the crushing intensity of Amenra. It did get quite explosive by the end – a beautiful ending to a truly grand festival day.

The day was actually not over thought, as despite feeling dead after 11 hours of live music, I was HYPED – so I joined my fellow solo venturers to another ArcTanGent classic – the silent disco! I’ve never been to one of those before, and it seemed both ridiculous and fun, so I figured I had to give it a shot this time. I’m glad I did, because it’s REALLY fun. There’s something for everyone on the disco channels – from arena rock bangers, to electronic, to a dedicated The Mars Volta channel, you’ll never be bored and you can dance and sing to your heart’s content. Also, there’s stuff you’ll literally never hear anywhere else, like a remix combining And So I Watch You From Afar and Daft Punk. Glorious stuff.

Friday (djent and surprise parties)

My third day of ArcTanGent was also special for me – it was my birthday! I got started pretty early on for i Häxa – a very intriguing folk / electronic / post rock project. It was their first ever live show, and I’d advise to keep them on your radar if you’re into experimental music. Another early highlight for me was Zetra! It was a little jarring to see a band with corpsepaint playing goth tracks in broad daylight, but I was surprised but how their music works way better at a live setting. Slow dancing in a field of strangers just beats doing that at home in every way.

Weirdness was far from over as I went to see Maruja, who put on a really intense and entrancing set. Another great band on the ‘guy who sings like he’s preaching a revolution’ subgenre, Maruja also has saxophone which is always a welcome addition to anything. Anything.

My next big show for the day was Night Verses. These guys are totally pushing the boundaries on instrumental tech metal nowadays, mixing alien-like technical proficiency with beautiful, soothing passages. I was really looking forward to being blown away by songs from their latest album Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night, and I was not disappointed, as seeing a beast like drummer Aric Improta tearing shit up right in front of you is mesmerizing. The kind of experience that either makes you wanna start drumming or give up on it forever.

I then rushed to get a nice spot for Ihsahn. I’ve seen him with Emperor before, but I’ve always preferred his solo stuff so I was really looking forward to this one. While I was not the biggest fan of his latest, self-titled record, I gotta admit that it translates pretty well live. His current band is beyond solid and Ihsahn himself is a giant on stage, with his trademark shrieks still sounding as powerful as ever.

Back to djent it was, as Animals as Leaders were next for me. I don’t think I can say anything about them that hasn’t been said before. Yes, they’re among the best at their instruments, to an alien extent. But I expected that from them. What really wowed me was their sound production: everything sounded so clean, so punchy, so big. Like, it’s weird how a three man band could sound that huge. It really takes their next performance to the next level, because it’s not just about watching Tosin Abasi pull off the most insane stuff you’ve ever seen – it’s hearing it like he’s doing this to save mankind or something.

Meshuggah were up next to close the day, and this was a big one for me. I’ve seen them once before a lot of time ago, and I barely knew them back then. Like, I’d heard “Bleed” and decided it could be a nice show. It was immense, and I knew I had to get familiar with their music. Over the next years, I did, and so this was the first time I’d be seeing them as a proper fan and I decided to get a front row spot to witness all their beautiful chaos from up close.

Just in case you don’t know, Meshuggah rips live to an unholy extent. It’s actually insane how they can pull off a show like this at their age and be this massive. The band is as tight as it gets and Jens Kidman still roars like a demon on classics like “Rational Gaze”, “Perpetual Black Second”, and of course, “Bleed”. They’re still one of the best live metal acts around, and honestly you shouldn’t miss them if they come around. Like I said, they’re getting older, and you can’t pull off music like this forever. Don’t live with regrets: catch Meshuggah live while you can.

While I thought that seeing Meshuggah live from the front row was the best a birthday could get, my dear solo venturers group proved me wrong once again. At our pre-silent disco meeting spot, I was welcomed with cake, candles and a birthday badge. These guys actually took time off from the festival to get birthday supplies for a surprise party for me and another birthday boy. Total strangers to them two days ago. ‘How can people be this nice?’ I thought to myself, as I was reminded once again that the people at this festival are just the best.

Needless to say, I had a wonderful birthday with my ATG friends, complete with cake, hugs, and silent disco!

Saturday (and so I made it to the last day)

I couldn’t believe I had yet another full festival day ahead of me, but there I was, seeing Torpor as my breakfast. It’s just amazing to see a band this dark and gloomy open up a festival early in the morning, but it just felt right. Torpor is calling it quits soon, so I felt thankful to be able to see them this once. Up next were one of my favorite discoveries from this edition – Fort. Playing really powerful post rock, these guys, despite being newcomers, managed to stand out even amongst genre giants like Caspian, EITS, and Mogwai for me. Seriously, keep an eye and an ear out for Fort. These guys deserve to make it big.

After getting myself another dose of great post metal with Bossk, I went to see what is already one of my favorite live bands: KEN mode. I saw them at Amplifest last year, where they just ripped everything to shreds, and I knew I had to see them every chance I got. KEN mode really live up to their own name live, as few shows can muster up this amount of raw emotion and pure rage onstage like them. They’re calling out on all the bullshit going on in the world, and they’re doing it in the most genuine and honest way possible.

My next big thing was, well, seeing And So I Watch You From Afar again. This time, they presented their latest album Megafauna in full. Despite having heard it like 2 times or so before the show, it was an album that immediately spoke to me, so I was actually way more excited for this set than the fan favorites one on the first day. Megafauna comes from a very personal place from them, and it shows. While it’s still playful and fun like all ASIWYFA, it feels more vulnerable and personal, and it’s just made to be experienced live. The show was immense, and songs like “Years Ago” and “Me And Dunbar” really pulled on my heartstrings and are among my favorite live music experiences ever.

ATG 10 hosted a big comeback with Brontide, and what a comeback it was. I gotta be honest, I didn’t know this band before they were announced for this year, but after checking them out I immediately added them to my ‘must see’ list. The tent was packed for their show, and you could tell a lot of fans were present with the amount of energy the crowd was putting out. I’m glad they’re back, and I hope new tunes are on the way soon.

I was planning on taking a breather for the next slot, but I ended up powering through, as it was the last day after all, and I went to catch Electric Wizard. I was beyond impressed with how good their set ended up being. I was expecting HEAVY stoner riffs of course, but I ended up getting pretty close to a hypnotic state. Another band whose music is just made to be experienced live. I’m pretty sure that the riff from “Funeralopolis” is staying in my head forever.

Finally, I headed for my main attraction of the day: Caspian. While their clash with Slift was a painful choice, I just couldn’t miss the chance to see these post rock legends. Their performance was honestly all you could ever hope for in a post rock show. Emotion, soundscapes, catharsis, it was all there. As if that were not enough, they were joined onstage by all the lads from ASIWYFA for a special version of “Sycamore”. There were like 10 dudes drumming on that stage at that point, and I’m not sure there was a single pair of dry eyes on the crowd after Caspian‘s show.

Ending the festival in high honors, Mogwai stepped into the main stage. Booking them was a huge thing for ATG. I mean, Mogwai plays stuff like Glastonbury, and here they are, headlining this once small and niche festival. Truly a grand way to celebrate the big 10, and you can tell everyone was just proud to see them up there, at their own pet festival.

Another band whose status precedes than, this was pretty much my real introduction to Mogwai, actually. I’ve heard a few songs, and I knew they were pretty big, but I had no idea how diverse their music is. Everything ranging from post rock, synth, electronic, indie and some truly weird experimental stuff. In a way, they’re really perfect main headliners for ArcTanGent, as the festival is all about diversity. Mogwai really went all out on this show: I walked in with some mild curiosity, and left as a fan.

After a final day of discoing with my festival friends, it was time to say goodbye to ArcTanGent. This was my second time there, but I feel like this is the first time I was a part of it. Last year, I experienced it. I was a stranger all the way from Brazil, seeing awesome shows, meeting nice people and having a good time. This time, I went as part of the ATG community. When the bands praised the festival and the people, I felt… proud? It’s hard to put it into words, but ArcTanGent just feels like my musical home. Not just because I get to see a ton of stuff I love, but I can do it while feeling safe. Feeling seen. Feeling like I am a part of something. Corny as fuck, I know, but I was born on the cob.

It’s crazy now, more than a month after the festival, to think that I almost canceled my trip to ATG because I was feeling sad. I almost missed out on some of the happiest days of my life. And I can’t end this very weird review without giving proper thanks to my fellow solo venturers: Josh, Carol, Danni, Lee, Dom, Adam, Vicky, Deanna, Katey, Dave, Luci, and everyone else I shared a talk or a laugh: you were the true headliners of this festival for me, lads.

Seriously, if you’re into this kind of music, do give ArcTanGent a shot. You’ll come for the music and stay for the vibes. They’ve already revealed some acts for next year and it’s looking grand with We Lost The Sea, Adebisi Shank, Between The Buried And Me, the freaking Melvins, Karnivool and a lot more to come soon. Will I be there again? You bet.

So yeah, ArcTanGent 2024 will stay with me for the long run. Thanks for being home away from home, and I’ll see you soon!