Blackwater Holylight

Blackwater Holylight
Blackwater Holylight
	;
Background information
Origin	Portland, Oregon, USA
Genres	Psychedelic Rock, Heavy Psych
Years active	2016 - Present
Labels	RidingEasy Records
Associated acts	Grandparents
Website	Facebook

Blackwater Holylight are a Portland-based Heavy Psych band. Comprised entirely of women this band gained a quick following and subsequently were signed to RidingEasy Records not long after forming. Their first album dropped in 2018 to positive reception with a second album quickly following. The band incorporates elements of psychedelic, shoegaze, pop, stoner and doom into a sound that is heavy yet melodic and dreamy.

History[]

Blackwater Holylight was formed by a group of close friends in Portland, Oregon circa Spring 2016. Sunny Faris (Previously with Grandparents) formed the band at the time when she approached Catherine Koch and Laura Hopkins, whom she knew years ago. Notably Sarah McKenna worked with Faris at a bar called Bunk Bar, with all four members hitting it off based on their passion of music. The group would perform their first ever live show on 10 August 2016 at The Liquor Store in Portland (With Dog Dreams and Maybe Baby and The Bitch Boys).^[1] With their first show selling out the band quickly began to gain a following. When it came time to record some music the band recorded a handful of songs for an intended EP. The band would submit these songs to RidingEasy Records, who responded by signing them if the band would record more for a debut full-length.^[2]

Blackwater Holylight would be released on 12 April 2018, with a release party at Mississippi Studios that same day.^[3] The self-titled would see praise from the likes of Echoes and Dust,^[4] Outlaws of The Sun,^[5] My Global Mind,^[6] The Obelisk^[7] and Doomed and Stoned among others.^[8]

Blackwater Holylight would close out 2018 with a string of December shows, sharing the stage with the likes of The Rare Forms, BB, Emily Bach, MJ Guider and Thou among others. Following an appearance at Psycho Smokeout, Blackwater Holylight would embark on their first European tour in the Spring of 2019 with several dates alongside Electric Citizen. Notably the band would make appearances at DesertFest London and DesertFest Berlin.^[9]

On 1 August 2019 a new song by Blackwater Holylight would be revealed in "Motorcycle", from their second album Veils of Winter which is set for an 11 October release via RidingEasy.^[10] A tour with Monolord is also set for that November in support of their new album, along with appearances at Levitation Festival and Desert Daze. Veils of Winter would be ranked at #4 by The Obelisk on their "Best of 2019" list.^[11]

Following touring in 2020 being canceled, Blackwater Holylight would begin work on a third studio album, finishing it by December of 2020.^[12]

Discography[]

Blackwater_Holylight_-_Sunrise_Official_Music_Video_RidingEasy_Records — Blackwater Holylight - Sunrise Official Music Video RidingEasy Records

Blackwater_Holylight_-_Wave_of_Conscience_Official_Music_Video_RidingEasy_Records — Blackwater Holylight - Wave of Conscience Official Music Video RidingEasy Records

Blackwater_Holylight_-_Babies_Live_Music_Video-0 — Blackwater Holylight - Babies Live Music Video-0

Blackwater_Holylight_-_Motorcycle_Veils_of_Winter_RidingEasy_Records — Blackwater Holylight - Motorcycle Veils of Winter RidingEasy Records

Studio Albums[]

Blackwater Holylight (Album) (2018, RidingEasy Records)
Veils of Winter (Album) (2019, RidingEasy Records)
Silence/Motion (Studio Album) (2021, RidingEasy Records)

Members[]

Current Lineup[]

Alison "Sunny" Faris - Bass, Vocals (2016 - Present)
Sarah McKenna - Synthesizers (2016 - Present)
Mikayla Mayhew - Guitar (2019 - Present)
Eliese Dorsay - Drums (2019 - Present)

Past Members[]

Catherine "Cat" Koch - Drums (2016 - 2018)
Laura Hopkins - Guitar, Vocals (2016 - 2020)

Tours[]

December 2018 Mini-Tour (2018)^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16]
2019 European Tour (2019) (Select dates with Electric Citizen)^[17]
No Comfort North American Tour (With Monolord) (2019)^[18]
December 2019 Shows (With Yob, Earthless) (2019)^[19]
Veils of Winter West Coast Tour (2020)^[20]
Spring 2020 North American Tour (With All Them Witches; Postponed) (2020)^[21]
2021 European tour (With Monolord) (2021)^[22]
2022 West Coast Tour (With All Them Witches) (2022)^[23]
Silence/Motion Tour/22 (With Bleakheart, Spirit Mother) (2022)^[24]
Chapel of Roses (With Iron Jinn) (2023)^[25]

External Links[]

References[]

[1] Blackwater Holylight Facebook

[2] Echoes and Dust

[3] Quip Magazine

[4] Echoes and Dust

[5] Outlaws of The Sun

[6] My Global Mind

[7] The Obelisk

[8] Doomed and Stoned

[9] The Obelisk

[10] Blackwater Holylight Facebook

[11] The Obelisk

[12] The Obelisk

[13] Blackwater Holylight Facebook Event

[14] Blackwater Holylight Facebook Event

[15] Blackwater Holylight Facebook Event

[16] Blackwater Holylight Facebook Event

[17] Blackwater Holylight Facebook

[18] Blackwater Holylight Facebook

[19] Blackwater Holylight Facebook

[20] Blackwater Holylight Facebook

[21] The Obelisk

[22] Blackwater Holylight Facebook

[23] The Obelisk

[24] Blackwater Holylight Facebook

[25] The Obelisk

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