Sleep's Holy Mountain at All Tomorrow's Parties

Sleep's Holy Mountain at All Tomorrow's Parties
Artwork by Malleus Rock Art Lab/
Tour of Sleep
Year	2009
Start date	9 May
End date	10 May
Shows	2
Region	England
Website	Official Website
Sleep tour chronology
	Sleep's Holy Mountain at All Tomorrow's Parties (2009)

Sleep's Holy Mountain at All Tomorrow's Parties was two reunion shows performed by Sleep in 2009. Notably they were curated by All Tomorrow's Parties to perform Sleep's Holy Mountain in it's entirety as is tradition with some acts on their festival and ended up being the first shows by the band since the mid-90s.

Initially intended to be a one-off reunion these shows led to Sleep's eventual reformation albeit without original drummer Chris Hakius as these two shows would be the final live performances of his career. Jason Roeder of Neurosis fame would go on to be the replacement from 2010 onward, starting with the Marijuanaut's Return tour.

Background

When Om had formed in late 2003 and Al Cisneros had been actively playing music again, demand had slowly developed for Sleep to reunite. Matt Pike had been open to the reunion for years while keeping busy with High on Fire. Though initially dismissed by Cisneros in September 2008 in late 2008 it would be announced that two reunion shows would happen at All Tomorrow's Parties in Minehead with the band performing the entirety of Sleep's Holy Mountain.

In an interview with BrooklynVegan, Al Cisneros explained the idea of a reunion had been an idea as far back as 2002 with it simply happening at the right time:

“	"These plans have always been kind of tentative when the right time arose… We’ve always been in contact. We’ve never been estranged for a long period of time since the band broke up in ’96. It’s really difficult to have all three of us in the same room at the same time… touring schedules, recording schedules, all sorts of different factors. The first time we were all together after the dissolution of Sleep was at a party at my house in San Francisco about six years ago, and we talked then and it was more of a “someday, get around to it” type thing. At my wedding last August, both Matt [Pike of High On Fire, Kalas] and Chris [Hakius, ex-Om] were there and it was another rare opportunity to discuss it in person, rather than convey phone messages through third parties. It was then that we were like “lets do this now.” Promoters have constantly tried to get that band back together, so that was never an impetus. It was really more about when we were ready as people. The main reason, the only reason really… The three of us as friends had gone through an indescribable disappointment with Sleep… it never blossomed in the way that we focused our youthful energies, and then it broke… When it ended at the last practice, we were all devastated… heartbroken and really just shattered. It was debilitating, in this catatonic state for all of us. Anyway, we’ve always reserved an option as to how it would be really healing to play those songs again on our terms, and not Earache’s or London’s or certain I-don’t-even-want-mention terms… but for us, the friends that met in school. Since Sleep ended, those songs have remained as trapped energy in all of us for essentially 12 years. These shows offer a way to heal, and to close it with peace and a smile inside. It’s an opportunity to have catharsis and put those songs in the sky where they belong… to move forward and let it purge."	”
	— Al Cisneros, Brooklyn Vegan

In the same interview it would also be revealed that the band would also be performing sections from the iconic Dopesmoker album along with "some music that we had written that intended to be on “Jerusalem” that never saw light of day. One song in particular that we’ve always loved, but nobody’s ever heard.". This song in question would be revealed at the end of both sets as Antarticans Thawed, a previously unrecorded song from the 90s and the first time the song had ever been performed.

At the time of the performances it was the only intended shows at the time as Shrinebuilder, Om and High on Fire were all recording new albums at the time, even hinted with these being the only performances. These two shows would also prove to be the final live performances for Chris Hakius as he had retired from music in January 2008 after leaving Om but made an exception for the 2009 shows.

Despite the intent of this possibly being the only reunion shows the band would keep going with rabid fan demand and new drummer Jason Roeder. Sleep would remain active until the end of 2019, eventually releasing new music in 2014 (The Clarity) and 2018 (The Sciences and Leagues Beneath).

Also of note is that to capitalize on the reunion, Earache Records reissued and remastered Sleep's Holy Mountain CD, releasing it on 16 June that year with the band's cover of "Snowblind" and the "Dragonaut" music video as bonus tracks.

Dates

• 9 May 2009 - Butlins Holiday Resort - Minehead, England
• 10 May 2009 - Butlins Holiday Resort - Minehead, England

Lineup

• Al Cisneros - Bass, Vocals
• Matt Pike - Guitar
• Chris Hakius - Drums

Setlist

NOTE: In the case of tracks 2 and 8 the songs are sections from Dopesmoker.

• 1. From Beyond
• 2. Dopesmoker (Proceeds The Weedian)
• 3. The Druid
• 4. Some Grass
• 5. Aquarian
• 6. Evil Gypsy/Solomon's Theme
• 7. Nain's Baptism
• 8. Cultivator
• 9. Inside The Sun
• 10. Holy Mountain
• 11. Dragonaut
• 12. Antarcticans Thawed

External Links

• Exclaim Article
• Blabbermouth Article