| Power of The Riff | |
|---|---|
 Poster for the 2016 edition. | |
| Background information | |
| Genre(s) | Doom Metal, Drone Doom, Stoner Metal, Sludge Metal, Post-Metal, Black Metal, Hardcore Punk, D-Beat, Crust Punk, Powerviolence, Grindcore, Experimental |
| Years active | 2010 - 2013, 2016, 2018 |
| Promoter(s) | Southern Lord Records |
| Website | The Power of The Riff |
The Power of The Riff (Also known simply as Power of The Riff) is a curated showcase by Greg Anderson and Southern Lord Records, showcasing a variety of heavy music with many of the bands associated with the label. Beginning in 2010 and becoming a yearly event up until 2013, The Power of The Riff has made sporadic returns in 2016 and 2018.
Power of The Riff 2010[]
The inaugural edition of The Power of The Riff, curated by Greg Anderson and Sam Velde, was initially announced in the summer of 2010. Notably this event was presented by Converse as a free, all-ages event with the shoe company giving away 30 pairs of free shoes to the first visitors along with fifteen hidden pairs indicated by clues within the venues. On 14 July 2010, Corrosion of Conformity would spark a mini-tour with their three-piece Animosity-era lineup alongside Goatsnake, Black Breath, Eagle Twin and Righteous Fool. Including the Power of The Riff event this was billed as the Southern Lord West Coast Mini-Tour.[1]
The 2010 edition of The Power of The Riff was held on 8 August 2010 from Noon to Midnight at Echoplex.
| Echoplex Stage | Echo Stage |
|---|---|
| Corrosion of Conformity III | Night Horse |
| Goatsnake | Eagle Twin |
| Repulsion | Nails |
| From Ashes Rise | Lecherous Gaze |
| Trap Them | The Fucking Wrath |
| Coliseum | Semen Sundae |
| Black Breath | Rats Eyes |
| Righteous Fool | Spider Fever |
Power of The Riff 2011[]
The 2011 edition of Power of The Riff was held on Saturday 13 August 2011. Like the previous year the festival was a one-day, two-stage event featuring a host of bands with ties to Southern Lord. However unlike the last year the festival would adopt sort of a touring festival motif with four mini-festivals in the days after. The following Power of The Riff events would be held at the following locations and dates:
- 15 August 2011 at Elbo Room in San Francisco, California
- 16 August 2011 at The Mezzanine in San Francisco, California
- 18 August 2011 at Neumo's in Seattle, Washington
- 20 August 2011 at The Highline, Seattle, Washington
| 13 August 2011 Echoplex Stage |
13 August 2011 Echo Stage |
|---|---|
| Pentagram | Black Breath |
| Eyehategod | Alpinist |
| Winter | Masakari |
| Pelican | Skin Like Iron |
| Trap Them | Baptists |
| All Pigs Must Die | Seven Sisters of Sleep |
| Black Cobra | Slave |
| Acephalix | Aeges |
| Early Graves | Harassor |
| Plagues |
Power of The Riff 2011: San Francisco and Seattle[]
| 15 August Elbo Room |
16 August The Mezzanine |
|---|---|
| Winter | Pentagram |
| Noothgrush | Pelican |
| Trap Them | Early Graves |
| Black Breath | Masakari |
| All Pigs Must Die | Aeges |
| Acephalix | Alpinist |
| Baptists |
| 18 August 2011 Neumo's |
20 August The Highline |
|---|---|
| Winter | From Ashes Rise |
| Pelican | Black Breath |
| Noothgrush | Trap Them |
| All Pigs Must Die | Baptists |
| Alpinist | |
| Aeges | |
| Masakari |
Power of The Riff 2012: Power of The Riff West[]
2012 would present two Power of The Riff festivals but rather as sort of a touring festival from the previous year, one event would be held on the West Coast while the other would be held on the East Coast. The first of the two major events would return to the Echo and Echoplex in Los Angeles on 11 August 2012.
| Echoplex Stage | Echo Stage |
|---|---|
| Sunn O))) | Retox |
| OFF! | Despise You |
| Dr. Know | Lewd Acts |
| Repulsion | Hoax |
| Noothgrush | Alpha & Omega |
| Eagle Twin | Power Trip |
| Gaza | DNF |
| Ancestors | Love Below |
| Xibalba | Hordes |
| Nausea | Cops |
| Bio Crisis |
Power of The Riff 2012: Power of The Riff East[]
The first (and to date, only) edition of Power of The Riff East was announced in the summer of 2012, with the event set at Warsaw in Brooklyn, New York on 1 and 2 September 2012. On 20 August 2012 it would be announced that Poison Idea would cancel their appearance (Along with their entire tour) with Hoax as their replacement.[5] On 22 August 2012 it would be confirmed that day 1 headliner Pentagram would be performing Relentless in it's entirety.[6]
On 29 August 2012 it would be announced that Saint Vitus Bar would be hosting afterparties for each night. The 1 September date would feature Lecherous Gaze along with two secret guests (Later revealed to be Power Trip and Xibalba.) while 2 September would feature Batillus and a secret headliner (Later revealed to be Coffinworm).[7]
| 1 September | 2 September |
|---|---|
| Pentagram Performing Relentless |
Sunn O))) |
| Agnostic Front | Winter |
| Negative Approach | Repulsion |
| Hoax | Double Negative |
| Xibalba | Coffinworm |
| Alpha & Omega | Salvation |
| Power Trip | Dead in The Dirt |
Power of The Riff 2012: December[]
On 25 October 2012 it would be announced through various sources that Sunn O))) would be performing a West Coast tour with Dead in the Dirt and Loincloth. The final date of the tour and on the last date of The Mayan Calendar (20 December 2012) would see a special event at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles presented by The Power of The Riff featuring the following acts:
- Sunn O)))
- High on Fire
- Corrosion of Conformity
- Black Breath
- Void Ov Voices
- Dead in The Dirt
- Loincloth
Power of The Riff 2013[]
The 2013 edition of The Power of The Riff would be held as a two-day event on 10 August 2013 at The Echoplex and The Echo in Los Angeles. A pre-party would be held on 9 August 2013 at The Echo. The pre-party would feature Creative Adult, Nomads, Obliterations, Early Graves and Black Breath.
Opposition Rising were intended to open the festival but dropped off for unknown reasons.
| Echoplex Stage | Echo Stage |
|---|---|
| The Obsessed | Iceburn |
| Final Conflict | Iron Lung |
| From Ashes Rise | Bastard Noise |
| Mammoth Grinder | Dead in The Dirt |
| Baptists | Replica |
| Wartorn | Completed Exposition |
| MDC | Children of God |
| Centuries | Old Wounds |
| Territory | Whip Hand |
Power of The Riff 2016[]
The 2016 edition of The Power of The Riff would be presented by Spaceland and Southern Lord Records. Functioning as a two-day event on 17 and 18 December 2016 it would be hosted at The Regent Theater in Los Angeles, California, USA. A pre-party would be held on 16 December 2016 at The Complex in Glendale, California. This pre-party would be headlined by Excel (And also serving as a release party for The Joke's On You.) along with Despise You and Deth Crux.[11]
| 17 December | 18 December |
|---|---|
| Wolves in The Throne Room | Neurosis |
| Incantation | Nails |
| Pelican | Kowloon Walled City |
| Bloodclot | Gatecreeper |
| Gag | Obliterations |
| Necrot | Lies |
| Crypt Rot |
Power of The Riff 2018[]
Poster for the 2018 pre-party.
On 11 September 2018, Southern Lord would announce a 2018 edition of Power of The Riff in lieu of the label's 20th Anniversary along with Sunn O)))'s 20th anniversary. The first band announced of course would be Sunn O))) in what is announced as their only California performance of 2018 and their final performance of the year. Notably, Xasthur was tagged in the Instagram post which implies he will be appearing at the show, ultimately performing for the first time with the act in 12 years.[12] Later that month, Darkest Hour, Xibalba and Xasthur were confirmed on the bill with more acts to still be announced. On 11 October 2018 it would be confirmed that the show would be sold out. On 30 October 2018 the remaining bands for the main show would be revealed to be Scream, Papa M and Entry.[13]
The 2018 edition of The Power of The Riff is slated for 18 November 2018 at the Echoplex in Los Angeles, California. A pre-fest is slated for 17 November 2018 at The Echo featuring The Sonics and The Primals along with more bands TBA.[14] In November 2018 it would be announced that the last band for the pre-fest would be announced to be This White Light, a new band featuring members of Pelican, Sunn O))), Gale Forces and Tattle Tale. This performance is set to be their live debut and ultimately their only live performance.[15]
| 17 November | 18 November |
|---|---|
| The Sonics | Sunn O))) |
| The Primals | Darkest Hour |
| This White Light | Scream |
| Xibalba | |
| Papa M | |
| Xasthur | |
| Entry |
External Links[]
- Southern Lord Page on Power of The Riff
- The Power of The Riff Facebook
- 2016 report via Invisible Oranges
- 2010 Review
- BrooklynVegan Article on the 2010 edition
- 2011 Editions
- December 2012 Marquee