Lee Dorrian To Curate Roadburn 2016 With His ‘Rituals For The Blind Dead’ Parts 1 & 2

Roadburn Festival 2016 - Lee Dorrian's Rituals For The Blind Dead

Roadburn Festival is incredibly proud to announce that the 2016 curator will be musician, label owner, and sonic pioneer, Lee Dorrian.

Having headlined the first Roadburn Festival in 1999 with Cathedral, and celebrated Rise Above Records20th anniversary at Roadburn in 2008, not to mention the bands that he has guided our way over the years, Lee‘s history is very much entwined with that of Roadburn Festival.

Lee commented: “I feel very honoured to be handed this prestigious task to curate Roadburn 2016. Having been involved with Walter on a personal level for many years now, I always felt like part of the family, as opposed to being someone on the outside. So, with that in mind, I was both shocked and excited when he asked me to take on this fantastic opportunity. I promise to make this an event that no-one will forget, and I’m already frothing at the potential of possibilities available!! It’s a dream and one that I never expected. This is what I love, so I will not disappoint. Come and join us in this ritualistic nirvana of praise and offerings to the unholy Blind Dead. Templars Arise!”

Aside from Lee‘s direct involvement with the festival, countless bands that have graced the Roadburn stages over the last twenty editions have been influenced by his steadfast devotion to all things heavy – from his early grind / punk days in Napalm Death through Cathedral‘s doom and prog leanings up to the present day work he does with his own London-based Rise Above label.

Lee has spent most of the last three decades paving the way for an entire new generation of musicians and fans keen to explore the heavier side of life, which makes him a quintessential curator. He carries on the tradition of Roadburn curators that began in 2008 with David Tibet / Current 93, and continued with Neurosis, Tom G Warrior, Sunn 0))), Voivod , Jus Oborn / Electric Wizard, Mikael Åkerfeldt  / Opeth, Ivar Bjørnson / Enslaved & Wardruna’s Einar Selvik.

For the first time, Roadburn‘s curator will take charge over two days  – partly because Roadburn like to keep things fresh and innovative, and partly because the physical layout of the 013 venue will be slightly different next year. Lee will curate the Main Stage on Friday 15 April 2016, before moving across to the iconic Het Patronaat venue on Saturday 16 April – this will give him greater flexibility to invite bands of differing levels, and to create a vibe that suits each space. As curator, Lee will personally selected the bands for his special Roadburn events, named Rituals For The Blind Dead Pt.1 & Pt.2.

Walter & co are so excited and proud to be working with Lee, and cannot wait to see how he will expand Roadburn Festival’s musical horizons as well as explore more familiar territory from new angels – Rituals For The Blind Dead Pt.1 & Pt.2 will definitely be a celebration of Lee’s varied musical taste.

Roadburn Festival takes place between 14 – 17 April 2016 at the 013 venue, in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Ticket announcements will follow in due course.

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