The first ever Blackest of the Black festival took place over Memorial Day weekend at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, Calif. The festival was created and curated by Glenn Danzig with Full Metal Jackie serving as the host for the weekend.

The festival included tents and RV camping. In addition to musical performances, there were several attractions including Castle Danzig, a sacrifice stage, a bondage stage, a suspension stage and freak show performers including fire breathers and sword swallowers. Blackest of the Black brought together over four decades worth of metal.
Friday’s performances started at 5PM with 3Teeth and included Butcher Babies, Suicide Silence, Corrosion of Conformity and a closing set from Suicidal Tendencies.

We were there for the Saturday lineup, which kicked off at 1:30PM with Ritual and included sets from DevilDriver, Venom Inc., Ministry and the final performance from none other than Danzig himself. The festival included two stages side by side and to keep the schedule on time, as one band ended the next one started with the stage crew quickly changing the stages between acts. In Danzig’s 90-minute set, he performed songs spanning four decades as a solo artist from “Skincarver” to “Mother” to “She Rides” to “Am I Demon?” The day before Danzig’s performance, the new album Black Laden Crown was released. From the album, Danzig performed “Devil on Highway 9” and “Last Ride.”

See our exclusive photos from the Blackest of the Black Festival above.

Danzig Performs "Mother" at Blackest of the Black

Ministry Performing at Blackest of the Black

Glenn Danzig Talks 'Skeletons' Cover Album + Legacy

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