The Weight of the Void: All Them Witches and King Buffalo at The Observatory

Last Thursday, February 19th, The Observatory North Park descended into a world of heavy psych and dark, alluring energy as All Them Witches and King Buffalo took the stage. The atmosphere was nothing short of a shadowy, seductive trance—the kind of night that reminds you why live music is a primal necessity.

King Buffalo: A Study in Droney Precision

King Buffalo initiated the night with a performance that bypassed the standard opening-act fanfare in favor of a calculated, impeccable delivery. Their sound—a sophisticated intersection of garage-rock grit and expansive, hypnotic drones—shifted through the room with visceral weight . They possess a rare patience, locking into skeletal grooves and allowing them to mutate until the entire venue vibrates in unison. There was a seductive gravity to their set; it was a display of technical mastery, a shared immersion into a heavy, rhythmic subterranean world.

All Them Witches: The Masters of Dark Synergy

For those of us who have followed All Them Witches since their April 2016 debut at The Casbah, this show felt like a culmination of a long, beautiful journey. Having witnessed their growth through sets at Desert Daze, the Hipnosis Festival in Mexico City back in 2023, and most recently at the Belly Up, it is clear that they have perfected their craft. Every time they return, the experience somehow surpasses the last.

All Them Witches have mastered a specific brand of dark music—a sound that wraps around you, heavy and intense, making you want to cry while simultaneously making you feel the immense beauty of the depth they reach. The audience was collectively entranced. On stage, the musicians were a microcosm of pure synergy; they never rushed, allowing each song to develop at its own pace. It was deep, dark, and utterly perfect.

The Observatory felt transformed by the shared experience of the void. All Them Witches and King Buffalo curated an atmosphere of elegant, heavy introspection. The night was a reminder that the most profound beauty often exists in the shadows, waiting for a band with enough technical precision and soul to draw it out. We can only hope the wait for their return to San Diego isn’t a long one.