When cloaked figures carried out an oblong box shrouded in fabric onstage before Coven's set and stood it up — revealing a coffin — we thought, That can't be Jinx Dawson in there, can it? As the minutes ticked on, it seemed less and less likely, but when the intro music began, the singer indeed emerged in an ornate jeweled mask.
And so began the legendary psych band's set at the Baltimore Soundstage on the first night, May 24, of the 16th annual Maryland Deathfest.
The gods of death Incantation played an opposing gig at Ram's Head Live just down the street, and with additional sets from -16-, Today is the Day, Broken Hope, Ufomammut, Mantar, Defeated Sanity and more, the Thursday night gigs were just the tip of the iceberg of what lies ahead at the storied Baltimore festival.
See photos from those sets below, and check back daily for more galleries from MDF XVI. In addition, look for more photos on our Instagram. All photos courtesy of Josh Sisk.