05.08.25 – 3:55PM – Newark Airport Terminal B security line

This is a tight trip. The plan as stated is to fly into Oslo overnight, get in at 8:40AM, hop on the train to the central station and either walk or cab it to the hotel, but at that point, it will be just a few hours before the start of Desertfest Oslo. Will I sleep? Inevitably at some point. Friday and Saturday are the fest, and then Sunday my flight leaves at 11AM, so I’m up and out. Like, might be finishing the review at the airport. It wouldn’t be the first time, but a mellow pace it is not. Rock and roll and such.

Newark Airport, which I’ll call that until I die because I grew up here in the ’90s, has been in the local (and national) news the last few days for things like computer systems crapping out and air traffic control shortages. One tries not to feed one’s own anxieties with such things. I’m here, I’m going. It’s not like if the airport is operating at peak efficiency I’ll enjoy the process of flying anyhow — I am wrong in proportion and economic demographic for such things — but I’d prefer not a roiling shitshow, generally. Clearly I’m living in the wrong age.

Traffic on the way here begat traffic in the security line. Compared to airports in every country I’ve been to except the UK, Americans are the worst at that. At the gate now, or close to it. Terminal B bunches gates into a cul de sac of walkways like spokes out to planes. Two hours till the flight takes off. I’m glad I bought water. I could probably find some food, but I don’t really trust any of it. And I’m not sad the coughing guy sitting next to me got up and left.

Sandwiched snugly between the flight today and the flight Sunday is Desertfest Oslo 2025. The inaugural edition was in 2024. This will be my first time here, but I’ve been to Oslo a handful of times over the years for Høstsabbat in October and enjoyed that very much. Some of the Høstsabbat team are involved in Desertfest as well, so right on. It will be a good couple of days, as the schedule shows:

I’ll spare you the I’m-in-my-40s litany of discomforts and pains and just say I’m very fortunate to be making this trip. It honestly wasn’t an invite I was expecting, and being just a couple weeks after Roadburn — there were two years there where I went from Roadburn direct to Desertfest London a couple days later; I was younger and not a parent — wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it happen. Thank you, as always, to The Patient Mrs. for my life and its many, many indulgences.

The day at home was typical for a leaving day in that I was out of my head distracted thinking about packing, that last bit of laundry I wanted to do, scholl dropoff, shopping, back to school for meds bump, finish packing, pickup, etc. I did a little writing for a couple news posts I’ll put up tomorrow, but my head was all over the place, mostly on its way to the airport. I thought about eating a gummy before I left the house to come here, but I’m glad I didn’t. Time drags enough at the gate without being stoned slow. Instead, I’m woefully lucid. Maybe I’ll sleep on the plane.

Looking forward to getting in, duh, getting settled, and putting myself in front of the stage for the start of the first band. Where my baggage will be, whether I’ve checked into the hotel room, slept or eaten, it won’t matter. I hope to have done all those things by then, but if not, this isn’t my first dance, even if it’s my first Desertfest Oslo. I’ll survive.

I’ll be writing as much as possible, as often as possible, and will be back and forth to stages to catch the start of shows and so on. If you keep up over the next couple days, thanks. Not to say the quiet part loud, but the only reason I get to do any of the travel I do is because of the support this site gets. Thank you, in other words. Thanks for reading. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned that once or twice along the way.

There are people lined up to get on the plane, maybe my plane, maybe not, but I’ve got time, and maybe an empty seat next to me if no one else checks in in the next 45 minutes. Fingers crossed. Gonna try to relax for a bit, bumble around, get a bottle of water, etc. I’ll have those other posts up before the fest starts if all goes to plan, but otherwise, next you hear from me will be from Oslo. I look forward to it.

 

Tags: Desertfest Oslo, Desertfest Oslo 2025, Desertfest Oslo 2025 Coverage, Norway, Oslo

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 8th, 2025 at 5:50 pm and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.