There’s little I find more inspiring than someone putting in the time and effort to coordinate and execute a festival. It’s something I’ve thought of doing more times than I can count but have yet to be able to muster the backing or the location to get it done, so when I see the news below about the upcoming Høstsabbat in Norway, it makes me want to take to the north even more than I usually do. Which is plenty, I guess.

Norway’s heavy rock scene is widely varied and from the roster of acts playing the upcoming Høstsabbat in Oslo on Sept. 13 and 14, it seems the intent is to capture a bit of that variety in a weekend and present it to the masses. An admirable goal no matter how you look at it.

Best wishes. I hope they pull it off without a hitch. The PR wire has lineups and links:

HØSTSABBAT – NEW NORWEGIAN FESTIVAL

HØSTSABBAT is a newborn initiative, brought to life by people involved in the underground scene in Norway.

It’s a DIY-festival, in collaboration with the student-organisation at Betong in Oslo, focusing on presenting the best underground bands Norway has to offer.

Over two days you can experience slow doom, heavy bluesrock, proto-heavy metal, psychedelic spacerock and prog. The concerts will be held on two different stages, located in the same venue.
In addition to this, you’ll find stands, food, beverages and diverse stimulation for your ears and mind. Dj’s from the norwegian scene will accompany your days with the right soundtrack.

HØSTSABBAT takes place on friday 13th, and saturday 14th of September.

Cheap accomodations are located nearby the venue, and the damage for a two-day ticket is about 50 euros.

Complete lineup HØSTSABBAT 2013:

Friday 13th:
Lonely Kamel
Devil
Tusmørke
High Priest of Saturn
Spectral Haze
Hymn

Saturday 14th:
Lamented Souls
Brutus
Tombstones
Resonaut
Dunbarrow
Purple Hill Witch
The Devil and the Almighty Blues

Facebookpage:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Høstsabbat/493336370734335

Facebookevent:
https://www.facebook.com/events/118739448332674/

Link for tickets:
http://www.billettservice.no/event/hostsabbat-2013-billetter/396189

Brutus, “Personal Riot” official video from Behind the Mountains (2013)

Anticipation is ramping up for the spring and summer festival season, and the latest check-in comes from Desertfest in London, which announced earlier that Norwegian doomers Tombstones have joined the 2013 lineup. Seems it’s all I can do these last couple weeks to keep up with fest news, but I’ve yet to come across one announcement that didn’t make me more stoked on the event, whatever it might be.

More on Tombstones below, courtesy of the Desertfest website:

NORWEGIAN HEAVINESS CONFIRMED FOR DESERTFEST

For the first time ever in the UK, Desertfest presents the ultra-heavy Norwegian three-piece; TOMBSTONES.

Although Norway is more famous for its beastly blasting Black Metal, TOMBSTONES turn this musical concept upside down: slow, downtuned, stoned and buzzed out doom is on the menu. TOMBSTONES have two albums under their belt. “Volume II” was released in 2010 by Transubstans Records, and their latest piece “Year of the Burial” was dropped spring 2012 by Soulseller Records. The norwegian doomsters toured Europe with their new album last fall, and have played Mudfest, Death Doomed The Age and Robustfest.

This time it’s Camden and Desertfest who will shiver from their loud and crushing, trance-indulging heaviness. Light you your bongs, and worship the riff!