For years the youngsters in the project “Kom nærmere” have wanted to travel to a school in Denmark for young people with special needs. They have been invited down to perform their art there many times. We are very happy we could participate making this dream come true!
Viggo Krüger, the project manager says: ‘On behalf of the youngsters in “Kom nærmere” I will raise a big thank you to Hole in the sky, who stands out with engagement and a strong will of acting for a good cause.’

There are still some fleas left to be found and bought in Rockmerch’s shop here in Bergen (address: Østre Murallmenningen 18, www.rockmerch.no). All money raised there will in total continue going to the same project.

We would like to thank everyone who went shopping at the flea market and the auction, the people who donated so many cool items, the talented rock auctioneer Toschie, Rockmerch for helping us and supporting the cause, and at last but not least a special thanks to Inger and her girls for
administrating the flea market!

On behalf of the Hole in the sky festival,

Silje Wergeland
Chairwoman of the board

We keep receiving more funky stuff for our market and auction; very rare picture discs and CD box sets limited edition, band related jeweleries, stage clothes from Bergen based artist and more!

The auction will start in Sardinen at 20:45, just after The Devil’s Blood go off stage.

This is the first time we have done (or even been to!) an auction, so we expect some funny moments! Don’t miss out, and join us raising money for this great cause!

This year Hole in the Sky festival is presenting a new concept. As some of you might know already, the festival has its own under age stage Saturday 28th with HITS for Kidz. The HITS board has wanted to work more towards the young part of Bergen music scene, and has decided to try something new; a metal vintage flea market!

All the money raised will in total be donated to a project in Bergen called “Kom nærmere” (English: “come closer”). This is a group consisting of children that are in or has been in orphanage care. The group is established to provide organizational and financial framework for the theatre / musical activities directed at disadvantaged children and young people in Bergen and the surrounding area.

For this market, we need your help! We are collecting fleas for this market, so have a look in your closets, attics, basements and help us  raise a little rock vintage market for USF Verftet Friday and Saturday.We are looking for most things that could be interesting for our audience at Hole In The Sky-festival:

Jewellery, spike bracelets , posters, music equipment (guitars, pedals, drumsticks, etc), clothing (preferably not merch unless there are special products), dresses, tops, jeans, scarves, caps, hats, etc. vinyl /CD / DVD ONLY special editions or packs, shoes, ornaments, backstage pass for Black Sabbath i.e, etc etc.

NB: We would rather not receive (promo) cds and merch as these types of productswill be sold in other booths during the festival. If you want to donate a CDpack of special edition vinyl or CDs, this is clearly possible.

The fleas will be sold to the crowd at the festival and must therefore be adapted to them.

If we can receive bigger products of great value as instruments, special photos, equipment, clothes etc, we consider having a nice little informal metal auction to generate more money for the purpose. The auctioneer will be none less than Toschie from Audrey Horne!

We have already received very interesting fleas from some of our finest artists and bands from the Bergen metal and rock scene!

Any questions please contact us on lopper@holeinthesky.no, alternatively
call us on +47 90527808

PYRO DJ Team will entertain you with meat and metal in the VIP lounge at USF Friday and Saturday from 19.00

Schedule and stage times:
Hover the mouse over the the artist lineup above to see when they are playing.

Read on for details on Non Live program.

TUESDAY 24.08.09
19.00 – 20.00 Get Hammered – Metal Hammer goes live
23.00 – 02.30 Hole in the Sky DJ-team

WEDNESDAY 25.08.09
13.00 – 17.00 Metal non stop – Hole in the Sky vorspiel
17.00 – 19.00 BRAK photo
19.00 – 20.00 Get Hammered – Metal Hammer goes live
23.00 – 02.30 DJ Alan Nemtheanga

THURSDAY 26.08.09
13.00 – 15.00 Dark Essence listening session
15.00 – 17.00 “The Sky’s the limit; Branding, Beer & Bergen – II”
17.00 – 18.30 Hole in the Quiz
18.30 – 19.00 Jason Rouse stand-up show
19.00 – 20.00 Get Hammered – Metal Hammer goes live
23.00 – 02.30 DJ Alan Nemtheanga

FRIDAY 28.08.09
13.00 – 16.00 Indie Recordings listening session including a live set from Sahg

SATURDAY 29.08.09
15.00 – 17.00 Hole In the Quiz

“Due to unforeseen circumstances in regards to the Armageddon Festival in London, VON has decided to cancel their live appearance at the Hole in the Sky this year.  The creators of VON (Goat and Venien) are both in the studio working hard on their solo projects and wish to acknowledge and offer their continued support and thanks to the both “The Hole in the Sky” and their management for given the opportunity”.

As Von was booked as a bonus to an already full booked Wednesday, they will not be replaced. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and apologize to all people that has been looking forward to this show.

Jason Rouse (Can) is a renegade touring stand-up comedian taking the mainstream comedy world and turning it upside down. Over the last decade this comedy outsiders has been sharpening his teeth in clubs and festivals all over the world. Rouse, has made it his mission to forge a new road and write a new chapter in stand-up comedy. Middle of the road mainstream comedy will be left for dead. Instead this Jester from Hell will be unleashed onto international stages with all of the power of a derailed comedy freight train. Expect an assault on all false gods and hypocrisy that is of this world today.

Autopsy drummer/singer Chris Reifert was a member of legends Death before he, together with Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles, founded Autopsy in 1987. Albums like «Severed Survival» and «Mental Funeral» subsequently made Autopsy one of the most revered Death Metal bands ever, with their downtuned and doomy riffs, memorable artwork and sick lyrics. Playing together for the first time in fifteen years, Hole in the Sky are one of the very few festivals Autopsy will play – be there and witness Death Metal the way it was meant to be.

Comments Autopsy main man Chris Reifert: “Autopsy is pleased to be invading the stage at Hole in the Sky. We are putting 100% of our blood, bones and brains into this band and we are confident that our performance will remind people of how real Death Metal is played.

Thanks to all who have brought us back from the grave. Your dedication will be met with an assault of pure gore soaked brutality. See you then!”

Founding members Goat and Venien have decided to reform VON for a select number of shows, with Hole in the Sky being one the few festivals.

Comments the band: Hole in the Sky Festival is a gathering of the Hordes of Norwegian Darkness and Ritual of Chaos, and that in itself is a significant precursor to our involvement and participation. VON is pleased and honored to be included within the ranks of such bands.

VON will perform as special guest on the Wednesday dubbed Invocation together with Rotting Christ, Dead Congregation, Repugnant, Grave Miasma and Urfaust.

Link to tickets: http://www.billettservice.no/search.php?tm_link=tm_homeA_header_search&language=en&keyword=hole+in+the+sky

Venom has influenced everything from Metallica and Slayer to the vast majority of all black metal bands we know today, even coining the genre name with their second album “Black Metal”.

But Hole in the Sky isn’t all about the legends; it’s about drawing the lines from the roots to the present. Lately there’s been a great resurrection of underground talent and a growing interest in the underground in general, something that we find healthy and inspiring. Lately a lot of smaller specialized festivals have surfaced around in Scandinavia and on the continent and these gatherings play a major role in keeping the music scene alive and exciting.

This year all four days have been put together with a loose theme for each day that all together is intended to be the ultimate celebration of death, doom, and black metal, from the pioneers Venom, Obituary, and Cathedral, via underground heroes such as Grave Miasma, Enforcer, and Dead Congregation, to rising stars Secrets of the Moon, The Devil’s Blood and Watain. In-between, you’ll find legends in new outfits such as Ihsahn and Tom G Warrior’s Triptykon and a whole bunch of other fantastic bands that make the world a better place.

In addition to usual four days of metal mayhem, there are also a few other occasions ideal for some serious hellraising. On the Sunday before the festival kicks off, Bergen Live, in cooperation with Hole in the Sky, is presenting the absolutely brilliant French metal act, Gojira, which did their first gig in Norway during the Hole in the Sky festival in 2006. In addition we have the “Incoming” day on Tuesday, featuring some mighty fine acts from Oslo and Bergen.

Hole in the Sky 2010 is not for the weak hearted, it’s there to challenge and celebrate. Raise your fists.

22.08 Bergen Live in cooperation with HITS: Gojira at USF Verftet
24.08 Incoming: Dead To This World, Valhall, Lobotomized, Byfrost, Rikets Crust
25.08 Invocation: Rotting Christ, Dead Congregation, Repugnant, Grave Miasma, Urfaust
26.08 Evil Spells: Suffocation, Angel Witch, Evile, Enforcer, Astrosoniq
27.08 Black Mass: Venom, Cathedral, Ihsahn, The Devil’s Blood, Solstafir, Secrets of the Moon
28.08 Total Death: Surprise act TBA in June, Obituary, Watain, Triptykon, Nunslaughter, Obliteration
28.08 HITS for KIDZ: Secrets of the Moon, Hellish Outcast, Gravdal