The Stonehenge festival, in the heart of Steenwijk (Overijssel, The Netherlands), is expected to be an extraordinary edition this year. The festival takes place on Saturday July the 31st and six talented acts from Overijssel have been added onto the already existing line-up of twelve international and native metal bands. Never before has the line-up been so extensive, guarantying almost 12 hours of non-stop metal en rock at the Buze beginning at 11.30 in the morning.
Over the years Stonehenge has manifested itself in a grand manner as an underground metal festival, as well as booking many international acts. While the first edition presented only six acts, the repertoire has for some time been expanded unto twelve. However, Stonehenge has expanded its reputation even further by booking such memorable international bands such as Napalm Death, Master and Immolation.
The initial intent of the festival was to provide a podium for local bands as well as native and even international bands. This mission has been given an extra boost this year, the line-up being recently expanded with six very talented bands from Stonehenge’s own province, Overijssel: Load (Steenwijk), Symphony of Destruction (Dedemsvaart), Grindbashers (Zwolle), Stigmatheist (Almelo), Face the Fact (Ommen) and Devious from Hengelo. This has kindly been made possible by the Province of Overijssel (Provincie Overijssel), Art & Culture Overijssel (Kunst & Cultuur Overijssel, KCO) and the Dutch Fund for Podium Arts (Nederlands Fonds voor Podiumkunsten). KCO devotes itself to provide assistance to talented bands in the Overijssel region in anyway it can, such as providing extra gigs.
The organisation was extremely eager to accept the invitation to participate in the so-called Provincial Talent Plan. Co-organizer René Brugmans says, “this enables us to provide Stonehenge with an extra regional tinge.” These regional Aces have been chosen through deliberation and mutual consent.” All of the bands can be categorized under the genre metal or at least their music style is very close to it. Annalies Groen, singer in the band Load, has visited the festival for years now: “I don’t consider myself to be a metal freak, it’s the ambience that’s captivating and this year we get to play. Cool!”
The organisation had already announced earlier on, that twelve bands with varying styles were to play at Stonehenge. The bands are Incantation, Cattle Decapitation from the United States, Valkyrja and Gothminister from Norway, the Swedish General Surgery, Hacride en Gorod from France, Moker from Belgium en Acrostichon, The 11th Hour and Carach Angren from the Netherlands. The headliner is to be the American band Origin.
This expansion in the line-up means more music for the same price: € 25 in advance booking. The festival begins at 11.30 am. The first band will begin at 11.45 am and until the clock strikes eleven times again in the evening there will be non-stop music. Much care has been given to the time schedule; for, as René Brugmans rightly says: “Quality must not be sacrificed for the sake of quantity.”
For further information please visit: www.stonehengefestival.nl
Ticket sales have already begun.
