(Our editor-in-chief Islander is responsible for conducting the following interview, and the introduction that precedes it.)
The fourth edition of the Ascension metal festival will take place in Iceland on July 3rd – 6th, 2024, with a four-day lineup consisting of 30 bands. As the festival accurately says, it “prides itself on offering an eclectic, esoteric and wholly unique experience,” placing “a strong emphasis on Icelandic and international Black metal, along with alternative and experimental acts.”
The festival is produced by Studio Emissary, an Icelandic recording, mixing, and mastering studio that has played a pivotal role in the birth and expansion of Icelandic black metal (but has also worked with the likes of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and Björk’s Biophilia), and by Studio Emissary‘s sister company, the Oration record label.
Ascension is the spiritual successor to the Oration festival, which ran for three years in Iceland. I attended the last of the Oration festivals in Reykjavík, and I’ve made it to two of the three Ascension festivals that have happened so far, including the 2019 edition that was hosted in the charming Reykjavík suburb of Mosfellbær, which will be the site of Ascension again this year — and I’m very excited to say that I’ll be at this year’s Ascension too.
The man behind Ascension, Studio Emissary, and Oration is Stephen Lockhart (he’s also the person behind Rebirth of Nefast, and a past participant in other Icelandic music groups). In an effort to help support Ascension, which in my festival-going experience really is unique, and to satisfy my own curiosity about a few things, I reached out to Stephen for an interview, and he graciously agreed to answer some questions.
Thank you for taking my questions Stephen. I’m very excited about returning to Ascension in July. We’re less than a month out at this point – so how are you feeling about the way the festival is coming together?
From an organisation perspective, very well. I’ve actually decided to take time from my day job this year to oversee final planning, rather than half killing myself trying to do so late in the evenings and weekends.
Ticket sales are, as always, a concern. This year especially, with the future of the festival hanging in the balance. But this has apparently become the standard for the festival, with every year potentially being the last. I’m oddly enough, more at peace with the situation than usual, despite the potential of a negative outcome being more detrimental than ever. We’ve done all we can, and if the festival turns out to be a financial disaster, I can live with that, knowing we did not hold back and likely could not have changed the outcome. If we can’t fill this venue with the lineup we have now, with the tickets priced as they are now, then we never will.
What will happen will happen. My primary concern is that we’ll at least see an outcome that will allow the festival to continue, but we’ll just have to wait and see. Either way, we’re viewing this edition as a celebration of sorts. Either it’s the last one, and we’re going out with a bang, or it’s not and we’re celebrating that very fact! Everything is in place for this to be the finest festival we’ve ever pulled off, with no compromises!
Ascension has completed the roll-out of the lineup announcements, and by my count it includes 30 bands now spread across four days — 17 from Iceland, 11 from Europe (ranging from Finland to Greece and Netherlands to Czechia), and 2 from the Antipodes (Australia and New Zealand must be very close to the precise antipodal opposite of Iceland). This must be one of the most geographically diverse, if not the most diverse, in the festival’s history. Is that your impression too?
When you mention it, yes! But it’s not actually something I think about when putting the a lineup together, rather something that I notice after already it’s completed. Last year for example, it was only when arranging airport shuttle runs, did I realise that the vast majority of the international lineup was in fact flying from Sweden. It’s not something I would consider particularly unusual though. If we can have Jupitarian make their way from Brazil and Mitochondrion from Canada, why hold back?
The lineup includes many old favorites from previous Ascensions and Orations, but also some new names for this festival. Can you highlight for us some of the bands who will be playing Ascension for the first time?
I think I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring specific attention to Vafurlogi. This is the solo project of Þórir Garðarsson of Svartidauði and Sinmara fame. It’s a project that’s been in production in one way or another for the last 10 years, if not more. We recorded it at Studio Emissary over the last 3 years and now, finally, it has a release date. Expect something akin to Þórir’s aforementioned projects, but with a twist. It’s not to be missed. That’s all I’ll say.
Then we have Vévaki, a band that immediately struck me as an ‘Ascension band’ upon my first time seeing them perform live. Óreiða also – an Icelandic project, but still quite obscure locally despite making waves via Debemur Morti. Live performances are a rarity. Again, neither band is to be missed.
I should also bring attention to Altari, Múr, Forsmán and Nexion. All bands that have performed at the festival, but still part of the new wave of bands coming out of Iceland that are deserving of special attention.
As for the international line-up, the only band that has performed at Ascension before is Inferno. Bands like Afsky, Oranssi Pazuzu, Dead Congregation, Thy Darkened Shade, they need no introduction!
I was excited to see that Rebirth of Nefast will be performing again, but doesn’t that add the stress of rehearsing to the other stresses of putting on the event for you?
Absolutely, but it’s just one more thing on a mountain of stress factors already. For the 2021 edition (Covid edition), that was the only year Rebirth of Nefast did not perform at one of our festivals (including the Oration festivals, Ascension’s spiritual predecessor). With all the challenges we faced that year, I was certain that performing myself would not be a wise decision. And while it was certainly the correct decision, I couldn’t help but feel that I should have been performing also.
Can you say who will be accompanying you on stage for that set, or is it best kept a secret?
Indeed I can! It’s Þórir from Sinmara (and now Vafurlogi), Eysteinn from Nyrst/Úlfúð, Magnus from the legendary Forgarður Helvítis, and last but not least, Bjarni from Sinmara/Almyrkvi and of course Rebirth of Nefast. It’s the same lineup as last year’s performance and I dare say, the most solid to date – helped in no small part by the fact that Bjarni also performed drums on both the last and ‘upcoming’ Rebirth of Nefast album.
This is probably a good place for me to mention that there’s an Ascension MMXXIV playlist on Spotify (here) which will give people a chance to sample music from bands in the lineup they might not be familiar with. But on to the next question:
I have very fond memories of a past Ascension at the Hlégarður venue located in Mosfellsbær, and of stumbling outside around midnight with the sun still above the horizon, but for people who’ve never been there, would you please describe the venue and its location?
Hlégarður is located in Mosfellsbær, a suburb of the Greater Reykjavík area. It’s technically its own municipality, but to non-Icelanders, located just 20 minutes from downtown Reykjavík, it’s a suburb. It’s also where I live. To many living in the downtown area, it’s considered the countryside, but to me, it’s the perfect balance of environment and convenience. Close enough to the town should I ever want to venture there, but also right on the edge of the desolation that is most of Iceland. As for the venue itself, I’ve always considered it to be the spiritual home of Ascension. It has everything we need. Not too big, not too small, close to amenities, perfect environment surrounded by mountains. It has it all.
I see that there will again be shuttle buses running between Reykjavik and Mosfellsbær, for those who aren’t able or interested in staying within walking distance?
Yes sir! It’s a must as far as I’m concerned. When you live here and have modes of transportation, living 20 minutes from Reykjavík is a non-issue. But when considering that many attendees are not just travelling for the festival, but also as tourists to Iceland for the first time, then it is reasonable to assume that many would prefer to be located in the capital.
There’s also a campsite at Mosskógar. Where is that, and will the shuttle bus connect it to the venue as well?
Yep! The camping shuttle bus will stop off at the campsite on the way to and from the venue.
Apart from the music, two other distinctive features of Ascension (in my humble opinion) are the quality of the food and the fantastic artwork that adorns the walls and the merchandise. What can you tell us about those two aspects of Ascension MMXXIV?
There is not a lot I can say in this regard, as I feel these are elements that are best appreciated in person. But they point to the greater aesthetic of the festival, and the standard that we try to set for every facet of it.
The vision of the festival is rooted deeply in the sense of what I myself would like to experience when attending events. Is there a vision at play here? Is there a level of respect for attendees that have parted with their hard-earned cash to be here? Can we do something better than we’re already doing it? Is there common theme or vibe that I can identify? Or to use the term again – a vision?
The food is a reflection of the standards we set for ourself and the artwork and merchandise is a reflection of the greater aesthetic of the festival. We do not aim to be one of many good music festivals, we aim higher than that. Our goal for Ascension is just that – an all-encompassing experience that elevates us out of our mortal coil, even just for a moment.
Speaking of food (and here I use the term very loosely), will you again have hákari, that horrible fermented shark, on offer?
Most certainly! We could not in good conscience host the event at Hlégarður and not provide the shark of death (Sharkidauði).
I guess like a lot of ignorant tourists, I felt that eating that was some kind of rite of passage, so I did it at the last Ascension at Hlégarður. Fortunately, Brennivín shots were close at hand, so I recovered fairly quickly. Fortified by Brennivín, I later did it a second time, proving the truth of the adage that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
I think ‘rite of passage’ would be a very good way to describe it. A rite of passage for what, I’m not sure. But I’ve tried it numerous times and every time, I still get that feeling. It always tastes awful.
I know putting on this festival is a tremendous amount of work that begins far in advance, and I also know there have been times when you considered stopping. What keeps you going?
I don’t know. Addiction. Stupidity. I haven’t quite decided. But you are absolutely correct – I did announce that the 2018 edition of Oration would be the last festival we’d do. I lasted all of about 3 months before the first edition of Ascension was announced. Again this year, I had decided that 2023 would be the last Ascension. This time however, I had the sense to not announce that… just in case. Sure enough, even with that decision firmly implanted in my head, I went through the entire 2023 festival thinking ‘next time, I should do this like that and that like this’. I think part of it is that I enjoy the challenge of it. I have difficulty in doing things by half measures and the festival offers the opportunity to go all out creatively with so many different streams, it’s hard to resist.
Another aspect, which came as quite a surprise, was the feeling I got from people I spoke to at the festival in 2023. While I didn’t announce it would be the last one publicly, it was not something I kept a secret. There were two reactions to the idea of stopping – 1. No one wanted that to happen. 2. No one believed I could quit anyway. And rightly so…
At this point, I think of the festival like a child. Often a difficult birth, where you promise yourself it will be the last. But then then you also love the child and are proud of it and want to see it thrive, and of course, can’t just give up on it. It’s a part of me, and I it. I am attached to it.
I also know from my own experience helping to organize Northwest Terror Fest in Seattle for six years that budgeting is always a big gamble, maybe especially for an event of this relatively modest size. There’s no scientific method (other than trial and error) for figuring out ticket prices and no crystal ball that tells you how well sales will go, and yet you’ve got to incur concrete expenses and make promises of compensation to bands, and then just hope for the best. What’s your own approach to this conundrum? And who on your team keeps a hawk-eye’s watch on the budget?
It’s funny you use the term crystal ball, because that is a term I use regularly to describe what I’d require to accurately predict the outcome of our festivals. There certainly is no formula, and if there was, I imagine we’d see many more festivals, or rather more festivals that survive more than 2 or 3 editions. There are so many variables to consider that it’s impossible to know what will influence the outcome. In the end, it’s really just educated guesses based on the analysis of previous editions.
In terms of the organisation of the festival, and operations during the festival itself, that is something we can always improve upon and build upon with experience. But the outcome itself, meaning ticket sales and attendance… yeah, crystal ball. Will there be a worldwide pandemic? A recession? How about war in Europe? There really is no textbook for this stuff. And then of course, there is the reality that we’re based in Iceland, and thus the odds are by default stacked against us. Costs of operation, costs of getting bands in and hosting them, costs of attendees getting here in the first place. It’s a perpetual uphill battle.
As for keeping an eye on the budget, that would be me. On an organisational level, I’ve always been the sole decision-maker and primary organiser of the festival.
I’d also like to ask you what you enjoy most about Ascension, from your perspective behind the scenes and in the gears of the machine, both in the preparation stages and during the event itself?
This is most certainly linked to the ‘what keeps you going?’ question. If I’m honest, it’s probably the organisation itself and then sporadic bursts of euphoria directly before and during the festival. There are many highlights along the way in the organisation process – booking a band that you never imagined to see live, or the various announcement stages. The creative element, such as direction with posters and trailers. I like all the logistical gymnastics, and again, the challenge of it, and then pulling it off and having it all come together in the end.
I very often find that the first day or the day before is the most exciting point for me, where I feel like all that hard work is actually coming to fruition and the event has become a reality, and not just thousands of emails and entries in ‘to do’ lists. An emotional rollercoaster would be the best term for it. There are quiet moments where you think it’s going to be smooth sailing for that day, only for a thousand miniature fires to sprout up all at once, fires that have to be dealt with and can’t be handled by anyone else. In these moments, I do question why I’m doing this and why I’m not at home with my kids watching movies and eating candy. And the fires are extinguished. And then something astounding happens. And then there is another fire. Rinse and repeat for 4 days.
During the festival itself, as is tradition up to this point, I’m generally a nervous wreck before the festival even begins. I often use the term ‘we’ when talking about the festival, but in truth, as the sole decision-maker and owner of the festival, the buck stops with me. There is no grand’ team’ behind the organisation of the festival. It has always just been myself at the core, with never more than one person helping throughout the planning process. There is a larger team for the days of the festival itself, but not for all the tasks and organisation that lead up it. Hence, the outcome of the festival ultimately is mine to bare alone, for better or worse.
In 2021, there was Covid to contend with, and last year, poor tickets sales and the knowledge the festival would run at a loss, so the last few years have not been walks in the park, to put it lightly. But regardless of that, I’ve never been the type of organiser to be seen beer in hand, socialising and watching bands. I’m almost always behind the scenes and always hands-on with every minute detail of the festival. This is something I’ve tried to step back from, but it’s no easy task when so personally involved with some many elements. It’s 21-hour days for a solid 10 days up to and during the festival. The proverbial sucker for punishment it seems. And yet…I keep coming back.
I don’t suppose I can finish this interview without bringing up the latest sequence of volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula. At least from afar, based on videos and photos, it’s a beautiful sight. Can you confirm that it’s no threat to the festival, even if the eruptions continue into July?
It perhaps sounds odd to say, but at this point they’re almost commonplace! For the first few eruptions, there was a lot of coverage, now it’s just like ‘oh, another one?’. They generally last for a couple of weeks, subside, only to be followed by another one a few weeks later. Still, as a non-native, and indeed to many Icelanders, these volcanoes are very much a novelty. But they’re far away from the greater Reykjavík area (which Mosfellsbær falls within, but even further away). The gases they release do not affect air travel, so barring an eruption of biblical proportions, they don’t impact the festival in the slightest.
Thank you again for your time Stephen. See you in July!
Thank you!
For more details about Ascension MMXIV, visit this location:
https://www.ascensionfestivaliceland.com
To purchase tickets (with a 50% discount on full festival passes now available), visit this location:
https://tix.is/is/event/17763/ascension-mmxxiv/
To provide other financial support to Ascension, check out their Patreon page, here:
https://www.patreon.com/AscensionFestivalIceland
And to stay abreast of developments between now and the festival’s commencement, follow Ascension on social media here:
https://www.facebook.com/ascensionfestivaliceland
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