Sonisphere Festival

Sonisphere Festival
Main Stage at Sonisphere Festival in Kirjurinluoto, Pori, Finland.
Genre	Rock, heavy metal, punk, metalcore
Dates	June/July/August
Location(s)	Europe
Years active	2009 - present
Website	www.sonispherefestivals.com

The Sonisphere Festival is a series of summer music festivals to take place across Europe in June 2009 and summer 2010. The festival is owned and promoted by Kilimanjaro Live with financial backing from AEG.

Event history

The idea for Sonisphere was first conceived when Stuart Galbraith was working for now business rivals and organisers of Download Festival, Live Nation. The plan was to hold a series of events that would 'translate into other territories'. The event did not begin to materialize, however, until Galbraith left Live Nation for events company Kilimanjaro Live.
Galbraith gained the support of influential metal band Metallica who were claimed to help curate the festival in coming years; however, rumours were quickly denied of their signing a multi-million pound deal which would see them headline the festival for three years. Galbraith's plans for future festivals are to increase the number of festivals, making the event global rather than local to Europe, expanding the UK event into a 3-day festival, and increasing the UK capacity from 40,000 to 60,000 attendees.

Sonisphere 2009

The 2009 Sonisphere festival tour was made up of six one day festivals across Europe with an eighth festival in England spanning two days. The festival had a core group of bands that played each of the 6 dates with numerous extra bands added to each date individually. The locations for the 2009 festivals include Goffert Park, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Hockenheimring, Germany; The Forum, Barcelona, Spain; Folkets Park, Hultsfred, Sweden; Kirjurinluoto, Pori, Finland, and Knebworth House, Knebworth, England. Metallica were the main headliners for each of the 2009 Sonisphere Festivals.

The Netherlands

The Dutch edition of the Sonisphere Festival took place on Saturday June 20, 2009 at Goffert Park, Nijmegen with headliners Metallica.

All bands confirmed for the festival include:

• Metallica
• Slipknot
• Korn
• Down
• Lamb of God
• Kamelot
• Pendulum

The following bands had cancelled their appearance:

• Mastodon
• The Sword

Mastodon couldn't make it to Sonisphere due to scheduling issues. This was announced on Sonisphere itself, although some heard the news whilst traveling.

The Sword cancelled their show a few days before Sonisphere began.

Germany

The German edition of the Sonisphere Festival took place on Saturday July 4, 2009 at Hockenheimring with headliners Metallica.

All bands confirmed for the festival so far include:

• Metallica
• Die Toten Hosen
• The Prodigy
• Anthrax
• In Extremo
• Down
• Lamb of God
• Mastodon

Spain

The Spanish edition of the Sonisphere Festival took place on Saturday July 11, 2009 at The Forum, Barcelona with headliners Metallica.

All bands confirmed for the festival so far include:

• Metallica
• Slipknot
• Lamb of God
• Mastodon
• Down
• Machine Head
• Soziedad Alkohólika
• Gojira
• The Eyes

Sweden

Jimmie Strimmell performing at Sonisphere Festival, Hultsfred, Sweden 2009.

The Swedish edition of the Sonisphere Festival took place on Saturday July 18, 2009 at Folkets Park, Hultsfred with headliners Metallica.

All bands confirmed for the festival so far include:

• Metallica
• Adept
• Cradle of Filth
• Dead by April
• Primal Scream
• Lamb of God
• Mastodon
• Meshuggah
• Machine Head
• The (International) Noise Conspiracy
• The Cult
• The Hives

The following bands had cancelled their appearance:

• Anthrax

Finland

Linkin Park performing at Sonisphere Festival in Kirjurinluoto, Pori, Finland.

The Finnish edition of the Sonisphere Festival took place on Saturday July 25, 2009 at Kirjurinluoto, Pori with headliners Metallica.

All bands confirmed for the festival include:

• Metallica
• Linkin Park
• Machine Head
• Turisas
• Saxon
• Lamb of God
• Mastodon
• Diablo
• Nicole
• Los Bastardos Finlandeses

The following bands had cancelled their appearance:

• Anthrax

Machine Head were forced to cut their set short, due to lead guitarist Phil Demmel collapsing on stage.

United Kingdom

The British edition of the Sonisphere Festival took place over two days on Saturday August 1 and Sunday August 2, 2009 at Knebworth House, Knebworth with headliners Linkin Park (Saturday) and Metallica (Sunday). The festival featured four stages of music over the weekend, with the main two being staggered staging, the others being within the Bohemia village. The Bohemia stage (the third of four stages) was an undercover stage and was able to continue past the sound curfews placed upon the main stages. This was Avenged Sevenfold drummer, The Rev's, final performance before his death in December 2009. It was also the last appearance of Ronnie James Dio before he lost his battle with Stomach Cancer in May 2010.

Apollo Stage
Saturday	Sunday
Linkin Park Heaven & Hell FACT Anthrax Taking Back Sunday Alien Ant Farm	Metallica Nine Inch Nails Limp Bizkit Machine Head Lamb of God Killing Joke Buckcherry

Saturn Stage
Saturday	Sunday
Bullet for My Valentine Airbourne The Used Björn Again Skindred SOiL	Avenged Sevenfold Alice in Chains Feeder Mastodon Saxon Paradise Lost

Bohemia
Saturday	Sunday
The Wildhearts Thunder Fucked Up Rolo Tomassi Oceansize Coheed & Cambria Flood of Red Twin Atlantic Fighting With Wire Failsafe Glamour of the Kill Sylosis Blakfish Telegraphs	Hundred Reasons Zebrahead Pepper Architects Cancer Bats Little London Corey Taylor Lauren Harris Dead by April Attack! Attack! Rise to Remain

Jagermeister Stage
Saturday	Sunday
Young Guns Exit Ten Blackhole New Device Fin The Dead Formats	Heaven’s Basement The Defiled Young Guns The Crave Sharks Me Vs Hero Dear Superstar

• Dead by Sunrise appeared on the Apollo Stage on the Saturday night as part of Linkin Park's encore.
• Coheed and Cambria were late arriving, due to them missing their ferry and as such were moved onto the Bohemia stage to play a later slot originally intended for the band FACT. As such, FACT played the Apollo stage, to a less than warm reception.
• Blaas of Glory, a gypsy style cover band performed a small set on the Saturn stage on the Saturday before Soil.
• Lamb of God's guitarist Mark Morton missed the band's slot on 2 August as his wife was due to give birth around that time. Unearth's Buz McGrath filled in for him for the bands show at Sonisphere UK.
• Nine Inch Nails performance was their last ever in Europe as they are set to stop touring at the end of their current tour after 20 years.
• Thunder played their last ever set as well after 20 years of performing.
• Anthrax played what was billed as a one off show with former vocalist John Bush as the originally intended vocalist, Dan Nelson, was no longer part of the band.
• Machine Head pulled out when Limp Bizkit's addition bumped them down the bill, however, they did return to play the fourth slot on the Apollo stage as Special Guests.

Band dropouts

• Frank Turner pulled out for undisclosed reasons, though he has claimed to fans that he was forced to chose between this festival and Leeds and Reading festivals, ultimately choosing the latter.
• The Sword pulled from the line-up because they were exhausted.
• Fear Factory cancelled tour dates for what they claimed to be recording of a new album, but was ultimately found out to be legal disputes over the use of the name Fear Factory.
• Thin Lizzy pulled out as the band parted ways with guitarist/vocalist John Sykes.
• The Chapman Family were removed from the line up for undisclosed reasons, though later appeared on the Reading/Leeds line up.
• Dinosaur Pile-Up were removed from the line up for undisclosed reasons, though later appeared on the Reading/Leeds line up.
• Dirty Little Rabbits pulled out before the festival due to their drummer suffering from exhaustion after months of touring with Slipknot.
• The Ataris pulled out after one of their members contracted swine flu.

• Machine Head were originally billed to play the third spot of the Apollo stage on the Sunday, but pulled out after Limp Bizkit being added to their spot caused disputes over their placement. However, these disputes were settled and Machine Head did, in fact, return to play fourth spot on the Apollo stage.

Sonisphere 2010

The Sonisphere 2010 tour is the biggest yet with 11 locations around Europe between 16 June and 8 August. The Locations for this years Sonisphere are Poland, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Turkey, Spain, United Kingdom, Sweden and Finland. Unlike in 2009, there is not a full touring headliner performing each date. The headliners for 2010 are Iron Maiden, Metallica and Rammstein.

Poland

Poland was the first of the 2010 festivals, first announced on 9 December 2009, and taking place in Warsaw on 16 June 2010. Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax; bands which make up the big four of thrash metal, played together for the first time. Confirmed bands are:

• Metallica
• Megadeth
• Slayer
• Anthrax
• Behemoth
• Frontside
• Diary of Sorrow
• Materia

Switzerland

Switzerland was second to take up the Sonisphere flag in 2010 with the festival taking place at Degenaupark in Jonschwil on 18 June.

• Metallica
• Rise Against
• Motörhead
• Megadeth
• Slayer
• Stone Sour
• Alice in Chains
• Bullet for my Valentine
• Anthrax
• As I Lay Dying
• Atreyu
• Hellyeah
• DevilDriver
• Smoke Blow
• Dear Superstar
• 3 Inches of Blood
• Amon Amarth
• Volbeat

Czech Republic

Czech Republic hosted the festival in Milovice on 19 June, this was also a one day festival. Metallica headlined this event.

• Metallica
• Rise Against
• Slayer
• Stone Sour
• Alice in Chains
• Therapy?
• Megadeth
• Fear Factory
• Anthrax
• Volbeat
• DevilDriver
• Debustrol
• Panic Cell
• Shogun Tokugawa

Bulgaria

Bulgaria held its first Sonisphere over 2 days in Sofia on 22–23 June. The venue was the Vasil Levski National Stadium.

Sofia Rocks Powered by Sonisphere Festival
22 June 2010	23 June 2010
Metallica Slayer Megadeth Anthrax Bastardolomey	Rammstein Manowar Alice in Chains Stone Sour Skre4

This concert was also broadcast live around the world in movie theaters as part of the Big Four Tour. This was the first time in their history that all four bands played on the same stage in the same day.

Greece

The Sonisphere festival in Greece was held at the 24th of June on Terra Vibe Park in Athens in front of 30.000 people.

• Metallica
• Megadeth
• Slayer
• Anthrax
• Stone Sour
• Bullet for My Valentine
• Suicidal Angels

The Big Four did not all play together.

Romania

Romania held the Sonisphere festival on the 25–27 June in Bucharest at Romexpo.

Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Accept	Metallica	Rammstein
Manowar	Slayer	Alice in Chains
Volbeat	Megadeth	Stone Sour
Paradise Lost	Anthrax	Anathema
Orphaned Land	Vita de Vie	Luna Amara

Turkey

Turkey held the Sonisphere festival at the same time as Romania on the 25–27 June 2010 in Istanbul at BJK İnönü Stadium.

• Metallica
• Rammstein
• Accept
• Slayer
• Megadeth
• Anthrax
• Heaven & Hell (cancelled)
• Manowar
• Alice in Chains
• Stone Sour
• Mastodon (cancelled)
• Volbeat
• Hayko Cepkin
• Pentagram
• Foma
• Blacktooth
• Gren
• Ete Kurttekin

The Big Four hit the stage one after another, but did not play altogether.

The programme for events was as follows:

Friday, June 25

• Rammstein 21:00 – 23:00
• Alice in Chains 19:00 – 20:00
• Pentagram 17:30 – 18:30
• Stone Sour 16:15 – 17:00
• Blacktooth 15:00 – 15:45
• Ete Kurttekin 14:00 – 14:30
• Door Opening  : 13:00

Saturday, June 26

• Accept 21:00 – 23:00
• Manowar 19:15 – 20:15
• Hayko Cepkin 17:45 – 18:45
• Volbeat 16:30 – 17:15
• Murder King 15:30 – 16:00
• Door Opening  : 14:00

Sunday, June 27

• Metallica 21:00 – 23:00
• Slayer 19:00 – 20:00
• Megadeth 17:30 – 18:30
• Anthrax 16:15 – 17:00
• Foma 15:15 – 15:45
• Gren 14:15 – 14:45
• Door Opening  : 13:00

Spain

Spain hosted Sonisphere on 9–10 July at Getafe Open Air, Madrid.

• Rammstein
• Faith No More
• Heaven & Hell (cancelled)
• Slayer
• Alice in Chains
• Megadeth
• Anthrax
• Bullet for My Valentine
• Coheed and Cambria
• Headcharger
• Volbeat

United Kingdom

Sonisphere arrived in the UK for a three day festival, taking place at Knebworth House. Music included a Rocky Horror Show theme with Alice Cooper, and headliners Iron Maiden and Rammstein..

The announced acts are:

Apollo Stage
Saturday	Sunday
Rammstein Placebo Good Charlotte Papa Roach Anthrax Lacuna Coil Family Force Five	Iron Maiden Pendulum Alice in Chains Slayer Skindred Karnivool Madina Lake

Saturn Stage
Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Alice Cooper Gary Numan Europe Turisas Delain	Mötley Crüe Skunk Anansie Apocalyptica Fear Factory Soulfly Sabaton	Iggy and the Stooges The Cult Bring Me the Horizon Dir en Grey The Fab Beatles CKY

Bohemia
BIZARRE Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Terrorvision 65daysofstatic Fastway Sylosis bigelf Black Spiders	Gallows Corey Taylor Therapy? Renegades Sick of it All Evile Katatonia Polar Bear Club Heaven's Basement Futures Enforcer	Funeral for a Friend Rollins Spoken Word Converge Fightstar The Union The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster Rise to Remain Voodoo Six The Defiled

The following acts appear across the whole weekend.

Bohemian Hilarity
Saturday	Sunday
Tim Minchin Jarred Christmas MC Andrew O'Neill	Jim Jefferies Brian Posehn Sean Hughes Glenn Wool

Bowtime Bar

And so I Watch You From Afar All Forgotten The Bendal Interlude Bow and Arrow Bury Tomorrow Cars on Fire Chickenhawk Deaf Havana Failsafe Firebug The Ghost of a Thousand INME Inner City Dwellers Kellermensch Me Vs. Hero Kvelertak Philip Sayce Rinoa Tek One While She Sleeps The Worldonfire The Xcerts

Jagermeister Stage

Earthtone9 Allies Audrey Horne Boys With X-Ray Eyes The Casino Brawl G.U. Medicine March of the Raptors RSJ Sacred Mother Tongue Slam Cartel Throats The Tom Hollister Trio Turbowolf Slaves to Gravity Malefice

The Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage

After The Ordeal Army of Freshmen Don Broco Blitz Kids Endless Dark Fei Comodo General Fiasco Japanese Voyeurs Lights Go Blue Little Fish Lower Than Atlantis

Band dropouts

• Outcry Collective pulled out due to the band breaking up

Sweden

Sweden will then host Sonisphere at Stockholm on the 7th August for a one day festival. Iron Maiden have announced on their official website that the band will be headlining the Swedish event. The following bands are confirmed for the event.

• Iron Maiden
• Heaven & Hell (cancelled due to Ronnie James Dio's illness and later death)
• Mötley Crüe
• Alice Cooper
• Iggy & The Stooges
• Slayer
• Anthrax
• HammerFall
• Imperial State Electric
• Warrior Soul

Finland

Sonisphere finished its massive tour off at Finland where tickets sold out last year. It was held on 7–8 August at Pori. Iron Maiden and HIM headlined the event.

• Iron Maiden
• HIM
• Heaven & Hell (cancelled)
• Mötley Crüe (cancelled)
• Alice Cooper
• Slayer
• Anthrax
• The Cult
• Iggy & The Stooges (played only four songs acoustically due to the damage caused by the storm)
• Serj Tankian
• Alice in Chains
• Volbeat
• Apocalyptica

A freak storm hit Sonisphere in Finland on Sunday 8 August causing severe damage to the second stage, making it unsafe and totally unusable. Two people were seriously injured and one died in the hospital.

Sonisphere 2011

Sonisphere is set to return in 2011 though yet again the venues are unknown. Sonisphere Knebworth will see a return and there is also speculation of an event in India.

See also

• Concerts at Knebworth House
• World Magnetic Tour
• The Final Frontier World Tour

External links

• Official Website
• Vexed Sonisphere Festival Coverage - Feat Interviews with Taking Back Sunday, The Used and more
• UK Sonisphere Review
• Sonisphere Review- UK Style
• Sonisphere Fan Review- UK Style