Sweden Rock Festival

Sweden Rock Festival is an annual rock / metal festival held in Sweden since June 6, 1992.

While having a clear rock / metal focus, the festival is noted for its diversity across these genres, having featured southern rock bands such as Molly Hatchet to death metal legends like Obituary.

The first festival was held in Olofström, with 9 relatively unknown bands and it only lasted one day. The next 5 years, the festival was held in Karlshamn. Since 1998 the festival has been held in Norje, outside Sölvesborg. When the festival first began in 1992, it featured nine relatively unknown bands and it only lasted one day. The next year the festival was expanded to two days and more bands were added to the line-up. From 1993 to 2002 the festival would last two days; over those years it would also begin to feature bigger name acts.

Sonisphere Festivals Europe

The idea for Sonisphere was first conceived when Stuart Galbraith, was working for now business rivals & 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 materialise however, until Galbraith left Live Nation for events company Kilamanjaro Live. Galbraith gained the support of influential metal band Metallica who will help curate the festival in coming years, 

Galbraiths' plans for future festivals are to expand the number of festivals making the event global rather than local to Europe.