Sonisphere Festival Finland

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 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. Plans for future festivals are to expand the number of festivals making the event global rather than local to Europe, expanding the UK event to a 3 day festival and increasing the UK capacity from 40,000 to 60,000.

The Finnish edition of the Sonisphere Festival took place on Saturday July 25, 2009 at Kirjurinluoto, Pori with headliners Metallica and Linkin Park, Machine Head, Turisas, Saxon, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Diablo, Nicole and Los Bastardos Finlandeses. Anthrax had to cancel their appearance and Machine Head also had to cut their set short due to guitarist Phil Demmel passing out onstage during the song Halo.

In 2010 a freak thunderstorm that unexpectedly blew in from the Baltic Sea threatened to uproot Sonisphere Finland. The storm lasted less than five minutes, but in that time it damaged the second stage beyond repair (it’s currently being held up by a crane), completely broke Mötley Crüe’s kit and soaked absolutely everyone at the festival

Sonisphere Finland - Line Up 2010
Aria, Serj Tankian, The Cult, Alice in Chains, HIM, Stam1na, Behemoth, The 69 Eyes, Apocalyptica, Volbeat, Anthrax, Slayer, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Mokoma, Iggy & The Stooges, Motley Crue

Sonisphere Finland - Line Up 2009
Metallica, Linkin Park, Machine Head, Turisas, Saxon, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Diablo, Nicole, Los Bastardos Finlandeses