HISTORY OF SONISPHERE FESTIVAL ITALY
Check out our review of Sonisphere Festival 2011 in Italy - click here >>>
Check out our photos from Sonisphere Festival 2011 in Italy - click here >>>
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, however, rumours were quickly denied of them being signed to a multi million pound deal which would see them headline the festival for three years. Galbraiths' 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 2009 Sonisphere festival tour was made up of six one day festivals across Europe with an final 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 were Goffert Park, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, Hockenheimring, Germany The Forum, Barcelona, Spain, Folkets Park, Hultsfred, Sweden, Kirjurinluoto, Pori, Finland, and Knebworth House, Knebworth, England. Metallica have been announced as the main headliners for each of the 2009 Sonisphere Festivals