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, 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
Sonisphere UK 2009 - Line Up
Metallica, Linkin Park, Heaven & Hell, FACT, Anthrax, Taking Back Sunday, Alien Ant Farm, Nine Inch Nails, Limp Bizkit, Machine Head, Lamb of God, Killing Joke, Buckcherry, Bullet for My Valentine, Airbourne, The Used, Bjorn Again, Skindred, SOiL, Avenged Sevenfold, Alice in Chains, Feeder, Mastodon, Saxon, Paradise Lost, 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, 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 and many many more.....
Sonisphere UK 2010 - Line Up
Rammstein, Placebo, Iron Maiden, Pendulum, Alice In Chains, Slayer, Skindred, Karnivool, Madina Lake, Good Charlotte, Papa Roach, Anthrax, Lacuna Coil, Family Force 5, Alice Cooper, Gary Newman, Europe, Turisas, Delain, Motley Crue, Skunk Anansie, Apocalyptica, Fear Factory, Soulfly, Sabaton, Terrorvision, 65daysofstatic, Fastway, Sylosis, Bigelf, Black Spiders, Karma To BUrn, Winnebago Deal October File, Throats, Little London, Chrome Hoof, Failsafe, And So I Watch You From Afar, Deaf Havana, Chickenhawk, Ultimate Power Dj's, Fei Comodo, Lower Than Atlantis, March of The Raptors, You and What Army, Never Means Maybe and many many more.....
Sonisphere UK 2011 - Line Up
Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer, Slipknot, Biffy Clyro, Motörhead, Mastodon, In Flames, Parkway Drive, Weezer, Airbourne, Architects, Diamond Head (opening for the Big 4), Kids In Glass Houses, Gallows, One Minute Silence, Volbeat, Gojira, Inme, Darkest Hour, Sisters of Mercy, Limp Bizkit, House Of Pain, Arch Enemy, Periphery, Grinspoon, Fozzy, You Me At Six, All Time Low, Sum 41, The Mars Volta, Opeth, Killing Joke, Four Year Strong, The Black Dahlia Murder, Black Tide, Watain, Firewind, Rise To Remain, Alestorm, The Treatment, Six Hour Sundown, Bad Religion, Cavalera Conspiracy, Sylosis, The Answer, Cancer Bats, My Passion, Kylesa, Pulled Apart By Horses and many many more.....