Rocking To The Top

Sweden Rock has laid claim to being the country’s biggest festival, after smashing its own attendance record June 3-6 by pulling in more than 33,000 fans per day.

The Sölvesborg event has set a benchmark for the 2009 season that other majors including Hultsfred, Way Out West and Where The Action Is may struggle to beat.

Sweden Rock started out under the name Summer Festival in Olofström, Blekinge, in 1992, moved to Karlshamn in 1993 and took the name Karlshamn Rock Festival.

When the festival outgrew it the local Folkets Park (People’s Park), it moved to the small village of Norje – on the Baltic coast near Sölvesborg – and was renamed Sweden Rock.

Since 2001 the festival has broke its own attendance record every year, although this year’s gathering may also have the less enviable record of being Sweden’s coldest.

There was rain throughout the days June 3-6, and the icy winds coming from the Baltic meant nighttime temperatures hovering around freezing point.

The acts helping to set Sweden Rock’s record included Heaven And Hell, In Flames, ZZ Top, Twisted Sister, Journey, Europe, Foreigner, Johnny Winter Band, Volbeat and Marillion.