For the rest of the June 11-13 weekend, the Nickelsdorf site bathed in sunshine and warm temperatures. This year’s Nova Rock appears to have been a case study on how weather can impact on the European outdoor season.

“From eight weeks before the festival and right up to the last three weeks I was bothered because sales were very slow and the weather was terrible,” said Nova Rock chief Ewald Tatar. “Then as soon as there was a weather forecast predicting it would be much better by the festival, the presales took off like nothing I’ve even seen in all my years promoting them.”

When the festival began in 2005 and pulled 110,000 over four days, it rained throughout and turned the site into a mudbath. This is the fourth year that the crowd has topped 50,000 per day.

The other acts helping to bring a little sunshine into Austrian festival life included Deichkind, Bullet For My Valentine, Stone Temple Pilots, Kate Nash and Alice In Chains.