Features
Sonisphere Bounces Back
Not only has Sonisphere returned to the UK festival calendar but the traveling metal fest has almost doubled the number of European mainland events it will stage in 2014.
Photo: Charles Sykes / Invision / AP
Apollo Theater, New York City
Having scrapped its UK Sonisphere at Knebworth Park in 2012 and 2013, it will return to the Hertfordshire venue July 4-6 with a line-up topped by Metallica, Iron Maiden, and The Prodigy.
Kilimanjaro Live chief Stuart Galbraith, who organizes Sonisphere in partnership from John Jackson of K2 Agency, denies the traveling festival was in financial troubles.
“People’s expectations are different from ours. When we started Sonisphere we said we’d only do it when it was sensible and the situation was right,” Galbraith explained.
The situation appears to be right for 2014 with Metallica playing the UK event and others in Finland, Norway, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Poland.
Other acts for Knebworth and the European Sonispheres will be announced within a few weeks.
Finland (May 28), Norway (June 1), Italy (July 1) and Poland (July 11) will have Live Nation as the local promoter.
The German Sonisphere at Hamburg Stadium June 4 is a co-promotion with Marek Lieberberg and Ossy Hoppe’s Wizard Promotions.
The Swiss event at Basel St. Jakob Park July 4 is being done with Andre Bechir’s ABC.
Last year there were only four Sonispheres, two in Spain and one in Italy and France.
They attracted more than 100,000 people.