Storms Threatened Sonisphere

The last of this year’s Sonisphere Festivals didn’t reach quite the sort of thunderous conclusion that metal fans would have had in mind, as a major storm wreaked havoc at the Finland site Aug. 8.

Heavy rain at the twinned Sonisphere in Sweden turned the Stockholm site at Storra Skuggan into a mudbath, but both events sold out and the organisers managed to get through the programme. In Finland, some acts helped others by lending them equipment.

Video of the storm can be seen here.

Despite the weather, the Stockholm show was a huge hit with the national media. One leading daily described it as “the future of Swedish Festivals.”

“It only hit us for five minutes but it hit us very hard,” Stuart Galbraith from co-promoter Kilimanjaro told Pollstar, describing how the storm lashed across the Pori site. “I’ve never seen weather conditions that were that extreme.”

Forty people were injured but over three-quarters of them had only minor cuts and bruises and were treated on site. Of the more seriously injured, two were taken to hospitals in Pori and Tampere and are now recovering after surgery.

The storm trashed the stage where Iggy Pop and Mötley Crüe were to play. Mötley Crüe was forced to pull out because most of its equipment was wrecked, Iggy switched to the main stage, and Alice Cooper played courtesy of gear supplied by Slayer. Headliner Iron Maiden was able to play, although two hours late.

After two years, Sonisphere has clocked up 17 editions and sold more than 1 million tickets across Europe.

“I’ve been through a mudbath in Switzerland, a sandstorm in Spain, and now a hurricane in Finland,” Galbraith explained.

The acts helping Sonisphere weather the storm in Pori and Stockholm Aug. 7-8 also included Iron Maiden, Apocalyptica, Anthrax, HammerFall, Alice in Chains and Volbeat.