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The Great Rock Battle of Summer 2010: Download vs. Sonisphere

posted on Monday, 21 February 2011 @ 15:18 | permalink

Originally featured on Pugwash Arts and Ents tumblr. Preview piece.

The Great Rock Battle of Summer 2010: Download vs. Sonisphere

This summer, two festivals will battle to be crowned the UK’s biggest rock festival. Both have heavyweight headliners, and with plenty of bands already announced, who will ultimately triumph?

First up is the established Download Festival, and it’s a special year as 2010 marks 30 years since Donington Park hosted the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival, which spanned 16 years and played host to a plethora of heavy metal legends such as Iron Maiden, Guns’n’Roses and Judas Priest. After a break, Donington continued it’s reign as the UK’s Rock mecca, with the rebirth of the festival in 2003, renamed Download and spread across 2 days - increasing to 3 days in 2005, and featuring headliners such as Kiss, Metallica and Slipknot.

For its 30 year celebration, promoter Andy Copping has managed to scoop AC/DC, who played at Monsters of Rock back in 1981. Also headlining are Rage Against the Machine, fresh from their ‘victory gig’ at Finsbury Park the previous weekend, and another dose of classic rock in the form of Aerosmith. However, it’s not just about the main stage - on the second stage, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor’s band, Stone Sour, actor-turned-musician Jared Leto’s 30 Seconds To Mars and Welsh metallers Bullet for my Valentine are all taking top billing. If it’s classic rock you’re into, Sunday will be paradise with G’n’R frontman Slash, Cinderella and Ratt on the mainstage. If modern alternative and rock is more your bag, Coheed and Cambria, The Dillinger Escape Plan and The Blackout are all worth checking out, and for the metalheads among you, there’s Megadeth, Lamb of God and my own ‘ones to watch’, Taking Dawn.

Download has always been the forerunner when it comes to the UK rock festival, but last year, it had its first major competition in the form of Sonisphere, held in the grounds of Knebworth House. Led by ex-Download bigwig Stuart Gailbraith, and part of a series of festivals in six different countries, the UK leg spanned 2 days and was headlined by Metallica and Linkin Park. The setup featured two ‘main stages’, and bands played straight after each other alternating from stage to stage, hence the name Sonisphere - ‘a sphere of sound’.
This year, Sonisphere is back, with the legendary Iron Maiden and German metal gods Rammstein, reknowned for their crazy onstage antics and theatrics.

As well as a full 2 days, the music kicks off at 6pm on the Friday, with Alice Cooper closing and a Rocky Horror theme. The general undercard is also very strong, showing a large metal emphasis with bands such as Slayer, Anthrax and Fear Factory. As with Download, the festival is diverse, also making appearances are post-hardcore outfit Fightstar, Welsh emo-rockers Funeral for a Friend and the infamous Motley Crue. Billed as ‘special guests’, crossover dance/rock act and festival favourites Pendulum will be treating festivalgoers to a set, and for something a little bit different, Henry Rollins will be performing his spoken word show.

For the lucky ones who get to experience both (at this point, I may have a slight smug grin…), it’s going to be a VERY good summer, however, with both festivals packing plenty of rock punch, the decision between the two could be a tough one for punters. But whichever festival you go to, be it Download, Sonisphere or both, you’re sure to have your wellies well and truly rocked off.

Labels: download, festival, preview, sonisphere

Originally featured on Pugwash Arts and Ents tumblr. Preview piece. The Great Rock Battle of Summer 2010: Download vs. Sonisphere

Originally featured on Pugwash Arts and Ents tumblr. Preview piece.

The Great Rock Battle of Summer 2010: Download vs. Sonisphere