Originally written September 17th 2010 – Published on Roar! Newspaper’s website
With fierce competition like Download, Ozzfest re-establishing itself at London’s O2 this year, and alternative bands being regularly added to the UK’s more mainstream festivals, it’s getting harder and harder for rock festivals to offer a unique selling point. However, Sonisphere has managed to achieve this, removing perhaps the greatest festival annoyance – clashes between bands – by alternating set times on the main stages.
Rammestein plus pyro
In only its second year, Europe’s only touring rock festival offered classic rock at its best – Iron Maiden wowed crowds with the ‘Number of the Beast’, and Rammstein bellowed industrial metal to a 60,000 strong crowd accompanied by enough pyrotechnics to make the Human Torch blush. In addition, festival residents Slayer and Soulfly guaranteed some particularly ferocious circle pits. Luckily for the battered and bruised, respite was provided throughout the weekend by synth-rock veterans Gary Numan and Europe, and the androgynous Aussie comic Tim Minchin.
With the renowned Alice Cooper eager to provide Friday night warm-up entertainment, clearly this festival is a triumph.
Hammy (Not the Hamster) Blog 