aaamusic | On 20, Feb 2012

SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH has announced three headliners and the first batch of bands for its 2012 event, with tickets available fromwww.sonisphere.co.uk from 9am Thursday 23rd February.

 

Shooting rockets. Blood spitting. Face Paint. Shiny Boots and utterly jaw dropping triumphant live shows:  SONISPHERE is proud to announce KISSas Friday’s headliner. With a reputation for being perhaps the most flamboyant and entertaining band on the planet, the American Kings will bring their stage extravaganza to SONISPHERE as their only European performance of 2012. While many bands have been chasing the eye liner shock horror dollar and have come and gone without changing the face of music as we know it, KISS have gone from strength to strength garnering praise, success and too many accolades to mention throughout the years, selling over 100 million albums worldwide and counting as the band is poised to unleash new album ‘Monster’ in June 2012.  Says the band:

 

“You wanted the best, you got the best, the hottest band in the world, KISS”. 

 

SONISPHERE festival is KISS’ invitation to have the best time of your life with long lost friends such as the anthemic  ‘Rock N Roll All Night’, the jubilant singalong ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’ and the rallying cry of ‘God Gave Rock N Roll to You’. We would ask you to lock up your daughters, girlfriends and wives, but with Gene Simmons in town, it’s pretty clear there’s no stopping them. And if you can’t fight them, join them at their only European show of 2012.

 

With a quarter of a century having since passed, rock legends QUEEN are to return to play a second concert at the venue that provided them with the setting for one of their biggest and most historic concerts.

 

QUEEN’s Brian May and Roger Taylor have confirmed the band will headline the second day of SONISPHERE appearing on the APOLLO stage on Saturday July 7.

KNEBWORTH was the setting for QUEEN’s final concert with Freddie Mercury in August 1986.

 

May and Taylor also confirmed that for this very special event they will be joined by US singer-songwriter ADAM LAMBERT.

 

The potent chemistry between QUEEN and Lambert broke the surface when at the invitation of Brian May and Roger Taylor, Lambert joined them for the closing showcase at the recent MTV Europe Awards where QUEEN were present to collect their Global Icon award.

 

Says Brian May: “Judging by my incoming mail, this decision will make a lot of people very happy. It’s a worthy challenge for us, and I’m sure Adam would meet with Freddie’s approval! And what better place to revisit, and walk those emotional paths than Knebworth? It will be a rush.”

 

For the final, Sunday night, SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH is proud to announce the legendary FAITH NO MORE as the headline act on theAPOLLO stage.
Onstage irreverent, uncompromising, unpredictable and dazzling at every turn, FNM have been setting new standards in exciting rock performance for more than two decades now.  With classics such as ‘Falling To Pieces’, ‘Epic’,  ‘Midlife Crisis’ and ‘Be Aggressive’, Mike Bordin, Roddy Bottum, Bill Gould, Jon Hudson and Mike Patton are poised to set KNEBWORTH on fire when they close the last night at SONISPHERE with their only UK appearance of 2012. Says bassplayer Billy Gould:

 

“It was over 2 years ago when we decided to reform and play those amazing UK shows. The good news is, we’ve had a couple of years to improve our skills; moving our song to error ratio down 3.5 full percentage points. Watch out UK, we’re going to do it right this time!!”  

Joining the three superb headliners are some of the biggest names from the world of rock and metal.

 

WITHIN TEMPTATION are one of European metal’s greatest success stories, their elegant yet melodramatic symphonic grandeur ensuring sales in the millions. With no less than thirty gold and platinum awards as well as two MTV European Music Awards, WITHIN TEMPTATION play their only UK show of 2012 on the Friday at SONISPHERE’s APOLLO stage.

 

Joining them are WOLFMOTHER, one of the new millennium’s biggest Australian rock exports. Andrew Stockdale and co proudly boast gold records, top 40 singles and awards too numerous to count. They also boast the kind of loud and boisterous rock that aone hundred and thirty six thousand watt PA was invented for and that tunes such as “Woman”, “Mind’s Eye” and “The Joker & The Thief” will sound awesome through.

 

On the Saturday, the APOLLO stage boasts a plethora of talent that showcases not only what a truly eclectic festival SONISPHERE offers, but also its ability to deliver the biggest names across rocks’ spectrum.

 

EVANESCENCE were welcomed to the UK in 2003 when debut album “Fallen” went straight to Number One in the official charts. Since then it has gone on to go triple platinum here, with the multi-million selling US rockers counting no less than four top ten singles in this country. That their latest, self-titled album has already achieved silver status mere months after its release shows that EVANESCENCE mania shows no sign of slowing down before they hit KNEBWORTH for their only UK show of 2012.

 

Reformed glam-rockers THE DARKNESS come to KNEBWORTH armed with a catalogue of classics as well as the promise of the first chance to hear new material this summer. If “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us”, the first new song in seven years, is anything to go by, THE DARKNESS’ new material should delight crowds in equal measure to classics like “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”, “Get Your Hands Off My Woman”, “Growing On Me” and “One Way Ticket”.

 

Celtic folk-punks FLOGGING MOLLY make their way from Los Angeles California to show SONISPHERE why they are the perfect festival band. Armed with banjos, mandolins, fiddles, tin whistles, accordions and spoons, the seven-piece will entertain the masses with music from their five album career.

 

Sometimes you can’t get enough of a good thing, which is whySONISPHERE is proud to welcome back mighty metal powerhouse GOJIRA. Opening the APOLLO stage, the fierce French foursome will ensure a punishingly heavy start to the Saturday of SONISPHERE and give UK fans the first chance to hear new material from their fifth album – and first for new label Roadrunner – due later this year.

 

Over on SATURN, Italian goth-metallers LACUNA COIL give you their only chance to see them in the UK this summer, bringing with them a beautiful bounty of deliciously melodic, ethereal metal from their 18 year career.

 

SONISPHERE’s Sunday showcases more massive names to make sure the festival goes out with a bang. Making their way from Calabasas, California, alt-rock icons INCUBUS will not so much warm up the APOLLO stage for headliners FAITH NO MORE as set it on fire, with a plethora of hits from a 20 year career that’s seen over 13 million album sales. With last year’s “If Not Now, When?” – their first new album in five years – crashing into the top 20, INCUBUS are at the height of their game, and will prove as much at their only UK appearance of 2012.

 

Controversial, shocking, provocative; whatever your opinion, there is no doubt about MARILYN MANSON’s ability to entertain and enthral. With the means and know-how to deliver one of the greatest shows in rock’n’roll, and an array of industrial metal anthems such as “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”, “The Beautiful People”, “The Dope Show”, “Disposable Teens” “mOBSCENE” and many more, MARILYN MANSON’s only UK show of 2012 is not to be missed.

 

Multi platinum selling Hip-Hopsters CYPRESS HILL bring their inimitable rap rock stylings to KNEBWORTH this summer. With a brand new collaboration with dubstep pioneer RUSKO set for a release in April, and classics like “Insane In The Brain” and “I Ain’t Goin Out Like That” in their arsenal, Sen Dog, B-Real, DJ Muggs and Eric Bobo will deliver an unmissable set atSONISPHERE.

 

A name synonymous with the art of partying, ANDREW W.K. has been spreading his message of joy, fun love and freedom for over a decade. With irresistible party anthems like “Party Hard”, “She Is Beautiful”, “We Want Fun” and “Tear It Up”, ANDREW WK will bring the bright California sunshine to make Sunday July 8th even brighter.

 

Aside from the big names on the APOLLO stage, the first three names forKNEBWORTH’s other main stage – SATURN – can be revealed, and what heavy hitters they are!

 

Groundbreaking and highly influential Swedish hardcore pioneers REFUSEDreturn to the UK for their first show since 1998. That year’s “The Shape Of Punk To Come” re-wrote the rule book, effortlessly melding punk, metal and hardcore with jazzy time changes and techno beats to provide the backing for an angry and politically charged hymn sheet. With a reputation that if anything has only grown stronger in the fourteen years since they declared themselves dead, the promise of REFUSED’s only UK show will doubtless satisfy not only SONISPHERE ticket holders, but a good many of their peers on the bill too.

 

Grammy Awards Nominations, Top 20 albums, live appearances on Jools Holland. These things are not encountered in the day to day dealings of your average heavy metal band, but then MASTODON are far from average. Undoubtedly the most critically acclaimed metal band in recent years,MASTODON’s progressive take on the genre has seen them become the one heavy band that everyone can agree on. Hot off the back of a sold-out UK tour in support of latest album “The Hunter” MASTODON will perform their latest opus in its entirety exclusively at SONISPHERE. Says drummer Brann Dailor:

“Me and the guys couldn’t be more thrilled to play Sonisphere. It’s always a blast, the crowds are always incredible. We look forward to seeing you in person.”

 

Hot off the Kerrang! tour, welsh rockers THE BLACKOUT come armed with heavy hitting uplifting numbers like “Hard Slammin”, “It’s High Tide Baby!”, “Save Our Selves (The Warning)” and “Higher & Higher” that will please both their dedicated Riot Squad and casual observers alike.

 

Also appearing across the weekend, FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM bring their classic gothic rock to continue the tradition of the late night slots inBOHEMIA which in previous years have seen the likes of THE SISTERS OF MERCY, KILLING JOKE and THERAPY?.

 

Melodic doomsters GHOST bring their highly mysterious band of Nameless Ghouls, led by the inimitable Papa Emeritus. Having been planning the downfall of humanity since their inception in 2008, this secretive satanic sect use beautiful melodic rock to manipulate an unsuspecting public and preach their endtime message.

 

In stark contrast to GHOSTS’ evil forces, American alt-rockersSWITCHFOOT come to SONISPHERE to offer redemption. One of the most successful acts in the US Christian Rock scene, SWITCHFOOT have seen sales in the millions and numerous awards including “Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album” at last year’s Grammy Awards for “Hello Hurricane”.

 

Aussie metalcore mob I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN come to SONISPHEREfor their UK festival debut at their first show on these shores since the band went on hiatus in 2007, alongside Swedish alternative doomstersKATATONIA, who have a new album due later this year.

 

As well as the exciting names from the world of rock, SONISPHERE once again shows its forward thinking nature, and invites musician/comedian TIM MINCHIN to headline the Saturday night on SATURN. Since his first appearance at SONISPHERE back in 2010 the TIM’s success has gone from strength to strength, resulting in his first UK arena tour, his first West End Musical (Matilda The Musical) and numerous high profile TV appearances. After the astounding success of Bill Bailey’s SATURN slot last year, TIM – with full backing band in tow – is bound to deliver a much talked about and highly memorable show at SONISPHERE.

 

On top of the host of talent on offer at SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH, organisers are offering a limited number of tickets to SONISPHERE MADRID (which takes place 25th and 26th May) when a weekend ticket for Sonisphere Knebworth is bought. Headliners METALLICA – who play their Black album in its entirety – are joined by an impressive cast featuring the likes of SOUNDGARDEN, SLAYER, CHILDREN OF BODOM, KYUSS LIVESand many more – that’s two SONISPHERE festivals for the price of one!

 

Tickets are on sale from 9am Thursday 23rd Feb from www.sonisphere.co.ukor 0844 871 8803 priced at £145 for weekend tickets, £170 for three days with camping, £180 for four days with camping, a very limited number of day tickets available for £75. A deposit scheme will be launched at the same time for those who want to spread the cost of their ticket. A deposit of £50 will secure a weekend ticket, with the balance due anytime before 30th April 2011.

 

Rock Royalty and Day VIP packages are also available atwww.sonisphere.co.uk

 

SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH takes place July 6th – 8th at KNEBWORTH HOUSE.

 

LINE UP SO FAR:

 

Exclusive headline sets from:

 

KISS (European Exclusive) – QUEEN (World Exclusive) – FAITH NO MORE (UK Exclusive)

 

ANDREW W.K, *

THE BLACKOUT

CYPRESS HILL

EVANESCENCE **

FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM

FLOGGING MOLLY *

GHOST *

GOJIRA *

I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN

INCUBUS**

KATATONIA *

LACUNA COIL *

MARILYN MANSON**

MASTODON *

REFUSED**

SWITCHFOOT *

THE DARKNESS

TIM MINCHIN

WITHIN TEMPTATION **

WOLFMOTHER **

 

**     Denotes only UK show of 2012

*       Denotes exclusive festival appearance