Tag: Knebworth

The great and the good of the UK Festival industry were out in force tonight at London’s Roundhouse to celebrate the eighth annual UK Festival Awards, which followed the Festival Conference, which took place during the day.

Hosted by The Cuban Brothers, the event saw 16 trophies handed out throughout the evening, which featured exclusive comedy performances by Trevor Lock, Luke Benson and a closing set from John Cooper Clarke. Seven awards were announced during the Festival Conference.

The only double winner of the UK Festival Awards – Derbyshire’s Y-Not Festival – received the awards for both ‘The Grass Roots Festival Award’ (in association with ID&C) and ‘Best Toilets’ (In association with Shewee), having expanded from one scaffold stage and a handmade DJ booth in a disused quarry to three stages and more than 80 bands. These awards were announced at the Festival Conference.

Diamond Head are thought by most people as one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time. Never achieving the heights that some of the lesser acts did – they are still one of the most important bands of the last 40 years and have influenced the likes of Metallica, Megadeth and Thin Lizzy to name a few.

Hailing from 1976 Stourbridge, England – the band formed in 1976. The band’s first album ‘Lightning to the Nations’ was released in 1980 and brought the band to the attention of MCA records. After signing a deal the band went onto record ‘Borrowed Time’ and then came the experimental ‘Canterbury’ in 1983 which caused alot of friction with fans and critics.

After many trials and tribulations, the bands called it quits in 1985. However Metallica’s increasing status and their often mentioned influence of Diamond Head to their sound kept the band’s name relatively prominent and helped back-catalogue sales and the band reformed in 1991.

In a posting this morning on their website, Swedish metallers Opeth have confirmed that they will appear at Sonisphere in Knebworth, England on July 10th.

They join other bands including The Mars Volta, Killing Joke, Four Year Strong, The Black Dahlia Murder, Black Tide, Watain, Firewind, Rise To Remain, Alestorm, The Treatment, Six Hour Sundown at this years festival.

We are saddened to hear of the news that Slayer are set to tour without guitarist Jeff Hanneman – as he is recovering from a flesh-eating disease.

He is believed to of contracted necrotizing fasciitis from a spider bite and will be going into surgery on his arm shortly. It is a rare disease which destroys skin, fat and tissue from below the surface of the body.

The band have announced that they will not be canceling any tour dates and are searching for a replacement with the support of Jeff. Guitarist Kerry King said in a statement: “After everything that’s happened we all agreed that we just can’t let our fans down again.”

Another few additions have been announced to this years UK Sonisphere festival.

Limp Bizkit will make there only UK festival appearance of 2011 in Knebworth, and it will be the first time the band has returned to the festival since 2009. They were incredible the last time they played the festival, and also the silent disco tent last year was always rockin when Bizkit were being played.

We are all very excited about the additions to the festival. The Sisters of Mercy, Gallows, Gojira, InMe, Kids in Glass Houses, One Minute Silence, Protest the Hero and Volbeat have all been added to the line-up for the three-day music event taking place in the grounds of Knebworth from Friday, July 8 to Sunday, July 10.