HEAVEN & HELL confirm only UK festival appearance.

COHEED & CAMBRIA – only UK appearance of 2009

THE USED - exclusive festival appearance

THE ATARIS, FUCKED UP, HUNDRED REASONS AND ZEBRAHEAD AT BOHEMIA

One only needs to glance at the list of bands already confirmed for Sonisphere Festival 2009 to see that the organisers have spent time putting together an unmissable event, with a wealth of exclusive appearances – but that hasn’t stopped them from keeping the quality acts coming thick and fast. This latest list of announcements for both the main stage and the recently announced Bohemia area only serve to solidify an already outstanding line up, with yet more exclusive appearances from some of Rock’s biggest names, making for 19 bands you will only see at Knebworth this summer!

There have been several rumours and much speculation regarding HEAVEN & HELL’s summer plans, so it is truly an honour to confirm that RONNIE JAMES DIO, TONY IOMMI, GEEZER BUTLER and VINNY APICE have selected Sonisphere as their only UK festival appearance of 2009. With new album ‘The Devil You Know’ released last month, fans will be able to hear the band’s first new songs in 17 years at Knebworth this August, the only opportunity to see them in a festival atmosphere. Incredibly, HEAVEN & HELL’s appearance will mark the first ever live performances of BLACK SABBATH songs at this legendary rock venue, and the promise of hearing such classic as ‘The Mob Rules’, ‘Lady Evil’, ‘Die Young’ and ‘Neon Knights’ will surely be one of the venue’s historical highlights.

Alternative progsters and H&H touring partners COHEED & CAMBRIA will be flying in to the UK especially to make their appearance at Sonisphere’s main stage. Frontman Claudio Sanchez cites former Knebworth legends such as LED ZEPPLIN, PINK FLOYD, QUEEN and Sonisphere partners THIN LIZZY as influences, so we can’t think of a more fitting venue for COHEED & CAMBRIA to bring their prog for the new generation at this, their only UK show of 2009.

On the second stage, platinum selling rockers THE USED will be making their way over from Utah, USA to bring their high-energy live show to the Sonisphere crowd. No strangers to big outdoor shows, THE USED will have no trouble getting the crowds rocking out with hits such as ‘Take It Away’, ‘All That I’ve Got’, ‘The Bird and the Worm’ and ‘Liar Liar (Burn In Hell)‘, at this exclusive UK festival appearance.

If that’s not enough, the newly announced Bohemia area also has some new additions to it’s music stage, with five great acts confirmed. Indie rockers THE ATARIS, Hardcore punks FUCKED UP, Reggae rockers PEPPER and pop-punkers ZEBRAHEAD will be flying in from the US to join homegrown heroes HUNDRED REASONS to offer an alternative to the main stage action. As HR drummer Andy Bews points out, the fantastic line up will not make for an easy choice:

“We’re really stoked to be added to such a stellar line-up! Nothing beats people telling you they still remember the time you played a festival years and years ago – managing to stand out among a ton of great bands is really special. And with Metallica, NIN, Killing Joke and Anthrax at Knebworth, how can this not be amazing?”

And who are we to argue? With the line up nearly complete, organisers are working on filling the final few slots, which will contain a few eyebrow-raising surprises to ensure good-time festival fun.

Line up so far:

METALLICA **
HEAVEN AND HELL ***
THIN LIZZY
ALICE IN CHAINS ***
MACHINE HEAD **
ANTHRAX ***
BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE ***
FEAR FACTORY (UK Comeback debut)
NINE INCH NAILS ***
COREY TAYLOR * ACOUSTIC SET (UK Debut!)
LAMB OF GOD **
FEEDER
AIRBOURNE ***
LINKIN PARK *
THE SWORD
SKINDRED
ATTACK! ATTACK!,
CANCER BATS
COHEED AND CAMBRIA *
MASTODON ***
FIGHTING WITH WIRE
FUCKED UP
HUNDRED REASONS
KILLING JOKE
AVENGED SEVENFOLD *
DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS * (UK Debut!)
PEPPER
ROLO TOMASSI
THE ATARIS *
TAKING BACK SUNDAY ***
TWIN ATLANTIC
THE USED ***
ZEBRAHEAD ***

* – ONLY UK SHOW IN 2009!
** – Only remaining UK show in 2009!
*** – Only UK Festival in 2009!

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