Sonisphere Review - Arrival on Friday and Saturday

So we rock up to Knebworth for the first UK Sonisphere Festival on the Friday about 11am but get to the wrong entrance. The sign posts weren't good *cough*missing*cough* for anyone not coming down the A1(M). But after being directed on to the A1 we found the signs to the VIP camping which happened to be off a roundabout we had already passed a half hour before. Anyway we really rock up to the camp site and crack open the beers on a really nice sunny day. We do the usual festival stuff, drink tents and more drinks. The camp-site was nice, it was right behind the main stage, although the toilets quickly got a worse than normal stench. Well since it was just the guys it was fine. After many drinks later I was told to move my car... damn... it was in a nice spot. Luckily being private property I could move it without the 'rozzers' hassling me. Few more drinks later we headed down to the arena to take a look around and to meet up with my uncle who was dressed up as a spaceman. He got us into the FMC party where we stayed. The party was good, nothing but quality music. The rock karaoke was a laugh. Some funny drunk metal heads singing, priceless. Unfortunately Neil didn't got to sing his song. Never the less it was fun.

Saturday morning started with sausages, tea and beer. The BBQ that I bought worked perfectly. The first band on stage was Soil but just before that Blass of Glory came on. These funny Dutch guys came on with loads of different instruments and played a few songs including Ace of Spades. A perfect way to start the festival. Soil came on and boom! The base on the second stage was awesome. Soil were good and they played Halo, which everyone was waiting for, last. Was great. After Soil was the first test of the alternating stages. Bit of a pain if you really want to be at the front for two bands that are next to each other in the line up but it worked fine. Alien Ant Farm were next. They were good. My friend Matt was taking photos and took one at the exact moment when the lead singer (I've always called him monkey boy) got his wang out. If you want to see the picture it'll be on Sonisphere pictures page. AAF were good. They obviously played Smooth Criminal last but I was surprised that they didn't mention Michael Jackson.

Back to the second stage we saw Skindred. Not a band I was really interested but I'll give them their do's they sounded fine. Now Taking Back Sunday. I thought they've got a couple of songs I can vaguely remember being all right however their performance was a let down. The vocals were so weak and not at all in tune. The band were fine but the singer let them down big time, and he kept doing some weird thing with his hand that was just annoying. I'd say the only thing he did good was swinging the mic around. We still had a fun time while they played because Ian was annoying Neil (brothers) big time by pretending to be enjoying Taking Back Sunday. None of us really did but Neil looked discussed. After the disappointment that was Taking Back Sunday it was Bjorn Again. Oh man! They were class! I never thought I'd see so many metal fans rocking out to ABBA. It was great. Everyone was singing along. Bjorn Again were such good fun and the two girls had some legs on them. Their best bit had to be their cover of Metallica's Enter Sandman. Bjorn Again equal a bloody good time.

After that we checked out the VIP area where we meet Alien Ant Farm and Soil and where I put in an embarrassingly short time on the mechanical bull. Then back to the camp-site for a few beers and some burgers. Yummy. The last two bands of the day were Bullet For My Valentine and Linkin Park.

Bullet seemed OK but we only really caught the end of it as we sheltered from the rain. About 15 minutes before Linkin Park were to start I receive a text for my uncle about meeting up. I thought it was a chance see my cousins and possibly to meet Linkin Park before they went on stage. Unfortunately this turned out to be a wild goose chase as we couldn't find them. It turned out we didn't have the right passes so couldn't get to the meeting point which was the K2 tent. So after that run around we still had plenty of time to get pretty close to the stage before Linkin Park started. And as soon as the first pit opened we were able to dash through and in the end made it to within 3 rows of the front. The sun was just going down making a really nice setting for LP. Linkin Park were fantastic. As a long time fan of them you'd expect me to say that but it was completely true. In The End and New Divide were my highlights for their set. We all loved them. Unusually, before Linkin Park's encore, Chester brought on his new band Dead By Sunrise. I was all for having a listen and the were fine. Different to LP but seemed good and I plan to have another listen to them when I get the chance. It was a bit bad that the crowd chanted "Link-in-Park" after each of Dead By Sunrise's songs but I can see why they would do that. Linkin Park's set was awesome. Back to the camp-site for more beers, BBQ and bed.

Saturday as a whole was a great day all round. I was disappointed to not have met up with my cousins but my uncle was a very busy man and I did get to see them on Sunday. The highlights for me had to be Soil - Halo, Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal, Bjorn Again and last but by no means least, Linkin Park.