Sonisphere 2010, Knebworth: In YouTube videos
Couldn't go this year? Pretend you were there via the medium of YouTube.
If you follow us on Twitter you'll know we were at the Sonisphere festival last weekend in Knebworth. It was basically amazing, and the most fun festival we've been to in a long time.
We were going to try and write a review of it, but on the train home we thought "Nah! Words are boring!" and decided to start hunting for fan-made YouTube videos of the best bands at the annual rock spectacular. So we've collated some of our favourites below - hopefully it conveys the awesomeness of some of the bands far better than we could ever describe. For the authentic 'I was there' feeling, make sure you're chugging mildly expensive cider and have your mates elbow you in the back between bands.
First up are our surprise highlights: Britrock veterans Skunk Anansie. We weren't expecting much, if we're honest, but they were fantastic - a set packed with hits, and a live show that proved lead singer Skin is still the best rock frontwomen this country's ever produced.
Headliners Rammstein were pretty much exactly how you'd expect: loud, ridiculous, and with tonnes of pyrotechnics. Oh, and utterly brilliant fun. Running through hits like 'Ich Will', their electro-metal looked and sounded like a headline set to remember.
Punk legend Iggy Pop took time out from flogging car insurance on TV to bring a reformed Stooges to Sonisphere. Running through their extensive back catalogue, with classics like 'No Fun', they might have looked like a bit of a 'WTF' amongst a set packed with metal bands, but they won the crowd over in the space of one song.
Papa Roach were a crowd favourite - we always knew they were still popular, but didn't realise how much. The likes of 'Last Resort' ended up in crowd chanting, moshpits and beer flinging. Basically like a normal day in the Rocklouder office.
Good Charlotte were another surprising highlight - it's only during festival sets, when bands run through all their most well-known tracks, that you realise just how many hits they've got. GC stormed their way through what felt like a greatest hits set, including electro-rock thumper 'I Don't Wanna Be In Love'.
Brits Gallows were absolutely ferocious - though they might have had a few knocks over the past couple of years, it's only honed them into a lean, mean hardcore punk machine. The packed tent went absolutely all-out-bonkers for them, too.
StoneSour and Slipknot's Corey Taylor played a well-attended solo acoustic set, including a bunch of really-bloody-brave cover versions. We never thought we'd hear over a thousand metal fans singing along to 'Wicked Game' by Chris Isaak, but we did.
Classic metallers Motley Crue made an appearance on the Sunday, thrashing their way through the best in ridiculous 80s hair metal. Drummer Tommy Lee was also on good form, as you can see below.
Slayer were hands down the loudest band of the entire weekend (I mean, just look at the number of amps), and we'd be surprised if you couldn't hear them in space. Despite the decibel levels, their stuff from 'Reign In Blood' still sounds fresh and brutal.
Iron Maiden headlined the second day, with a set packed with amazing, anthemic heavy metal classics. The sheer number of 'devil horns' and shouts of approval in the video below will give you a good idea of how well their set went down with the sold-out Sunday night crowd.
Check back for more of our Sonisphere 2010 highlights later in the week!
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