2015 Wishlist

[mrtourette]

I admin the official forums, so just passing on what I heard from the organisers over the last few months,

That's fair enough, what I'm saying is that what was passed onto you was either i) bollocks or ii) delusional.

[kipper64]

Perhaps. Though I don't really see what they'd have to gain from lying to me specifically. I've no reason to doubt it as anything I've been told in the past has been true, and as I was saying anything that's came out since matches up with what I've been told and what I had said previously. Last time they didn't have bands to run in 2013 they announced it in December 2012 - around the time they normally announce. Them delaying it a month and a bit suggests they were trying something, as otherwise they would have just said so a month ago, or earlier if the decision was made in October. For the sake of the festival running in the future, them announcing early on they weren't gonna put on an event in 2015 would have done much less damage, than saying maybe for months and months before calling it off. Maybe it was naivety/delusion though as you say, but my personal opinion is that that's less likely.

I'm guessing if and when it comes back might be down to what DEAG want to do. My understanding was that they bought a controlling stake in Kili (and a few other Euro promoters) to get a foot into several markets, and them launching 3 events this year across Europe suggests they are looking to do something similar to Sonisphere, so they'll probably want to expand that into the UK at some point - might rebrand it though to something else.

Edited January 19, 2015 by kipper64

[the wonderwhy]

So are Metallica playing next year or not?

[kipper64]

Haven't a scoobie! Wouldn't surprise me. Their new album will be out by then I imagine? so I reckon Download will probably go after them too.

[metalicbear]

Who were the others and what lead to them turning a 'fair few interested parties' into nothing?

If you believe the rumours, Soni wanted Kiss and Muse to do the whole Sonisphere/DEAG tour, they managed to get them on a few dates, but went to other festivals instead for other dates, this was a real kick in the teeth for their plans. Faith No More and Motley Crue were also in talks, but not sure whether it was to headline. Sonisphere have apparently been in talks with AC/DC for a long long time, the promoter of Sonisphere France said as much early 2014, AC/DC were always a maybe. System of a Down were also in talks, but chose to do their own tour instead, Tool were in deep talks, but as usual decided to do nothing, again this could have gone either way. Ozzy was approached, but didn't want to tour Europe this year, Rammstein were in talks. I think Def Leppard were booked as one of their headliners. I believe the last band they were in talks with to headline were Maiden.

[5co77ie]

Soni only goes ahead when Metallica are free. /end.

I think that was true when it was funded by them. Now I'm less sure. I think DEAG have bought it to get Galbraith on board with his contacts for their events. I don't know that they'll being it back as Sonisphere, it'll either be re-branded or they've bought it to close down the competition. I suspect they will be trying to host their own event at Knebworth - the more I think about it the more I trhink that the Knebworth memoribilia display was Sonisphere's swansong - I remain doubtful we'll be seeing Sonisphere again.

[5co77ie]

If you believe the rumours, Soni wanted Kiss and Muse to do the whole Sonisphere/DEAG tour, they managed to get them on a few dates, but went to other festivals instead for other dates, this was a real kick in the teeth for their plans.

I thinkj this is what DEAG are planning a whole European tour including a UK version which has an 'exclusivity' festival deal on much of the line-up and headliners. They've been hinting at it for a while now.

[gary1979666]

I think that was true when it was funded by them. Now I'm less sure. I think DEAG have bought it to get Galbraith on board with his contacts for their events. I don't know that they'll being it back as Sonisphere, it'll either be re-branded or they've bought it to close down the competition. I suspect they will be trying to host their own event at Knebworth - the more I think about it the more I trhink that the Knebworth memoribilia display was Sonisphere's swansong - I remain doubtful we'll be seeing Sonisphere again.

My wife went for an interview at Knebworth last year with Lady Wotsherface, and they ended up chatting about Soni quite a bit. I think they are very keen (£££) to have events there and Soni must have been quite lucrative for them. I think they'll be offering up the grounds for some stand alone gigs or whatever Soni is reincarnated as in the future.

[kipper64]

I think that was true when it was funded by them. Now I'm less sure. I think DEAG have bought it to get Galbraith on board with his contacts for their events. I don't know that they'll being it back as Sonisphere, it'll either be re-branded or they've bought it to close down the competition. I suspect they will be trying to host their own event at Knebworth - the more I think about it the more I trhink that the Knebworth memoribilia display was Sonisphere's swansong - I remain doubtful we'll be seeing Sonisphere again.

I think it was talked about that 2014 may be the last one, for a number of reasons. They put out a statement just before sonisphere 2014 on one of their news pieces that it might be the last Sonisphere UK. Though I think a lot of that was to push people into buying tickets who were of the mind "It's good that it's back as I like the festival, but I'll probably just go another year" etc...

I think it's clear DEAG wanted to adopt a strategy similar to what sonisphere was trying, although I imagine they'll be going about it at a slower pace. I think the Green Hell poster back in November when updated with the 2nd announcement actually had the Sonisphere tag at the bottom alongside sponsors and such...so it was clear they were wanting to co-brand in a sense (though that was probably back when more Sonisphere events were being planned for 2015.). I think at this stage you are quite probably right they may drop the Sonisphere tag, and run similar events off the back of the DEAG stuff though.

[kipper64]

My wife went for an interview at Knebworth last year with Lady Wotsherface, and they ended up chatting about Soni quite a bit. I think they are very keen (£££) to have events there and Soni must have been quite lucrative for them. I think they'll be offering up the grounds for some stand alone gigs or whatever Soni is reincarnated as in the future.

Yeah there was an interview out in 2013 with the Lord guy who owns knebworth to much of that effect. I think with maintenance works that need doing at the grounds and house, the lack of sonisphere in 2012/13 left them with a bit of a financial black hole, so definitely think they'll want someone to put something on in future years.

[dentalplan]

Metallica and FNM were announced for Sonisphere Italia earlier, by the way.

[5co77ie]

yeah and Muse for Switezerland.

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/touring/6443775/veteran-uk-promoter-talks-pulling-sonisphere-crowded-fest-market

Galbraith mentions Biffy Clyro, Avenged Sevenfold, Slipknot (as weak touring headliner due to Scandinavia), as well as Metallica, Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden, and AC/DC

[mrtourette]

Their failure to tie the UK leg into the touring festival set-up has been their undoing. A set-up like that should give them so much booking power, but bands have regularly done the Soni European shows and then Download or R&L in the UK.

[gary1979666]

It always seemed that the timing was skewed - Europe in June and then the UK in July. I guess because it didn't want to be too close to DL. But if EU dates had been laterm then could have tied them in better.

[jump]

Their failure to tie the UK leg into the touring festival set-up has been their undoing. A set-up like that should give them so much booking power, but bands have regularly done the Soni European shows and then Download or R&L in the UK.

That's probably due to UK fests paying more than the Euro ones so Soni which is a smaller fest than the likes of Download will be offering less dolla-dolla regardless of how many other shows they could line up for them.

[mrtourette]

I'm sure it's down to both timing/competition and money. Whatever the reason, the inability to make it work negated the biggest bonus of being part of a touring festival.

[metalicbear]

Heard a rumour that this is going to be re-branded, but still at Knebworth, anyone else heard this?

[devilman]

Oh that one again. We hear it every few months.

[mrtourette]

This year? Unlikely, but as has been said before Knebworth is keen to put on events so if they end up working with the same promoters in the future I'm sure some will see it as a kind of re-branding.

[metalicbear]

No not this year, a whole re-branding for 2016 in line with the other DEAG events seems to be the rumour, with new locations, it seems that Knebworth is very likely, but other alternative locations could be possible.

Personally I think it's got to the stage now where a re-brand won't affect them, what with only having 2 Sonisphere events this year and Knebworth only happening twice in 5 years.

[Black_Crow]

Spoke to a friend of mine the other day and he seems to think Rammstein are headlining Sonisphere next year, he also said Lamb of God will be subbing one of the days. He said he's seen some more of the bands and it looks like a Download lineup. Not sure where he got that from, but thought I'd share.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Black_Crow

[kipper64]

Wouldn't surprise me, especially with DEAG's main German event being a bit of a flop (though the others doing alright) they might look at locking in a band that'll sell well there and across the EU. With that aswell I reckon this year as the Green Hell event didnt do so well they might try more events to even out a potential flop in Germany again as I reckon this year as they downsized to stick their eggs in that basket mainly when if they had a band like that they could have ran smaller events in more cpuntries inc. the UK which would have sold well enough.

[eFestivals]

I don't mean to be rude, but ... why would anyone with half a shred of sense try to continue with Soni?

 

There's very clearly not the market in the UK or the bands with enough appeal / enough bands of enough appeal to support two major UK rock/metal fests. Even in the years when there's no Soni it's not like Download is turning people away.

 

Of course, it's not impossible that Soni could come from behind as be the one left standing after a few years of battle so I do admire Soni for keeping trying - and I'd like them to succeed (without bad impact on Download) - but they do appear to have plenty of significant disadvantages, and that size-of-market problem isn't one I can't see them finding a way around.

[kipper64]

Aye it's an odd one, though 2014 went well after a 2 year break so anythings possible. If they can secure a couple of big names it'll happen but I imagine Download will do all they can to prevent that. Doesn't say much for it's longevity though maybe they are resigned to making it an event that runs every couple ofyears in the Uk rather than an annual one as they'll be running and planning yearly events across Europe anyway.

I think it'll probably be down to what DEAG want aswell, as they bought into Kili to get a foot in the UK and if they had put on a lineup as good as or nearly as good as Green Hell here tgen it would have sold well so it's probably less of a risk than DEAG trying another big German event I'd have thought? Will be interesting to see if they do try anything though!

[devilman]

I heard Rammstein were at Download. There is no way LoG will sub Download however unless it was 2nd stage. I hope Soni doesn't go ahead as that means I'll have to do 3 major festivals in England in Jun/Jul and that's tough going.