Sonisphere UK 2011 - a critical assessment of why it is flawed

please forgive me for this rant but i must get it off my chest how i feel Metallica have short changed UK rock fans next year.

The Big Four are coming to the Sonisphere festival 2011 at Knebworth concert for what will surely be an historic gig for British rock history. however the only way to attend is to buy an outrageously priced ticket for the entire festival. (neary three hundred dollars!) also the only way to get to the festival site is by car. no day tickets are being offered as the promoters want to sell expensive tickets. i am all for profit making ventures driving innovative new events and the sonisphere festival has brought gret acts to parts of Europe who normally would be passed over which is fantastic.

"gas" is way more expensive in the UK due to us being a load of mugs and i cant afford to drive (not that i have passed my driving test but even if i had i still could not afford the cost of driving). while driving a personal automobile is de rigeur in the USA it is also much cheaper. the festival site is a historic estate north of London only accessible by the A1 motorway (highway) and there are currently no alternative travel options.

combining these two together i feel a lot of faithful Metallica fans are either being asked to shell out a huge amount of cash in travel and tickets or stay away from what is shaping up to be a defining moment in rock history.

any thoughts or suggestions welcome

Addendum - As it turns out there is a train station nearby and some coach options thats dont come near me

Quote :

please forgive me for this rant but i must get it off my chest how i feel Metallica have short changed UK rock fans next year.

Soooo...how exactly is any of this Metallica's fault? They're not in charge of the festival. Blame the douche-y promoters, not the bands.

Watch the classic videos and enjoy them, I'd never pay to see them live now.

yo Fat Freddy, Metallica were instrumental in setting up this festival. while not under an exclusivity deal they worked with the promoters to get it off the ground as a large act to give it credibility.

im now considering going on my own for the whole thing. yeah ok i will say now i dont have many friends and even fewer who like metal. thats how i like it ya know but as far as going to festivals...they are kinda meant to go as a group

Had the festival been in the Donington racetrack things wouldn't have been too bad for the travel access, but you can get to the current festival site but the train & Bus also.

yeah i could get a train easily enough if i take a one man tent, a sleeping bag and a case of beer

donington would have been better as it is a lot closer to where i live in lincolnshire and trains to anywhere are not that great.

from that poster the only bands i have not seen are anthrax and slipknot. i saw biffy clyro at leeds festival this year and they were not that great

I went to Sonisphere UK this year and it was arguably one of the best festivals I've ever been to. Getting there was easy as they ran a free shuttle bus from Stevenage station. As for the day tickets things, day tickets never get announced or released until much further down the line. It isn't even 2011 yet. For all you know, you might even like the rest of the line-up - this year's was cracking.

Also, this really has very little to do with Metallica. Sonisphere is its own beast and I wouldn't look the gift horse of the Big 4 in the mouth.

i was wondering if it was a free bus thanks for the heads up. yeah no i quite like the other two headliners even if i dont really listen to them and i am sure there will be a cracking good lineup on the other two days.

im gonna see if my dad wants to go and if not im gonna take the plunge and just go anyway i think if i can get some dosh together

i still dont think its a great setup overall but i will retract my statements over travel despite the limitations of going by train i think i could do it