Summer is here, the sun is out and festival season has well and truly started! This weekend, Sonisphere kicks off this summer’s European tour in Holland, where METALLICA and SLIPKNOT will be playing. Look out on next week for reviews, photos and reaction from the first ever Sonisphere Festival.  SLIPKNOT won two awards at the Golden Gods this week for best international band and best live act and as we know, members of the band will also be at Knebworth, with Corey Taylor’s first ever UK acoustic solo performance, as well as the UK debut of DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS. Seattle grunge icons ALICE IN CHAINS have announced today that they will be playing a small, intimate gig following their performance at Sonisphere Festival. This amazing gig will be at London’s Scala on Tuesday 4th August and with the first batch of tickets being offered exclusively to founder members club ticket holders. This is fans opportunity to witness Jerry Cantrell and the band on one of their first UK club dates with new vocalist William DuVall. This comes as the band announces the release of the new album Black Gives Way to Blue, due out in September. Great news for Sonisphere ticket holders, with news of four fantastic reinforcements to back up the already stellar cast. Gutsy rockers THE WILDHEARTS will join the bill on Saturday 1st August.

The Download Festival 2009 has been named ‘Event Of The Year’ at this year’s prestigious Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards. The ceremony took place at the Indigo2 at London’s 02 Dome, just 24 hours after Def Leppard closed the Download Festival with a momentous performance on the Main Stage. Download Festival Promoter Andy Copping jointly accepted the award with Sunset Strip legends Steel Panther, who completely owned the Tuborg Stage on Sunday at Download with a crowd 50 deep clamouring to get inside the already rammed tent. Voted for by Metal Hammer, this award comes hot off the back of what has been described as Download’s best ever year. 80,000 die hard rock fans per day descended onto Donington Park throughout the weekend of 12-14 June to catch headliners Faith No More, Slipknot and Def Leppard top off what has been an extraordinary three days of music, with non stop sunshine to boot! The weekend was monumental and confirms that Download has firmly established itself as the world’s premier rock festival,“ commented Andy Copping last night. “80,000 people a day says it all. Even the good Lord has been converted to being a rock fan as once again he gave us three days of sunshine! Without doubt the greatest three days of my life...see you next year!”