In June 2005, I had the incredible good fortune of securing a press pass to the awesome Sweden Rock Festival! This 3-day event, located in Sölvesborg, featured some of the greatest Hard Rock/Metal bands from all over the world; where ELSE would you find Saxon, Motorhead, Styx, Magnum, Kansas, Savoy Brown, Vixen, Sammy Hagar, Dream Theater, Dio, Napalm Death, Anthrax, and Blackfoot [to name but a few] all on the same bill?! The SRF promoters outdid themselves this year, in terms of variety, diversity and organisation. Any Rock fan would truly be spoilt for choice with a line-up like this! As far as I know, this year`s fest went off with nary a hitch, and the band`s sets ran more or less like clockwork. A real testament to the organisational skills of the Sweden Rock staff. I also noticed the diversity amongst the festival-goers; from young teenagers to 50-somethings, watching the same bands, singing along to the same songs. Less trendy, more traditional than the U.S. The security was tight but not oppressive. No mosh pits or stage-diving allowed. Just a fist-pumpin`, head-bangin` good time! Great music, great food, great atmosphere; this is how it SHOULD be done! If only the U.S. had festivals like this again!
On the following pages, I will present my [mercifully brief!] reviews of the band`s I was lucky enough to see [some of which I`ve been waiting to see for over 20 years], along with photos. Certainly getting to and coming back from the festival wasn`t ALL smooth sailing [understatement of the year!], but all those moments, good AND bad, collectively add up to an experience not to be forgotten in a thousand lifetimes!I wish to take the opportunity to thank the following people who helped make this journey both possible AND bearable: Mia and all connected wih Sweden Rock for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Fellow Central New Yorker Joey Belladonna for hanging with me at Hancock Intl. Airport and for being cool all-around. [sorry I missed the set, `bro; next time!] The wonderful people of Sweden and Denmark, as well as the fine folks of the Swedish/Danish transportation system for coming to my aid. Derrick; lost your E-mail address! Hope you made it home ok. My Scottish mates Davey Kirkwood, his son Nate, and Tony Gordon for the friendship, good times and basically for saving my ass! Thanks also for the "free" lodging!;) See you at Sweden Rock `06! Stig and the Metal Express crew for helping me set up my tent and for basically showing me around my first night at the fest. Cheers! And last but not least, thanks to the drunk Finnish guy for providing me and my fellow passengers hours of entertainment during our incarceration outside of Malmö on the express train from Hell!
Day 1
Day 2
Day 2 Pics
Day 3
Day 3 Pics
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