KILBURNFLYER

Sonisphere was a great laugh. Paid extra to have VIP camping - right behind the stage, park car next to the tent that they put up for you and furnish with an inflatable mattress - which was well worth it -very very convenient, we got away in record time straight after Metallica and never worried about stuff getting nicked as it was in the boot of my car. Got drenched on Saturday but didn't spoil the fun, Didn't use the showers they laid on in VIP - queue in the morning was too long - but the toilets were as bad as ever. Anyway we went to see some bands so here are my thoughts:

Saturday -Band of the day - Wildhearts - last on and only got 45 minutes but fantastic even if they had a few technical issues. Had to follow Thunder which was a big ask as they made up for a poor Hammersmith show with a great final set in a jam packed tent for their final UK show.

Heaven and Hell were superb as were Airbourne, Anthrax, Skindred and BFMV also very enjoyable. Bizarre sight of the day was Bjorn Again doing a very decent version of Enter Sandman. Alien Ant Farm only had one song. Also caught glimpses of Sylosis and Exit 10 both of whom played at Hammerfest. Linkin Park were very professional but just not my thing. Everyone else just not very memorable.

Sunday - Band of the day - Metallica - extremely good powerful set from a band that a so confident in themselves and their material. From Blackened, creeping death, fuel, of wolf and man to start all they way to hit the lights and seek and destroy at the end they were absolutely superb. Roll on November when I get to see them do two nights at MSG.

Limp Bizkit extremely impressive and made the most of their time. Wes Borland dressed is a bizarre outfit mad eit all the more visual. Saxon played a good set but were plagued by terrible sound. Enjoyed Killing Joke especially "Eighties". Lamb of God/Machine Head decent in flashes - both a bit samey and nothing to set them apart from so many similar bands. Avenged Sevenfold clearly very impressive but surprisingly found Alice in Chains a bit dull. Buckcherry did a good opener. Corey Taylor acoustic half hour was forgettable.

KILBURNFLYER

Testament and Sylosis at the O2 Academy Islington. A really good gig - Testament were superb doing a set comprisong their first two albums and a couple of rippers thrown in for good measure. Sylosis decent effort - first time I have seen them having bought their album in advance of Hammerfest appearance nexy month.

testament set list (ripped from Dave Ling's excellent diary) ‘Over The Wall’, ‘The Haunting’, ‘Burnt Offerings’, ‘Curse Of The Legions Of Death’, ‘Raging Waters’, ‘First Strike Is Deadly’, ‘Do Or Die’, ‘Alone In The Dark’, ‘Apocalyptic City’, ‘Musical Death (A Dirge)’, ‘Eerie Inhabitants’, ‘The New Order’, ‘Hypnosis’/‘Trial By Fire’, ‘Into The Pit’, ‘The Preacher’, ‘A Day Of Reckoning’, ‘Reign Of Terror’ and ‘Disciples Of The Watch’, with encores of ‘Rapid Fire’ (Excerpt), ‘More Than Meets The Eye’ and ‘The Formation Of Damnation’.

Wishbone Ash on Friday at the 100 Club and Metallica again at the O2 on Saturday - a good couple of days ahead.