Simon Rushworth
We’ve only just recovered from one festival when, would you believe it, word reaches rushonrock about what could well be our summer gig fest of choice. Backed by our favourite monthly music mag and promising in excess of 40 bands over two days, High Voltage is billing itself as the prestige festival for classic rockers.
Headliners ELP and ZZ Top don’t quite do it for us but there’s bound to be a raft of hard rocking talent on the undercard – with acts like The Answer, Stone Gods and Quireboys hotly tipped to bag sought after support slots.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer are reuniting especially for High Voltage. This will be ELP’s one and only live performance of 2010 and possibly the last show they will ever play together – the culmination of a spectacular career that has seen the trio sell more than 30 million albums worldwide.
High Voltage also marks the first time that ZZ Top will be headlining a UK rock festival in 25 years. The superstar trio, known far and wide as ‘that little ol’ band from Texas’, is celebrating its 40th year as the same trio and starred at Download this summer. The group has sold in excess of 40 million albums over the course of a career that saw them inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards in 2004.
The Classic Rock-sponsored two-dayer is expected to sell out fast and Editor-in-Chief Scott Rowley said: “High Voltage is the festival all true rock fans have been waiting for – custom built by rock fans for rock fans. The High Voltage team have been to every rock festival imaginable – we’re taking what we’ve learned to build a festival unlike any other.
“First of all there’s the music: two amazing headliners AND three unique stages specially curated to cater for different sides of the rock audience. And a brilliant supporting cast playing special must-see sets.
“Then there’s the festival itself. The facilities will be second to none: great food, proper beer, clean toilets, deluxe hospitality packages, designated hotels, free shuttle transport. This is somewhere you take the whole family.”
High Voltage promises to offer a new and unique festival experience for rock fans of all ages. Only High Voltage gives ticket buyers the freedom to design their own bespoke festival package – which can include accommodation, transport, parking and VIP bar access. Early bird ticket purchasers will be able to upgrade their tickets with a host of options from January 2010.
“If you can think it up, we can do it,” added Rowley. “We asked our readers what they’d like to see and we’re taking the best of their ideas and making them happen. It’s 30 years since the first Monsters Of Rock festival, and now, at last, rock fans have finally got a quality festival they can call their own.”
Early bird tickets priced £120 (for weekend tickets) and £65 (for day tickets) are on sale now. The early bird tickets will end on 31st December 2009. Standard tickets are priced £130 (for weekend tickets) and £75 (for day tickets).
Classic Rock subscribers can also purchase early bird tickets now. The subscribers’ early bird tickets will include a free festival laminate and the ability to fast-track queues on the day.
There is no booking fee for Classic Rock Presents High Voltage tickets.
Tickets are available from www.highvoltagefestival.com or 24hr cc ticketline 0871 230 5582.
Please check the websites below for further updates