Knebworth Festival

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Knebworth Festival
Pink Floyd at Knebworth in 1975 Geograph-3536017.jpg
Pink Floyd in 1975
Knebworth Fair 1976 - The Rolling Stones - Geograph-3536179-by-Richard-Humphrey.jpg
The Rolling Stones in 1976

The Knebworth Festival is a recurring open-air rock and pop concert held on the grounds of the Knebworth House in Knebworth, England. The festival first occurred in July 1974 when The Allman Brothers Band, The Doobie Brothers and other artists attracted 60,000 people.

Contents

Since then the venue has hosted numerous outdoor concerts, featuring artists including The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Elkie Brooks, Deep Purple, Queen, Status Quo, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Phil Collins, Robert Plant, Dire Straits, Mike Oldfield, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams, and Oasis.

Major concerts

Oasis at Knebworth Oasis at Knebworth.jpg
Oasis at Knebworth

Concert history

DateName Artists Attendance (approx.)Ref.
20 July 1974The Bucolic Frolic The Allman Brothers Band, The Doobie Brothers, Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Van Morrison, Tim Buckley 60,000 [6] [7]
5 July 1975Knebworth Festival Pink Floyd, Captain Beefheart, Linda Lewis, Monty Python, Steve Miller Band, Roy Harper 100,000 [6] [8]
21 August 1976Knebworth Fair 10cc, Hot Tuna, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Don Harrison Band, The Rolling Stones, Todd Rundgren 120,000 [6] [9]
24 June 1978A Midsummer Night's Dream Atlanta Rhythm Section, Brand X, Devo, Genesis, Jefferson Starship, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Roy Harper 60,000 [6] [10]
9 September 1978Oh God Not Another Boring Old Knebworth! Dave Edmunds, Frank Zappa, Nick Lowe, Peter Gabriel, The Boomtown Rats, The Tubes, Wilko Johnson's Solid Senders45,000 [6]
4 August 1979 Knebworth Festival Chas & Dave, Commander Cody, Fairport Convention, Led Zeppelin, The Marshall Tucker Band, Southside Johnny, Todd Rundgren 109,000 [6] [11]
11 August 1979Knebworth FestivalChas & Dave, Commander Cody, Led Zeppelin, The New Barbarians, The Marshall Tucker Band, Southside Johnny, Todd Rundgren60,000 [6] [11]
21 June 1980Knebworth Festival Elkie Brooks, Lindisfarne, Mike Oldfield, The Beach Boys, The Blues Band, Santana 45,000 [6] [12]
15 June 1981 Capital Jazz Festival 1981 Benny Goodman; Chuck Berry; Ella Fitzgerald; Lionel Hampton's Big Band (without Hampton, who was ill); Muddy Waters; Sarah Vaughan; Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia; Arnett Cobb, Wallace Davenport and Ricky Ford; Illinois Jacquet; Art Pepper; Eddie Vinson; Buddy DeFranco and Terry Gibbs; Dexter Gordon 50,000 [12] [13] [14]
July 1982Capital Jazz Festival 1982Pizza Express All Stars, NYJO, Zoot Money, Bobby LambRay Premru Band, the Ronnie Scott Quintet, Nucleus, Shakatak, Morrissey–Mullen, the Breakfast Band, Carmen McRae [13]
17 July 1982Capital Jazz Festival 1982 B.B. King, Jimmy Cliff, The Jazztet, Jay McShann, Tal Farlow [13]
18 July 1982Capital Jazz Festival 1982 The Crusaders, Spyro Gyra, Chico Freeman, Dick Hyman, Dizzy Gillespie [13]
24 July 1982Capital Jazz Festival 1982 Ray Charles, Gerry Mulligan's Big Band, Clark Terry, Freddie HubbardRon Carter, Modern Jazz Quartet [13]
25 July 1982Capital Jazz Festival 1982 Wynton Marsalis, Lionel Hampton's Big Band, Steps Ahead, Dave Brubeck (w/ Chris Brubeck and Jerry Bergonzi), Great Guitars [13]
August 1982 Greenbelt Festival Adrian Snell, Andy Pratt, Positive Earth, Bryn Haworth, Calvin Seerveld, Jim Wallis, Noel Paul Stookey, Paradise, Patrick Sookhdeo, Maxine and the Majestics, Rez Band, Roger Forster, Servant, Talking Drums, The Barratt Band [12]
August 1983Greenbelt Festival 100% Proof, Cliff Richard, Jessy Dixon, Mighty Clouds of Joy, Sheila Walsh [12]
22 June 1985The Return of the Knebworth Fayre Alaska, Blackfoot, Deep Purple, Mama's Boys, Meat Loaf, Mountain, Scorpions, UFO 80,000 [12] [15]
9 August 1986A Night of Summer Magic Queen, Status Quo, Big Country, Belouis Some
This would be Queen's final concert with Freddie Mercury.
120,000 [12] [16]
30 June 1990The Silver Clef Award Winners Concert Cliff Richard & The Shadows, Genesis, Dire Straits, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Robert Plant & Jimmy Page, Status Quo, Tears for Fears 120,000 [17]
2 August 1992Knebworth Festival Genesis, Lisa Stansfield, The Saw Doctors 90,000 [18] [17] [19]
10 August 1996 Oasis Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene, Manic Street Preachers, The Bootleg Beatles, The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy 125,000 [17]
11 August 1996OasisOasis, Cast, Dreadzone, Kula Shaker, Manic Street Preachers, The Charlatans 125,000 [17]
11 August 2001 Ministry @ Knebworth 2001 Bent, Jamiroquai, Lo Fidelity Allstars 35,000 [20] [21] [22]
1 August 2003 Robbie Williams Live at Knebworth Ash, Kelly Osbourne, Basement Jaxx, Moby, Robbie Williams, The Darkness 125,000 [23] [24]
2 August 2003Robbie Williams Live at KnebworthAsh, Kelly Osbourne, Basement Jaxx, Moby, Robbie Williams, The Darkness125,000 [23] [24]
3 August 2003Robbie Williams Live at KnebworthAsh, Kelly Osbourne, Basement Jaxx, Moby, Robbie Williams, The Darkness125,000 [23] [24]
30 June 2007Wild in the Country 2007 2ManyDJs, Erol Alkan, Hot Chip, Justice, Sasha & John Digweed, Simian Mobile Disco, Tiga, Underworld
1 August 2009 Sonisphere Festival Airbourne, Alien Ant Farm, Anthrax, Björn Again, Bullet for My Valentine, Heaven & Hell, Linkin Park, Skindred, Soil, Taking Back Sunday, The Used 55,000 [25]
2 August 2009Sonisphere Festival Alice in Chains, Avenged Sevenfold, Buckcherry, Feeder, Killing Joke, Lamb of God, Limp Bizkit, Machine Head, Mastodon, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Paradise Lost, Saxon 55,000 [25]
30 July 2010Sonisphere Festival 65daysofstatic, Alice Cooper, Delain, Europe, Gary Numan, Terrorvision, Turisas 55,000 [25]
31 July 2010Sonisphere Festival Anthrax, Apocalyptica, Corey Taylor, Family Force 5, Fear Factory, Gallows, Lacuna Coil, Mötley Crüe, Papa Roach, Placebo, Rammstein, Sabaton, Skunk Anansie, Soulfly, Therapy? 55,000 [25]
1 August 2010Sonisphere Festival Alice in Chains, Bring Me the Horizon, cKy, The Cult, Dir En Grey, Fightstar, Funeral for a Friend, Henry Rollins, Iggy & The Stooges, Iron Maiden, Madina Lake, Pendulum, Skindred, Slayer 55,000 [25]
8 July 2011Sonisphere Festival Anthrax, Diamond Head, Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer [25]
9 July 2011Sonisphere Festival Architects, Bad Religion, Biffy Clyro, Cavalera Conspiracy, Sylosis, You Me At Six, Weezer [25]
10 July 2011Sonisphere Festival Arch Enemy, Limp Bizkit, Mastodon, Motörhead, Parkway Drive, Slipknot, Volbeat [25]
23 June 2012Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dizzee Rascal, The Wombats, Reverend and the Makers.80,000
August 2013 (2–4)Eastern Electronics Hot Natured, Moderat, Âme, Anja Schneider, Ata, Ben UFO, Blawan, Catz N Dogz, Chris Liebing, Claude VonStroke, The Climbers, Clockwork, Damian Lazarus, Dave Clarke, Deetron, Dixon, DJ Sneak, DJ Tennis, Droog, Dyed Soundorom, Eats Everything, Ellen Allien, Felix Dickinson, Francesca Lombardo, Futureboogie DJs, Gavin Herlihy, Geddes, Giles Smith, Guy Gerber, Heidi, Huxley, Infinity Ink, James Priestley, Josh Wink, Joy Orbison, Jozif, Justin Martin, DJ Koze, Krankbrother, Laura Jones, Levon Vincent, Luca Pilato, Maceo Plex, Magda, Masters at Work, Matthias Tanzmann, Maurice Fulton, Maxxi Soundsystem, Maya Jane Coles, Michael Mayer, Miguel Campbell, MK, Nick Curly, No Artificial Colours, Pan-Pot, PBR Streetgang, Prosumer, Ralph Lawson, Raresh, Richy Ahmed, Robert James, Roman Flügel, Ryan Crosson, Sasha, Seth Troxler, Shadow Child, Luke Slater, Soul Bros, Subb-an, Tama Sumo, Theo Parrish, Tommy Four Seven, Waifs and Strays 12,000 [26] [27]
July 2014 (4-6) Sonisphere 2014 Metallica, Iron Maiden, The Prodigy, Dream Theater, Slayer, Alice in Chains, Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Watain, Mastodon, Band of Skulls, Frank Turner, Babymetal, Dropkick Murphys, Chas & Dave, Glass City Vice, The Sisters of Mercy 50,000 [26]
3 June 2022 Liam Gallagher Abbie McCarthy, Pastel, Amyl and the Sniffers, Paulo Nutini, Kasabian, Liam Gallagher100,000 [28] [29]
4 June 2022Liam GallagherJack Saunders, Goat Girl, Fat White Family, Michael Kiwanuka, Kasabian, Liam Gallagher100,000 [28] [29]

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Bibliography