HEADLINE BAND : BLACK SPIDERS

BLACK SPIDERS

FALLING RED

Having torn up the UK & mainland Europe with Airbourne, plus support slots also with Danko Jones, Stone Gods & more, Black Spiders are more than ready for SOS. According to Kerrang they are "rock warriors for fans of Black Sabbath, AC/DC & Turbonegro" & who are we to argue?

Falling Red have started 2010 with a major bang as one of Classic Rock mag's "Ones To Watch 2010", featured also on the covermount CD. They recently opened for Scottish rockers Gun & released a debut official album "Shake The Faith" on Rocksector Records on March 1st. With a 10-date UK tour also confirmed with with former AC/DC singer Dave Evans, the future's bright & we expect a typically balls-out rock n roll show at SOS from the very best high-octane GnR-fuelled sleaze rockers that the UK has to offer.

www.theblackspiders.com

www.myspace.com/fallingredband

4BITTEN

CITIZEN CHARLIE

4Bitten is a hard rock band from Athens, Greece, managing to craft a sound where so many others fall short :- authentic, solid, blues-based hard rock, written & performed by musicians true to their values as life-long rock fans. To borrow the words of Room Thirteen webzine.... "it’s obvious that 4 Bitten have something special. Their timing couldn’t be more perfect, with the cross-continent explosion of new, young blues-rock bands making it big in the charts; just think of The Answer or Black Stone Cherry, and 4Bitten fit in easily to that group"

Citizen Charlie became well known to UK audiences touring twice previously from her native Norway. Her self-released & self-titled debut album won critical acclaim from Classic Rock magazine who described her voice as "pitched somewhere between the scorched fury of Courtney Love & the glacial cool of Amy Lee". Charlie releases her follow up album on Rocksector Records later this year & we're delighted to say that she tours the UK again for 2 weeks on a double-header with Falling Red in the run up to SOS.

www.4bitten.com

www.myspace.com/citizencharlie

THE JOKERS

THE CRAVE

We're excited to announce The Jokers. Begun in Liverpool in 2006 this band has created a contemporary sound whilst drawing upon classic influences. They've had widespread radio airplay including Bruce Dickenson BBC Radio 6, Planet Rock, Total Rock & have toured the UK at famous venues like London Astoria, Nottingham Rock City, Glasgow ABC, as well as touring with Fozzy, featuring Chris Jericho (WWE), on 2 UK tours. Their debut album "The Big Rock & Roll Show" has already grabbed much attention & the future looks bright. They're named The Jokers but this is no laughing matter (!), they're at SOS to kick ass with some seriously good rock n roll!

We're delighted to confirm that The Crave are playing SOS Festival. This bands sits extremely well within the UK's current upcoming talent, drawing their inspiration from times gone-by when life was simple - there was just riff-laden, ballsy rock ‘n’ roll; huge songs, life-changing gigs & a whole world of noisy, gutsy fun that took people out of their dreary everyday lives & made them feel truly special. The Crave bring this backcloth solidly into the 21st century & to SOS.

www.myspace.com/thejokersmyspace

www.myspace.com/thecraveband

EXIT STATE

HELL TO PAY

Exit State hail from Burnley, Lancs, signed to King Prawn Records & deliver a modern explosive high octane rock cocktail, combining the melodic qualities of indie with the innovation of rock and the raw power of metal. They've hit the live circuit with a vengeance in 2009/2010 getting ready to release their debut album "Death Of A Rockstar" on May 31st. They will of course be playing material from that in their set at SOS & we're delighted to confirm them for the Friday.... expect fireworks!

Hailing from Manchester, Hell To Pay have come to our attention through a couple of performances we caught at Grand Central & seeing the band do well there decided us to add them to the festival line-up. We're proud to have given 1 or 2 new bands a chance during the past couple of years & see Hell To Pay in similar light, not that their material is anything strange as you'll get to hear a great take on classic Whitesnake & more throughout their set. This is our opening band for Friday & we can't wait!

www.myspace.com/exitstate

www.myspace.com/helltopayband

HEADLINE BAND : BLAZE BAYLEY

BLAZE BAYLEY

FURY UK

Blaze Bayley returns to SOS for the second year running & headlines our metal day. Blaze is of course known as the former frontman with both Wolfsbane & Iron Maiden before forging a successful solo career, now in the shape of the band called Blaze Bayley. With a new album "Promise & Terror" now released & receiving plenty of critical praise, Blaze has embarked on a world tour & we're delighted he's agreed to include SOS. Fans should expect a killer show from Blaze, whipping up the crowd like only he can, with songs from his recent albums, plus the occasional Maiden track.

Fury UK are well known to SOS audiences especially after their awesome performance last year which formed part of their 20-date UK tour as guests of our headliner last year - former Iron Maiden frontman Blaze Bayley. 2009 was a landmark year for Fury UK who also enjoyed places at Hellfire & Bulldog Bash festivals, plus trips to play in both Greece & Switzerland before touring as guests of Michael Schenker. With Metal Hammer putting the band on its' Hotlist 2010 & a place at Hammerfest in March all looks good for another great year, clearly set as one of the UK's hottest properties on the emerging scene.

Nightvision hail from Lincolshire & released their debut album "As The Lights Go Down" in 2009 to exceptional critical praise due to the excellent song-writing but also the quality production by Matt Elliss of Axis Studios. Nightvision proceeded to tour the UK, making friends everywhere they went & recently made their debut on foreign soil at Wizzfest in Belgium. Think Metallica with a modern hard rock twist of the likes of Black Stone Cherry & you'll not be far away.

Norwegians Moth Circus were introduced to the UK with a short tour here last year when a deal was begun for the release of their debut album "Sideshow Sweetheart" set now for June on Rocksector Records. A band that likens its' music to "Pamela Anderson masturbating at a freak show" is likely to get attention & that's proved to be right. Their songs packed with inventive, groove-laden rock & metal hooks are set to impress both with the release of the album & at SOS Festival too. The aliens are coming!

We're delighted to welcome Babylon Fire back to SOS after a cracking set last year, in the line-up just behind Fury UK & headliner Blaze Bayley, a combination which proved a treat for any metal fan. Hailing mainly from Greater Manchester the band has established itself well in recent years with a relentless enthusiasm for playing live & a burgeoning fan base responding to exactly that. With a set of great modern metal tunes & an infectious stage presence we know we're in for another amazing set from these guys. SOS welcomes back another of its' highlights.

Marauding across the Pennines from their native Yarkshire comes a band of pirates, invading SOS like they want to take over the county! Bringing with them tales such as the Legend of Salty Jim, the likes of which SOS or perhaps even Manchester as a whole has not previously experienced. The only water we have in Manchester tends to just fall from the sky without accumulating in one particular place so sorry lads your operations will have to be on dry land this time! Nevertheless, we wait with baited breath & a bottle of Sailor Jerry. Welcome the Skull Branded Pirates.

FANTASIST

SOS introduces a more thrash / metalcore edge to Saturday with the most excellent Extreme O.D. This band hails from Stoke-on-Trent, boasts Katie Cairns as a new lead vocalist in addition to established members Ian Deaville, Kieron 'K' Berry & Brin Roberts. They've featured in Terrorizer magazine & have always done well in Manchester with earlier performances at Grand Central as a great example. Extreme O.D. are ready to rip it up at SOS.... think Korn, Devildriver, Lamb Of God & Machine Head & you'll not be too far away. Prepare!

Growing out of early friendships at Manchester College of Arts & Technology & born from the ashes of progressive metalheads Idiom, Fantasist emerged in 2009 definitely bringing something a little different. Catch the dark glasses, the suits, the hats, shirts & ties, & with music just as snappy & tight, this progressive metal/rock 3 piece is a credible addition to our festival line-up. We hear all sorts of influences in their music from Rush, Dream Theater to Muse. Heavy at times, yet melodic.. at times intricate & cool.. that probably best sums up what we're in for here.. this is Fantasist!

COLLIBUS

Collibus is a progressive rock/metal band from North Manchester. The band has been around for several years now but fortunes have been very much on the up during the past 12 months or so with the addition of female lead vocalist Gemma Fox who's added an entirely new dimension to the band. Collibus has always written technical & complex riffs but now the sound is honed into a cohesive unit, preparing to release its' first full album & ready to hit the stage at SOS with full force. Welcome!

The More I See travel up to SOS from their base in Peterborough, bringing with them Gizz Butt former-guitarist with The Prodigy & a sack full of tunes from their new album "Tread The Darker Path". Those at their recent Manchester show will have seen them rip it up & will fully understand what we're in for. Welcome TMIS!

Spires is a progressive & technical metal band, full of light & shade, not dis-similar to the mighty Opeth. With a settled line-up they've developed brilliantly over the past couple of years & we're delighted to add them to the line-up for SOS. The band is the brainchild of lead guitarist/lead vocalist Paul Sadler whose meticulous approach to songwriting is the platform for the complex & diverse moods within the band's music. Really looking forward to their set at SOS.

Afterdown is a groove-laden melodic metal band, formed originally in 2007. Their sound incorporates metal with both heavy rock & soft rock whilst the songs contain some infectious hooks & catchy choruses of which a fine example is the anthemic "Sweet Salvation". With an enthusiastic but relaxed style they offer something a little different in the genre & on our metal day at SOS. Welcome to Afterdown.