Rock Out at these Summer European Music Festivals

Nothing says summer like a good outdoor rock festival, and all over Europe, there are huge gatherings of metal heads gathering for loud weekends of rock, metal, thrash and more.

So if you like to spend hot summer nights headbanging along with a couple of thousand of fellow fans, here are my picks for the best European all-rock festivals not to miss this summer.

In chronological order:

Sweden Rock Festival – June 08-11, 2011
Solvesborg, Sweden

This rock fest takes place northeast of Malmo and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Headlining are legendary artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Whitesnake, Rob Zombie, Thin Lizzy, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Styx, Queeensryche, Mr Big and Stryper.

Single day tickets range from 690 to 1290 Swedish Krona (approx. $110 to $205 US), and 4-day weekend passes are 2390 Krona (approx. $380 US).

Sauna Open Air – June 09-11, 2011
Tampere, Finland

A few hours north of Helsinki, this festival will be rocking two stages over three days. It’s a bit smaller than most of this list’s fests, but it’s more hardcore, too.

Heavy metal and thrash headliners include Ozzy Osbourne, Helloween, Doro, Saxon, Joey Belladonna, Queensryche, Accept and Judas Priest.

Single day tickets are €58 and a three-day pass will cost €112 per person.
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Alcoholic Architecture - hope you like gin and tonics!

Happy Friday! Thought I’d give you a little taste (or smell, in the cases of one of these bars) of some very unique bars from all over the world. The list was compiled by and published on this site, and it’s a really fun list. Here are five of my favorites:

1. Alcoholic Architecture (London, UK)

This new bar concept opened up in 2009, and patrons apparently have to only breathe in the air in order to get a little bit of a buzz. The air is basically a big gin and tonic, and for around $8, you sit there and “breathe in” your drink. Interesting.

Ice Bar in Orlando, Florida

2. Ice Bar (Orlando, Florida)

This bar is as advertised — it’s all ice inside (except the bathrooms.) So bundle up and get your drink on! Just make sure you’re not shivering when you deliver that pick-up line. Definitely a cool part of Orlando’s hopping nightlife scene.

3. Red Sea Star Bar (Eilat, Israel)

It’s underwater! I’ve always wanted to go to one of these types of places. Great excuse to “drink like a fish.” Nibble on the tasty fare offered, too.

4. Clinic Bar (Clarke Quay, Singapore)

Why walk around a bar if you can buzz around in a wheelchair? And drink out of IV bags? Everything in this bar is hospital themed, down to the pill-shaped rooms.

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem

5.  Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (Nottingham, England)

First off, this bar (or at least the inn housing it) has apparently been around since 1189 A.D., making it Britain’s oldest. Secondly, it’s at the bottom of a castle (which it’s connected to by a series of passageways.) Pretty cool.

Photo: Chris_Reed, Colleen_cc, rozsagab