THE battle of the 2010 Sonisphere Festival headliners beings tonight (Saturday) at Knebworth Park and here the Welwyn Hatfield Times looks at the main Apollo stage acts.

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Iron Maiden and Rammstein are the international touring festival’s two main stage headliners and it promises to be a real clash of the titans as to who steals the Soni show.

It’s England versus Germany in the Hertfordshire countryside with the Berlin band first up to stake their claim as Sonisphere’s kings of 2010 with the largest pyrotechnics stage show ever seen in the UK.

The industrial rockers top the Sonisphere cast on Apollo today and promise a mind-blowing and explosive live spectacle – 22 tonnes of pyrotechnics in fact!

The group’s 200 tonnes of kit requires nine – yes nine! – articulated lorries and metalheads can expect one of the greatest visual and outrageous shows of all time, ignited in a blitz of fire and strobe lighting.

Band members breathe fire, guitars throw flames, fireworks are shot from crossbows and the group, their instruments, the stage and even fans are all set alight.

Yes, it is that over the top and those near the front can expect to feel the heat of the flames.

Knebworth will be the German band’s UK festival debut and biggest concert in this country and festival promoter Stuart Galbraith expects plenty of bangs for his bucks.

Speaking to the Welwyn Hatfield Times, he said: “This will be the biggest pyrotechnic and special effects show I have ever put on in 25 years in the music business.”

Considering he has promoted some of the biggest rock events of the past three decades, that’s some boast!

After Rammstein have torched Knebworth with their Teutonic rock, it is the turn of British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden to close the main stage tomorrow (Sunday) night.

This will be Bruce Dickenson and co’s only UK appearance of 2010 and comes just a fortnight before the release of their latest album, The Final Frontier.

The Iron’s mascot Eddie is back as an animatronic alien playing guitar and their set includes The Wicker Man, Ghost Of The Navigator, Wrathchild, new track El Dorado, The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg and an encore comprising The Number of the Beast, Hallowed Be Thy Name and Running Free.

Having already laid waste to North America on their current tour and won a Brit Award last year as best live act, Maiden will want to impress on home turf in the stately surroundings of Britain’s most famous outdoor rock arena.

Also appearing on Apollo today are the likes of Good Charlotte, Papa Roach, Anthrax, Lacuna Coil and British alt-rockers Placebo.

Chart-topping dance metallers Pendulum play Sunday before Iron Maiden, with others on the main stage including Alice In Chains, Slayer and Skindred.

Apollo Stage times

Sunday, August 1

Iron Maiden 20.45pm - 22.45pm

Pendulum 18.25am - 19.25pm

Alice in Chains 16.40am - 17.25pm

Slayer 15.05am - 15.50pm

Skindred 13.35am - 14.15pm

Madina Lake 12.25am - 12.55pm

Karnivool 11.15am - 11.45am