Rammstein on stage at Knebworth Sonisphere Festival

THE 2010 Sonisphere Festival draws to a close in Knebworth Park tonight (Sunday) with main stage headliners Iron Maiden’s only UK performance of the year.

Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson is excited about headlining the British leg of the international touring festival at the legendary rock venue.

Speaking to Kerrang! magazine this week, he said: “We can’t wait! I’ve never been to Knebworth.

“I have no idea what it’ll be like, so I’m really looking forward to playing there.”

Although tonight’s performance will be a UK exclusive, the band have already toured North America in support of forthcoming new album The Final Frontier.

They have a new stage set which looks like a space station and band mascot Eddie will join in as a fourth guitarist for the song Iron Maiden.

However, the British heavy metal legends will have to pull a performance out of the bag to top Saturday night’s headline set from German industrial metallers Rammstein.

The Berliners brought an incredible 200 tonnes of kit to the grounds of the Hertfordshire stately home and their elaborate set ignited 22 tonnes of pyrotechnics.

After a scorching hot afternoon in Knebworth, festival-goers near the front of the Apollo stage were singed by the fire and flames from the German rockers’ show.

There were fireworks, flame-throwers, people set alight and fire – lots of it.

Rammstein, with lead vocalist Till Lindemann singing almost entirely in German, certainly threw down the gauntlet in terms of pure spectacle.

As one devoted Irons fan, watching the German band live for the first time, said: “That was awesome. How are Maiden going to top that?”

It’s currently 1-0 to Germany at half-time.

Tonight it is Iron Maiden’s turn to steal the Sonisphere glory.

As well as Maiden, also playing the main stages today (Sunday) are the likes of Skindred, Alice in Chains, The Cult, Slayer, Iggy and The Stooges and Pendulum.