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Working with Stuart , Steve and the team at Kilimanjaro Live is always a joy . They have been super supportive of us since we started , and it ’ s been great to work closely with them on career artists like Passenger and Julia Jacklin . Their honest , fair , and transparent approach is always appreciated by all involved . Stuart ’ s relentless campaigning for a better industry has been inspirational , and we congratulate them on their 15 years of success and wish them all the best for the next 15 years !
Galbraith went on to launch some of the UK ’ s most successful festivals , including Download , Wireless and Hard Rock Calling , before leaving his role as MD at Live Nation UK to found Kilimanjaro .
While overseeing the UK festival division at Live Nation , Galbraith considered building Download into an international proposition but with the company already having rock festivals in locations throughout the world his ambition had to be put on ice until he founded Kilimanjaro .
In Kilimanjaro ’ s first year , Galbraith acquired music and wakeboarding festival Wakestock in Cardigan Bay , North Wales . He also partnered with K2 Agency ’ s
Kew The Music
– ATC Live MD Alex Bruford
Belladrum Festival
John Jackson and together they approached AEG to gain its financial backing for the launch of the Sonisphere Festival . The duo built it into Europe ’ s first touring rock festival brand . Launched in 2009 , it was staged in a dozen countries across Europe before being pulled in 2015 .
Among the many landmark Sonisphere moments was the last event at Knebworth in 2014 . It marked the venue ’ s 40th anniversary of hosting rock concerts , and among the acts on the bill were The Prodigy , Iron Maiden , Metallica and The Sisters of Mercy . Fondly remembered by fans and the team that worked on it , the festival saw the acts on the
main two stages , Apollo and Saturn , alternate so that festivalgoers could see all the bands listed .
“ Sonisphere was a natural extension of the work I ’ d done on Download , which I launched in 2002 and ran until 2007 ,” says Galbraith . “ With John Jackson we brought Iron Maiden and Metallica on board and had some very successful festivals throughout Europe ; everywhere from Istanbul to Helsinki .”
Despite having enjoyed a hugely successful year with Sonisphere in 2014 , its founders took the decision not to go ahead the following year due to a huge escalation in overheads . “ Headliner fees literally trebled , and the model no longer worked ,” says Galbraith .
Kilimanjaro remains heavily involved in festivals and outdoor show series . It owns Scotland ’ s largest camping festival , Belladrum Tartan Heart ( cap . 20,000 ), along with England ’ s Pennfest ( 10,000 ) and Let ’ s Rock ( 10,000 ) festival brands . Its several summer concert series include Kew the Music and Live at Chelsea , and in partnership with Form Presents it promotes events including Pitchfork Festival London .
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