LONDON (VIP-NEWS) — British promoter and festival organizer Stuart Galbraith, founder of Kilimanjaro Live, has joined the board of the U.K.'s Bloodstock Open Air metal festival.
Galbraith rose to the top of the game in Britain, where he has served as managing director of Live Nation U.K. During his time with the live music behemoth, Galbraith played a key role in creating U.K. festivals Wireless, Hyde Park Calling, and he was heavily involved with organizing the 2005 London Live 8 concert and the 2007 Wembley Stadium Live Earth event.
He launched Kilimanjaro in January 2008 as a joint venture with AEG Live.
Bloodstock founder Paul Gregory says Galbraith's appointment is a massive coup for his festival, a move he says which will ultimately help enhance its profile and performance. "We've had to make some pretty defining decisions over the last seven years and I think this is perhaps the biggest and most positive to date," Gregory comments. "The addition of Stuart as an equal partner means we can expand the original and current management team whilst developing genuine worldwide industry partnerships, which can only improve the profile and performance of Bloodstock."
Galbraith says he's looking forward to making a return of sorts to the heavier side of the fest business. The 23-year live music veteran is no newcomer to metal, having overseen the creation of the Monsters of Rock event, and its evolution into the Download Festival.
"It's great to be involved in a pure, heavy metal rock festival again," Galbraith comments in a statement, issued on Tuesday (3/6). He adds, "there's always been a need for a pure, hard rock festival and we hope to build on the great work that Paul and his family have put in."
The heavy metal event will be held on the weekend of Aug. 15-17 August at Catton Hall, Derbyshire, with a line-up headlined by the likes of Nightwish, Dimmu Borgir, Opeth and Helloween, according to Billboard
