Sonisphere, staged at Knebworth House, landed the best line-up prize following appearances from Biffy Clyro, Slipknot and Metallica. Paolo Nutini took the headline performance of the year for his performance at Latitude. The Secret Garden Party in Cambridgeshire took the best medium-sized festival prize, while Dorset's End Of The Road was named best small festival.
The Boss is Back - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are to tour in 2012, it has been announced. The singer said on his website that European dates would run from May to July, while US and world concert details will be announced shortly. The band will also headline next year's Hard Rock Calling and Isle of Wight Festival in the UK. It will be the group's first tour since saxophonist Clarence Clemons died following a stroke in June.
Springsteen last toured in 2009 with his Working on a Dream tour, the third biggest earning tour of the year behind U2 and Madonna, making $156m (£99.6m). His UK dates will start with a show at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on 21 June. "It's great to welcome Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band back to Hyde Park," Live Nation promoter Toby Leighton-Pope told the BBC. "They always put on a fantastic show and 2012 is set to be a special one."
In The Ring - A musical version of boxing movie Rocky, backed by the film's star Sylvester Stallone, will debut in Germany in November next year. Stallone has teamed up with boxing brothers Vladimir and Vitali Klitschko to bring the film to the stage. The rags-to-riches tale will include hits from the 1976 film including Gonna Fly Now. The stage show is due to begin in Hamburg, while casting has yet to take place. The New York Times reported earlier this year that it will transfer to Broadway later. The Klitschko brothers will co-produce the musical with Stallone and train the actors in boxing skills.
Union Blues - A group of 14 UK public sector workers, put together by the TUC, have released a pop song ahead of next week's strike. Let's Work Together is a re-recording of a song which was a hit in the 1970s for both Canned Heat and Bryan Ferry. A firefighter, teacher, nurse and probation officer are part of the group, who call themselves The Workers. The TUC hopes it will be in the charts by 30 November when more than two million workers are set to hold a one day strike over pension changes. About 40p from each sale will be donated to Age UK in a move aimed at showing support for pensioners.
(Jim Evans)
