It’s only rock sand roll!

Now in its fourth year, the Desert Rock Festival at the Dubai Country Club (in Dubai, natch) has grown year-on-year to become the biggest rock event in the Middle East, even attracting the mighty Iron Maiden to headline this year’s line-up.

-up.

The 2007 festival is a two-day affair on March 9 and 10 with day one featuring Maiden, The Prodigy, Stone Sour and In Flames, and day two showcasing Robert Plant and Incubus among others. Tickets, reasonably priced at $95 for the entire weekend, are still available for those who fancy a change of scene and a chance to rock in uniquely sandy surroundings.

The official Desert Rock website here features all the need-to-know festival info, including details of the location and venue, official merchandise and links aplenty if you have any further enquiries.

Although the 2006 festival courted controversy when Saxon were banned at the last minute (the lyrics of Crusader having been deemed offensive) 2007 looks set to be a rocking event. This is a festival with huge potential to develop for many years to come. With the rock-bottom deals you can get on flights these days a trip to a more exotic setting in order to do some serious headbanging need not be such a wild extravagance. Fancy a pre-Easter getaway? Why not consider the Desert Rock Festival.

– Laura Cooper

“Run to the dunes – we’ve missed Maiden’s opening number!”