Roskilde, Europe’s largest rock festival starts in Denmark

This year's program includes legendary rock and folk singer Bob Dylan, Morrissey, Deftones and Guns N' Roses.

Photo: Roskilde, Europe’s largest rock festival starts in Denmark

Roskilde, Europe’s largest rock festival starts in Denmark

Nearly 160 artists and bands will perform on Roskilde's six stages during the 2006 festival, which mostly attracts visitors from northern Europe.

Organizers said all 79,000 tickets for the event have been sold. The festival ends July 2.

First held in 1971, the festival in Roskilde, 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the Danish capital, Copenhagen, was inspired by the 1969 Woodstock Festival in upstate New York. Since then, people have flocked to the extravaganza on a farm field outside Roskilde. As in previous years, people over 60 have free admission on Sunday, the festival's last day, the AP reports.

Six years ago, the event was marred by an accident when nine young men were killed when fans pushed toward the main Orange Stage during a Pearl Jam concert. Security has since been improved to avoid such accidents.