The “Rock & Metal Night” connected with the 1992 Seville Expo was part of the famous Guitar Legends concert series staged in the run-up to Expo ’92 in Seville.


The concerts actually took place in October 1991, several months before the Expo officially opened.

The idea was to promote Seville internationally ahead of the world fair. The series ran over five themed nights featuring many of the world’s best guitarists.

The “Hard Rock Night” (often remembered as the “Rock & Metal Night”) became legendary among guitar fans because of its lineup:

  • Joe Satriani
  • Steve Vai
  • Brian May
  • Joe Walsh
  • Nuno Bettencourt
  • Gary Cherone
  • Paul Rodgers


Some standout performances included:


“Surfing With the Alien”
“For the Love of God”
“Tie Your Mother Down”
“More Than Words”
A huge all-star finale of “Hey Joe” and “All Right Now”

The backing band was also stacked, featuring musicians like:

  • Rick Wakeman
  • Cozy Powell
  • Neil Murray
  • Nathan East


The show was professionally filmed and broadcast internationally, which is why clips still circulate among rock and metal fans today.

Here is the surviving recording of the full show: Seville Rock Metal

What Expo ’92 Was


A Universal Exposition held in Seville, Spain, running from 20 April to 12 October 1992.
Its theme was “The Age of Discoveries”, marking 500 years since Columbus reached the Americas.
It was a major world fair with 112 participating countries.

Key Facts

  • Visitors: 41,814,571
  • Site size: 215 hectares (530 acres)
  • Location: Isla de La Cartuja, Seville
  • Mascot: Curro
  • Organised by: Manuel Olivencia
  • BIE Classification: Universal Exposition

Expo ’92 ran at the same time as two other 1992 expos:

  • Genoa Expo ’92 (Specialized)
  • Floriade 1992 (Horticultural)

Timeline

  • Bid submitted: 3 March 1982
  • Awarded: 8 December 1982
  • Opened: 20 April 1992
  • Closed: 12 October 1992

After the Expo


The site was repurposed into:

  • Cartuja Science and Technology Park – using many original pavilions
  • Isla Mágica theme park
  • Agua Mágica water park
  • Additional city services and administrative buildings

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