Anna Hyams

Anna has been a festival fanatic since her first ever outing to Download Festival back in 2001, she's got eclectic tastes and covers everything from metal to EDM and loves a chance to try out new festivals. Anna has covered a few European festivals like Snowbombing and Wacken Open Air, but mainly hits up her UK faves; Download, Bestival and Bloodstock!

Bestival unveils even more acts for The Future!

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As Bestival’s luminous dream world draws ever nearer, we have news of a host of amazing new live acts and DJs who will be dropping future sounds among the cosmic campfires, mindful escapism, intergalactic raves and Mexican wrestling when Bestival heads into The Future this coming 8-11 September at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight.  

Rob da Bank says: “As ever we aim to please at Bestival and cover all bases at our insane island party. So let’s head into The Future with one of my favourite electronic acts ever Leftfield, a-song-a-month sensation Oh Wonder and newbies Honne and Anne-Marie, plus jungle and house legend DJ Zinc and hardcore heroes Slipmatt, Billy Daniel Bunter and Altern-8!”

They’re one of the biggest and best live dance music acts ever, so we’re over the moon to announce that Leftfield will be tearing up the Big Top on Saturday night. Famed for their speaker smashing bass, and a truckload of anthems from Phat Planet and Release the Pressure to Swords and Universal Everything, they never fail to give the dancefloor a proper spanking. You don’t want to miss this one.

But that’s not all as we’ll have breathy synth duo Oh Wonder, electronic soul from Honne, Rudimental collaborator and winner of MTV’s Brand New list Anne-Marie, hotly tipped rapper Tiggs da Author. acoustic trance from The ShowHawk Duo, and post punk three-piece and Robert Smith faves The Twilight Sad.

There will be even more live music from London Music Awards’ Rising Star Espa, widescreen indie types New Desert Blues, Sunday Best’s own Alice Jemima and Xylaroo, high octane rhymesters Too Many T’s, and the incredible winner of our Isle of Wight bands competition Lauran Hibberd. 

Joining our future perfect fun on the ones and twos we have a host of forward-thinking crate diggers who’ll keep you dancing all night long including super sharp shooter DJ Zinc, the World of Rave & Music Mondays crew with History of Rave action from DJ Slipmatt going b2b with Billy Daniel Bunter and a DJ set from Altern-8, plus grime selector Sir Spyro, Radio 1’s Clara Amfo, freestyle femme fatale Amy Becker and woozy, psychedelic wunderkind Roosevelt.

We’ll also have pleasingly repetitive beats from Junk: Not Your Thing featuring Luca Pilato & Jordan Mckinlay, Bestival FM co-host and all round party phenomenon Goldierocks hosting the main stage, and dancefloor devastation from Ghettospheric, K2rah, Dr DJ, Joe Roberts Presents Ecstasy Garage Disco, Suspiciously Delicious, Bitr8 and Isle of Wight DJ competition winner Just Eden. 

Plus, there will be energetic pursuits from the amazing Reggaerobics who will be helping us blow away the cobwebs with some stirring morning manoeuvres.

There are still plenty of treats to be revealed for our Future paradise, including our Sunday night main stage headliners and much more, so head to www.Bestival.net, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram / Tumblr

Duran Duran headline Common People Southampton 2016

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A roll of simulated thunder with flashes of lightning tear across the huge stage screens in the dark of Southampton Common… Duran Duran are here and they mean business. Thousands have turned out to see the eighties synthpop legends and as Simon LeBon emerges from a raised stairway centre-stage rocking tight white jeans and a leather jacket, the crowd goes wild.

Paper Gods kicks things off, a statement of intent that they won’t just stick to the hits, that they have something much more current to say. With the likes of Keisza, Lindsay Lohan and Janelle Monáe on the album collaboration bill, it’s clear Duran Duran are marking their territory in modern music, and it’s hardly surprising with all the electronic emphasis in the charts at the moment and eighties style resurgence, that the younger contingent at CP seem to be enjoying themselves as much as the original fanbase.

Wild Boys features fire effects on the backdrops and a fair amount of stamping around from the band members, and Hungry Like The Wolf keeps the party going, with LeBon, head thrown back howling into the night sky.

James Bond track A View To A Kill gets the signature aperture and gun treatment on the big screens and even the teenage boys in the back seem appreciative of this one, whilst huge confetti explosions herald funky Notorius and LeBon yelling “Does everyone love the music of the eighties?”

A tribute to the late great David Bowie sees a huge projection of the singer’s face during a quick rendition of Space Oddity, and after some saucy moves for Girls on Film, Duran Duran also ask for the crowd to raise their phone lights for Save a Prayer to pay respect to another recently lost music hero – Prince. There’s not a dry eye in the house as LeBon shouts “He’s a man who really changed music and gave fans like us a kick up the arse” and the stage is lit purple.

Finishing up with classic summer smash Rio is the only way to go, with twinkly city lights in the background and a load of inflatable beach balls bouncing around the crowd, Southampton steals a little bit of the Caribbean tonight. Oh and if there are any yacht and suit related thefts reported tomorrow… well frankly, we have no idea what you’re talking about. What an epic ending to Common People 2016!

All photos © A. Hyams  – Do not use without permission.

Craig David’s TS5 headlines Common People Southampton

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You know him from banging 90’s/noughties garage and R&B hits with Artful Dodger, cool club classics for the shell-toed, bucket-hatted nation, but how the melee of under 18’s in the front know his entire back catalogue is a mystery. There are hundreds of screaming girls causing themselves airflow restriction as the legendary CD takes to the Common People stage as the Saturday headliner in his hometown of Southampton. It’s clear he’s happy to be home as he drops straight in with original mega-hit ‘Re-wind’ and he’s lost none of his showmanship or vocal range in his haitus from the mainstream.

I’m sure more than a few of us are still baffled as to what Bo Selecta actually means, or why we should be saying it in a crowd, and it doesn’t help that the entire show predicated on Leigh Francis’ lampooning of the song and Craig David himself is being acted out all over the arena.

From behind his stacked mixing desk, the tell tale sounds of ‘Fill Me In’ elicit a huge roar from the crowd and it seems everyone still knows the words, for a mass rendition. Mixing in his own stuff with samples from other hits seems to be the raison d’être of TS5 (glad to find out, had no clue what that meant) as Whitney Houston’s ‘It’s not right but it’s ok’ is woven into the story and his energetic bouncing has everyone throwing shapes alongside him.

Yelling “You can take the boy outta Southampton, but you can’t take Southampton outta the boy!” CD scores big with a site-wide roar of appreciation – Common People is smack in the middle of the city, so this really is a home crowd reception.

‘Walking Away’ gets a new backing track from ‘Still Dre’ and a ‘No Scrubs’ excerpt leads way to a massive Bieber singalong for ‘Sorry’. CD might have the better voice of the two actually…

With a bit of Beyonce’s ‘Run The World’ and Robin S’s ‘Show Me Love’ CD really knows how to hook this crowd before busting out a bit of his own smooth classic ‘7 Days’, and calling out “It’s been an incredible journey… from the garage days of the 90’s to now” endears him to the over 30’s in the audience, who remember them fondly, or at least, shamefully. With one last Biebs sample (apparently his momma don’t like you, and that’s bad) and a heartfelt “I’m incredibly proud to be from Southampton” Craig David more than proves he’s worthy of Common People’s headline slot.

All photos © A. Hyams  – Do not use without permission.

Bloodstock announces more bands

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BLOODSTOCK festival is excited to announce another batch of bands for August’s event at Catton Park!

Regrouped Brit industrio-metallers, KILL II THIS join the main stage for a Saturday slot.  Frontman, Mark Mynett says “BLOODSTOCK is one of the finest metal festivals there is; this year’s stunning line up says it all!  So we are both delighted and honoured to be playing the Ronnie James Dio stage.”  Check out their video for ‘The Universe In A Nutshell’ here;  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myNgEf8I7jU.

Stepping into Friday’s special guest slot on the Sophie Lancaster Stage are Norway’s black jazzsters, SHINING.  Singer Jørgen Munkeby comments, “Last time we played at BLOODSTOCK was one of the best and most exciting shows we’ve ever done. We’re so much looking forward to be back at the UK’s best metal festival again!”  Remind yourself of their sound with the video for ‘The Last Stand’; https://youtu.be/7tNODbdyJaw

Also landing Friday slots on the Sophie stage are Brit crust/grindcore monsters, FOETAL JUICE and British apocalyptic metal crew, ANTI CLONE. Tunisian symphonic prog metallers, MYRATH play the Sophie stage on Saturday, as do French avant-garde extremists, MISANTHROPE.  Lastly, stepping into a Sunday Sophie slot are US progressive thrash beasts, VEKTOR.

The second wave of BLOODSTOCK club nights kicks off in June.  Get along to one of the following local events for a chance to win BLOODSTOCK weekend tickets and BLOODSTOCK-related giveaways.  Check with your local club for further details in case of changes and expect the unexpected!  Events for June and July stack up as follows:

Wed 1st June – Nottingham – Bodega

Thu 2nd June – Bury – Blind Tiger

Sat 4th June – Stoke-on-Trent – Bunker 13

Thu 9th June – Manchester Rebellion Bar

Sat 18th June – Stoke-on-Trent – Bunker 13 (Rawkus)

Fri 24th June – Middlesbrough – SUMO

Fri 24th June – Reading – Face Bar

Fri 24th June – London Elektrowerkz

Fri 24th June – Glasgow – Cathouse

Fri 24th June – Ipswich – The Cock and Pye

Sat 25th June – Birmingham – Eddie’s Rock Club
Sat 25th June – Sheffield – Corporation

Thu 30th June – Exeter – Timepiece

 

Fri 1st July – Leicester – Firebug

Sat 2nd July – Doncaster – The Vintage Rock Bar

Sat 2nd July – Brighton – Envy

Sat 2nd July – Coventry – The Phoenix

Sat 2nd July – Stoke-on-Trent – Bunker 13

Fri 8th July – London – Electric Ballroom

Thu 14th July – Winsford – De Bees

Sat 16th July – Birmingham – The Asylum

Sat 23rd July – Burnley – Sanctuary Rock Bar

Thu 28th July – Sheffield Leadmill

Sat 30th July – Birmingham – Eddie’s Rock Club

Sat 30th July – Sheffield – Corporation

Already announced for 2016 are the three headliners, TWISTED SISTER (in their last ever UK show), MASTODON and SLAYER, plus special guests BEHEMOTH, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.  Also on the bill are FEAR FACTORY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SYMPHONY X, SATYRICON, PARADISE LOST, DRAGONFORCE, METAL ALLEGIANCE, STUCK MOJO, ROTTING CHRIST, MISERY LOVES CO, GHOST BATH, VENOM, UNEARTH, DIAMOND HEAD, GOATWHORE, ACID REIGN and many more.  Additional bands are still to be announced.

Bestival and Common People present: The World’s Biggest Bouncy-Castle!

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The Bestival family has a long and august history of going that extra mile, making the world of festivals bigger, better and brighter. And this year is no exception, pushing the boundaries of bobbing up and down to the very limit, we’ve teamed up with our old muckers, Cardiff-based Something Creatives to make what we think is the world’s biggest bouncy castle! Aiming to add to our accolades for the world’s largest fancy dress party, the biggest busk ever and our colossal disco ball, this could well be the greatest inflatable on Earth, and it’s making its debut at Common People in Southampton this coming bank holiday weekend!

Rob da Bank says: “We do love breaking a record and this is one of our funnest builds so far. Me and my mate Matt from the infamous Inflatable Church had a pipe dream about five years ago of building the world’s biggest bouncy castle, and this summer we’re making that a reality. So polish your socks and step up for what will be one of the most innocent of pleasures – bouncing up and down with gay abandon with your mates, family or friendly strangers. See you on the castle!”

Something Creatives’ Matt the Hat commented: “I’ve always been the first kid in the sandpit and consider play a fundamental part of everyday life. Everyone should find the time to play. The playful spirit of creating joy and fun is shared by Rob da Bank and all of the Bestival family and has made this brilliantly bonkers idea a reality. Whether you’re young or old, what could be more fun than jumping around inside the biggest bouncy castle in the world?  Just watch out for the ‘bouncers’, and remember if you’re wearing shoes then you can’t come in!”

Everyone loves a bouncy castle. That’s a fact. And we’ve got even more facts about our blow up bastion that could see us heading for the record books once again. Smashing an almost 20-year-old record and measuring a frankly epic23.8 metres long and 20.7 metres wide our bouncy castle stands 12.8 metres tall at its highest point; the side turrets are equal in height to the walls of Cardiff Castle, making it taller than the Great Wall of China and roughly three times the size of the Berlin Wall! Filled with 1143 cubic metres of air it can comfortablyaccommodate 100 pleasure-seeking festivalgoers at one time.

Quite simply massive, it’s an inflatable legend in the making, don’t miss the chance to have a jump around on our historic bouncy castle at Common People, Southampton this 28th & 29th May, and then at Camp Bestival 28th-31stJuly and Bestival from 8th – 11th September.

Bouncy Castle Comparison:

                                                            Length          Width           Height         

 

Word’s Biggest Bouncy Castle:          23.8m          20.7m          12.8m                 

 

Previous Record Holder:                    19m             19m             12m            

The clock is ticking and Common People tickets are flying so grab yours now at www.commonpeople.net

Bloodstock beef up and prepare for battle!

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There’s less than 100 days until BLOODSTOCK 2016!!  While we’ve been revealing many killer bands for you to mosh to all festival, there’s plenty more on-site to see and do besides watch the awesome bill (and for regulars, we don’t mean bin-jousting or Deli Kate)!  BLOODSTOCK knows the meaning of both heavy and metal…!

While you might be feeling a little weakened at times over the weekend (especially if you’ve been taking advantage of the real ales on site), BLOODSTOCK are delighted to welcome some of the strongest people in the world to the festival!  For the first time, BLOODSTOCK and the 100% CA team will host 2 special strongmen events. On Saturday, 20 top athletes from across Europe will compete for the title of ‘Europe’s Strongest Man Under 90kgs’. Then on Sunday, see what pure strength is all about, in the ‘BLOODSTOCK’s Strongest Man’ challenge, showcasing some of the biggest and strongest competitors handpicked from around the world.  Don’t worry, they’re not planning a face-off with festival attendees, but we wouldn’t recommend spilling their pint.

Over the 2 days, the athletes will complete 2 events in each title, including a max deadlift event, and we hope to see 400kgs pulled on Sunday!  Plus, an overhead log-press for reps, a loading medley consisting of 5 objects, 2 which weigh 19 stone!  Not to mention, a gruelling back-to-back tug of war. Joining us, will be World’s Strongest Man and Arnold’s competitor, the South of England’s Strongest Man Rob Frampton, and Dave Meer, the local Tamworth multi-record-breaking strongman who has competed in the UK’s Strongest Man numerous times.  With the support of XplosiveApe, USN, and Rebel Strength, we will be bringing you the best in the country!

If swords and armour are more your thing, don’t miss the ferocious BATTLE OF THE NATIONS UK historical fighting team, on site from Friday-Sunday!  BLOODSTOCK is thrilled – if slightly trepadacious – that they can lay waste to Catton Park again this August. The UK Federation regularly compete around the world, and are ranked among the very best.  Look out for their regular “demonstrations” (by which we mean, a no-holds-barred full-contact scrap with broad swords, maces, and an array of other brutal Medieval weaponry) in the main arena.  We wouldn’t recommend spilling their mead either.

Field Captain Rob ‘Moose’ Morris comments, “BLOODSTOCK is always the most popular event we host in the tournament calendar.  The unique atmosphere and amazing music always combine to a complete unreal experience.  Showing the music fans what being a real metal-head involves; wearing 16kg of armour and caning the hell out of your opponent in August!”  Wish them luck with their BLOODSTOCK warm up this month, taking on the Battle Of The Nations World Championships in both the classic 5v5 Bohurt and female fighter categories.

On the musical side, already announced for 2016 are our three headliners, TWISTED SISTER (in their last ever UK show), MASTODON and SLAYER, plus special guests BEHEMOTH, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.  Also on the bill are FEAR FACTORY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SYMPHONY X, SATYRICON, PARADISE LOST, DRAGONFORCE, METAL ALLEGIANCE, STUCK MOJO, ROTTING CHRIST, MISERY LOVES CO, GHOST BATH, VENOM, UNEARTH, DIAMOND HEAD, GOATWHORE, ACID REIGN and many, many more.  Additional bands are being announced regularly so keep up to date via BLOODSTOCK’s official sites at www.facebook.com/bloodstock and www.bloodstock.uk.com, or via Twitter on @BLOODSTOCKFEST.

Bestival’s Spaceport line-up revealed!

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The legendary Port remains missing, its whereabouts unknown but Bestival’s brand new, revolutionary monolith of sound, The Spaceport, is shaping up to be the greatest dance stage ever! Throbbing to an intergalactic soundscape of epic proportions, our seven storey symbol of the future will transmit Bestival’s unique vision of our dancefloor destiny as we unveil the crack squad of space cadets, who will be joining previously announced Spaceport headliners Diplo, Carl Cox, and Fatboy Slim, to blast us into the unknown this coming September on the Isle of Wight. 

Bestival rave-master Rob da Bank says: “Prepare for lift off my futuristic friends, this is going to be the stage of the summer of UK festivals. A dream team of Josie da Bank, our mate Paul Normandale, who’s Bjork and Coldplay’s lighting designer, super set designers Spatial and a host of madcap inventors are building an incredible imaginary Spaceport for you to rave at and take off into The Future. In that rocket will be no less than rave veterans Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Diplo, DJ Yoda and Candi Staton propped up by newbies like DJ Barely Legal and Mele and Monki… The Future is almost here”.

Following an out of this world opening ceremony, we’ll be heading into orbit as we ramp up the rave action with a cavalcade of advanced selectors including Benji B, Destructo, DJ Barely Legal, DJ Yoda, Dub Pistols Soundsystem, Eats Everything, James Zabiela, Kenton Slash Demon, Klose One and Mella Dee. 

And hitting the decks to take us beyond the solar system of sound will be Mount Kimbie, Mumbai Science, Norman Jay MBE, NRG Flash: Monki & Mele, Oneman going back to back with My Nu Leng, Purple Rave Prince Tribute from Heidi, Rob da Bank & Tayo, Riton, Sink The Pink presents No Limits with Candi Staton & Livin’ Joy, Skream and The Heatwave.  

The epicentre of the inevitable and the future of the dance, The Spaceport is where the party’s at. Don’t miss it.

BLOODSTOCK adds more bands, ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ finals & announces first New Blood stage winners!

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BLOODSTOCK HQ is readying to send Team M2TM out on the road for the finals,
but in the meantime, there’s a few more band additions to the August bill!

Joining Friday’s main stage bill are newly re-grouped British death metal
overlords, AKERCOCKE.  The band are working on new music and BLOODSTOCK
will be their very first gig since their reformation.  Frontman Jason
Mendonca tells us: “AKERCOCKE have returned after 5 years absence from the
live circuit.  We are reinvigorated by the return of our original guitarist
Paul Scanlan and the ranks are completed by Dam front man Nathanael
Underwood on bass guitar.  Following the great experience the band enjoyed
in 2008, we are proud to return to the BLOODSTOCK main stage for a second
time.  Expect fan favourites from the past and killer new tunes from the
present.  See you down the front."

Stoner/blues rock five-piece, DESERT STORM join Sunday’s Sophie stage
bill.  Check out their video for ‘Signals From Beyond’ –
https://youtu.be/U2G-Tqhswsw.  The track can be snapped up on various
coloured vinyl as a split 7” (with Suns of Thunder) on 29th April from
http://www.h42records.8merch.com/presale.

Also landing a Sunday Sophie slot are thrash metal animals, DIVINE CHAOS.
Check out their video for ‘Fields of the Fallen’ –
https://youtu.be/wJn8qWmDt8A – and pre-order their debut album, ‘A New Dawn
In The Age Of War’ over at their webstore for a 29th May release –
http://www.divinechaosmetal.com/#!reviews/c9qb.

Meanwhile, back at BLOODSTOCK HQ, the first acts for the New Blood stage
have been chosen!  After throwing their hat in the ring via CD
applications, the following bands win slots on the New Blood bill;  London
doomsters POSEIDON, Bristol’s darkly melodic MORDRAKE, Belfast metal
beasts RABID
BITCH OF THE NORTH and Austria’s REST IN FEAR all snare themselves stage
time at BLOODSTOCK!

BLOODSTOCK’s ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ judging squad are also ready to hit the
road, as the M2TM finals get under way soon!  The local heats have been
oversubscribed with entries and many playing to packed houses countrywide,
so anticipation is already running at fever pitch.  Get along to your local
event and support grass-roots metal!  Not only will be a fun night out,
there’s a chance at each event to win weekend tickets to BLOODSTOCK, a case
of Hobgoblin Ale to take home, or various other BLOODSTOCK related prizes.
You can even shake hands with BLOODSTOCK’s ‘M2TM’ mainman, Simon Hall.
Finals run as follows:

1st May – KENT / GRAVESEND – The Red Lion

6th May – NORTHERN IRELAND / BELFAST – Voodoo

7th May – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND / DUBLIN – Fibber Magees

14th May – NORWAY / SANDNES – The Tribute

20th May – WOLVERHAMPTON – Slade Rooms

21st May – LONDON – Nambucca

22nd May – BRIGHTON – The Green Door Store

27th May – GLASGOW – Ivory Blacks

28th May – INVERNESS – Mad Hatters

29th May – CARLISLE – Club Rock

2nd Jun – EAST ANGLIA / NORWICH – The Brickmakers

3rd Jun – LUTON – The Castle

3rd Jun – NOTTINGHAMSHIRE / MANSFIELD – The Intake Club

4th Jun – LEICESTER – Leicester De Montfort Hall (plus headline sets from
Phil Campbell’s All Stars and more)

17th Jun – NEWCASTLE – The Cluny

18th Jun – SOUTH WALES / CARDIFF – Fuel Club

19th Jun – MANCHESTER – Grand Central

24th Jun – SWINDON – The Victoria

24th Jun – DEWSBURY – The Old Turk

25th Jun – MERSEYSIDE / LIVERPOOL – Bumper

1st Jul – LINCOLNSHIRE / LINCOLN – The Lincoln Imp

2nd Jul – READING – Facebar

9th Jul – BURNLEY – Sanctuary

9th Jul – BOURNEMOUTH – The Anvil

9th Jul – POLAND / BIELSKO-BIALA – The Rude Boy Club

10th Jul – BIRMINGHAM – The Roadhouse

There’s still time to enter your band via the third method to win a spot on
the New Blood stage.  You have until 8th July to upload your band’s video
to Hobgoblin’s Video Upload site.  An outright winner lands a slot at
BLOODSTOCK, but a selection of runners up will win airplay for their band’s
video on Scuzz TV!!  Get all the details here –
www.bloodstock.uk.com/pages/hobgoblin.

Already announced for 2016 are our three headliners, TWISTED SISTER (in
their last ever UK show), MASTODON and SLAYER, plus special guests BEHEMOTH,
GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.  Also on the bill are FEAR FACTORY, CORROSION OF
CONFORMITY, SYMPHONY X, SATYRICON, PARADISE LOST, DRAGONFORCE, METAL
ALLEGIANCE, STUCK MOJO, ROTTING CHRIST, MISERY LOVES CO, GHOST BATH, VENOM,
UNEARTH, DIAMOND HEAD, GOATWHORE, ACID REIGN and many more.  Additional
bands are still to be announced.

Bloodstock adds Vallenfyre and more…

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Less than four months to go and BLOODSTOCK HQ is a hive of activity!  With the ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ heats well under way and finals scheduled to kick off in May, the booking team are racking up more and more bands for the UK’s best metal weekender this August!

Brit death metallers, VALLENFYRE step into a main stage slot on Saturday.  The band recently tore up the stage on the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise in Florida, so check out what’s in store via this fan-filmed footage of the band steaming through ‘Savages Arise’ – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9Z0Mb7FxqE.  Warm up your necks for August!

Progressive tech metal group, BRUTAI are set for a Sophie Lancaster stage slot on Friday.  The hotly tipped band are set to release their debut album this summer, so be sure to catch ‘em on the Sophie stage to hear the new material.  Get the gist on their sound via the video for ‘Deep’ here – https://youtu.be/zrYnWehkSCQ.

Also joining Friday’s Sophie bill are female-fronted Dutch metallers THE CHARM THE FURY. The band’s new album, due Autumn 2016, is said to be influenced by Pantera and Slipknot.  No strangers to the Euro festival circuit, here’s hoping for a taste of the new tunes at BLOODSTOCK!  Meanwhile, watch the video for ‘Colorblind’ from their last album at: https://youtu.be/Ri5qMMonxrE.

Extreme tech beasts, META-STASIS also join Friday’s Sophie ranks.  Following the band’s recent tour of India that saw them play to festival crowds of 25,000, META-STASIS are back in the studio working on their third album.  The masked Anon describes it as "throwing out the rule book, cutting edge, boundary redefining electronic death metal".  Check out their video for ‘Disintegrate’ taken from the 2015 album, ‘The Paradox of Metanoia‘ here – https://youtu.be/6GyxpOxtYGQ.

Already announced for 2016 are our three headliners, TWISTED SISTER (in their last ever UK show), MASTODON and SLAYER, plus special guests BEHEMOTH, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.  Also on the bill are FEAR FACTORY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SYMPHONY X, SATYRICON, PARADISE LOST, DRAGONFORCE, METAL ALLEGIANCE, STUCK MOJO, ROTTING CHRIST, MISERY LOVES CO, GHOST BATH, VENOM, UNEARTH, DIAMOND HEAD, GOATWHORE, ACID REIGN and many more.  Additional bands are still to be announced.

Bloodstock: More bands and Club Nights

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The clock’s ticking! There are just 133 days ‘til BLOODSTOCK, the best heavy metal party weekender of the year and BLOODSTOCK HQ has a bumper batch of Sophie Lancaster Stage bands to announce to cheer you into April.  

Plus, if you didn’t win festival tickets in the very popular BLOODSTOCK website’s Easter Egg hunt, fear not, you could win a pair at one of the upcoming BLOODSTOCK raucous club nights – the first batch of party nights detailed below!

Joining the Sophie stage on Sunday are the new, but old school death metal outfit MEMORIAM. Terrorizer magazine got the lowdown on this new outfit, featuring ex-Bolt Thrower and ex-Benediction members, which you can read at: http://www.terrorizer.com/news/karl-willetts-speaks-to-terrorizer-about-memoriam/. Still curious?  Visit: www.facebook.com/Memoriam2016.  London’s symphonic metal six-piece, PYTHIA are looking forward to rocking your face off on Sunday.  Perhaps you caught them in London in Feb, playing with BLOODSTOCK alumni, Ensiferum?  Check them out at www.facebook.com/PythiaBand.  THIS IS TURIN will be showcasing their brand of British tech metal on Saturday at BLOODSTOCK this Summer!  The band have been busy working on their forthcoming release ‘Thrones’ – learn more at www.facebook.com/thisisturin.  Inspired by Game Of…?  We’re not sure.  Also partaking in Saturday’s Sophie Lancaster stage shenanigans are ONE MACHINE, the thrashtastic brainchild of Steve Smyth (Nevermore, Testament, Forbidden).  Soon to hit the road with Overkill, stay up to date via www.facebook.com/OneMachineOfficial.  Sunday’s final addition are Londoners, DERANGE. Tipped by Metal Hammer (http://teamrock.com/feature/2015-10-13/hot-new-band-derange), watch their video for ‘Echo’ at https://youtu.be/QoQYAzu5LM4.  For more, head to:  www.facebook.com/DerangeUK.

Have you watched the brand new BLOODSTOCK 2016 trailer yet? Turn up your volume and click to https://youtu.be/T7gpYjVIH7o.  Popcorn not included.

The first batch of 2016’s BLOODSTOCK club nights are also ready to go!  That’s thirty-three pre-festival parties already planned!!  More will be added for June, July and early August, so don’t despair if your nearest rock club isn’t listed yet.  In the meantime, get along to one/some/all of these, check out the headbangin’ tracks being kranked out from BLOODSTOCK bands old and new, and be in with the chance of winning weekend tickets and BLOODSTOCK-related giveaways.  Check with your local club for further details and expect the unexpected!  Events for April and May stack up as follows:

Fri 1st April – Stoke on Trent – Bunker 13

Fri 1st April – Woking – Schism

Sat 2nd April – Norwich – The Waterfront

Fri 15th April – Ipswich – The Cock and Pye

Sat 16th April – Coventry – The Phoenix

Sat 16th April – Liverpool – Krazyhouse

Mon 18th April – Reading – Sakura

Fri 22nd April – Middlesbrough – SUMO

Fri 22nd April – Camberley – Agincourt

Sat 23rd April – Birmingham – The Asylum

Thu 28th April – Exeter – Walkabout

Fri 29th April – Plymouth – Envy

Sat 30th April – Manchester – Satan’s Hollow

Sat 30th April – Birmingham – Eddie’s Rock Club

Sat 30th April – Sheffield – Corporation

Fri 6th May – Woking Schism

Fri 6th May – Leicester – Firebug

Fri 6th May – Portsmouth – Edge of the Wedge

Sat 7th May – Stoke on Trent – Bunker 13

Sat 7th May – Brighton – Envy

Sat 7th May – Norwich – The Waterfront

Sat 14th May – Camberley – Agincourt

Sat 14th May – Bristol – Basement 45

Mon 16th May – Reading – Sakura

Fri 20th May – Bournemouth – Sound Circus

Fri 20th May – Glasgow – The Cathouse

Fri 20th May – Ipswich – The Cock and Pye

Sat 21st May – Coventry – The Phoenix

Fri 27th May – Mansfield – The Intake

Fri 27th May – Nottingham – The Landing (Nottingham Trent SU)

Sat 28th May – Birmingham – Eddie’s Rock Club

Sat 28th May – Cardiff – Fuel

Sat 28th May – Sheffield – Corporation

*clubs can be subject to change, so always check locally*

Already announced for 2016 are our three headliners, TWISTED SISTER (in their last ever UK show), MASTODON and SLAYER, plus special guests BEHEMOTH, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.  Also on the bill are FEAR FACTORY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SYMPHONY X, SATYRICON, PARADISE LOST, DRAGONFORCE, METAL ALLEGIANCE, STUCK MOJO, ROTTING CHRIST, MISERY LOVES CO, GHOST BATH, VENOM, UNEARTH, DIAMOND HEAD, GOATWHORE, ACID REIGN and many more.  Additional bands are still to be announced.