It’s that time again already, when BLOODSTOCK kicks off its grass roots-supporting ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ scheme, which gives unsigned and DIY bands the chance of being part of the BLOODSTOCK festival experience.
M2TM 2022 was without doubt the biggest BLOODSTOCK New Blood initiative to date and the festival managed to capture the bands, the fans, and grab a chat with a few of the promoters hosting the events, alongside chief M2TM organiser Simon Hall. Check out the ‘Highway To BLOODSTOCK’ video below and get a handle on another phenomenally successful year for the initiative.
Plans are already locked with many local promoters and BLOODSTOCK is set to track down the hottest new metal talent in the land, who’ll grab themselves slots on the New Blood stage across festival weekend in August 2023. 21 regions are secured so far, with more locations expected to be added in due course. See the full list of participating regions to date below, and if you’re in a self-released or unsigned band and want to try out for a slot on the BLOODSTOCK bill, get in touch with the event nearest you and get yourselves involved! One winner from each region will secure themselves a slot on the New Blood stage and some of the very best runners-up may also get lucky, space permitting.
Bands should get their applications into their nearest regional promoter ASAP, as heats kick off in the coming weeks. Any local promoters in regions not yet represented can email Simon Hall ([email protected]) for information if they wish to host the scheme in their local area.
Regions announced so far are: CHESTERFIELD, NORTHERN IRELAND (Belfast), REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (Dublin), SHEFFIELD, HITCHIN, MANCHESTER, MILTON KEYNES, BOURNEMOUTH, LEEDS, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ESSEX (Colchester), KENT (Gravesend), BRISTOL, NORTH WALES (Wrexham), LEICESTER, STOKE ON TRENT, SOUTH WALES (Cardiff), NOTTINGHAM, DEVON & CORNWALL (Saltash), SCOTLAND (heats locally, final in Edinburgh) and LONDON.
Full details of venues and who to contact to enter in each region, can be found here or on Facebook.
BLOODSTOCK’s 2023 Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners are KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and MEGADETH, with the third to be announced in the coming months. Also on the main stage are DEVILDRIVER, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, DECAPITATED and GATECREEPER, plus over on the Sophie Lancaster stage, expect to see ZEAL & ARDOR, KING 810 and UNTO OTHERS. Many, many more are yet to be announced.
With tickets selling faster than ever, all VIP packages and campervan passes are already sold out and Early Bird tickets are down to their last few, at a discounted price. Grab yours now at the ticket store.
BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 10th-13th August 2023. For more info, click to www.bloodstock.uk.com.
Following their incomparable headline set at Bloodstock Festival this August, Virginian metal titans LAMB OF GOD have now shared a live video for “Omens”, the title track of their forthcoming new album. With their set both crushing and scorching in equal measure, the video footage was captured during that performance and premieres for the first time today.
When the “Omens” single was first released, LAMB OF GOD frontman D. Randall Blythe commented, “I think a lot of the messes human beings find ourselves in could be very easily prevented simply by paying attention to obvious repeating patterns, both in our personal lives and in a broader sociohistorical context. What some call ‘omens’ are really just manifestations of the fact that there is nothing new under the sun. It’s foolish to ignore this, but we all do it.”
The Omensalbum arrives on October 7th, 2022, via Nuclear Blast Records, and is perhaps Lamb Of God‘s angriest album yet. Produced by long-time collaborator Josh Wilbur (Korn, Megadeth), Omens is a vicious new testament for the Richmond, Virginia-based band, a furious entry in their beloved catalogue. “The world is crazy and keeps changing. Omens is a reaction to the state of the world,” Blythe explains. “It’s a very pissed-off record.” He pauses for emphasis. “It is extremely pissed-off.”
The New Wave Of American Heavy Metal architects tracked Omens at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from The Doors, The Ramones, and Soundgarden, among others. “The inner workings of the band have never been better,” explains guitarist Mark Morton. “You can hear it in Omens. You can see it in our performances, and if you’re around us for five minutes, you can feel it.”
The Omens album pre-order is live now at Lamb-Of-God.com and Record Store, boasting several exclusive items, including a signed coloured vinyl variant, shirt, hoodie, and signed CDs with an alternate colour cover. UK vinyl variants include standard black vinyl; a crystal clear, silver, and black marbled vinyl (exclusive to the UK); white and sky blue marbled vinyl; and a silver vinyl (band shop exclusive). All physical CD and vinyl orders from the Nuclear Blast store will include a free access code to watch the livestream viewing of “The Making of Omens” documentary, which will premiere the week of album release.
The group are currently midway through a massive U.S. headline tour, featuring special guests Killswitch Engage on all dates. Different legs of the tour will also see support from Baroness, Motionless In White, Spiritbox, plus Animals As Leaders as well as Suicide Silence and Fit For An Autopsy. Tickets are on sale now. The Omens Tour dates remaining are:
Lamb of God w/ Killswitch Engage, Baroness, Suicide Silence
Sep 30 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Lamb of God w/ Killswitch Engage, Motionless In White, Fit For An Autopsy
Oct 01 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Great SaltAir
Oct 02 – Grand Junction, CO – Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park
Oct 04 – Fresno, CA – Selland Arena – Fresno
Oct 07 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival *No Fit For An Autopsy
Lamb of God w/ Killswitch Engage, Spiritbox, Fit For An Autopsy
Oct 09 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
Oct 10 – Kent (Seattle), WA – Accesso ShoWare Center
Oct 11 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds
Lamb of God w/ Killswitch Engage, Animals As Leaders, Fit For An Autopsy
Oct 13 – Inglewood, CA – YouTube Theater
Oct 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theater
Oct 15 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Oct 16 – El Paso, TX – UTEP Don Haskins Center
Oct 18 – San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum
Oct 19 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
Oct 20 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
After the US dates, LAMB OF GOD kick off their State Of Unrest European run. The headlining UK leg takes place in December, with thrash legends Kreator as special guests, and Thy Art Is Murder and Gatecreeper rounding out the bill.
UK dates include:
Dec 13 – London – O2 Academy Brixton
Dec 14 – Glasgow – O2 Academy
Dec 15 – Birmingham – O2 Academy
Dec 16 – Bristol – O2 Academy
Dec 18 – Manchester – Academy
In mainland Europe, the tour is co-headlined by Kreator, with Thy Art Is Murder and Gatecreeper. Those performances are:
Nov 18 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Forum Black Box
Nov 19 – Stockholm, Sweden – Fryshuset Arenan
Nov 21 – Oulu, Finland – Teatria
Nov 22 – Helsinki, Finland – Ice Hall Black Box
Nov 24 – Warsaw, Poland – Stodola
Nov 26 – Munich, Germany – Zenith
Nov 27 – Berlin, Berlin – Columbiahalle
Nov 29 – Tilburg, Netherlands – O13
Nov 30 – Brussels, Brussels – Ancienne Belgique
Dec 02 – Ludwigsburg, Bw – Mhp Arena (Arena Ludwigsburg)
Dec 03 – Essen, Germany – Grugahalle
Dec 04 – Saarbrücken, Germany – Saarlandhalle
Dec 06 – Madrid, Spain – Riviera
Dec 07 – Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz
Dec 09 – Wiesbaden, Germany – Schlachthof
Dec 10 – Hamburg, Germany – Edel Optics Arena
Dec 11 – Leipzig, Germany – Haus Auensee
Dec 20 – Paris, France – L’olympia
Dec 21 – Dübendorf, Switzerland – Samsung Hall Zurich
To snap up the remaining tickets, contact box offices or order online here. You can also visit stateofunresttour.com for more information. For a full list of all tour dates, visit: lamb-of-god.com/tour.
It’s August. It’s hot. It’s so hot you guys. It’s too hot. It’s uncomfortably hot. I don’t know how we’re supposed to Goth in this weather. Yeah ok, in all other dimensions I’d be complaining about the drizzle putting a dampener on things – but I’m not convinced UK festivals are cut out for this Satan’s armpit version of events.
This weekend, SFG are at Bloodstock Open Air – the UK’s premier heavy metal fest, in the hallowed grounds of Catton Park in Derbyshire. Thousands of sweaty freaks in a field (thanks, that’s my band name now) getting raucous to some of the best bands on the scene, it’s like coming home.
As we head into the arena it’s pretty clear the sun has done a number on the usually green Catton Park. It looks like the scrub of the wild west, and there isn’t much in the way of shade anywhere to be seen. The site looks like it’s old sturdy self though, heaps of shops for whatever takes your fancy – Viking drinking horns? Got you covered. Body cages and chains that would make even Melanie Rose blush? Yeah how tied up d’ya wanna be? There’s a plethora of rare band tees, records and chunky jewellery to choose from alongside all the usual festival tat, and I am likely to part with a large portion of my savings if I hang around too long.
On the main stage, New Delhi metal is blasting our eardrums courtesy of Bloodywood. A heady mix of tech/nu metal and background bhangra drums, they’ve come a long way from the original YouTube parodies, this is just damn good fun. Hopefully we see them on more line-ups in the future, it’s about time we had some new life injected into the genre.
Doyle’s crowd levels on the main stage suffer from being on at the same time as the secret (read: not remotely secret) Sophie Stage act – Machine Head. Now, them being the secret act is awesome. That is undeniable. What isn’t awesome is the fact that absolutely everyone knew in advance, (which may have had something to do with the merch stalls selling the tshirts at 10am this morning) and they’re all crammed buttcheek to buttcheek into the sweatlodge that is the big tent. The band are incredible and the atmosphere is electric, buuuut… on a weekend like this, it’s inviting heatstroke to the party in a big way. I wish it had been a main stage secret slot instead, but I guess there were reasons.
In other news, slushie sales are high and even the smallest patches of shade have become precious territory for people to escape the burning sun. They’re few and far between – just the spaces around the Red Bull bars, or little corners between food vendors. The best efforts of the festival seem to be some camouflage netting draped over some flagpoles to create a dappled shade area, but it really isn’t much for how many people are here.
GWAR Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
On the main stage our friends/overlords from outer space GWAR are ripping into American culture like there’s no tomorrow – something we Brits, just unashamedly enjoy. ‘Joe Biden’ gets his head taken off with a giant foam machete and sprays blood into the whooping crowd, then a Trump supporting redneck gets his guts unceremoniously gouged from his body while the band rock on. “This is the most bloodthirsty country of conquerors in the world, and I bet even they think this is racist” frontman Blothar the Beserker remarks about an awful Chinese stereotype accent in a joke, before the Imperial March plays while they cut the tits off the Queen. You heard me. If you haven’t seen Gwar before, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was all just theatre and silliness, but they are actually just a solidly good metal band outside of all the masks, horns and penises. Anyway, I love them, so there.
GWAR Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
Gothenburg’s own freak-show-circus-cabaret Avatar have come to town, wearing leather daddy Lederhosen and giving us perfectly choreographed hair windmilling. “We’re gonna sing, we’re gonna dance, and we’re going to have a jolly good time” shouts mime-faced frontman Johannes Eckerström and that is exactly what they give us. It’s hot and it’s humid inside the tent but we can’t help but join in – Avatar should have been on the main stage though, they’re certainly well known enough.
Avatar Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
Exodus return to BOA in full force, “Keep that pit violent but look after each other” calls frontman Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza, but pleas for more crowd surfers seem to fall on deaf ears. “We’re getting bored up here so you’d better start sending people over…” It’s absolutely scorching and the people are weary. Plus who wants to pass someone elses’ sweaty arsecrack above their heads? Nevertheless, it’s a great set as expected from the band. Next up Testament battle with the direct sunlight bleaching the stage white, it’s a hot one for bands who favour denim and leather but they’re giving it everything. Visibly pouring with sweat is the code of heavy metal bands in general, but you can see everyone struggling today.
Testament Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
Luckily the sun starts its descent and we manage to grab ourselves some dinner before the headline act. Having been a Bloodstock/festival goer for decade now, I am extremely thankful for how far festival food has come. We opt for Salt and Chilli chicken, and a Bunnychow – both of which I would happily devour in any other setting. Long gone are the rat-burgers and suspect ‘meat & noodles’ offerings of yesteryear, bless everyone involved in this process.
Bringing Friday night to a close are Polish extreme metal connoisseurs Behemoth who appear behind their signature serpentine mic stands in ghoulish corpse paint, before enormous flame cannons at the front of the stage erupt to burn every side of us the sun didn’t achieve earlier. With an uncompromisingly brutal tour of tracks like ‘Off to War!’ and ‘Conquer All’ it’s clear they have come to BOA with a purpose. ‘Slaves Shall Serve’ draws us in, and encore closer ‘O Father O Satan O Sun!’ seems a very fitting herald after the day we’ve had. Though I can’t pretend they’re my favourite closing act I’ve seen at Bloodstock, I can honestly say they deserved that spot through and through – there is nothing short of mastery in their sound, and the crowd was in the palm of their vampiric hands all night.
Behemoth Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
SATURDAY
Saturday if you can believe it is even hotter, even stickier, even worse to venture outside in. We go anyway, because there’s no missing Bloodstock, no matter the stakes. Heavy but melodic Lorna Shore are an absolute highlight, and have gathered a massive crowd in the inferno that is the main stage area.
Sylosis are heavy and fast, despite looking extremely unassuming until, “How are you doing, are you guys hydrating? We know it’s fucking hot but this next one is a fast one, we’d love to see a circle pit” they say, which is all jolly well and good when you’re heading straight back to your fancy air conditioned tour bus but… oh fuck it, here we go, yolo. “Thanks for sticking with us in this horrible weather” they acknowledge, as the security hand out cups of water from ever refilled bins along the stage. The people on the front row look positively raisin-shriveled and like they would enjoy being put to bed by their mothers. Never mind all that though, because now Sylosis want to see a circle pit around the sound tent too. Um, hard pass, I’m out, I need to sit down now thank you.
Jinjer Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
After a break we’re ready to go again with Ukrainian metal band Jinjer who are welcomed onto the stage to a sea of their blue and yellow flags in the crowd. Vocalist Tatiana Shmailyuk is visibly touched by the gesture and takes time to thank the UK for our frankly minimal governmental efforts in helping their country. Regardless the “Fuck Putin” chant is very enjoyable and the sold out Jinjer merchandise on display, tells you that the people at least, do care. Jinjer also end up being one of my absolute highlights of the weekend, brutal but melodic and unswervingly metal to the core.
Southampton lads Bury Tomorrow bring a different vibe to the lineup today, lots of jumping around and being generally rowdy. “I don’t care if you know us, I don’t care if you like us, I’m just glad you’re here and showing respect for live music after 2 years away” laments frontman Dan Winter-Bates. I’m into the excessive energy, but when he suggests that they want to ‘break records’ with 1000 crowd-surfers on this scorched-earth godforsaken day… I can but laugh. Not a hecking chance son, but love your optimism. In the end there were probably about 30 brave souls.
Bury Tomorrow Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
On the tiny Jägermeister stage, Solar Sons are giving classic metal meets #tinyhouselife – jamming their equipment onto the polly pocket step, but it is good and they’ve got a decent circle of people around them.
After a quick perusal of the merchandise offerings, and a jealous side-eye to the Bloodstock Rock Society tent which looks shady and comfortable, it’s on to Norwegian black metal titans Dimmu Borgir. Firm favourites of the festival, another corpse paint posse, all I can think is they must be effing boiling like microwave dinners in all their layers of clothing this evening. Despite some technical difficulties and a bit of a late start, they come good and it’s an overall excellent show.
Dimmu Borgir Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
As day two comes to a close, we are greeted by a giant sheet covering the main stage. The arena is decently filled, and the sun has finally left the damn building. Tonight we see the return of King Diamond fronting Mercyful Fate, after the band had to pull out of last year’s Bloodstock. The Danish doom-peddlers of the black metal hall of fame throw down the gauntlet for exciting stage sets, as the curtains drop to reveal a massive tiered alter and staircases for King to run around on. There are inverted neon crosses, pentagrams and props everywhere, and King is dressed in a giant red cloak and demonic ram mask. It’s all very theatrical – something I really enjoy in a headline act, frankly.
As the band fire up with ‘The Oath’ it’s clear they mean business, though I must admit that King’s seagull squawking isn’t for everyone and it’s certainly true that it isn’t the busiest main stage crowd we’ve ever seen. Soon King pops into his little stage-top changing room and swaps out of the ram mask (it must have been bloody hot to be fair) into a giant black crown. Now that we can see his face, and those signature panda-eyes, the whole look gives big Moira Rose energy – I wonder if she was inspired by Mercyful Fate?
Addressing the crowd, King tells us “We’re going to play a new one. It’s not finished yet, but I think you deserve to hear it. It’s about nine minutes long…” before launching into ‘The Jackal of Salzburg’ which is quite honestly already a saga, even if it is unfinished. The band weave their way through early tracks like ‘Curse of the Pharaohs’ and ‘Melissa’ as the appreciative fans headbang along, and there’s an air of genuine appreciation from the fringe who wouldn’t consider themselves part of the coven.
Encore song ‘Satan’s Fall’ rings the arena in the glow of satisfaction, love them or loathe them – it’s pretty clear they’re a great BOA headliner.
Mercyful Fate Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
SUNDAY
Ok, so it’s still hot. I feel like we’re being trolled at this point, but it’s really not stopping the very fashionable day three attire of Pink outfits in memory of Sylvia Lancaster, of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. It’s a lovely tribute, and a cause that is held dear by so many in the Bloodstock family.
On the main stage classic thrash legends Vio-lence are up. Credited with influencing a plethora of metal bands, they’re no strangers to a crowd of eager-to-rage pit goers, but it’s clear the situation stands that a lot of people seem to still be back at the campsites avoiding this infernal heat. It’s a great set regardless, but a bit of a shame more people weren’t out for them.
Vio-lence Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
Over on the Jägermeister truck stage, Lore of The Woodman (instrumental math rock, apparently?) are a beautiful interlude in all the shouty loudness of the weekend. Clever and melodic, it’s absolutely no wonder the tiny tent was bulging with people enjoying their unique sound.
Back to the eardrum smashing with Venom Inc. and some good solid metal riffs on the main stage, and it’s a fun and a bit silly show. There’s a small interlude due to an equipment malfunction “It’s so hot I broke a string”… “It was his G-string” (pause for laughs) and they hit the feel of the festival spot on, joking “It’s hot but it’s Bloodstock, you could stay here forever if only they’d let you, right?” to a roar from the crowd.
Venom Inc. Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
Elsewhere over on the Sophie stage, Orbit Culture ooze melody into our souls while we snatch some much needed shade. Not to say that they aren’t heavy – ‘Strangler’ is an absolute war-call and the crowd in there are eating it up.
Another foray into corpse-paint and uncomfortable looking leathers for this heat, is Dark Funeral, making the understatement of the year “We heard you’ve had a couple of warm days”. New album song ‘Leviathan’ is a banger, and it’s a good set in general, but we are tired and sweaty and end up sitting down at the back for a break. Can’t help but wonder if they have to have a team of helpers to peel them out of their outfits after they get off the stage…
Dark Funeral Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
Acid Throne are up next on Jägermeister, interesting melodic stoner metal – which brings me to realise that there’s been a bit of a diversity split between the stages this year, with lots of thrash and black metal making it’s way to the top of the main stage bill, but little of other styles. I would like to hereby request the return of Viking, Folk, Power and Hair – all the silly ones please.
Okay okay, so post-punk/industrial kings Killing Joke are next on the main stage with frontman Jaz Coleman clawing about in a black boilersuit and red face paint reminiscent of crap 80’s Halloween costume efforts. Yes I know they’re hugely influential, and they are entertaining don’t get me wrong, it’s just… not my jam. In fairness, neither are Belphegor (Austrian blackened death metal) but I do just really appreciate the balls of a band who decide they want that much pyro on a tiny stage in a tent. Zero fucks given about personal safety but it makes for a very fun show let me tell you.
Killing Joke Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
So we arrive at the final main stage headliner of BOA 2022, and thankfully the temperature has actually dropped significantly tonight – still don’t need a jumper though. Wild times for a UK festival I know.
Lamb of God, returning after many years to the BOA stage are immediately, unabashedly going for it with the full force of a band confident in their stature. I am so drawn in, taken by surprise at how much I’m enjoying myself. There’s pyro, Randy Blythe is a swirling nebula headbanging with his long dreads, and the entire band is driving the sound out hard and fast. This I feel, is the energy I’ve been missing – something encapsulating that I can’t separate myself from to think about, the thing that makes music punch you right in the gut. ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ is truly epic, and ‘Omerta’ is devastatingly heavy and perfectly executed.
I’m even gonna let the guitar widdling and unnecessary solos slide because I’m enjoying myself, but they could sincerely have left the “…this heat is nothing compared to where we’re from” mockery at home… OK RANDY WE DON’T HAVE AIRCON IN OUR TENTS YOU KNOW (eyerolls dramatically). It’s fine, they do make amends “Thank you so much for being here, I know we’re the last band and you’re sweating your English asses off…” before shouting out some of the other bands over the weekend such as Gwar, and Killing Joke whom they have previously credited as an influence of theirs.
Calling for the crowd to “…destroy this fucking place” they incite an absolute hoard of crowdsurfers – all those people who were too tired and hot to go for it the rest of the weekend. If your eyes haven’t witnessed crowd surfers at a metal gig, you’re honestly missing out on a key life moment. Better yet if you’re brave enough to go over yourself, just hold onto your pants.
Another heartfelt shout out, this time for Sophie and Sylvia Lancaster, alongside a request that we – the metal community – look out for each other and have each others’ backs. It resonates with so many of us here, there is a stuck moment of introspection, before reality snaps back and it’s time for Lamb of God’s finale and an absolutely ragingly huge circle pit. Seriously go look at a YouTube video, it’s nuts. They go out on ‘Redneck’ with a bang, no winding down here – I can safely say that’s the best I’ve ever seen them.
Randy Blythe – Lamb of God Ⓒ A. Hyams for Summer Festival Guide. Do not use without permission.
Well Bloodstock… apart from an accidental pit stop into some very suspect Britney karaoke in the Serpent’s Lair, here we are again at the end. It’s been real, it’s been fun, it’s been real fun. I don’t know how else to characterize this festival if you’ve never been here before – except that, you should come.
Despite this year’s line-up not being my general taste in metal overall, I had a fucking great time, as I always do. I saw some new things, I saw some things that surprised me, I saw old friends, I made new friends, I talked to total strangers like they were my best friends. Bloodstock is family. Come and join us.
With BLOODSTOCK 2022 well under way, the festival is thrilled to already be looking ahead and announcing a swathe of awesome bands for the 2023 event, which is set to take place on 10th-13th August 2022 at Catton Park, Derbyshire.
Metalcore pioneers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE are set to headline the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Friday, their first ever appearance at the festival. Meanwhile, thrash legends MEGADETH will close out proceedings in spectacular style on Sunday night. Other confirmed main stage bands include DEVILDRIVER, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, KNOCKED LOOSE, DECAPITATED and GATECREEPER.
Over on the Sophie Lancaster Stage, ZEAL & ARDOR will headline one day (tbd) and expect to also see sets from KING 810 and UNTO OTHERS. Stay tuned for more 2023 surprises soon.
In surprise news at this year’s event, Bay Area metal squad MACHINE HEAD thrilled fans over on the Sophie Lancaster stage when they played a surprise set; their very first festival show in 10 years! Internet chatter had prevailed all week as BLOODSTOCKers tried to guess who the unannounced band on the running order was. Over their hour long set, the only thing hotter than the weather was the riffs in the tent!
Early bird weekend camping tickets are available at the on-site box office across the duration of the 2022 event with no booking fee, then will go on sale online at 9am Monday 15th August, priced at £150 (+ bkg fee) at the ticket store. Serpents Lair VIP tickets and camper van passes (which always sell out very quickly, so don’t snooze if you’re after one) will go on sale at 9am on Wednesday 17th August. Once the early bird allocation has sold out, standard weekend tickets will increase to £165 (+ bkg fee). For the first time in 2023, there will also be a child’s VIP ticket available, so mini moshers can join their parents in the VIP area and camping at a more reasonable cost.
BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 10th-13th August 2023.
With a month to go, BLOODSTOCK’s taking a breather from bands this week to showcase the diverse range of traders, food stalls, drinks, on-site entertainment and other facilities at next month’s heavy metal weekender, plus a handy reminder to get your questions ready for the one and only Nergal, frontman and creative visionary of Friday’s headliner BEHEMOTH for this coming Friday’s Facebook Live chat!
First up, BLOODSTOCK is very aware of the cost of living squeeze we’re all going through right now, so is extra pleased to announce that food prices at 2022’s event are frozen at 2021 prices. Not only that, BLOODSTOCK can confirm you’ll be able to buy a pint of beer at the bars on site for £5, paying by cash or card.
Speaking of beer… BLOODSTOCK is excited to announce their first year teaming up with MOTÖRHEAD BEER to bring both their cask and keg Road Crew – a session 4.5% easy-drinking, refreshing beer – to #BOA22 pouring across all bars (including Lemmy’s Bar, of course)! Grab a pint of your choice of cask condition ale, draught keg beer, or the Overkill pilsner.
For those camping, you can even pre-order your campsite beers & they’ll keep them on ice for you to collect during festival weekend! While you need to order in full cases, you can collect in part each day so no need for warm beer! To celebrate this perfect partnership, with every pre-order for BLOODSTOCK placed here, you will be automatically entered to win a Motörhead beer package every week between now and BLOODSTOCK! (please note, all entrants must be 18+ & will be notified personally via email if they’ve won.)
Not much of a beer fan? BLOODSTOCKers can also head to a special JACK DANIELS bar (in the main arena, near the New Blood stage) for all manner of delicious rock ‘n’ roll cocktail libations, as well as the RED BULL bar (located near the Sophie stage). And if vodka’s more to your taste, make sure you check out Ukrainian vodka brand NEMIROFF, also available at the bars this year.
There will also be non-alcoholic beer for those after a sober option. Whether you’re vegan, veggie, meat-eating, or seeking something gluten-free, BLOODSTOCK has a wide range of food available on site. Here’s just a few options… burgers, pizza, tacos, burritos, meat-free nuggets, waffles, crepes, croissant, toasties, smoked meats, chicken of all types, noodles, pies, giant Yorkshire puds, baguettes, fish & chips, curly and sweet potato fries (or wedges), kebabs, donuts/churros, chickpea curry, mac n’ cheese, wraps, cakes, nachos, hot dogs, paella, and the return of Bunnychow.
For those who need a caffeine-blast of proper coffee, BLOODSTOCK’s got you covered (and there’s tea, hot chocolate, and all manner of other soft drinks available). There’s also free drinking water at designated water points in the campsites and main arena, so remember to bring a refillable non-glass bottle with you.
For any essentials you’ve forgotten, there’s a supermarket in the Midgard campsite plus Fat Frank’s Camping Store, where you can even get your air bed inflated for a comfier night’s sleep. For those looking to do a little heavy metal shopping, browse BLOODSTOCK’s market traders; you’ll be able to pick up everything from unique candles, prints, patches and badges, CDs/vinyl, or official merch and alt clothing (leggings, tshirts, denim jackets, leather waistcoats, army surplus, hats… you name it) to rock n roll home accessories, wiccan wares, all types of jewellery (visit the Guitarwristfor items benefiting charity made with used guitar strings), ponchos and sunglasses – and if you don’t have one already, surely a Viking drinking horn is an essential addition (other Viking crafts also available).
Plus, don’t forget BLOODSTOCK’s own merch stall! When you’re not watching bands, how about a spot of axe-throwing with your mates or visit Firehound Forge, the local blacksmith stall? There’s also the Nordic Spirit Gaming Arena with modern and retro video games to play (by yourself or challenge others!), the Rock And Metal Gallery (including an extensive Iron Maiden exhibition amongst other wondrous displays), the Planet Rock Signing Tent, and a new, white knuckle, adrenaline fairground ride, the AIRMAXX! The only one in the UK, this visually spectacular ride is not for the faint-hearted, reaching a height of 50m and speeds of 4.5G’s! Do you dare?!
When the bands are done, it doesn’t mean BLOODSTOCK is! Late night ents kick off with DJs on both the New Blood and Sophie stages til the early hours.
Over in the Sophie tent, you’ll find Bearpit & Adam Onslaught with classics & headbangin’ anthems on Thursday, Friday welcomes not-so-guilty pleasures from DJ Lloyd with everything from 80s to alternative, DJ Soundwave brings Saturday night bangers of ABBA to Anthrax and disco to deathcore, and then wind down Sunday with DJs Lloyd & Harris for some AOR anthems and classic rock earworms.
The New Blood tent sees the return of the very popular silent disco on Thursday and Saturday nights – take your pick from three channels of rock & metal, pop & party cheese, or full-on dance, or why not mix it up with all three?!
At the other end of the scale, New Blood’s Friday night sees DJ Darren Smith offering up a fine selection of the blackest, darkest, and heaviest music around. You can find this year’s map of BLOODSTOCK here.
BLOODSTOCK also wants to take a moment across festival weekend to celebrate and elevate the work of an amazing woman. 2022 saw the very tragic loss of Sylvia Lancaster OBE, the pioneering fundraiser & educator who established The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, as well as of course being Sophie’s mum and a dear friend of everyone at BLOODSTOCK HQ.
At Sylvia’s funeral earlier this year, she had requested that everyone attending wear something pink, as this was her favourite colour. So in honour of Sylvia, at this year’s festival on the Sunday, we’re mirroring the sentiment and asking BLOODSTOCKers to please wear an item of pink in acknowledgement of her truly phenomenal work, which has been life changing for many in alternative subcultures. Perhaps you’d like to don a pink shirt or hat, or maybe plump for a full pink outfit! Let’s see a sea of pink for Sylvia on Sunday, and don’t forget to drop by The Sophie Lancaster Foundation stand in the arena and make a donation if you can.
Don’t own anything pink? A limited The Sophie Lancaster Foundation pink BLOODSTOCK t-shirt will go on sale here tomorrow morning, priced £25 with all proceeds going to The Sophie Lancaster Foundation. If there is any stock remaining, it will be available at the festival too. Also keep an eye out for other new merch additions: key rings, badge sets, koozies, and grey/black hoodies.
Besides The Sophie Lancaster Foundation stall, where Sophie’s brother Adam will also be giving talks over the weekend (stop by to find out more details and times each day), there will be stalls for Derbyshire Bloodbikes and a team from Derbyshire LGBTQ+ (to the left of the main stage as you look at it). Well worth your time, wander over and learn more about the incredible work these charity organisations do.
If you find yourself in need of some extra support/assistance while at BLOODSTOCK, head to the MEDICAL / WELFARE TENT in the main arena (near the Sophie stage). You can also visit THE SAMARITANS marquee located in the Midgard campsite for a non-judgemental, confidential chat at any time over the festival event.
Don’t miss BLOODSTOCK’s next Facebook Live at 7pm BST this FRIDAY 15th July with festival management in conversation with 2022 headliner Nergal from BEHEMOTH! Put your questions to Nergal or BLOODSTOCK and pay attention for spot prizes too! With more special guests from 2022’s line-up to come on future Facebook Lives with BLOODSTOCK, pose your best questions in real time at the additional following guest chats:
7pm BST – Wednesday 20th July – The Berserker Blothar from GWAR 7pm BST – Thursday 28th July – Alex & Kon from MALEVOLENCE
BLOODSTOCK can finally declare that 2022’s biggest metal weekender is next month! So to whet your appetite further, here’s thirteen more bands (lucky for some) you’ll be able to catch at the festival, plus details of exactly when you can put your own questions to some of this year’s stellar line-up, via a new Facebook Live series with BLOODSTOCK management in the coming weeks.
Regretfully, BLACK TONGUE have had to pull out of their Sophie Lancaster stage slot, but BLOODSTOCK is pleased to welcome death metal heavyweights INGESTED in their wake on Saturday. These self-proclaimed ‘Kings of Slam’ are sure to impress; if you’re not familiar with them yet, take a look at the official video for ‘Ashes Lie Still’. If you dig it, there’s some extra behind-the-scenes content on their Facebook page too.
With still a few more Metal 2 The Masses finals to go, BLOODSTOCK is enthused to reveal more of the winning bands and some very popular runners up, who’ll be appearing on the New Blood stage across festival weekend! Friday’s bill welcomes brawny riffs from hotly-tipped, South Wales champions I FIGHT BEARSand Northern Ireland runners up NØMADUS who blend thrash, groove, and prog.
Saturday brings modern metal crew COLLECTED who were runners up in Essex; folklore-named, progressive sludge trio SILENwho nearly clinched first in Kent; and a dystopian soundtrack from the interesting, industrial/post-metal TRIBE OF GHOSTS.
Sunday offers up a slice of heavy from North Wales winners, the high voltage, tech thrashers APOLLYON; Macclesfield’s melodic metal five piece KARMA’S PUPPET; and Hertfordshire victors MUST KILL, promising a unique take on their love of old school thrash and death metal.
Not only that, BLOODSTOCK has even more bands to tell you about, adding another four to the Jagermeister stage. If you need yet more live action after watching MERCYFUL FATE crush on Saturday night, get yourself back over to the Jager stage for a dose of THE KUNTS UNPLUGGED, doing a late headline set after the Danish icons finish. You may remember them from their Christmas chart-busters about politicians and royalty…!
Also performing on Saturday are satirical, fantasy-themed, power metallers WARLOCK AD (channelling Dio, Manowar, Rhapsody, Powerwolf, and Feuerschwanz) telling epic tales of bizarre interdimensional proportions. Added to Sunday’s line-up are uplifting, atmospheric progsters LORE OF THE WOODMAN andACID THRONE, who take their influence from classic rock, hardcore punk, and black metal to serve up doom-laden cuts for bangin’ heads.
Don’t miss BLOODSTOCK’s latest Facebook Live at 7pm BST this THURSDAY 7th July with festival management in conversation with none other than Will Ramos of LORNA SHORE! Put your questions to Will or BLOODSTOCK and keep an ear out for spot prizes too! With more special guests from 2022’s line-up to come on future Facebook Lives with BLOODSTOCK, pose your best questions in real time at the following additional guest chats:
7pm BST – Friday 15th July – Nergal from BEHEMOTH
7pm BST – Wednesday 20th July – The Berserker Blothar from GWAR
7pm BST – Thursday 28th July – Alex & Kon from MALEVOLENCE
Some of BLOODSTOCK HQ’s favourite festival moments are wandering amongst their metal brethren at Catton Park and seeing someone become a fan of a new band. Elevating the best upcoming heavy metal talent is one of the chief aims of Metal 2 The Masses, and as finals continue, we’ve details of a few more winners you’ll be able to see at BLOODSTOCK this August, alongside the first of the Jagermeister stage bands to be announced!
First though, BLOODSTOCK also wants to take a moment to celebrate and elevate the work of an amazing woman. 2022 saw the very tragic loss of Sylvia Lancaster OBE, the pioneering fundraiser & educator who established The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, as well as of course being Sophie’s mum and a dear friend of everyone at BLOODSTOCK HQ.
At Sylvia’s funeral earlier this year, she had requested that everyone attending wear something pink, as this was her favourite colour. So in honour of Sylvia, at this year’s festival on the Sunday, we’re mirroring the sentiment and asking BLOODSTOCKers to please wear an item of pink in acknowledgement of her truly phenomenal work, which has been life changing for many in alternative subcultures. Perhaps you’d like to don a pink shirt or hat, or maybe plump for a full pink outfit! Let’s see a sea of pink for Sylvia on Sunday, and don’t forget to drop by The Sophie Lancaster Foundation stand in the arena and make a donation if you can.
With Metal 2 The Masses finals well underway across the country, BLOODSTOCK is excited to share a few more of the winning bands, who’ll be performing on the New Blood stage. Essex champions EXISTENTIALIST are set to impress with their blackened death metal on Friday, alongside immersive goth rockers FYRESKY, who won the Kent heat. Milton Keynes victors VERMINTHRONE add some sludgecore flavour (imagine if EyeHateGod, Lamb of God, and Mastodon had a child) to Saturday’s bill, ably assisted by alt metal crew NOVACROW, who took first place for Merseyside.
Joining them on Saturday are Stoke’s brutal metal vanquishers HEADPRESS, Norwich heavyweights COLLAPSE THE SKYwho crushed the competition in East Anglia, plus the kings of the London final, blistering thrashersIMPERIUM, who were so stoked to win, they also sent this message: “It goes without saying… the highlight of our music career so far. Winning has blown us away and we can’t wait to walk on that New Blood stage and do our thing! Getting to this point has been a winding road, but M2TM has humbled us, improved us and now given us this incredible opportunity to play Bloodstock Open Air. We can’t thank our fans enough for the support over the last year pushing us on and making our shows what they are. Thank you so much to everyone out there, you are a huge part of Imperium.”
Sunday welcomes Leicester’s conquerors SULVAIN, four devotees of NOLA grunge from Northampton, with more bands yet to be revealed as the MT2M finals continue! BLOODSTOCK can also reveal some of the hotly tipped talent who’ll be ripping up the Jagermeister stage this year, so why not grab a cold one and go check out what could become your new favourite band.
Friday brings Rotherham’s SWAMP COFFIN, offering up a slab of nihilistic, metallic sludge for your eyes and ears, and good-humoured, Scottish rap/thrash n rollers, CERTAIN DEATH, whose music you may recognise from numerous extreme sports videos including the ‘Thrasher’ skateboarding series (or even just their ‘Jailbait’ single from colossal video game Grand Theft Auto VI).
Saturday now includes doom/thrash/groove fans BOZ, riff-worshipping Dundee trio SOLAR SONS, and rock doomsters MASTER CHARGER, hailing from the blackest heart of the Midlands. If you’re still head-bangin’ by Sunday, head over to catch balls to the wall, ground-shakers DEADLOCK SAINTS (think Motorhead meets Led Zeppelin) as well as some filthy sludge – by way of some grindcore, prog, psychedelia, and stoner doom too – from Limerick City’s TOOMS.
Don’t miss BLOODSTOCK’s latest Facebook Live (and also on Instagram) TONIGHT at 7pm for the latest news, gossip, giveaways, and more. Get excited with your fellow BLOODSTOCKers and ask any burning questions direct to festival management.
There’s now just 8 weeks to go ’til BLOODSTOCK 2022! HQ is in a frenzy getting the infrastructure together and locking in the last of the slots. There’s still another batch of Metal 2 The Masses bands to come and plenty more info about this year’s event to reveal, but first off, BLOODSTOCK has all the info about what to see at the festival’s unique Rock And Metal Gallery, including a very special Iron Maiden exhibition, as well as some Venom-shaped news.
Each year, theRAM GALLERY brings a very unique element to BLOODSTOCK. There certainly aren’t many metal festivals showcasing a wealth of rock and metal inspired art, but here at Catton Park you can get your fill. Curated by festival founder and globally renowned fantasy artist, Paul Raymond Gregory and housed in a purpose built, professionally-lit marquee, the gallery acts as a focal point for a variety of artists, photographers, and other creatives.
This year, there’s a special Iron Maiden theme, with illustrator Mark Wilkinson returning to display a range of his impressive work for the British metal icons across the years. Maiden’s official photographer, John McMurtriewill also have a wall of his spectacular imagery, with a dozen shots from the ‘Legacy Of The Beast’ tour & a Bruce Dickinson ‘Trooper’ print, all authorised and approved by the band themselves.
John says, “When it comes to doing something well I cannot think of any other band that is as driven to outdo itself than IRON MAIDEN. I have been the band’s photographer since 2006 and each tour just gets bigger and more ambitious! The current Legacy of the Beast tour celebrates the music and showmanship of IRON MAIDEN with three full stage set changes representing WAR, RELIGION and DEATH. What other band on the planet would have a full size SPITFIRE dive bombing on stage, a CATHEDRAL with stained glass windows, then a scene from HELL with a 25ft monster surrounded by flames? I have a lot to photograph each night but it is the best gig in music photography and I feel honoured to play my part in capturing the IRON MAIDEN legacy.”
And if you want to own a little piece of this Maiden history for yourself, John is offering a massive 25% discount to BLOODSTOCKers ordering a 20”x16” pearl fibre, 310gsm GICLEE print at the festival! You’ll be able to scan the QR code next to the print you want, enter the discount code displayed, and the print will be shipped by special delivery to your home direct from John’s studio, no worries about keeping it pristine in your tent!
These GICLEE prints are professionally produced on a massive 8 ink machine and will be archival for 200 years! The pearl fibre paper has a semi-gloss satin finish that feels exactly like a silver gelatine print. All ready to be framed and cherished! You can read more about these prints in a blog post from John here or see more of his work here. Up the Irons!
In addition to BLOODSTOCK’s Iron Maiden extravaganza, perhaps you’ve admired Venom Prison’s latest album artwork? It was created by artist Eliran Kantor, who is back with some new works. We can’t wait to see what else he’s been creating! The ever metal Krusher is bringing a few surprises from his lengthy ‘other’ career in art and design.
Expect the unexpected! 3D artist, Liam Brandon Murray has been working on some insane ideas for his amazing three dimensional works of art – and yes, that incredible throne you may have seen in the gallery last year will be making a return. Do check out his Instagram and prepare to be dazzled! Legendary fantasy illustrator (and accomplished musician) Rodney Matthews also has a display dedicated to his iconic artwork. Through the years, Rodney has produced more than 600 colour illustrations which have been used on everything from posters and snowboards, to album covers for a range of bands including none other than Rick Wakeman, Asia, & Nazareth – and even concept art for The Magic Roundabout movie & children’s series Lavender Castle.
For the first time this year, BLOODSTOCK is also including select works from a couple of BLOODSTOCK’s official festival photography team. Be sure to check out some wonderful images from Katja Ogrin and Steve Dempsey, whose work has been featured in many international rock publications, plus BLOODSTOCK’s own Rock Society photographer, Matt Negus. When they’re not shooting bands, they’ll be roaming BLOODSTOCK to capture festival colour, shots of the crowd, and giving you a peek behind the scenes.
Grab a selfie with BLOODSTOCK’s history wall, featuring the festival’s art through the years, with each signed by many of the bands who performed that year, including the likes of Alice Cooper, Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, Judas Priest, and many more. For a great memento, pick a year you attended! Last but certainly not least the RAM Gallery’s iconic luthier Cynosure will return with three new astonishing guitars. Two have been inspired & created specially for the Iron Maiden wall and one from thisRodney Matthews image – and you’ll be able to see the print displayed next to the guitar.
On a more sombre note, BLOODSTOCK was saddened last month to learn of the passing of Trevor Strnad and that BLACK DAHLIA MURDER can no longer join us this year. Filling their spot on Sunday’s Ronnie James Dio main stage will be VENOM INC, who are set to treat us to a special ‘Black Metal’ 40th Anniversary set. The band tell us; “To be asked to return to BLOODSTOCK is for us a great honour and we look forward to more Main Stage antics with you all! But why just do any old set, we thought let’s do something uber special for you. As it’s the 40th Anniversary of the ‘Black Metal’ album, we will deliver for the first time on British soil, the complete album in full running order, live!!! We are so looking forward to this and together with you, we will lay down our souls to the Gods of Rock And Roll, as well as the Teachers Pet while we are At War With Satan…and you can Count(ess) your Bathory on that! Ave!!”
Don’t miss BLOODSTOCK’s latest Facebook Live THIS THURSDAY EVENING at 7pm for the latest news, gossip, giveaways, and more. Get excited with your fellow BLOODSTOCKers and ask any burning questions direct to festival management.
BLOODSTOCK can’t wait to welcome you to the UK’s best heavy metal weekender this summer and as every day passes, there are more exciting things to reveal! Read on for the latest news on who’s been added to the bill, some riotous club nights to get you warmed up, the start of the M2TM final heats, plans afoot with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation and Derbyshire LGBT+, plus while you’re getting set for the long Easter weekend, stop by BLOODSTOCK’s social media later this week for some special Easter competition fun!
Following the unfortunate news that STATIC-X are cancelling all their European shows in 2022, BLOODSTOCK is excited to announce that their replacement in the Sunday night headline slot on the Sophie Lancaster stage are none other than Swedish melodeath pioneers DARK TRANQUILITY. The band are currently touring across Europe, covering more than 27,000km over 52 cities in 24 countries, in just 57 days, almost immediately after wrapping a US tour too!
Regretfully, TALLAH have also had to pull out, but their spot will be filled by modern metal crew DEFECTS, fresh off tour with In Flames. Get to know them via their latest single, End Of Days.
BLOODSTOCK is committed to inclusivity and is pleased to announce that Derbyshire LGBT+ and Sophie Lancaster Foundation will both have stalls at the festival this year, where all are welcome to stop by and learn more about the work they do. You can find them in the arena to the left of the main stage, alongside Derbyshire Blood Bikes.
2022 marks the 15th year since Sophie Lancaster’s tragic death. Adam Lancaster, Sophie’s brother and team member at the Foundation, will also give a talk each day of the festival at the Rock Society tent at the back of the main arena. His powerful, intimate account details the true horrors of hate crime and the work the Foundation does to combat prejudice and intolerance in Sophie’s name.
Derbyshire LGBT+ add, “For 39 years Derbyshire LGBT+ has operated as the only charity in Derbyshire committed to the LGBT+ community of Derbyshire; offering support, advocacy, advice and empowerment. We are very proud to announce our attendance at BLOODSTOCK this year, so that we can extend our reach even further and offer these services at an event that promotes inclusivity and acceptance. Our amazing staff and volunteers will be standing by and we encourage people to visit us, find out more and to see what we have to offer. Let’s put the ‘Unity’ in ‘Community’ together!”
BLOODSTOCK’s Metal 2 The Masses, the initiative that supports all genres of grass roots metal and offers a chance to play BOA’s New Blood stage, kicks off their final heats across 25 regions from 1st May. Get on down to your local event and help shape the festival’s line-up! Look out for the winners to be announced in due course, together with some additional bands chosen from CD applications and some of the very best runners-up. Check out the image below for your nearest finals event.
BLOODSTOCK is also thrilled to restart Bloodstock-themed club nights across the country! Local rock pubs and clubs are a key part of what BLOODSTOCK does with the ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ scheme, so we’re stoked to support them further by announcing the first wave of club nights for 2022. Get along to your local event, hear a ton of tunes from BOA bands past and present and be in with a chance of winning a pair of standard weekend tickets, a goodie bag or various other giveaways. Dates & times are subject to change, so check locally for latest info. More cities will be announced in Phase 2 which runs through June & July, but meanwhile, head down to the following for some fun!
Friday 15th April – Exeter, Cavern – Altern8 Saturday 16th April – Southampton, The Hobbit Friday 22nd April – Reading, Face Bar Saturday 23rd April – Camberley, Agincourt Friday 29th April – High Wycombe, Crash Rock Club (Bucks SU) Saturday 30th April – Stoke on Trent, The Sugarmill – Devil’s Night Saturday 30th April – Brighton Above, Friday 6th May – Plymouth, The Junction Friday 6th May – Woking, Schism Friday 13th May – Bristol, The Lanes – PHUCT Friday 13th May – Exeter, Cavern – Altern8 Friday 13th May – Winchester, The Railway Inn Saturday 14th May – Manchester, The Bread Shed Saturday 14th May – Newcastle, Grindhouse Friday 27th May – London, Elektrowerkz Saturday 28th May – Stoke on Trent, The Sugarmill
If you’ve already got your ticket bagged, are you now thinking about how best to get to Catton Park? BLOODSTOCK is pleased to support two sustainable travel options – Big Green Coach (who’ll drop you & your gear right inside the festival gates for minimal walking, from 33 locations around the UK & you can secure your seat for just a tenner) and Liftshare (a safe way to offer up a spare spot in your car, or nab one in someone else’s & perhaps make new friends to boot). Get more info on both options over at BIG GREEN COACH and LIFTSHARE.
All VIP packages, Early Bird tix, and campervan passes have now sold out. You can still snap up standard weekend camping tickets (just £145 +fees for 4 days of heavy metal fun) plus day & child tix are available now at the ticket store. Mini moshers under age 4 get in free!
Members of the European Metal Festival Alliance (EMFA), have today launched a new ‘Metal United’ t-shirt, with all proceeds going to a recognised relief charity to aid Ukrainian people most in need in their current crisis.
The festivals taking part in this fundraiser – Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival, Belgium; Art Mania Festival, Romania; Bloodstock Open Air, Great Britain; Brutal Assault, Czech Republic; Dynamo Metal Fest, Holland; Inferno Metal Festival, Norway; Into The Grave, Holland; Leyendas Del Rock, Spain; Midgardsblot, Norway; Motocultor Festival, France; Party.San Metal Open Air, Germany; Resurrection Fest, Spain; and Summer Breeze Open Air, Germany – are all united against war and oppression, and welcome all people, no matter what country they are from, or what race or religion they are. The festivals want to make plain that they are not for Ukrainians and against Russians; that they wish most of all to just help people who are in need in these troubling times.
The t-shirt is available in a wide range of sizes at https://www.sbtix.de/produkte/45549-charity-shirt-for-ukraine for 16,66 Euro, with proceeds going to Music Saves UA. It can be pre-ordered until March 20th, with shipping beginning at the start of April. Vlad Yaremchuk, Booker of Atlas Weekend Festival, co-initiators of Music Saves UA, states: “We are the All-Ukrainian Association of Music Events, in peacetime we are the largest association of representatives of the music industry of our country.
Now, normal life in Ukraine has completely stopped. So, we are using all our resources and people to provide humanitarian help to our people who need it the most right now. Our team works 24/7 to help as many victims of this cruel war as possible.
Humanitarian help centre has already been deployed on the premises of the Atlas venue in Kyiv. We are also working on setting up refugee assistance centres on the borders with Europe to facilitate a safe and robust infrastructure for hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing the country. Our entire team is currently located in multiple cities of Ukraine, and we are in close contact with volunteers, Ukrainian military, and humanitarian groups so we are aware of the current urgent needs on the ground and are ready to provide immediate help where it is most needed at this very moment.Therefore, we need financial assistance urgently. For this we have organized a project aimed at raising funds for the humanitarian needs of the civilians in Ukraine.
We encourage you to not remain indifferent and to help Ukrainian families to survive this difficult time.” Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vamp.org.uaInstagram: https://instagram.com/vamp.org.uaAdam Gregory from Bloodstock Festival on behalf of EMFA comments, “We all find ourselves shocked at recent events and wish to do all we can to aid in such harrowing times. All proceeds from the t-shirt will be going to support those in need and our thoughts are with everyone affected by war or oppression.”
