Curate your own Bestival lineup with My Bestival

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Rob da Bank says: "So yes I do book the line up at Bestival but half the time I'm listening to what you guys wanna see and where you want to see them. So we thought why not give you control and you lot curate your own line ups and let's see who can do better than da Bank! Ha ha… It's not a competition, but I hope you and your mates have fun doing it. It's your Bestival as much as My Bestival"

WHAT IS 'MY BESTIVAL' & HOW DOES IT WORK?
My Bestival is all about curating your personal Bestival. Browse the acts performing at the festival, pick your favourites, arrange your perfect line-up, then share the resulting personalised line-up poster with your friends using Facebook and Twitter (or by simply using your personalised URL).

Here's one Scroobius Pip has done for example: http://my.bestival.net/flyers/4fe/dd7b9f00bcc4930000002.html

To do this you need to browse through all the acts in the Live Music, DJs and It’s Not All About The Music line up sections of our website and click 'Add to my line-up' to add acts to your personal Bestival line-up.

Once you've done this you will then be able to rearrange your line-up to perfection.

And then you can sign-in using Facebook or Twitter and share your personalised Bestival line-up poster with all your friends.

CLICK THIS LINK TO GET STARTED: http://2012.bestival.net/my-bestival

Sold Out Kendal Calling adds more acts

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The gates will fly open in just 3 weeks, and Kendal Calling is now revealing details of the all-new Woodlands Stage as well as releasing news of many more artist additions.

With over 100 new artist additions including: Lightning Seeds // Redlight // The Whip (DJ Set) // Little Barrie // Sound of Guns // Little Comets // Alpines // Karima Francis // The Travelling Band // Admiral Fallow // Mungo's HiFi // Dave Haslam // Mike Joyce (The Smiths) Radio // B>E>A>K // Will TRAMP! // Where's Strutter // Monument Valley // Endoflevelbaddie // Hatcham Social // Catfish & The Bottlemen // Danielle Moore (Crazy P DJ Set) // Marc Roberts // Jenny-O // Thomas J Speight // Wolfie Razzmatazz // Freear // Mikey J // The Carpels // The Dub Jazz Soundsystem // The Fued // Shaolin Monkey // The Minx // Can't Mix Won't Mix // I am Blackbird // Ottersgear // Paper Tiger with Comedy from Duncan Oakley // The Beta Males // Ray Guns Look Real Enough // Not Quite Quartet // Mik Artistik and many more new additions over all stages and across the full weekend, head to http://www.kendalcalling.com/lineup for the full line up. 

Although all tickets to this years Kendal Calling are now gone, organisers continue to work with some of the UKs best promoters to book more amazing acts & ensure that this years revelers enjoy an action packed show! The Calling Out tent has been curated by ITB (International Talent Booking) on Friday to bring some of the hottest new bands to the stage.

Lightning Seeds are a much loved Northern act and it’ll be a joy to catch hits like “Lucky You” and “Life of Riley” as they play on the main stage alongside physchedelic folk artists like The Travelling Band and headliners Maximo Park, Dizzee Rascal and James.

The Soapbox stage returns with the likes of musician and comedian Duncan Oakley, a one-man-band who delivers rip roaring sets. Along with high-spirited Ray Guns Look Real Enough, The Beta Males have been making waves on the comedy circuit. Following acclaimed shows at Edinburgh, sell out gigs at Soho Theatre and a Chortle award nomination, we can’t wait to see this collective take to the stage.

The brand new Woodland Stage has been getting the team very excited! Be ready to explore undiscovered territory for late night adventures and soothing afternoons amongst the trees. The stage will feature Nu-folk and Electro followed by a Silent Disco with mind-blowing visuals and AV installations! Acts confirmed for the Woodland Stage include Alpines Music, Jenny O and acclaimed folk artist Thomas J Speight plus much more still to be announced.

The House Party returns this year; a venue like no other…think an actual Houseparty in a field but instead of gatecrashers amazing special guests popping in for a brew. Then as the sun sets, the House Party really comes into its own as an all-star lineup of DJs take to the decks, be sure to gatecrash!

Kendal Calling puts Lowther Deer Park on the map for the 7th year running, creating a hub of music and culture as they bring in talent to the Lake District from all across the UK. After winning Best Small Festival for the past two years in a row and selling out every year since it began, fans can rely on Kendal Calling to deliver an incredible weekend of escapism and excellent music. This year’s theme is Fairytales & Comic Books so ticket holders are encouraged to let their imagination run wild with just 3 weeks to go until this years irrepressible extravaganza! See you in the fields..

Tiësto, Avicii and more set for Stereosonic 2012!

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STEREOSONIC 2012 NATIONAL TOUR DATES
Saturday Nov 24 – SYDNEY – Homebush  12pm-11pm
Sunday Nov 25 – PERTH – Claremont Showground (subject to council approval)  12pm-10pm
Saturday Dec 1 – ADELAIDE – Bonython Park  12pm-10pm
Saturday Dec 1 – MELBOURNE – Melbourne Showgrounds  12pm-10pm
Sunday 2nd Dec – BRISBANE – RNA Showgrounds  12pm -10pm

What a year for the Stereosonic Artists!

Quite simply one of the biggest names in Dance music, Tiësto has had some huge tracks out, headlined countless festivals and has a huge new compilation out ‘Club Life – Vol. Two Miami’ (see below for our special Ticketmaster offer).  Avicii simply had the biggest track in 2011/2012 and headlined countless festivals and worked on new collaborations with artists such as Lenny Kravitz and is producing anthems such as ‘Silhouettes.’ He simply doesn’t stop! Calvin Harris synonymous with electro pop music is set to release another killer collab, this time with fellow Stereosonic artist, Example.  Both have had huge years in touring and production.  Celebrating ten years of residency on the White Isle last year, the prolific Carl Cox continues to impress.  His legendary sets in Ibiza are still drawing thousands weekly.  Major Lazer are back and ready to expose fans to their eclectic dance hall vibes with a new show.  Dutch turbine Laidback Luke combines to make a power trio of Stereosonic artists with one of Australia’s favourite acts and tennis star Martin Solveig and Dirty Dutch superstar Chuckie delivering ‘1234,’ a mad crowd track that will surely be dropped during the tour. Dash Berlin has started 2012 with a bang, his latest album ‘#musicislife’ is already delivering chart success. Dash’s trance comrades: Infected Mushroom, Markus Schulz, Sander van Doorn, Aly & Fila, Simon Patterson & MaRLo continue to experience huge love from the trance family.  Infected Mushroom are back with their awesome live show (and table tennis skills).  The techno fraternity asked and we listened with a huge Techno offering featuring: ‘Carl Cox Revolution’ (brand new room) with Carl Cox, Loco Dice, Adam Beyer, Joris Voorn and more.  Rising stars Porter Robinson is one of the most in demand acts at the moment withBass Nectar both having a huge year in 2012.  Aussie Tommy Trash has risen to become a huge global producer and DJ this year and is coming back to Australia for Stereosonic.  ‘Holy Ship!’ and ‘Hard Fest’ owner Destructo is back after a huge Stereosonic 2011.  There will be plenty of Bromance this tour with Brodinski and Gesaffelstein who will be partying with Zedd, Dillion Francis and Foreign Beggars.  Diplo’slatest record ‘Express Yourself’ has in typical Diplo fashion exploded across the world with its eclectic high-spirited feel.  The rise and rise of bass continues, with Flux Pavillion, Caspa and Datsik all riding the wave of bass adoration in the last year.  Australian indie kids, Van She, are finally back with a killer new album ‘Idea of Happiness’ which has already spawned two songs: ‘Idea of Happiness’ and ‘Jamaica,’ perfect for Summer.  Kaz James is back, one of the artists who appeared at our first ever Stereosonic, with Feenix Pawl after huge Beatport success and one of the anthems of the European summer.

Tiesto

Don’t miss out!
2011 saw our biggest crowds to date with Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide selling out up to eight weeks before the festival.  With the vibe already huge for Stereosonic 2012, it is predicted that we’ll witness big shows again this year thanks to our stellar line-up.  We want to party with you, so make sure you purchase your ticket(s) early to avoid disappointment. 

New Stages
This year we welcome: Main Stage 2, plus a new techno stage with ‘Carl Cox Revolution,’ ‘Paris Social Club’ (first time in Australia) and the‘Hard Stage’ (also a first time in Australia – Purveyors of ‘Hard Festival’ and ‘Holy Ship!’)

Carl Cox

New Ticketing
We are pleased to announce that all ticketing is now through our ticketing agency: Ticketmaster.  Patrons can buy tickets online via Ticketmaster.com.au, Ticketmaster Outlets Nationally and by Phone 136-100 

Back to Skoda Stadium, Sydney
After extensive renovation, Stereosonic Sydney will be moving back to Skoda Stadium, Homebush and surrounds to ensure our patrons experience Stereosonic in the best possible environment.  This is a state of the art venue with huge seating, main stage and as side stages have reduced capacity numbers, we are advising patrons to buy tickets to the Sydney show at their earliest convenience to avoid regret.  We partied at this venue and surrounds 2 years ago and it was epic!

Stereosonic 2012 boasts its biggest line-up ever featuring:
Headlining are: Tiësto & Avicii
Calvin Harris
Example
Carl Cox
Major Lazer
Laidback Luke
Martin Solveig
Dash Berlin
Markus Schulz
Diplo*
Sander van Doorn
Infected Mushroom*
Chuckie
Flux Pavilion
Mr Oizo
Porter Robinson
Loco Dice
Bassnectar
JFK MSTRKRFT
Excision
Adam Beyer*
Aly & Fila
Caspa
Datsik
Joris Voorn*
Bingo Players
Tommy Trash*
Simon Patterson
Gesaffelstein
Ørjan Nilsen
Dillon Francis
Foreign Beggars
Zedd
Brodinski
Krewella*
Nina Kraviz*
Van She*
Alvin Risk*
Destructo*
MaRLo*
Club Cheval^
Treasure Fingers*
French Fries^
Beni#
Duke Dumont^
Mickey#
Kaz James*
Feenixpawl*
Acid Jacks#

* = not playing Adelaide
# = playing Melbourne & Sydney only
^ = playing Melbourne, Sydney & Adelaide only 

Ticket prices in comparison to other festivals
In staying true to our core ethos, Stereosonic continues to deliver the best line-up possible, at the best possible ticket price.  We have raised the prices slightly this year to help improve our services to you on the day and to enable us to deliver the biggest acts in electronic music! 

Ticketing (For all cities): Ticketmaster.com.au 
Ultra-limited First Release tix $139.95* (includes booking fee), plus a $3.95 transaction fee per purchase (limit 8 tickets)
*Perth patrons pay an additional $2.00 PTA (Public Transport Authority) fee (this includes free public transport with a valid Stereosonic ticket)
 
Exclusive Tiësto DJ Mix album ‘Club Life – Vol. Two Miami’ – offer for all Ticketmaster buyers
Purchase a ticket to Stereosonic and you can also buy a download of the Tiësto DJ mix album ‘Club Life – Vol. Two Miami’ for just $11.00.
Featuring: Ivan Gough, Gotye, Coldplay, Tiësto and Wolfgang Gartner, Afrojack and more.

On Sale: Thursday August 2nd – 9am (Local Time in your capital city) – only from Ticketmaster: http://Ticketmaster.com.au/stereosonic or 136 100 

Line-up is subject to change without notice.  All events are over 18s, photo ID is required.  Line-up varies slightly in each state.  View state information at the stereosonic.com.au website for more details.

T in the Park & Wireless Festival 2012 Weather Forecasts

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WirelessWireless Festival Weather Forecast

Friday 6th July will see a high of 22° with a hint of rain expected in the afternoon going through to the evening.  
Saturday 7th July will see more rain with heavy showers expected in the afternoon and clearing up late into the evening,  a high of 20° is expected.  
Sunday 8th July is expected to get a little bit cooler with a high of 19° expected and heavy rain forecasted for the late afternoon and into the evening.

T in the ParkT in the Park Weather Forecast

Thursday 5th July is set to be overcast with a hint of rain scheduled for the late evening.  A high of 18 is expected.
Friday 6th July, light rain forecast for the early morning and late evening, a high of 16° expected.
Saturday 7th July, a light showever expected in the early evening with the rest of the day set to be overcast, a high of 15° expected.
Sunday 8th July will see an mostly cloudy day with the sun appearing in the late afternoon, a high of 16° is expected.

Weather forecasts for London and Kinross taken from the Met Office website.

Beat Herder Festival 2012 Review

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Take a trip down the A59 in Sawley, Lancashire, at the beginning of July each year, and you’ll soon come across one of the quaintest and most atmospheric festivals Britain has to offer; The Beat-Herder Festival.  Now in it’s seventh year, Beat-Herder’s organisers have maintained a firm grasp on what has made this festival such a success in such a short time; to simply bring people together to enjoy the beats and barminess that this festival oozes. Despite the rain’s best efforts to put a dampener on the weekend, this year’s Beat-Herder proves to be one of the best yet.

Not only does Beatherder pride itself on bagging some of the best dance/electro/reggae bands around, but it’s sense of community and camaraderie is clear given just how many local bands and Djs perform throughout. Make your way to the Toil Trees at any point in the weekend and there‘ll always be something happening as, from 11am to 4am, the trees are alive with the sound of DJ sets from the likes of D/R/U/G/S, Fake Blood, Utah Saints and a marathon 6 hour set from Mr Scruff on the Sunday.

The Beat-Herder & District Working Men’s Social Club hosts an array of hilarious and entertaining acts over the course of the weekend, from holding a Beat-Herder’s Got Talent contest on the Saturday to stand out performances from up-and-coming comedy musical duo Frisky and Mannish, and the one and only Black Lace bringing the ‘A Ga Do-Do-Do’ to the Club Tropicana themed tent.

Two tone legends The Beat and the godfather of reggae Lee Scratch Perry soothe everyone’s Sunday hangovers with their easy going rock steady tunes, whilst Yorkshire legend and Beat-Herder veteran Captain Hotknives puts the world to rights in the BH&DWMSC tent with his comedic ditties about racist wildlife and the disappointing array of confectionaries available on trains. Bringing the weekend to a close is main stage headliner Kraak & Smaak, who raise the roof and go out with a bang with their own brand of electronic funk.

Beat Herder 2012

A first time attendee to this festival would have difficulty finding the time to see all of the delights Beatherder has to offer.  Walk up the path into the woods and you’ll all of  sudden find yourself in the middle of a street; a street adorned with a church, a garage, a bar and a fully functioning tattoo parlour where all across the weekend, people are inked with the iconic Beat-Herder sheep and speaker logo.  Take a closer look at the red telephone box; you’ll see it in fact reads ‘Teleport’ across the top; investigate further and you’ll find a tunnel, leading either to the other Teleport box at the other side of the woods, or peering out from behind bars at the folk meandering through the woods. Stroll up to the stalls, and you’ll be spoilt for choice for.

All too soon, it’s Monday morning and we’re in a queue of muddy cars heading back to reality. My only quibble with The Beat-Herder Festival it always seems to be over far too quickly. Roll on next year and the quirky fun it may bring.

Review by Emma Stone

Click here to view photos from Friday @ Beat Herder

Click here to view photos from Saturday @ Beat Herder

Click here to view photos from Sunday @ Beat Herder

T in the Park 2012 Preview

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Whether it rains or not, I am expecting the Scottish crowd to be out in full force, having been to T in the Park before I am more than familiar with the enthusiastic atmosphere consistent through all weather conditions! I'm almost as excited to see the festival goers that choose to slide face down through the mud as I am to see the numerous artists confirmed over the three days.

Florence & The Machine

Having looked through the line-up I hope to see (as long as stage times don't clash) Snow Patrol, Florence and the Machine, Professor Green, The Blackout and Tinie Tempah on the Friday. On the Saturday I'll hope to catch The Stone Roses, David Guetta, Jessie J, Enter Shikari, Rizzle Kicks, and Fake Blood. On the Sunday, Kasabian, Nicki Minaj, Swedish House Mafia, Chase and Status, Skrillex, Twin Atlantic, Rita Ora and The Subways!

Preview by Nicole Leslie

End of the Road Festival announce Patti Smith as special guest

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“We have been huge fans of Patti Smith's work for many years and to have her finally play our festival is frankly surreal and a real honour,” said the festival’s directors. “There are few musicians whose names alone can evoke such a vast array of images, sounds and stories as Patti Smith's”.

This year’s lineup is led by Grizzly Bear, Grandaddy, Midlake, Beach House, Tindersticks and Dirty Three, plus Mark Lanegan Band, Van Dyke Parks, The Low Anthem and Graham Coxon. Comedy includes Joe Lycett, Doc Brown, Liam Mullone and Robin Ince.

See http://www.endoftheroadfestival.com for full lineup details.

Winner of Best Small Festival at the 2011 UK Festival Awards, End of the Road is an intimate festival in a peacock-strewn former Victorian pleasure garden offering an amazing music lineup plus art, atmosphere, workshops, comedy, cinema, a woodland library, games, a healing field and the finest food and drinks.

Ticket prices for End of the Road Festival 2012:

Adult weekend (incl. camping): £150
Youth 13-17 years (must be accompanied by an adult): £120
Child 6-12 years (must be accompanied by an adult): £50
Child 0 – 5 years (must be purchased in advance & accompanied by an adult): Free
Campervan / Caravan pass £50

Complete Wireless Festival 2012 lineup announced

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Taking place on 6, 7, 8 July, the festival features the biggest and best names in music today including superstar headliners deadmau5, Drake and Rihanna alongside other sensational acts such as Nicki Minaj, Jessie J, Example, Afrojack, Calvin Harris, Labrinth and Professor Green. The bandstand line up has now been unveiled giving audiences the chance to see the new breed of upcoming stars, hand-picked from the rich array of original talent in the Capital and beyond.  This year’s Barclaycard Wireless Festival is set to be the biggest and bestyet, 65,000 tickets for Saturday 7 (Headlined by Drake) and Sunday 8 (headlined by Rihanna) sold out a month in advance of the festival.  Tickets for Friday July 6, headlined by deadmau5 are still available but selling fast. 

Set times have also just been announced on the website so you can start to planyour schedule.  You can also download the free Barclaycard Wireless Festival 2012 app, available now on iPhone and later this week on Android and Blackberry.  You’ll have access to the latest line-up, interactive map, event information and social updates from backstage.

As well as enjoying the most enviable of line-ups, festival goers can explore all the exciting attractions on site and this year Barclaycard will enhance the festival experience with the Barclaycard PayBand. The PayBand allows you to buy things quickly (with just a tap of your PayBand at any of the vendors on site), escape the crowds in the Unwind Perk Park with its viewing platform, luxurytoilets and free festival goodies, and get in quickly through the Barclaycard fast track lanes!  If you have not registered for one already and you’re a Barclaycard customer, then head to the Barclaycard Unwind Perk Park on-site and get one. www.barclaycardpayband.com

Full Barclaycard Wireless Festival line up as follows:

FRIDAY 6 JULY

MAIN STAGE: Deadmau5, Afrojack, The Roots, Maverick Sabre, Metric

PEPSI MAX STAGE: Knife Party, Feed Me, Santigold, Modestep, Childish Gambino

BARCLAYCARD UNWIND STAGE: Jaguar Skills, Ms Dynamite, Zeds Dead, Gemini, Araabmuzik, Zedd

BANDSTAND STAGE: Pro Dot, Runriot, Brave New Storm

SATURDAY 7 JULY

MAIN STAGE: Drake, Nikki Minaj, Example, Wiz Khalifa, Professor Green, Tulisa, Rita Ora

PEPSI MAX STAGE: Nero, The Weeknd, Labrinth, Delilah, D’banj, Hilltop Hoods, Clement Marfo & The Frontline

BARCLAYCARD UNWIND STAGE: Chiddy Bang, Dot Rotten, The Dream, Lady Leshurr, Sway, Sneakbo, Angel, Koan Sound, AlunaGeorge

BANDSTAND STAGE: Mikill Pane, Josh Osho, Krept & Konan, Queen Of Hearts, Other Tribe, Bakery Boys

SUNDAY 8 JULY

MAIN STAGE: Rihanna, Jessie J, J Cole, Rizzle Kicks, Labrinth, Pitbull, Cher Lloyd

PEPSI MAX STAGE: Calvin Harris, Kaskade, Madeon, A$AP Rocky, Flux Pavilion, Lloyd, Stooshe

BARCLAYCARD UNWIND STAGE: Far East Movement, Theophilus London, Doctor P, Kreayshawn, Rascals, L Marshall, Monsta, Steve Papa Edwards

BANDSTAND STAGE: K-Koke, Spe, Cleo Sol, NY, Skyline, Afterdark Movement

Bruce Springsteen’s Wig, Haggis and the Fight against Cynicism, just another afternoon with Hue and Cry

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We caught up with the Scottish duo Pat and Gregory Kane from Hue and Cry at Isle of Wight before their set on the main stage on Saturday, to talk about their latest musical ventures and sticking it out in the music industry for the long haul.  It turned into a conversation about wigs and cynicism…standard.

SFG: You've just started touring your new album hows that going?

Gregory: We did a series of stripped back tours just Pat and I on our own, and we played beautiful theatres all over England, from way down south, Bournemouth to all the way up north in Newcastle.  And we've just reached out to all the people that liked Hue and Cry in England for the past two months, and there was a great response.

How have you found playing such a stripped back tour, compared to playing with a full band?

Pat:  When you're playing acoustically, the stakes are higher.  When you're facing an audience, of  three hundred or four hundred people every note counts and every moment counts, its quite exhausting, draining actually because you have to commit to it.  I’m not saying you can be indifferent with a band but at least there’s seven other people around you.  You play your part in a collective production as it were, not everything relies on you.  Where as with me and Gregory its just the melody and the chords and the words and the keys and the guitar, but that can be magical.

SFG: As a band an as a song writing collaborative you've have been able to carve out a career over a long period of time.  In a day of flash-in-the-pan artists and bands that break down after one or two albums how have you managed to continue working together?

P:  Well brothers don’t beat themselves to a bloody pulp…usually.  They usually figure out ways to sustain each other so, we have a deep relationship and a deep musical relationship.  We keep coming back to drinking from that well, cause its inexhaustible.  

G:  Its a vocation for me, I love what I do, I've made music my whole life since I learned how to play the piano at 9 years old, 34 years later I’m still here playing the piano.  I did a paper round to help pay for my first saxophone.

SFG: Do you think your songwriting process has changed significantly or do you still work in the same way?

P:  We're quite naïve songwriters; we kind of write from the heart and don't really copy any body and don’t write for a market.  We write for ourselves.  A lot of the songwriters I know who are much more successful than us are a bit more cynical than that.  We've never really done that, we just get together and we sit ourselves in a room around a piano or a guitar and we see what happens.  We don’t plan it out.  And in the production side of it, then we'll decide what kind of record we want it to be.

SFG: How have you managed not to become cynical?

P:  Because we couldn’t stand up and sing it with a straight face…We feel we've spent our whole careers trying not to be cynical in what we do.  We lasted five years in major-record-company-land; touring with Madonna and playing with James Brown, and that was enough.  The last album we did, the third album, was the most eclectic thing we'd done, a seven piece jazz outfit from Edinburgh and our poor London record company were scratching their heads thinking 'Oh no what are they doing?'  I think that was the final straw for them, we wouldn’t go and write with who ever had the last hit.  Seymour Stein one of the most famous A&R men from the eighties; he discovered Bruce Springsteen, flew over to Glasgow to see us and we met with him and saw the potential in us.  He saw it in us, but we didn’t see what he saw, so we didn’t go with him.

G:  I told him, I couldn't work with someone who had a leather piano key tie, and a Les Paul badge, so that was it.  I wonder if he'll be here with Springsteen tomorrow we could say Hi to him.  We also have to ask him if he's got a wig on.

SFG:  Springsteen or Stein?

G:  Bruce, its definitely a wig.

P: Yeh.

SFG:  If we could make it really windy…?

P: Oh no, its a rock wig, its beautiful.

G: I was thinking a fishing line…

SFG:  So anyway…What's the best festival that you guys have ever played?

P:  We played the Cork Jazz Festival many moons ago and it was the wildest jazz audience.  Appreciative wild Irish passionate audience,its the best festival I’ve ever done.

G: They were soaked in there own urine most of the time.

P: Oh yeh, not pretty, but they were an appreciative jazz audience.

SFG: For new listeners, How would you describe your music?

G: Erm, basically, if you scrunch together the lyrical ambition of Elvis Costello, with the musical eclecticism of Prince and Steely Dan, and then put it in a haggis wrapper…

P: and boil it…

G:  Boil it and then eat it…

P: and then shit it out.

G:  Shit it out…but draw nutrients from it in the process. 

P:  That would be Hue and Cry.

Bloodstock Open Air Day Splits revealed!

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As always, the Thursday night kicks off the BLOODSTOCK party on the SOPHIE stage. Symphonic extreme metallers SATURNIAN open proceedings with BLOODSHOT DAWN and MARIONETTE warming the crowd up for headliners VIKING SKULL, before metal funnyman Steve Hughes takes to the stage to split sides. Of course, it wouldn’t be BLOODSTOCK without the infamous metal Karaoke, and once you’ve sung your tonsils raw the 4 DJS Of The Apocalypse take over til the early hours of Friday morning.

The gates to the main arena open on the Friday as the festival proper swings into action with over one hundred bands spread across four stages with all manner of mighty metal majesty on offer. Dozens of exclusive appearances from some of metals heaviest hitters, hilarious comedic offerings from top alternative comedians and white knuckle rides are all on offer across the weekend. If that’s not enough, the metal market offers stalls from across the world bringing their wares to the UK for one weekend, and there is an acoustic stage still to be announced with performances from bands on the line up courtesy of Jagermeister.

The day splits for what is set to be BLOODSTOCK’s biggest year is as follows:

Thursday 9th August

Sophie Stage

Saturnian

Bloodshot Dawn

Marionette

Viking Skull

Steve Hughes

Metal Karaoke

4 Dj's

Friday 10th August

Ronnie James Dio Stage

Freedom Call

Grand Magus

Moonsorrow

Iced Earth

Sepultura

Watain

Dio Disciples

Behemoth

Sophie Stage

Commander In Chief

Gonoreas

Primitai

Sweet Savage

Derision

Death Valley Knights

Pythia

Eastern Front

Alcest

Dirty Sanchez

Newblood Stage

Warhorse

Cambion

Infernal Creation 

Fallen Fate

Saturday 11th August

Ronnie James Dio Stage

Benediction

I Am I

Cthonic

Crowbar

Mayhem

Sanctuary

Hatebreed

Testament

Machine Head

Sophie Stage

Savage Messiah

Dripback

Infernal Tenebra

Rising Dream

Furyon

Winterfylleth

Witchsorrow

Sight Of Emptiness

Orange Goblin

Newblood

Merciless Fail

Stormborn

Wretched Soul

Tempus Fusion

Reflections In Exile

Doomed (Slov)

Gone Til Winter

Sunday 12th August

Ronnie James Dio Stage

Kobra And The Lotus

Corrosion Of Conformity

Nile

Black Dahlia Murder

Evile

Paradise Lost

Dimmu Borgir

Alice Cooper

Sun – Sophie Stage

Re Armed

Flayed Disciple

Battalion

Crimes Of Passion

Ancient Ascendent

Noctiferia

Demonic Ressurection

Headcharger

Anaal Nathrakh

Newblood – Sunday

Dream Catcher

Reign Of Fury

Huron

A Thousand Enemies

Shattered Skies

In other news, DEICIDE have been forced to cancel their scheduled appearance, and after heeding the call of the fans, EVILE will be bumped up to the main stage, with a new act to be revealed for the SOPHIE stage shortly.