The time is nigh! The largest and possibly best independent metal festival in the world, Bloodstock Open Air is upon us once again. A year of planning and waiting has come to pass and now the weekend is here, with 1000s of heshers and hesherettes descend on Walton on Trent in Derbyshire, UK ready to celebrate all that is heavy music in the UK over the long weekend. When your motto is “By The Fans For The Fans”, and you can honestly say they have delivered this year in and year out, one needs to show respect. Get hyped with our preview, and check back soon for our full review with photos in case you can’t make it out.
The event begins on Thursday night, so stop by Lemmy’s Bar for a real ale and get to the Sophie Lancaster Stage to rock with Battle Beast, Wind Rose, The Infernal Sea, Gurt, and Ramage Incorporated. Get the early jump on fest merch. Find all the best beer sports closest to the stages, grab some good grub, light this wick, and get settled in with your mates for an unforgettable time!
Friday is the first full day and this lineup is insane! Headlining the Ronnie James Dio Stage and day 1 of the fest are Amon Amarth! They are bringing their brand of Norse goodness to the fans for what promises to be a memorable set. An equal murderer’s row of killer acts such as Blind Guardian, Testament, Decapitated, Soilwork, Devilment, Whitechapel, Chelsea Grin, and Forever Still. Over on the Sophie stage, we have blackened wizards in Inquisition, the groovy Lionize, Shrapnel, Black Moth, and Morasses of Molasses amongst others. The Jagermeister Stage and Hobgoblin stages also have quality bands you ought to make time to see such as Nordjevel, Mantra, Blood Oath, Ashen Crown, Trendkill, and Electric Mother.
On Saturday, Mass will be held by Papa Emeritus III and Ghost. It will be Ghost’s first headline slot at a major western Europe festival and one of the last appearances of Papa III. Joining them on the Dio stage will be Kreator, Hatebreed, Municipal Waste, Annihilator, King 810, Havok, Winterfylleth, and Fallujah. Over on the Sophie stage is a rare show from death metal masters Macabre, as well as Xentrix, OHHMS, RedRum, up and coming Abhorrent Decimation, Kroh and others. On the Jagermeister and Hobgoblin stages, you have bands like Baal, Solar Suns, Reaper, Departed, Twisted Illusion, Bangover, and more!
To close it out on Sunday will be thrash legends Megadeth, promising a set to remember. Having seen the band recently on their last few tours, their new lineup including drummer Dirk Verbeuren is one of their tightest ever. Joining them will be Arch Enemy, Skindred, Hell, Brujeria, Obituary, Possessed, Venom Prison, and Broken Teeth. The Sophie stage has possibly the most anticipated set of the weekend besides Ghost in Wintersun, as well as Bossk, Criminal, ONI, Wolfheart, Wretched Soul and more. The final salvos on the Jagermeister and Hobgoblin will come from acts worth seeing such as Vorbid, Miss, Netherhall, Prognosis, Shrouded, Switch Blade City, Voodoo Blood, Silver Child, and others.
Have fun, use some sun block, take care of each other, and most of all, please be safe out there folks!
Ghost’s Cult’s 2016 coverage below:
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