Day 1:
At five o’clock in the evening, on Friday, September 15th, masses of music fanatics flooded the streets of Worcester, Massachusetts. What for you ask? The first day of the highly anticipated return of the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. Held at the Palladium Outdoors & created by Scott Lee and Mass Concerts, this two day event housed local food, brews, various vendors, three stages and over thirty incredible acts!
Ghost Cult Keefy caught up with Scott Lee to catch fans up on the return of the legendary New England Metal and Hardcore Festival at the Worcester Palladium! It takes place September 15th and 16th 2023, and is headlined by Parkway Drive, Lamb of God, Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, Black Dahlia Murder, Dying Fetus, and many more! Scott gave a preview of the festival, discussed all the extra cool stuff going on this year, took a stroll down memory lane of NEMHCF of years past, and talked about Jamey Jasta’s importance to Metal and Hardcore historeeeeeeee!
Catton Park, United kingdom, 14 Aug 2022, Lamb of God performing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival Credit: Rich Price/Ghost Cult Magazine
SATURDAY
Considering most people are already feeling like overcooked baked potatoes wrapped in tin foil, the fact that today is meant to be the hottest day of the festival really isn’t the best news. Still, that certainly doesn’t deter a healthy crowd from shaking off the hangovers and getting on with the business at hand, Baest and Lost Society both grabbing the main stage by the scruff of the neck while Sister Shotgun and Mastiff do the same on the Sophie stage.Continue reading
Catton Park, United kingdom, 12 Aug 2022, Behemoth performing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival Credit: Rich Price/Ghost Cult Magazine
Main Stage and Sophie Lancaster Stage
THURSDAY
If there are two things we love doing in the UK, it’s complaining about the weather and queuing for things. Well, this year at Bloodstock Open Air, both are freely available and at no extra charge. Not a moment goes by without a comment on the sweltering heat or about having to wait to cross the road to the festival ground. Yes, not content with spending two hours in the main queue, campers have now invented a brand new line to join before even getting that far. For the first time ever, a line has formed for people pulling trolleys and sack carts. Almost a quarter of a mile of people waiting in a surprisingly orderly queue before joining an even bigger queue. England, never change.
With the heat already playing its part, I finally arrive at the Sophie Lancaster Stage in time to catch Italian nutters Nanowar of Steel who send the audience into hysterics with daft costumes and a “Wall of Love” (a traditional wall of death that climaxes with people hugging each other to George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’). Preceding the infuriatingly catchy ‘Norwegian Reggaeton’ with Burzum‘s outdoor recipe for roasted salmon (“you place the freshly caught salmon on a rock and burn down the church next to it”) the band then take the opportunity to use the mighty ‘Valhalleluja’ to build an Ikea coffee table, holding it aloft for the elated crowd. Accompanied by an actual goblin for the duration of their set, US act Nekrogoblikon certainly put on an enjoyable show but find it tough following such a display of irreverent insanity.
Bloodstock Open Air (BOA) 2022 is almost upon us. Kicking off on Thursday the 11th of August, this most metal of all festivals runs until Sunday the 14th, damaging necks, air guitar strings, and bank accounts along the way. After Covid put paid to the 2020 festival, an admirably safety-conscious BOA returned with a five day bang last year! (read our review of BOA 2021 review here), selling out weekend passes well in advance and things promise to be just as busy this time.
Bloodstock Open Air 2022 has shared a big update. including their plans for their Club Nights, and Plans with Sophie Lancaster Foundation and Derbyshire LGBT+, as well as added 2 more bands to the lineup. Static-X and Tallah have dropped out, replaced by Dark Tranquility and Defects respectively. The comeback of the fest in 2021 was great and you can read our review here. Headliners for BOA 2022 are Lamb Of God, Mercyful Fate and Behemoth. Bloodstock will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022.
Bloodstock Open Air 2022 has added 12 more bands to the lineup for this summer, including Avatar, Thrown Into Exile, Pupil Slicer, Cage Fight, and Ill Nino, Vended, Sorcerer, Red Method, and Baest. More bands will be added soon and the festival has announced their ticket deposit plan. Day tickets will go on sale in the ticket store on Friday 4th February at 9am, priced £65 (+bkg fees) for adults and £20 (+bkg fees) for children (4-11 years). Kids under 4 go free! The comeback of the fest in 2021 was great and you can read our review here. Headliners for BOA 2022 are Lamb Of God, Mercyful Fate and Behemoth. Bloodstock will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022.
Bloodstock Open Air has announced a slew of new bands for the 2022 festival including their final main stage headliner! The comeback of the fest in 2021 was great and you can read our review here. BOA 2022 will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022. Continue reading
Having shown resounding and unequivocal support for every single band so far, the Bloodstock faithful are still raring to go after four full days of partying. As battle commences one final time, highlights on the Sophie Stage include the hard hitting Midlands retro-fuzz of Wolf Jaw, Brighton doomsters Grave Lines, the angry sounding double punch of Vexed and Pist, a debut performance from symphonic death metallers Ghosts of Atlantis, and Manchester black metal mob Necronautical.
FRIDAY
With energy levels and festival excitement still high, quality acts such as Welsh black metallers Agrona, Norfolk thrashers Shrapnel, Liverpool doom/sludge merchants Conan, and a reinvigorated and retooled Evile invade the Sophie Lancaster Stage, decimating all before them. Birmingham grindcore legends Napalm Death complete the day’s entertainment with a reliably devastating set, the crowd gathered outside the tent almost as huge as the one inside.