Sleep Token, Skindred, Loathe, Jamie Lenman, Punk Rock Factory, InMe, Palm Reader, Our Hollow Our Home, and More Booked for The Return of Takedown Festival


The South’s favourite independent Alternative Rock and Metal Festival – Takedown – will return on Saturday 8th April 2023. After an 8-year hiatus, the legendary one-day fest is making a comeback with a mind-blowing lineup, a new venue and an outdoor stage added for the first time. Moving from its Southampton University roots to the larger Portsmouth Guildhall, Takedown 2023 promises a full-day of the best alternative around with over 30 bands performing across five stages. Topping the festival’s stellar line-up are two impressive headliners: anonymous masked rock collective Sleep Token, who will be delivering their *First Festival Appearance* of 2023, and, one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, Skindred, 

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2022 Part 2


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


FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2022 Part 1


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 Burzums 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. 

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FESTIVAL PREVIEW: BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2022


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.

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Bloodstock Reveals Bands, Club Nights, and Plans With Sophie Lancaster Foundation and Derbyshire LGBT+


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.

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Avatar, Thrown Into Exile, Pupil Slicer, Cage Fight, and Ill Nino Booked for Bloodstock 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.

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Badgerfest Announces First Bands for 2020 with Red Method, Blood Oath, and Everest Queen


One of the United Kingdom’s best independent music festivals, Badgerfest, has revealed its very first bands for 2020. Red Method, Blood Oath, and Everest Queen will perform at The Bread Shed in Manchester, later in 2020 on October 17th and 18th. 100 limited Early Bird tickets are on sale now at the link below, and they will sell out quickly. More bands to be announced soon! Buy your tickets below, and check out our coverage of Badgerfest in 2019 here. Continue reading


FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2019


Now in its nineteenth year, the annual metal pilgrimage to Bloodstock Open Air at Catton Hall in Derbyshire was joined this year by a very special, but highly unstable, guest.

The weather.

Yes, I know it’s England in August, and we should be more than accustomed to inconsistent weather conditions, but this really was something else. Tents too hot to be inside one moment were waterlogged the next. People soaked to the skin by sudden, torrential downpours were suffering sunburn minutes later. Grass turned to mud, mud became rivers, and the unprecedented winds would go on to cause problems all of their own.Continue reading


Bloodstock Open Air Announces the “Raise Your Horns Contest”


Bloodstock Open Air has announced a fan contest, the Raise Your Horns Contest (#BLOODSTOCKRAISEYOURHORNS)! To enter send you best scream in a 10-15 second (max) video to the team at Bloodstock. Prizes include VIP tickets to Bloodstock 2019, a back stage tour and more! Watch the video below to get the deets and enter! Continue reading