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.