Bloodstock

BLOODSTOCK reveals first headliner and more…

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BLOODSTOCK HQ is a hive of activity as a slew of bands confirm slots for the 2020 event.  2020 also sees the festival celebrating 20 years of BLOODSTOCK, so expect some special treats to celebrate at Catton Park next August.

Without further ado, coming to us with an exclusive UK show for 2020, DEVIN TOWNSEND is set to headline Friday on BLOODSTOCK’s Ronnie James Dio main stage!  The show will be a very special set for fans, with more detail on the nature of the set to be revealed in due course!  Here’s Devin to tell you the news: https://youtu.be/noN0RK4LedA.  He also tells us: “OK, folks…wow.  So where should I begin?  Ever since I was a kid, being able to headline a festival as fantastic and forward thinking as Bloodstock has been a dream of mine.  As some of you may know, I’ve been working on several live ‘bands’ lately, from acoustic, to prog and orchestral, with some really artistic and improvisational aspects.  However for Bloodstock, my intention is to do something quite different, and consequently kick ass in every possible way. I am putting together a VERY SPECIAL one-off show for Bloodstock, with a heavy band, playing the very best material for an outdoor festival from my entire catalogue, from SYL up to Empath.  I have always felt that if I was given one shot to knock it out of the park, I wouldn’t hesitate. And my friends, this is the shot! I have listened to what people have been asking for from my catalogue, and with a show like this, a production like we are planning, and the players who have agreed to be involved, this will surely be one of the pinnacle moments in my career.  My intention over the past few years has been to find ways to use different aspects of my work (that fall on opposite ends of the creative spectrum), to ultimately make something really beautiful. Something unified. This show is meant to bring it all together after 25 years of doing this.  Thanks Bloodstock for choosing to rock with me. I can’t wait to see you all there!”

JINJER are also set to make their BLOODSTOCK debut with a slot on Saturday’s main stage.  The Ukrainian metal squad, fronted by Tatiana Shmailyuk, have been making waves in recent years with their heavy progressive sound.  Check out them razing Wacken to the ground earlier this year with ‘Perennial’, a track taken from their recent ‘Micro’ EP; https://youtu.be/bxi3i9wzQBk.  The band are currently readying their brand new studio album, ‘Macro’ for release late October.

Power metallers GLORYHAMMER land a Sunday spot on the Ronnie James Dio main stage.  The band’s current album, ‘Legends From Beyond The Galactic Terrorvortex‘ is out now via Napalm Records.  Remind yourself of their maximum power metal points by watching the video for ‘Gloryhammer’; https://youtu.be/tKlVYJTSzuU.

BLOODSTOCK is also set to welcome the previously announced SKINDRED, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, DARK TRANQUILLITY, and BUTCHER BABIES.  BLOODSTOCK’s remaining two headline acts and many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course.

BLOODSTOCK announce bands for 2020!

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BLOODSTOCK 2019 is only just underway but already, they’ve announced their first batch of main stage bands for 2020!

Next year, Catton Park welcomes an exclusive twin thrash attack, with Bay Area squad, VIO-LENCE in their first ever and only UK show in 2020 and Phoenix-based four piece,  SACRED REICH in their only UK festival appearance of the year.  We’re also excited for the return of SKINDRED, after their epic Newport Helicopter scenes on the Ronnie James Dio main stage in 2017.  We also have a double dose of melodeath with BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and DARK TRANQUILLITY grabbing main stage slots, along with LA metal crew, BUTCHER BABIES.  BLOODSTOCK’s headline acts will be announced in due course.

Check out the BLOODSTOCK big screen announcement here: https://youtu.be/_mWsVhcFi3U.

2020 also sees the festival celebrating 20 years of BLOODSTOCK!  If you’re on site this weekend, you can buy 2020 early bird tickets in person from the on-site box office for £130, the cheapest price available, with no booking fee!  Early bird tickets, VIP tickets, car parking, child tickets and campervan tickets will also be available online from 9am Monday 12th August at the ticket store.

BLOODSTOCK unveils Jager Stage acts and more Metal 2 The Masses winners

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There’s just 8 weeks until BLOODSTOCK’s metal weekender gets underway and BLOODSTOCK HQ have now locked in some of the bands for 2019’s Jagermeister Stage.

Belfast’s SKYPILOT bring their heavy riffs and groove to Catton Park’s Jager stage on Friday, joined by Leicester grunge/hard rock outfit, GRAVES and blues metal squad, BEGGAR.  On Saturday, we welcome Irish heavy groove trio, BLACK SHUCK and one man death metal outfit FOUL BODY AUTOPSY.  Then Sunday’s bill features Irish/Australian hard rockers, JAILBIRDS and you-can-work-it-out-from-their-name, WOMENOWAR!  A second batch of Jagermeister Stage bands will be announced next month!

BLOODSTOCK is also pleased to announce the second wave of New Blood winners from their ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ finals, who all bag a spot to perform on the Hobgoblin New Blood stage.  The finals are still taking place around the country, so get down to your local event and support grass roots music and help shape BLOODSTOCK’s line-up

Landing a Friday New Blood Stage slot are Burnley’s winners, the Southern/doom metal squad, GRAND ELDER, Bournemouth’s black/death metal victors ANAKIM, and thrash/prog groovesters BLIND DIVIDE who triumphed in Cardiff’s final.  Saturday’s lineup welcomes Wrexham’s top dogs, SCARS OF REMEMBRANCE.  Joining Sunday’s New Blood fun are ELYREAN, the melo/tech thrashers who won in Wolverhampton, Hitchin melodeath victors  FEAR BOUND, and instrumental tri-guitar Stoke champions, LOST IN LAVENDER TOWN.

BLOODSTOCK RELEASE DAY TICKETS; ANNOUNCE FIRST ‘METAL 2 THE MASSES’ WINNERS

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It’s time for BLOODSTOCK to unleash the day tickets!!  A limited amount of day tickets for 2019’s event go on sale at 9.00am this Thursday 30th May, priced at £65 (+ fees) for adults and £20 (+ fees) for children aged 4-11.  Children under 4 go free! Head here to snap them up!  You can still also pick up 4-day ‘weekend tickets with camping’, priced £145 (+ fees) and children’s weekend tickets at just £35 (+ fees).  VIP tickets are expected to sell out shortly, so grab yours soon if you want one, including limited Podpads, Bellepads and Octopads, plus limited remaining VIP upgrades (for those who’ve already purchased a standard ticket).  Camper van plots & Luxpads are already SOLD OUT! For full VIP details click here.

BLOODSTOCK is also pleased to announce the first batch of New Blood winners from their ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ finals, who all bag a slot to perform on the Hobgoblin New Blood stage!  The finals are still taking place around the country, so get down to your local event and support grass roots music and help shape BLOODSTOCK’s line-up!

Saturday’s New Blood stage bill welcomes Coventry winners DJINOVA, Glasgow victors INFERIEM, and DEFORMATION OF MAN, who took top prize in the Sheffield heat.  They’ll be joined by Belfast top dogs, LOCK HORNS.  Black Country band MASTERS CALL also win a New Blood slot after impressing the booking team via their CD submission.

Sunday brings Dublin champions AESECT, Norwich leaders BASTARD, and TAKE REFUGE, having clinched first place in the Milton Keynes final.  You’ll also get to see 28 DOUBLE, who took Leicester’s gold medal!  Stay tuned for more results to come!

BLOODSTOCK’s second batch of club nights kick off from 1st June. Head on down for a great night out with your mates to warm up for BLOODSTOCK and you might just win yourself some goodies while you’re there.

 

Sat 1st June – Brighton – Apocalypse @ Envy

Fri 7th June – Leicester – Feedback @ Firebug

Sat 8th June – Stoke-On-Trent – Devil’s Night @ The Sugarmill

Sat 8th June – Southampton – Apocalypse @ The Engine Rooms

Sat 22nd June – Sheffield – Corporation

Fri 28th June – Altern8 @ The Cavern

Sat 29th June – Birmingham – Eddie’s Rock Club

Sat 29th June – Newcastle – RISE Rock Bar

Sat 29th June – Pandamonium @ Electrik Warehouse

 

Fri 5th July – Plymouth – Altern8 @ Envy

Sat 6th July – Brighton – Apocalypse @ Envy

Sat 6th July – Stoke-On-Trent – Devil’s Night @ The Sugarmill

Sat 13th July – Apocalypse @ The Engine Rooms

Sat 22nd July – Sheffield – Corporation

Fri 26th July – Leicester – Feedback @ Firebug

Fri 26th July – London – Voodoo Summer Ball @ Elektrowerkz

Sat 27th July – Birmingham – Eddie’s Rock Club

Sat 27th July – Liverpool – Pandamonium @ Electrik Warehouse

BLOODSTOCK UPDATE…

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BLOODSTOCK have locked down the last handful of Ronnie James Dio main stage and Sophie Lancaster stage bands, as the Metal 2 The Masses finals roll through the UK to find the best of the grass roots to flesh out the New Blood stage. BLOODSTOCK can also reveal that a limited number of day tickets for 2019’s event will go on sale at the end of May. Don’t miss out – sign up for a reminder here.

BLOODSTOCK’s final main stage band are classic UK thrash squad, XENTRIX, who are set to play on Friday.  Having recently signed to Listenable Records, the band are set to release a new studio album, ‘Bury The Pain’ on 7th June.  Check out the brand new track, ‘Bleeding Out’ here; https://youtu.be/vFgiw7XOiGo.  The album has been produced by Andy Sneap and you can pre-order it over at  www.shop-listenable.net/en/268_xentrix.

Joining the Sophie stage bill on Friday are British death metallers, KARYBDIS.  The band released their third studio album, ‘In The Shadow Of Paradise’ last year, which you can pick up over on their Bandcamp page; https://karybdis.bandcamp.com/.  Watch the video for the title track and get yourself up to speed – https://youtu.be/g09x4f8cVUc.

A former winner of BLOODSTOCK’s Metal 2 The Masses competition back in 2012, melodic metal crew CONTROL THE STORM have gone from strength to strength, and we’re delighted to now welcome them to Friday’s Sophie stage. With plans afoot to release their second album, ‘Forevermore’ this summer, hopefully they’ll treat everyone to some new songs live! See what you think of new single ‘Follow Me’ at https://youtu.be/7SzIq8yc0T4 and if you dig it, help them along by contributing to their Kickstarter at  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/controlthestorm/control-the-storm-forevermore-help-fund-the-album.

The pioneers of Norwegian Viking Metal, HELHEIM land a Saturday set on the Sophie stage. Hailing from Bergen, you can find their latest blackened sounds on new album, ‘Rignir’, released late last month by Dark Essence, who have kindly added no less than three songs from it to their YouTube channel, including the title track at https://youtu.be/ECRCW94pW_o.

There’s more from our Norwegian brethren, with GUARDIANS OF TIME also bagging a Saturday slot on the Sophie stage to showcase their brand of heavy/power metal. Don’t know them yet? Their fifth album, ‘Tearing Up The World’ came out in Oct 2018 and features guest appearances from none other than Abbath and Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens. Investigate that title track with Abbath here – https://youtu.be/69ItcYo8txU.

Bulgarian metalheads, ODD CREW also land a Saturday slot.  The band take their influences from classic metal like Black Sabbath through artists like Pantera through to modern day acts like Killswitch Engage.  Check ‘em out storming through ‘Death Trap’ here; https://youtu.be/MSpAig3cxaI.  The band released their fifth studio album, ‘The Lost Pages’ last year, which you can check out on Spotify or via all major DSPs.

BLOODSTOCK GOES GREENER

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Following along from 2018’s ‘Drastic On Plastic’ initiative, this year we’re committing to the ‘BLOODSTOCK Goes Greener’ campaign!  This year we aim to recycle at least 50% of the festival’s waste and send nothing at all to landfill.  We’re encouraging everyone to say a big ‘NO’ to single use tents and plastics on site and we hope to completely eradicate single use plastics atBLOODSTOCK by 2020 as well as lower BLOODSTOCK‘s carbon footprint as a whole by 2021.  Our initial 6-point plan for 2019 runs as follows:

1 – RECYCLABLE BRANDED BLOODSTOCK CUPS ACROSS ALL BARS – BLOODSTOCKers pay a one-off sum of £2 for a recyclable BLOODSTOCK-branded plastic cup which can be used across all bars.  The added bonus is that you’ll have a souvenir to take home too.

2 – RECYCLING POINTS – BLOODSTOCKers to use the clearly signed recycling points in the arena & campsites.

3 – 100% BIODEGRADABLE FOOD PACKAGING – Food traders will only be using 100% biodegradable food packaging and cutlery this year.

4 – RECYCLE PLASTIC BOTTLES ACROSS THE SITE – Coca Cola will collect and recycle your plastic bottles on site and have them back in circulation within weeks of the festival.

5 – SAY NO TO SINGLE USE TENTS – Together with our tent partners Fat Franks Camping Shop and Tangerine Fields, we want to encourage you to either take your tent home with you after the festival or if you don’t want the hassle of bringing a tent with you in the first place, you can either ‘Click and Collect’ a tent and camping equipment from Fat Franks Camping Shop in advance – http://www.fatfrankscampingshop.com/sustainable-camping – or you can simply hire a pre-erected tent, airbed, bedding, etc, from Tangerine Fields –  https://www.tangerinefields.co.uk/events/bloodstock-open-air.html – which will be ready and waiting to move into when you arrive at the festival.  Both Fat Franks Camping Shop and Tangerine Fields are situated in the Midgard Campsite. 


DONATE YOUR TENT & WIN TICKETS TO BLOODSTOCK 2020!  Fat Franks Camping Shop will stay open until 12 Noon on Monday morning after the festival to enable you to take back any unwanted camping equipment (tents, sleeping bags, chairs, bedding, airbeds, etc) whether purchased from Fat Franks or elsewhere.  For those of you that drop off unwanted tents at Fat Franks, we will enter you into a prize draw to win a pair of tickets to Bloodstock 2020 (our 20th Anniversary event)!  Winners will be announced approximately 28 days after the festival.  All donated items will go to Pathways Homeless Charity and a local scout group.

6 – LOWER TRAVEL EMISSIONS – We want to offer low impact ways to travel to the festival so have partnered with Big Green Coach who have 34 pickup locations around the UK.  This creates a huge reduction in carbon emissions, coming by coach rather than car.  For every customer who books travel with Big Green Coach, they sponsor and protect 5 sq ft of Amazonian Rainforest for 10 years.  This has resulted in over 1,200,000 sq ft of Peruvian Rainforest being protected by Big Green Coach for the next 10 years since they began the commitment.  Their target is to protect an area covering 3 million sq ft over the next 5 years.  This is all thanks to you!  For more info click to https://www.biggreencoach.co.uk/why-are-we-green.  To book coach tickets; https://www.biggreencoach.co.uk/events/bloodstock-festival-tickets-coach-travel.  Alternatively, you can travel via Carshare to BLOODSTOCK with GoCarshare.com for the cheapest festival travel prices to site.  GoCarShare connect metal-loving drivers and passengers going in the same direction.  By sharing a spare seat or two, this reduces the number of cars on the road travelling to BLOODSTOCK and subsequently reduces carbon emissions.  Click to https://gocarshare.com/festival/bloodstock for full info.

Let’s work together to make the world a better place for us and our children.

BLOODSTOCK brings early Easter treats with 7 more bands for 2019!

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With Easter just around the corner, BLOODSTOCK has some treats for you with another seven bands added to the best metal weekender this summer.  Not only that, there’s an update on a brand new charity partner for 2019, club nights galore, and we suggest you stay tuned to BLOODSTOCK’s social media as Easter draws ever closer.  You never know when a special Easter competition might launch. Without further delay…

Industrial alt rockers, SULPHER grab a Sophie Lancaster stage slot on Friday.  The trio, comprising touring members of Marilyn Manson’s band, The Prodigy, and The Jesus And Mary Chain, recently released their 2nd studio album, ‘No One Will Ever Know’, available to pick up or stream over at https://sulpher.lnk.to/NoOneWillEverKnow.  Investigate the band further via the video for ‘Follow You Down’; https://youtu.be/5lLO3LN3Ivg.

Also landing a Friday Sophie appearance are Newcastle groove metal squad, DEF CON ONE. With founder member and ex-Venom sticksman Antton Lant behind the kit, have a listen to one of their newest singles, ‘Martyr To The New Blood’, the first to feature the current line-up, at: https://youtu.be/YTSBaLn4vaQ.

British metal squad, DAMNATIONS HAMMER also join the Sophie Friday bill.  Formed as a homage to the 80’s avant garde metal scene, the band’s vision was to create doom-laden, dark, atmospheric sounds with unrelenting heaviness. Get yourself clued up by listening to ‘Temple of the Descending Gods’ – https://youtu.be/E7aEjT7yt-M – taken from their recently released opus, ‘Unseen Planets, Deadly Spheres’, which you can pick up or stream via https://lnk.to/unseenplanets.

Hailing from Dewsbury and reforming a few years back, old school death metal crew  BLASPHEMER are added to the Sophie lineup on Friday. Their most recent album, ‘Lust Of The Goat’, dropped in November 2018 via Grindscene Records, and you can wrap your ears around all of the tracks, admire the colourful artwork, and order it at: https://blasphemeruk666.bandcamp.com/album/lust-of-the-goat.

Rounding out the Sophie stage announcements for Friday bands today are Irish death metal outfit, ZEALOT CULT.  Check out their concrete heavy, classic death metal noise via their EP ‘Karmenian Crypt’ over at their Bandcamp page – https://zealotcult.bandcamp.com.

Picking up a Sunday spot on the Sophie stage are Notts-based stoner groove power trio,  WITCHTRIPPER. Bringing “groove, shred, & roll”, if you’re a fan of Clutch, Orange Goblin, Kyuss, Sabbath or Led Zepp, these guys might be right up your street. Head over to the band’s official site at https://www.witchtripper.co.uk to hear latest album ‘Attitude Adjustment’ and more besides.

Also bounding into a Sunday Sophie slot are HARBINGER. Touted by Metal Hammer as “leading the next generation of tech metal wizards”, the band showcase their wares with blistering new track, ‘The Awakening’ on YouTube; https://youtu.be/AgWCn0klCGk.  Their debut album, ‘Compelled To Suffer’ lands on 17th May.  You can pre-order over at http://www.harbingerriffs.com.

This year BLOODSTOCK welcomes a brand new charity partner!  Say hello to the very worthy YoungMinds organisation (https://youngminds.org.uk), who work tirelessly to support young people’s mental health across the UK.  YoungMinds will benefit from our guest list donation scheme and have a stand in the arena for you to drop by, drop a quid in their collection box and find out about their work. YoungMinds is the leading the fight for a future where all young minds are supported and empowered, whatever the challenges.  They help to ensure the best possible mental health support for our youth and help them have the resilience to overcome life’s difficulties. The crisis in young people’s mental health is real and it is urgent. More than ever before are reaching out for help with their mental health, but for those brave enough to take that first step, help is much too hard to find.  YoungMinds are helping to change this. Click through to their website to read more about what they do and look out for them onsite at Catton Park!

Final headliner announced for Bloodstock 2019

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BLOODSTOCK are thrilled to announce their Saturday night headliner for 2019! Australian metalcore titans, PARKWAY DRIVE will be bringing their blazing breakdowns and hellacious riffs to Catton Park for the very first time this August, hot on the heels of their UK headline run that The Guardian declared, “An eye-popping visual spectacle.” Frontman Winston McCall tells us, “We’re pretty damn excited! This will be our first shot headlining a UK festival. BLOODSTOCK has a hell of a reputation and is renowned for having one of the best festival sites and atmospheres going. We’ll be bringing full production, we want to give BLOODSTOCK a set that’s worthy of a headline slot! We’re psyched! Thanks for having us!”
PARKWAY DRIVE join the previously announced Friday night headliner, SABATON, Sunday’s bill toppers SCORPIONS, together with ANTHRAX, DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CODE ORANGE, POWERWOLF, SOILWORK, CRADLE OF FILTH, THY ART IS MURDER, TESSERACT, METAL CHURCH, SOULFLY, DEATH ANGEL, DEE SNIDER, QUEENSRYCHE, ELUVEITIE, SWALLOW THE SUN, EVIL SCARECROW, ROSS THE BOSS, GRAND MAGUS, ROTTING CHRIST, INCITE and HYPOCRISY on the Catton Park stages this August. Stay tuned for even more bands to be announced soon!

BOA 2018 – GOJIRA: Reviewed!

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Gojira have been long awaited as a headliner here at BOA, and it seems as though the entire population of the festival – some 18 thousand metalheads, have turned out for them tonight. The band waste no time in racing right into the heavy stuff with ‘Only Pain’ and ‘The Heaviest Matter of the Universe’ against a brooding mountain range backdrop, as giant plumes of smoke are blasted out from the front of the stage.

The intro for ‘Love’ has vocalist Joe Duplantier screaming out “Lemme see your fucking hands c’mon” as an added lyric, and the video backdrops depict a spinning cage whilst the band burn through those heavy Gojira riffs. Calling out “This is fucking beautiful thank you” in response to the sea of raised horns, Duplantier looks almost surprised as a streamer-cannon goes off next to him, followed by a burst of on-stage fireworks. Whilst ‘Flying Whales’ definitely is not a comedy track, hell, it kinda sounds like an Attenborough script, there is something really funny about the British need to kitsch everything up. There must be about 10 or so inflatable Orcas being bopped about in the crowd, ‘flying’ if you will.

If the band has noticed, they haven’t let on – “Bloodstock you know what we wanna see now… a giant fucking mosh pit… I’m sure you can make that hole a little bigger guys, come on, stand back”, and in response the place goes absolutely mental for ‘The Cell’. The lightning flash backdrop and accompanying strobe-effects hit a little close to home though as we’ve all been waiting in the pouring rain for the last hour, but guitarist Christian Andreu is paying the drizzle absolutely no mind, spinning around like a whirling dervish as he shreds.

For a confusing minute we get an up-close and personal as drummer Mario Duplantier ditches the kit in favour of a, um, spear. No clue why, but he’s brandishing it about the place and yelling “It’s an immense honour to headline bloodstock today… thanks for sticking out the rain”. Up next, ‘Silvera’ is stunningly beautiful, with it’s almost ambient mellow passages, and after a somewhat excessive drum solo we’re getting down to the wire with the heavy but melodic ‘The Shooting Star’, which is heralded with a rain of fireworks from the stage roof.

Pulling absolutely no punches, Gojira blast into encore/finale song ‘Vacuity’ supported by a barrage of on-stage pyrotechnics and a massive set of flaming red fireworks from behind the stage as they finish, calling out “Thank you so much bloodstock that’s all from us tonight. Stay safe, stay happy, stay healthy. Goodnight!”. It’s the perfect set and there’s no denying that Gojira are absolute masters of their craft, we have definitely been pulled right into the moment with them and sincerely hope we’ll be seeing them back at BOA soon.

© Photograph courtesy of Bloodstock Festival (Amplified Gig Photography)

BOA 2018 – Judas Priest: Reviewed!

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It’s Friday night at Bloodstock and we’re gearing up for the mighty Judas Priest, the stage is set with giant ‘Devils tuning fork’ backdrops and standing props and smoke is billowing in from the sides. Entering to Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ and a barrage of stage lights, Rob Halford is still rocking the signature fringed leather and sunglasses look, despite the now dark skies. Kicking off with brand spanking new track ‘Firepower’ – a polished but ultimately traditional Priest sound, it’s clear we’re in for a treat.

Halford shouts out “C’mon Bloodstock the priest is back! Are you ready for some heavy metal?” to a roar of approval in reply and a sea of horns are raised across the arena. Busting through hits like ‘The Ripper’ and ‘Turbo Lover’, we’re getting nothing but pure old-school heavy metal – which is especially poignant since Halford is almost dressed in heavy metal himself, sporting what look to be silver chaps, a la Tinman from Oz.

A pride flag waves in the middle of the crowd, presumably as a tribute to Halford himself who publicly revealed his homosexuality during an MTV interview, and became an early advocate for LGBT presence in the metal community. Indeed, metal for everyone; inclusion and diversity, is always a line that Bloodstock has kept at the forefront of their festival ethos.

The stage screen backdrops change to scrolling newspapers and an image of Big Ben for ‘The Ripper’ and there’s a distinct possibility of permanent retinal damage with the insane amount of strobe light use during ‘Saints In Hell’. Yelling “Thank you so much! Heavy metal is forever right?” the metal certainly does just keep on coming. Now dressed in an extraordinarily sparkly trench coat reminiscent of a giant disco ball, and wielding a blue lightsabre for no clear reason at all, we get right into the good stuff. ‘You’ve got another thing coming’ has everyone headbanging along with the band as a Black Country flag flutters on the screens – particularly relevant here in the Midlands. As is traditional, Halford rides his motorcycle on stage wearing yet another fringed jacket and leather baker-boy cap for ‘Hellbent for Leather’, which frankly is something to aspire to. If you ever get the chance to include a motorcycle as part of your essential stage kit – well you’ve definitely made it.

The encore sees guitarist Glenn Tipton join the band on stage, who has recently revealed that Parkinson’s disease would require him to step down from performing. Despite this, Tipton absolutely smashes Priest super-hit ‘Breaking The Law’ to crowd-wide chants for him, it’s a really powerful moment. Halford calls out “Thank you so much. Thank you for having us back home, this is where we’re from, the home of metal” and indeed this sort of homecoming for the band, with almost 50 years under their belts, must feel all the more special. Closing out with new record ‘No Surrender’ and finally ‘Living After Midnight’, this really has been one of the best Judas Priest gigs we’ve had the pleasure of attending, and we’re sincerely hoping it’s not the last. As Halford crows; “We'll be back, we are Judas fucking Priest!”.

© Photograph courtesy of Bloodstock Festival