Photo credit: Ⓒ David Dillon for Download Festival
So, right up front I have to note going into this headline review, that the arena is stunningly under-filled already. You can basically walk to the front in a couple of minutes from either side. This shouldn’t happen for headliners.
Scot-rock stalwarts Biffy Clyro are no strangers to Download Festival, having headlined here in 2017. Given the fact that we’ve been in Covid central for a couple of years, this actually feels more recent than the five years it has actually been. There’s no doubt that the band are musically brilliant, and the stage set up is impressive in its own way, but perhaps overshadowed by the previous two nights of high production headline sets.
The hometown crowd is representing at the front with giant Scottish flags flying, and ‘Wolves of Winter’ is a soaring masterpiece which absolutely deserves a place here. Yelling “We’ve waited three years for this, I know you have too. It’s wonderful to be back together again” frontman Simon Neil is clearly having an excellent time up there, but I can’t help but see the crowd is thinning even further. I wonder if they can see this from up there, and feel a little sad for them.
‘Space’ and ‘Bubbles’ come before an encore of ‘The Captain’, ‘Cop Syrup’ and ‘Many of Horror’ – all of which are performed beautifully and confidently, but it obviously isn’t hitting with a huge proportion of the Download crowd who are opting to be elsewhere. The band finish up with a set of stage top fireworks, but it’s not the crowning finale it should have been for this, the triumphant return of Download festival. If Download wants to sell enough tickets next year, those headliners had better be closer aligned to the main formula than Biffy were this weekend.
Photo credit: Ⓒ James Bridle for Download Festival
Looking at the arena tonight, it’s pretty clear there are a lot of day-ticket holders here specifically for this. It’s twice as packed as last night, people shoulder to shoulder right to the back of the hill and spilling out both sides around the sound tent. To say Iron Maiden are an institution at Donington would be putting it mildly. We’ve been waiting three years for this, let’s go.
As the traditional UFO ‘Doctor Doctor’ heralds them onto the stage, we take our first look at the set up for this ‘Legacy of The Beast’ tour, which centres on Japanese/Shinobi imagery due to their newest released ‘Senjutsu’. The stage is all green-roofed pagodas, Nikko’s brand new drum set is covered in the beautiful album artwork, and as the band take the stage we note that Bruce has gone full top-knot presumably in a nod to the theme. Rocking some almost spray-on leather pants (he does it better than Ross Geller though) Bruce is immediately and unwaveringly as brilliant as ever. If you think there’s a more iconic vocalist in metal I can’t hear you over the sound of Bruce belting the living shit out of ‘The Writing On The Wall’. You’d think after 34 years playing here, and the 7th inning as headliners, that something would eventually dip… the speed, the sound quality, the theatricality, the energy. No. Not our Iron Maiden. They are the lifeblood of this festival and all those before it on this hallowed ground, and they truly sound better than ever.
Eddie makes a surprisingly early appearance dressed as a Samurai, in order to go about executing the band members with a giant katana, and Bruce quips “You alright? That was bit fucking casual… you alright?” as the crowd warms up a bit from their viewing stupor. If you haven’t seen Maiden before, it’s a lot to take in. If you have, it’s a lot to take in.
Multiple set changes are expected with Maiden for sure, but wow is it slick tonight. Using curtain structures to create background sets means they basically drop away in seconds to be replaced by another – something that really just adds to the magic of their show. This next one is a full on church, replete with stained glass windows and flaming chandeliers.
Calling out “The last three years of all our lives, has been largely fucking shit. In this field is where it fucking stops. We’re one big family, the Maiden family. We don’t care what colour, size or anything you are… you are our Blood Brothers” they drop headfirst into the anthem. Not to get too corny, but there is something so uplifting, so uniting about hearing this after the hard couple of years we’ve just been through.
Now, Bruce has always been known to be a bit… extra. But tonight he really doubles down, in a floaty veiled cape, he capers about the stage brandishing a giant disco cross for ‘The Sign of The Cross’ and then in a bonkers turn of events, trying to brandish a Ghostbusters style dual flamethrower, AND his mic beneath an enormous winged angel for ‘Flight of Icarus’.
Fear of The Dark has always been my favourite, since I saw Maiden for the very first time at the very first Download festival in 2003. My friend lifted me up from our spot 10 or so rows from the front, so that I could look across the crowd at the sea of lights. At that time it was proper lighters, not blue phone screens, and it is one of my most magical memories. Tonight, I was watching from the side, much further back, with my 2 year old daughter – doing a small cry, thinking about how grateful I am to be back here, after everything, and it was perfect.
‘Hallowed Be They Name’, ‘The Number of The Beast’ and the eponymous ‘Iron Maiden’ are just beyond reproach, it’s ridiculous how Iron Maiden manage to gut punch us every time, they just get into your bones. There’s a giant inflatable beast Eddie… everyone is singing, everyone is headbanging, everyone thinks they’re in the band too… “Scream for me Donington!” elicits the monumental roar of thousands of metal fans in their element.
The stage lights dip, but no-one moves an inch. The encore is spectacular, with Bruce admitting “Wish I was down there with you, it’s fucking cold up here” into the amazingly clear moonlight night, before donning the signature Redcoat and flag for ‘The Trooper’, and the return of Eddie for a duel.
‘The Clansman’ (another chance to yell FREEDOM into the sky) and ‘Run To The Hills’ are magnificent, but there’s nothing quite like the closing gem ‘Aces High’ complete with a fucking massive Spitfire flying, in my opinion, terrifyingly close to their heads, on stage. Bruce gives it his full force, rocking a flying cap and goggles as the band wheel around the stage delivering the most powerful, energetic performance you can imagine. They are just such pros, I genuinely don’t know what we’ll do when they finally call time. With their outro of Monty Python’s ‘Always Look on the bright side of life’, there is a collective sigh and we all begin to leave the arena. The hour plus queue to leave the car-park tells you that everyone stayed for this, what a bloody amazing night.
The stage is draped with an enormous KISS banner, the sides flanked with KISS ARMY insignias, and the roof a hive of ring shaped lighting like something from sci-fi. Giant inflatable metallic effigies of the band members stand either side of the stage, blowing in the wind threatening to squash the puny worshippers below. As a tape begins to roll on the screens, of the band making their way through dressing rooms and corridors to get to the stage, I can’t help but giggle. We’re in a field, miles from anything solid, with only tents and tour buses back there. It’s all part of the KISS schtick though isn’t it.
“You wanted the best, you got the best!” yells Paul Stanley, aka The Starchild as a rain of sparkly pyro falls from the centre of the stage and the banner is dropped. As usual, they are dressed to the nines in, well, quite possibly bigger than nine-inch platform shoes and their signature shiny glam get-up – and there’s a part of me watching this, that is just a bit sad that nothing comes after this. We won’t witness this level of ridiculousness again, it’s an ending era. KISS are known for keeping it strictly performance. They have a script and they rarely step outside of it, which is professional I guess, if a little wooden sometimes. “This song is about putting something in your mouth…” comes before they drop into ‘Lick It Up’ but it’s the same sentence we heard last time we saw them here. I’m not sure whether I enjoy this from a nostalgia perspective – like re-watching your favourite movie when you feel down – or if I wish they’d break character just once, for this one final time.
‘Calling Dr Love’ is followed by ‘Tears Are Falling’ and then the more recent ‘Psycho Circus’ pulls up to a long drum solo from The Cat, who is raised up onto a giant platform. Presumably giving the other band members a much needed breather. I don’t hate it, it isn’t obscenely long… but the following instrumental really is. The solo is another thing from an older time, new bands don’t do it, or it’s a few seconds while someone grabs a drink. Another nail in the coffin of what it meant to be a headliner.
Luckily the band put on a great show regardless, Gene Simmons bleeding from the mouth whilst flapping his monumentally long tongue is an image burned into the rock retina for life. Jamming his iconic axe shaped bass whilst high up on a platform amongst the mysterons covered in images of his own face… you can’t get more Gene than that really.
“It’s the last time we’re gonna be together… and because it’s the last time, I’m gonna come out there and be with you. But you have to invite me… count to three and say my name…” calls Stanley, despite the fact that this is precisely the same way it went down the last time they played here, which obviously many of the fans remember all to well. Regardless, it is really fun to see him whizz from the stage to the sound tent on a circus ring zip wire to play ‘Love Gun’, and the epic ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’, amongst the sparkly light of a giant projected disco ball.
Closing out with three song encore, the end finally comes with ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’. Big inflatable KISS branded beach balls are thrown into the crowd, ticker tape explosions go off, and fireworks erupt from the top of the stage as they lament “We’re gonna miss you so much, we bow to you. It’s so special every time we come here”. Now, plenty of bands have said it’s their ‘final show’ before (cough, Aerosmith, cough Black Sabbath). KISS have been one of them… over 19 times according to Steve Tyler. This time though, it really does seem like they’re done. Some of the vibrancy was missing, it was too rehearsed.
It’s testimony to their skill as musicians and performers that the show was still great, and I will be forever sad that my child won’t get to remember seeing one of, if not the most iconic bands in the world, but maybe it is time to open the gates for new things. KISS have done thousands of gigs, sold millions of records and have the weirdest and most diverse collection of merch on this earth (KISS condoms anyone?) so… fair play to them. I’m glad I was here for the last show… probably.
There’s now just 8 weeks to go ’til BLOODSTOCK 2022! HQ is in a frenzy getting the infrastructure together and locking in the last of the slots. There’s still another batch of Metal 2 The Masses bands to come and plenty more info about this year’s event to reveal, but first off, BLOODSTOCK has all the info about what to see at the festival’s unique Rock And Metal Gallery, including a very special Iron Maiden exhibition, as well as some Venom-shaped news.
Each year, theRAM GALLERY brings a very unique element to BLOODSTOCK. There certainly aren’t many metal festivals showcasing a wealth of rock and metal inspired art, but here at Catton Park you can get your fill. Curated by festival founder and globally renowned fantasy artist, Paul Raymond Gregory and housed in a purpose built, professionally-lit marquee, the gallery acts as a focal point for a variety of artists, photographers, and other creatives.
This year, there’s a special Iron Maiden theme, with illustrator Mark Wilkinson returning to display a range of his impressive work for the British metal icons across the years. Maiden’s official photographer, John McMurtriewill also have a wall of his spectacular imagery, with a dozen shots from the ‘Legacy Of The Beast’ tour & a Bruce Dickinson ‘Trooper’ print, all authorised and approved by the band themselves.
John says, “When it comes to doing something well I cannot think of any other band that is as driven to outdo itself than IRON MAIDEN. I have been the band’s photographer since 2006 and each tour just gets bigger and more ambitious! The current Legacy of the Beast tour celebrates the music and showmanship of IRON MAIDEN with three full stage set changes representing WAR, RELIGION and DEATH. What other band on the planet would have a full size SPITFIRE dive bombing on stage, a CATHEDRAL with stained glass windows, then a scene from HELL with a 25ft monster surrounded by flames? I have a lot to photograph each night but it is the best gig in music photography and I feel honoured to play my part in capturing the IRON MAIDEN legacy.”
And if you want to own a little piece of this Maiden history for yourself, John is offering a massive 25% discount to BLOODSTOCKers ordering a 20”x16” pearl fibre, 310gsm GICLEE print at the festival! You’ll be able to scan the QR code next to the print you want, enter the discount code displayed, and the print will be shipped by special delivery to your home direct from John’s studio, no worries about keeping it pristine in your tent!
These GICLEE prints are professionally produced on a massive 8 ink machine and will be archival for 200 years! The pearl fibre paper has a semi-gloss satin finish that feels exactly like a silver gelatine print. All ready to be framed and cherished! You can read more about these prints in a blog post from John here or see more of his work here. Up the Irons!
In addition to BLOODSTOCK’s Iron Maiden extravaganza, perhaps you’ve admired Venom Prison’s latest album artwork? It was created by artist Eliran Kantor, who is back with some new works. We can’t wait to see what else he’s been creating! The ever metal Krusher is bringing a few surprises from his lengthy ‘other’ career in art and design.
Expect the unexpected! 3D artist, Liam Brandon Murray has been working on some insane ideas for his amazing three dimensional works of art – and yes, that incredible throne you may have seen in the gallery last year will be making a return. Do check out his Instagram and prepare to be dazzled! Legendary fantasy illustrator (and accomplished musician) Rodney Matthews also has a display dedicated to his iconic artwork. Through the years, Rodney has produced more than 600 colour illustrations which have been used on everything from posters and snowboards, to album covers for a range of bands including none other than Rick Wakeman, Asia, & Nazareth – and even concept art for The Magic Roundabout movie & children’s series Lavender Castle.
For the first time this year, BLOODSTOCK is also including select works from a couple of BLOODSTOCK’s official festival photography team. Be sure to check out some wonderful images from Katja Ogrin and Steve Dempsey, whose work has been featured in many international rock publications, plus BLOODSTOCK’s own Rock Society photographer, Matt Negus. When they’re not shooting bands, they’ll be roaming BLOODSTOCK to capture festival colour, shots of the crowd, and giving you a peek behind the scenes.
Grab a selfie with BLOODSTOCK’s history wall, featuring the festival’s art through the years, with each signed by many of the bands who performed that year, including the likes of Alice Cooper, Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, Judas Priest, and many more. For a great memento, pick a year you attended! Last but certainly not least the RAM Gallery’s iconic luthier Cynosure will return with three new astonishing guitars. Two have been inspired & created specially for the Iron Maiden wall and one from thisRodney Matthews image – and you’ll be able to see the print displayed next to the guitar.
On a more sombre note, BLOODSTOCK was saddened last month to learn of the passing of Trevor Strnad and that BLACK DAHLIA MURDER can no longer join us this year. Filling their spot on Sunday’s Ronnie James Dio main stage will be VENOM INC, who are set to treat us to a special ‘Black Metal’ 40th Anniversary set. The band tell us; “To be asked to return to BLOODSTOCK is for us a great honour and we look forward to more Main Stage antics with you all! But why just do any old set, we thought let’s do something uber special for you. As it’s the 40th Anniversary of the ‘Black Metal’ album, we will deliver for the first time on British soil, the complete album in full running order, live!!! We are so looking forward to this and together with you, we will lay down our souls to the Gods of Rock And Roll, as well as the Teachers Pet while we are At War With Satan…and you can Count(ess) your Bathory on that! Ave!!”
Don’t miss BLOODSTOCK’s latest Facebook Live THIS THURSDAY EVENING at 7pm for the latest news, gossip, giveaways, and more. Get excited with your fellow BLOODSTOCKers and ask any burning questions direct to festival management.
The clock is ticking! There’s just 79 days left until the marauding hordes thunder their way through the gates of Catton Park, pitch their tents, crack some beers and kick off the best heavy metal weekender of the year!
As is often unavoidable in these still uncertain times, there have been a couple of changes due to travel logistics for some bands, but BLOODSTOCK always finds a way! As such, BLOODSTOCK is thrilled to announce that Sheffield’s fast-rising, hardcore heroes MALEVOLENCEare stepping in to headline the Sophie Lancaster stage on Saturday night – replacing Hatebreed, who’ve sadly had to pull out of a number of EU shows this August. Fresh from their pulverising slot on Architects’ recent UK arena tour, MALEVOLENCE just released their new album, ‘Malicious Intent’. If you’ve not had the chance to catch their incendiary live set just yet, you are in for a treat! See what’s in store via 2021’s absolute slayer of a set at Catton Park and get ready for some serious pit action!
BLOODSTOCK has been busy juggling line-ups on the Sophie Lancaster stage to fix other unforeseen logistical issues. NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA will now headline on Sunday night and DARK TRANQUILLITY move to headline the Sophie tent on Thursday.
BLOODSTOCK can also reveal the first phase of winners in their celebrated Metal 2 The Masses programme, all who’ll be appearing on the New Blood stage at some point across festival weekend.Landing Friday slots are Scottish heat victors and modern metal 5-piece CATALYSIS, plus Northern Ireland’s top dogs, the riff-heavy trio HAINT, the Republic of Ireland’s winners, blackened death metal squad FORNOTH and the Leeds heat champions and heavy metal militia, PARIAH.
Also snagging Saturday sets on the New Blood stage are the Manchester final overlords, deathcore squad PORTRAYAL OF RUINN, Leeds’ victors, the melodic hardcore squad STEEL MAGE and Newcastle upon Tyne’s conquerors, the brutal deathcore outfit CAST IN TEPHRA.Also grabbing New Blood stage slots from CD submissions are ferocious Yorkshire 5-piece, IREOSIS, who land a Friday slot, dark symphonic deathcore outfit DRACONIAN REIGN score a Saturday slot and Sunday appearances will come from heavy rock power trio SWEET MAY and groove-laden riff-worshippers TORUS.
BLOODSTOCK is also delighted to continue their Bloodstock-themed club nights across the country! Local rock pubs and clubs are a key part of what BLOODSTOCK does with the ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ scheme, so we’re stoked to continue supporting them by announcing the second wave of club nights for 2022. Get along to your local event, hear a metric ton of beefy tunes from BOA bands past and present and be in with a chance of winning a pair of standard weekend tickets. Dates & times are subject to change, so check locally for latest info.
If you’ve already got your ticket bagged, maybe you’re now thinking about how best to get to Catton Park? BLOODSTOCK is pleased to support two sustainable travel options – Big Green Coach (who’ll drop you & your gear right inside the festival gates for minimal walking, from 33 locations around the UK. Reserve your seat for just a tenner) and Liftshare (a safe way to offer up a spare seat in your car, or nab one in someone else’s & make new friends to boot). Get more info on both options over at BIG GREEN COACH and LIFTSHARE.
As part of BLOODSTOCK’s continued sustainability drive, they’re encouraging everyone to say a big NO to single use tents. TANGERINE FIELDS and FAT FRANK’S CAMPING SHOP will be on site to help! Both solutions make travelling to the festival via public transport, car share, Big Green Coach or even flying in from abroad, so much easier. When you rent from TANGERINE FIELDS, arrive on site and your tent, bed & bedding will be all set up ready and waiting in the Asgard campsite. Come Monday morning, no need to worry about packing it up, the Tangerine team will take care of it. No hassle, no waste, no sore arms! Get full details on their pre-erected tent service here.
Alternatively, FAT FRANK’S CAMPING SHOP – situated in the Midgard campsite – offer a Click & Collect service (as well as Loan & Go). You can pre-purchase any or all of your camping needs on their website and collect it all at the festival (stop by their stand and they’ll even blow up your air bed). If you don’t want to take down and lug the tent home afterwards, you can even donate the tent back at FAT FRANK’S stand. They donate all used tents possible to homeless charities and youth groups.
BLOODSTOCK can’t wait to welcome you to the UK’s best heavy metal weekender this summer and as every day passes, there are more exciting things to reveal! Read on for the latest news on who’s been added to the bill, some riotous club nights to get you warmed up, the start of the M2TM final heats, plans afoot with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation and Derbyshire LGBT+, plus while you’re getting set for the long Easter weekend, stop by BLOODSTOCK’s social media later this week for some special Easter competition fun!
Following the unfortunate news that STATIC-X are cancelling all their European shows in 2022, BLOODSTOCK is excited to announce that their replacement in the Sunday night headline slot on the Sophie Lancaster stage are none other than Swedish melodeath pioneers DARK TRANQUILITY. The band are currently touring across Europe, covering more than 27,000km over 52 cities in 24 countries, in just 57 days, almost immediately after wrapping a US tour too!
Regretfully, TALLAH have also had to pull out, but their spot will be filled by modern metal crew DEFECTS, fresh off tour with In Flames. Get to know them via their latest single, End Of Days.
BLOODSTOCK is committed to inclusivity and is pleased to announce that Derbyshire LGBT+ and Sophie Lancaster Foundation will both have stalls at the festival this year, where all are welcome to stop by and learn more about the work they do. You can find them in the arena to the left of the main stage, alongside Derbyshire Blood Bikes.
2022 marks the 15th year since Sophie Lancaster’s tragic death. Adam Lancaster, Sophie’s brother and team member at the Foundation, will also give a talk each day of the festival at the Rock Society tent at the back of the main arena. His powerful, intimate account details the true horrors of hate crime and the work the Foundation does to combat prejudice and intolerance in Sophie’s name.
Derbyshire LGBT+ add, “For 39 years Derbyshire LGBT+ has operated as the only charity in Derbyshire committed to the LGBT+ community of Derbyshire; offering support, advocacy, advice and empowerment. We are very proud to announce our attendance at BLOODSTOCK this year, so that we can extend our reach even further and offer these services at an event that promotes inclusivity and acceptance. Our amazing staff and volunteers will be standing by and we encourage people to visit us, find out more and to see what we have to offer. Let’s put the ‘Unity’ in ‘Community’ together!”
BLOODSTOCK’s Metal 2 The Masses, the initiative that supports all genres of grass roots metal and offers a chance to play BOA’s New Blood stage, kicks off their final heats across 25 regions from 1st May. Get on down to your local event and help shape the festival’s line-up! Look out for the winners to be announced in due course, together with some additional bands chosen from CD applications and some of the very best runners-up. Check out the image below for your nearest finals event.
BLOODSTOCK is also thrilled to restart Bloodstock-themed club nights across the country! Local rock pubs and clubs are a key part of what BLOODSTOCK does with the ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ scheme, so we’re stoked to support them further by announcing the first wave of club nights for 2022. Get along to your local event, hear a ton of tunes from BOA bands past and present and be in with a chance of winning a pair of standard weekend tickets, a goodie bag or various other giveaways. Dates & times are subject to change, so check locally for latest info. More cities will be announced in Phase 2 which runs through June & July, but meanwhile, head down to the following for some fun!
Friday 15th April – Exeter, Cavern – Altern8 Saturday 16th April – Southampton, The Hobbit Friday 22nd April – Reading, Face Bar Saturday 23rd April – Camberley, Agincourt Friday 29th April – High Wycombe, Crash Rock Club (Bucks SU) Saturday 30th April – Stoke on Trent, The Sugarmill – Devil’s Night Saturday 30th April – Brighton Above, Friday 6th May – Plymouth, The Junction Friday 6th May – Woking, Schism Friday 13th May – Bristol, The Lanes – PHUCT Friday 13th May – Exeter, Cavern – Altern8 Friday 13th May – Winchester, The Railway Inn Saturday 14th May – Manchester, The Bread Shed Saturday 14th May – Newcastle, Grindhouse Friday 27th May – London, Elektrowerkz Saturday 28th May – Stoke on Trent, The Sugarmill
If you’ve already got your ticket bagged, are you now thinking about how best to get to Catton Park? BLOODSTOCK is pleased to support two sustainable travel options – Big Green Coach (who’ll drop you & your gear right inside the festival gates for minimal walking, from 33 locations around the UK & you can secure your seat for just a tenner) and Liftshare (a safe way to offer up a spare spot in your car, or nab one in someone else’s & perhaps make new friends to boot). Get more info on both options over at BIG GREEN COACH and LIFTSHARE.
All VIP packages, Early Bird tix, and campervan passes have now sold out. You can still snap up standard weekend camping tickets (just £145 +fees for 4 days of heavy metal fun) plus day & child tix are available now at the ticket store. Mini moshers under age 4 get in free!
Members of the European Metal Festival Alliance (EMFA), have today launched a new ‘Metal United’ t-shirt, with all proceeds going to a recognised relief charity to aid Ukrainian people most in need in their current crisis.
The festivals taking part in this fundraiser – Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival, Belgium; Art Mania Festival, Romania; Bloodstock Open Air, Great Britain; Brutal Assault, Czech Republic; Dynamo Metal Fest, Holland; Inferno Metal Festival, Norway; Into The Grave, Holland; Leyendas Del Rock, Spain; Midgardsblot, Norway; Motocultor Festival, France; Party.San Metal Open Air, Germany; Resurrection Fest, Spain; and Summer Breeze Open Air, Germany – are all united against war and oppression, and welcome all people, no matter what country they are from, or what race or religion they are. The festivals want to make plain that they are not for Ukrainians and against Russians; that they wish most of all to just help people who are in need in these troubling times.
The t-shirt is available in a wide range of sizes at https://www.sbtix.de/produkte/45549-charity-shirt-for-ukraine for 16,66 Euro, with proceeds going to Music Saves UA. It can be pre-ordered until March 20th, with shipping beginning at the start of April. Vlad Yaremchuk, Booker of Atlas Weekend Festival, co-initiators of Music Saves UA, states: “We are the All-Ukrainian Association of Music Events, in peacetime we are the largest association of representatives of the music industry of our country.
Now, normal life in Ukraine has completely stopped. So, we are using all our resources and people to provide humanitarian help to our people who need it the most right now. Our team works 24/7 to help as many victims of this cruel war as possible.
Humanitarian help centre has already been deployed on the premises of the Atlas venue in Kyiv. We are also working on setting up refugee assistance centres on the borders with Europe to facilitate a safe and robust infrastructure for hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing the country. Our entire team is currently located in multiple cities of Ukraine, and we are in close contact with volunteers, Ukrainian military, and humanitarian groups so we are aware of the current urgent needs on the ground and are ready to provide immediate help where it is most needed at this very moment.Therefore, we need financial assistance urgently. For this we have organized a project aimed at raising funds for the humanitarian needs of the civilians in Ukraine.
We encourage you to not remain indifferent and to help Ukrainian families to survive this difficult time.” Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vamp.org.uaInstagram: https://instagram.com/vamp.org.uaAdam Gregory from Bloodstock Festival on behalf of EMFA comments, “We all find ourselves shocked at recent events and wish to do all we can to aid in such harrowing times. All proceeds from the t-shirt will be going to support those in need and our thoughts are with everyone affected by war or oppression.”
Over halfway there! With just 168 days to go before the marauding metal hordes charge through the gates of Catton Park, BLOODSTOCK has its last batch of Sophie Lancaster Stage bands to announce. It’s also ‘Last Call’ time for the Deposit Scheme, where you can pay over 6 smaller instalments (full details below). Artists for the Jagermeister and New Blood stages and other fest entertainment details are yet to come, but in the meantime, wrap your eyes and ears around the following…
Once you’ve set up your tent and had your first beer, Thursday’s Sophie tent proceedings open with the unmissable, incendiary noises of Bristol blues-punk four piece, MOTHER VULTURE. Check out their high octane video of ‘The Wave’ for a taster of what’s in store!
Friday’s Sophie opener is deathgrind squad CREPITATION. If you’re heading to the Liverpool Napalm Death/Raging Speedhorn show in March, you’ll catch them opening the show. If you can’t make it, you can still witness their sonic chaos via this live footage from Foothills Gutfest a couple of years back.
If hardcore is more your vibe, you won’t want to miss London bruisers INHUMAN NATURE, also playing the Sophie stage on Friday. You can warm up extra early if you’re attending Cro-Mags’ London gig in June, for they’re first onstage that night. If not, check out the title track from their recently released ‘Under The Boot’ EP, out now on Church Road Records.
Saturday’s Sophie fun brings a pummelling from Hull crew MASTIFF. US magazine Decibel described them as “a rousing blend of savage power that’s as ready for the mosh pit as it is for your next clandestine ritual in the woods.” See for yourself via the video for ‘Endless’ from their crushing album, ‘Leave Me The Ashes Of The Earth’.
Joining the Sophie Lancaster Stage shenanigans on Sunday, are Coventry three-piece and M2TM alumni PELUGION, levelling up from their 2018 New Blood stage slot. Inviting fans of Black Sabbath & Black Label Society especially, investigate their single ‘Bane Of Humanity’, while you wait.
BLOODSTOCK’s Metal 2 The Masses, the initiative that supports all genres of grass roots metal and offers a chance to play BOA’s New Blood stage, is proud to announce a partnership with Eyesore Merch in 2022. The programme provides up and coming bands with an awesome opportunity to be seen and heard by a wide audience and part of the music industry normally out of reach for bands at that level. In partnering with Metal 2 The Masses, Eyesore Merch wants to add to that opportunity by offering 3 winning bands from the 26 regional heats, a chance to get their merchandise showcased to an audience of potential new fans. Those 3 winners will see their merchandise featured and available to purchase on www.eyesoremerch.com, have their gear included on Eyesore Merch’s mailout direct to customers and featured on the Eyesore Merch socials, which directly targets a metric tonne of metal lovers who love buying ‘hard to find’ band merch.
If you’ve got your ticket bagged, are you already thinking about how best to get to BLOODSTOCK? BLOODSTOCK is pleased to support two sustainable travel options – Big Green Coach (who’ll drop you and your gear right inside the festival gates for minimal walking, from 33 locations around the UK & you can secure your seat for just a tenner) and Liftshare (a safe way to offer up a spare spot in your car, or nab one in someone else’s & perhaps make new friends to boot). Get more info on both over at BIG GREEN COACH and LIFTSHARE.
Want something to get you all fired up for this summer’s event, or maybe you’re curious about BLOODSTOCK having never been before? If so, check out the brand new festival trailer for the lowdown.
Lastly, it’s final call for BLOODSTOCK’s phenomenally popular weekend ticket Deposit Scheme. Sign up here before 11.59pm this Saturday night, 26th Feb, if you want to take advantage. This year, payments are spread across 6 months instead of 5, making it even more manageable to secure your place and pay for your ticket in instalments. An initial payment of £31.20 is due upon sign up, then five additional payments of £24.16 will debit your bank account on 25 Mar, 29 Apr, 27 May, 24 Jun, with a final instalment on 29 Jul, which will include any applicable admin/booking fees. Tickets will be delivered digitally.
All VIP packages, Early Bird tix, and campervan passes have sold out. You can still snap up standard weekend camping tickets (just £145 +fees for 4 days of heavy metal fun) plus day & child tix are available now at the ticket store. Mini moshers under age 4 get in free!
BLOODSTOCK’s 2022 Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners are BEHEMOTH, LAMB OF GOD, and MERCYFUL FATE. Also appearing across the weekend are KILLING JOKE, DIMMU BORGIR, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, AVATAR, ALL HAIL THE YETI, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, GWAR (in a UK festival exclusive), BURY TOMORROW, SACRED REICH, LIFE OF AGONY, SPIRITWORLD, BELPHEGOR, BUTCHER BABIES, VIO-LENCE, BLOODYWOOD, JINJER, LORNA SHORE, DOYLE, LOST SOCIETY, HATEBREED, SLEEP TOKEN, DARK FUNERAL, EYEHATEGOD, DISCHARGE, STATIC-X, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, ENFORCED, PARTY CANNON, SOEN, HERIOT, BLOOD YOUTH, BLACK TONGUE, HEART OF A COWARD, FEROCIOUS DOG, HEATHEN, NEKROGOBLIKON, CATTLE DECAPITATION, ORBIT CULTURE, TALLAH, SAMAEL, CYHRA, NOCTEM, NANOWAR OF STEEL, THROWN INTO EXILE, PUPIL SLICER, CAGE FIGHT, VENDED, ILL NINO, SKARLETT RIOT, DESERT STORM, SORCERER, RED METHOD, and BAEST as well as many more yet to come. Stay tuned for additional 2022 announcements in due course.
BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022.
Download Festival, the world’s premier rock event, is coming back with a bang in 2022. The first major festival of the summer will be headlined by the mighty KISS, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro, with other huge acts on the bill including A Day To Remember, Deftones, KORN, The Distillers, Funeral For A Friend and many more. As the first full-capacity Download Festival since 2019 and following last year’s phenomenal Download Pilot, which paved the way for the return of live events, it’s pulling out all the stops for 2022 with a gargantuan line-up of the world’s most exciting bands in rock, pop punk, hardcore, metal and much more.
Announced today are 14 new acts joining the packed bill, including the likes of Skindred, YONAKA, Will Haven, Kid Brunswick, Bimini and Dana Dentata. The three-day festival takes place on 10-12 June 2022 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets are now on sale viawww.downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets.
Iron Maiden, hailed as one of the greatest live acts of all time, will return to Donington to headline Download Festival on Saturday night, in what will be one of only two UK festival shows in 2022, while the legendary KISS will storm the stage on Friday night to perform their only UK show of the summer. After their fantastic headline set in 2017, Scottish rock titans Biffy Clyro will also be making their highly anticipated return to headline the festival on Sunday night, showing off tracks from ‘A Celebration of Ending’, which topped the UK charts in 2020, and their most recent studio album, the critically acclaimed ‘The Myth of Happily Ever After’.
Joining the already confirmed likes of The Distillers, The Pretty Reckless, Ayron Jones, Lacuna Coil, Loathe, Malevolence, Normandie, Static Dress and more, it is announced today that Download live favourites Skindred will be back to tear things up after an epic performance at the Download Pilot in 2021, having been described by many as their highlight of the entire weekend. The Welsh reggae metal band will be bringing back their iconic ‘Newport Helicopter’ and are guaranteed to have the crowd going wild once more.
Skindred frontman Benji Webbe says: “Playing the Download pilot after being locked down for a year and a half was an amazing experience so being invited back to our favourite festival and spiritual home to play alongside the likes of KISS and Maiden is a dream come true. Plus we have some amazing rockin’ new tunes which we cannot wait for you all to hear.”
Brighton rock band YONAKA also made a splash at last year’s Download Pilot, and that was just the beginning, as they’ll be causing chaos once again this year. Frontwoman Theresa Jarvis says, “Aghhhh Download! Some of us have been going since we were 14 so it’s an absolute pleasure to be performing there again. The energy is always amazing and such an exciting lineup of music.”
Drag sensation Bimini rose to fame on Ru Paul’s Drag Race and released their punk non-binary anthem God Save This Queen last year. That was only the first step on their musical journey, because Bimini will be gracing the crowds of Download with their presence in 2022 for the very first time.
Also added to the bill are Canadian rap-rock-horrorcore artist Dana Dentata, self-described grunge lord Kid Brunswick, industrial rock band SKYND, Oregon stoner rock band Red Fang, legendary Californian noise metallers Will Haven, Swedish melodic death metal band Orbit Culture, Australian five-piece Banks Arcade, Colorado retro revisionists The Velveteers, UK heavy music newcomers Heriot, LA rockers Dirty Honey and Scottish swashbucklers Alestorm.
Highlights across the weekend include the previously announced Spiritbox, one of the hottest bands in the world at the moment, who have been upgraded to the Avalanche Stage due to huge demand. Post-hardcore break-out stars As Everything Unfolds have also upgraded and are now set to bring their invigorating take on the genre to the Avalanche stage on Friday 10 June.
Download is THE place to see the brightest rising stars. Other ones to watch at Download 2022 include the hell-raising Wargasm, nu-metal pop provocateur Cassyette, Liverpool nu-metallers Death Blooms, pop punk trio Meet Me @ The Altar, as well as Holding Absence, Those Damn Crows and Venom Prison all flying the flag for rip-roaring rock from South Wales.
With more than 100 acts already confirmed to return to Donington in 2022 for the first major festival of the season, Download Festival could not be more ready to reunite with its incredible community for the first time since 2019. For further information, please visitdownloadfestival.co.uk.
ANNOUNCED TODAY
Alestorm Banks Arcade Bimini Dana Dentata Dirty Honey Heriot Kid Brunswick Orbit Culture Red Fang Skindred SKYND The Velveteers Will Haven YONAKA
If you’re anything like us, you can’t wait to be back in the green fields of Catton Park watching some world class heavy metal at BLOODSTOCK – and we’re well over half way there! Is it too soon to start a count down yet?! (136 days to go, in case you were wondering… yes, 19 weekends).
With lots more bands and festival fun to reveal before then, here’s 12 more joining the bill to help round out the most fun you’ll have all summer.
Swedish rabblerousers AVATAR jostle their way onto Friday’s Sophie Lancaster stage bill. Joining them that day are US metalcore squad, THROWN INTO EXILE. Saturday, the Sophie stage welcomes the hotly-tipped, viscerally-dubbed PUPIL SLICER and hardcore/crossover thrash newcomers (feat. members of Tesseract and Eths)CAGE FIGHT. Sunday’s fun will be ably abetted by nu-metal stalwarts ILL NINO, Manchester hardcore noiseniks GUILT TRIP, hard-hitting rockers SKARLETT RIOT, and progressive groove/sludge merchants DESERT STORM.
Over on the Ronnie James Dio main stage, the super-buzzy Des Moines, Iowa upstarts VENDED are set to kick off proceedings and blow your Sunday morning wide open. Epic Swedish doomstersSORCERER and industrial metalheads RED METHODare also both added to Friday’s bill, and waking you all up first thing on Saturday, will be Danish death metallers, BAEST.
Unfortunately, PHIL ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS will no longer be joining us with their hotly received Pantera set, due to the cancellation of their entire European tour, but rest assured there are plenty of other headbangin’ riffs across the BLOODSTOCK weekend to take your fancy.
For those of you who can’t join us for the whole weekend, or perhaps you’ve never been to BLOODSTOCK before and just want a one day taster, mark your calendar with this important date! 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!
In other news, BLOODSTOCK’s phenomenally popular weekend ticket Deposit Scheme is filling up fast. Grab yours quick if you want to take advantage as once the allocation is filled, it will no longer be available. This year, payments are spread across 6 months instead of 5, making it even more manageable to secure your place and pay for your ticket in instalments. An initial payment of £31.20 is due upon sign up, then five additional payments of £24.16 will debit your bank account on 25 Mar, 29 Apr, 27 May, 24 Jun, with a final instalment on 29 Jul, which will include any applicable admin/booking fees. Sign up to the scheme here.
BLOODSTOCK’s 2022 Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners are BEHEMOTH, LAMB OF GOD, and MERCYFUL FATE. Also appearing across the weekend are KILLING JOKE, DIMMU BORGIR, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, ALL HAIL THE YETI, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, GWAR (in a UK festival exclusive), BURY TOMORROW, SACRED REICH, LIFE OF AGONY, SPIRITWORLD, BELPHEGOR, BUTCHER BABIES, VIO-LENCE, BLOODYWOOD, JINJER, LORNA SHORE, DOYLE, LOST SOCIETY, HATEBREED, SLEEP TOKEN, DARK FUNERAL, EYEHATEGOD, DISCHARGE, STATIC-X, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, ENFORCED, PARTY CANNON, SOEN, HERIOT, BLOOD YOUTH, BLACK TONGUE, HEART OF A COWARD, FEROCIOUS DOG, HEATHEN, NEKROGOBLIKON, CATTLE DECAPITATION, ORBIT CULTURE, TALLAH, SAMAEL, CYHRA, NOCTEM, and NANOWAR OF STEEL as well as many more yet to come. Stay tuned for additional 2022 band announcements in due course.
With tickets selling faster than ever, all VIP packages, Early Bird tix and campervan passes are already sold out. Weekend camping tix & child tix are available now at the ticket store.
BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022.
