The history of Bloodstock

Over Bloodstock’s passionate history, we’ve had many highlights that define the true essence of the festival, however 2024 will be remembered for more than just a gathering of heavy music fans—it was a celebration of life, legacy, and the unifying power of Metal.

This year saw us work alongside Motörhead manager, Todd Singerman, and the rest of his team, curating a “Lemmy Forever” experience, to the likes of which has never been seen before, celebrating the legacy of the legend that is, Lemmy Kilmister, and establishing Bloodstock as one of the few selected resting places for the pioneering frontman, sharing this exclusive honour with some of the worlds most respected musicians and organisations… a tremendous honour indeed.

Many months of planning and meetings resulted in a once in a lifetime experience for Bloodstock’ers who witnessed the unveiling of Alan Williams magnificent Lemmy sculpture on the Ronnie James Dio stage with former Motorhead guitarist, Phil Campbell (more about this later), as well as a recreation of the frontman’s dressing room (complete with his iconic jacket, hat and boots), located in the RAM Gallery, and not forgetting the infamous Lancaster BOMBER, which was suspended above the main entrance to the arena. 

A truly Metal entrance, if we do say so ourselves!

For the first time ever, we opened the gates for the early-bird campers on Wednesday, August 7th, which saw thousands of punters return to the hallowed grounds of Catton Park to reunite with friends, old and new, and celebrate a homecoming that blossomed into one of the most memorable chapters in our twenty three year history. 

Despite turbulent weather on the build-up to the festival weekend, the Metal Gods blessed us with great weather once again, (which is always welcomed). As our dedicated, hardworking crew put the final touches to the arena, Serpents, Lair, media, catering and backstage production, we prepared ourselves for the exciting moments counting down to the all-too-familiar Motörhead air raid siren signalling the beginning of yet another jam-packed weekend, with over 120 performing artists across four stages. 

Kicking off the proceedings on the Sophie State were 2023 Northern Irish Metal 2 The Masses “War-Jazz” winners, Acid Age, who are a shining example of our commitment to championing the high level of emerging bands that take part in the M2TM grassroots incentive. Revellers celebrated for the remainder of the day with memorable performances from Tailgunner, South of Salem, and the magnificent Hellripper, who levelled the stage in preporation for Swedish Progressive Metal titans, Evergrey. Having endured a multitude of travel delays from Gothenburg, leading to a chaotic fifteen hour journey, the quintet wowed the packed capacity of the Sophie tent and raised the bar for what lay ahead over the four days.

As always, the hustle and bustle of our production crew does not stop for the duration of the Bloodstock weekend, and with this being the first full arena day of 2024, it was an early start on Friday morning with bands arriving at the rate of Piccadilly Circus during rush hour. 

Meanwhile, in the backstage compound, our faithful artist liaison team could be seen welcoming members of Opeth, Clutch, Hatebreed and Enslaved (to name but a few), and settling them into their private dressing rooms, while most of you lot were likely contemplating what do have for breakfast. 

With much excitement on site for the arrival of the Lemmy bust, the RAM Gallery crew were putting the finishing touches to the exhibit, which not only featured a multitude of never-seen before Motörhead paraphernalia, (some of which included privately owned artwork from Alan (former PA to Lemmy) and Vicky’s home, as well as hand-written lyrics, awards, and photographs from Lem’s personal stash), but also magnificent exhibits from respected photographer, Paul Harris, artist and cover illustrator, Travis Smith, and Judas Priest illustrator, Mark Wilkinson, among others. 

As the rumblings of sky-shattering riffs erupted from the Ronnie James Dio stage, thanks to Oxford Sludge/Groove Metal trio, Desert Storm, and likewise on the Sophie stage, with South Wales live-wire’s, Häxan, Friday morning proceedings truly got underway for a busy day of top quality international artists, such as Brazil’s Nervosa, Green Lung, Grand Magus, Rotting Christ, Death Collector, WOLF, Darkest Era, Enslaved, and a sensational 30th anniversary performance from Hatebreed, who unleashed their giant, “Ball of Death” to a massive jubilant crowd of sun-kissed Bloodstock’ers, who wasted no time in giving our pit security a work out. 

If anyone knows what happened to that Ball of Death, please do let us know, as it was last seen floating over the RAM Gallery and joyfully bouncing off into the lush Derbyshire horizon.

Shortly after Hatebreed’s electrifying set, a huge crowd assembled for the highly anticipated unveiling ceremony of the Lemmy bust. We all shared a truly heartwarming moment together as the festival directors, along with Alan Hungerford and Simon Hall, introduced Motörhead guitarist, Phil Campbell on stage for the unveiling of the sculpture and the placement of a portion of his ashes within the heart of the bust. To say there wasn’t a dry eye on that stage is an understatement. A truly unforgettable moment that we’re sure Lemmy would have been very touched by. 

As we transported Lem' to his new home in the RAM Gallery, the party continued on the RJD Stage with Clutch finally popping their Bloodstock cherries in the only way they know how, much to the delight of the packed arena, as they danced, jumped and crowd-surfed under the hazy, peach-coloured sunset. A beautiful site indeed!

With just a few minutes prior to our Friday headliners Opeth taking to the stage, the last eight months of hard work from our booking duo, (Vicky and Simon), was about to be unveiled as we all gathered to witness the nail-biting reaction to a whopping nineteen bands including headliners, Trivium, Machine Head, and Gojira for 2025. To say that the reaction was overwhelming is an understatement, as all general camping tickets for next year sold out in record time. 

Shortly afterwards, Swedish prog-metal masters, Opeth followed with a monumental fan-picked setlist featuring, ‘The Grand Conjuration’, ‘In My Time of Need’, ‘Ghost of Perdition’, and a spellbinding rendition of, ‘Deliverance’, before the spectacle that is Igorrr took the capacity of the Sophie Lancaster tent on a wild aural journey, which I’m sure they will not forget anytime soon. 

As our Serpents Lair patrons partied into the small hours, and the New Blood Silent Disco was in full swing, late night DJ’s provided a sensational setlist of bangers over at the Sophie tent, and just outside the main arena, history was being made with the first ever AUTHORISED Bin-Jousting tournament within Midgard’s camping grounds. Our production crew finished off their daily safety checks in preparation for Saturday’s exhilarating live music, which included the BOA debut of chart-topping UK Metal titans, Architects on the Ronnie James Dio Stage, as well as the return of Sheffield metallic Hardcore quintet, Malevolence… among others. 

An early start on Saturday morning saw the usual flurry of impressive black and silver tour buses, and blacked-out splitter vans weaving through the tranquil Derbyshire countryside, as they made their way into the backstage compound, where a who’s who of the metal world caught up with fellow industry personalities and familiar touring buddies. Meanwhile, bleary-eyed campers took advantage of some fresh coffee and the t-shirt & CD amnesty, (located at the ever-popular Artist Signing Tent), happily digging through vintage pre-loved gems. 

As the arena stages surged into life once again, rising UK artists, Unpeople (having recently opened for Metallica) drew a huge audience to the Sophie Stage, while IIGNEA, Crypta, and Bay Area Thrashers, Forbidden (feat. ex-Machine Head drummer Chris Kontos and VoiVod guitarist, Daniel Mongrain) ripped through classics from their furious discography, paving the way for the likes of, Unleash The Archers, Deicide, Whitechapel, and a truly unforgettable performance from Malevolence - whose show was nothing short of legendary, snatching the previous record-breaking crowd surfing record from Municipal Waste with over 900 surfers over the barrier, as well as instigating one of the biggest circle pits (around the arena sound tower) we’ve ever seen in the festivals history. 

This years attendance to the New Blood and EMP stages also saw a huge increase as punters flocked to catch the biggest UK Festival selection of unsigned and emerging new talent, making their mark on the world. Curious punters and supporters of their local scenes showed us why Metal 2 the Masses remains the very lifeblood of the underground metal scene across the UK, Ireland and Europe, and it warms our hearts to see the commitment and passion for M2TM grow with each passing year. 

From stage crews ensuring seamless transitions between acts, to the tireless waste management teams keeping Catton Park clean, Bloodstock is a testament to the dedication of hundreds of unsung heroes, proving that it’s not just about what happens on stage that makes Bloodstock such a magical experience – from the layout of the grounds facilities (including larger disability viewing platforms), to the food vendors, markets, camping grounds and stages, we pride ourselves on making sure every fan leaves with memories they’ll cherish.

As night fell on the Ronnie James Dio stage, a full capacity crowd had gathered in the main area for Architects debut UK festival headline booking. Blending raw intensity with anthemic grandeur, the Brighton five-piece delivered a meticulously crafted set that captivated every corner of Catton Park. Frontman Sam Carter’s vocal prowess was on full display, seamlessly shifting between his all to familiar guttural roars and melodic heights, while the band’s crushing breakdowns and atmospheric interludes created a dynamic ebb and flow that kept the audience enthralled.

Bringing Saturday’s big stage antics to a close, Korpiklaani instigated a combination of  blurry circle pits, and raucous folk-dancing, thanks to their furious high-energy presence on the Sophie Stage. And for those that still had energy to burn off, our selection of late night entertainment was well under way across the arena and camping grounds, which were filled with the sounds of music, banter and laughter under the star-dusted night sky. 

Always a bittersweet day for us here at Bloodstock HQ, Sunday came around so fast, and although we know it’s the final day we get to spend with you lovely people, there was much to do ahead of the days schedule.

With the early on-site arrival of SOEN, UK crossover crew, Grove Street, Carcass, and Sadus, not forgetting headliners, Amon Amarth, and former Megadeth bassist, Dave Ellefson (who was covering for Cultura Tres/Sepultura bassist Paulo Jr) - all before 11am, the Bloodstock production engine was in full beast-mode in preparation for record numbers of footfall passing through the RAM Gallery to view the Lemmy exhibit, as well as hundreds of eager punters visiting the artist signing tent and the arrival of many day ticket holders. 

The backstage compound was its usual hive of activity by the time Raised by Owls opened up proceedings on the RJD Stage. Drawing the biggest crowd we’ve ever seen on a Sunday morning, the Derbyshire locals wasted no time in launching into a cacophony of brutal Grind-core anthems, laced with their unique blend of dry wit and glorious nonsense. In your face, Paul from Grantham! (If you know, you know.)

With the temperature increasing throughout the day, our preparation proved essential once again this year, as many of you took shelter from the sun in the multiple shaded areas located across the arena, making good use of the extra drinking water points and our volunteer ‘Pink Jacket’ ambassadors were also there there to help, if needed.

Bloodstock ’24 offered a huge variety of bands on offer over the weekend, and Sunday was no exception. Punters were rewarded with blistering sets on the New Blood Stage, showcasing the underground’s finest, while the Sophie Lancaster Stage delivered the likes of Osiah, Ryujin, Grove Street, Sadus, Xentrix and Infected Rain.

Over on the RJD stage, Beast in Black and Septic Flesh turned up the intensity of the already baking hot day, before an endorphin-exploding good time was had by all during Night Flight Orchestra, and Irish-American Folk-Punk legends, Flogging Molly’s performances. Extreme Metal pioneers, Carcass invited us all to witness their visceral showcase of Death Metal mastery, igniting the Ronnie James Dio Stage with razor-sharp precision and unrelenting ferocity. 

As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, the stage was set for Amon Amarth who delivered a headlining performance of epic proportions. The Swedish Viking metal Gods, brought their signature theatrics, complete with towering longships, flaming axes, and a thunderous setlist that had the crowd chanting, rowing, and moshing in unison. What a spectacle, that I’m sure you’ll agree, will be hard to top. 

As Norwegian legends Satyricon (featuring Anthrax bassist, Frank Bello) held court on the Ronnie James Dio Stage with a set steeped in icy menace, blending ferocious classics like ‘Forhekset' with newer, atmospheric offerings that demonstrated their enduring mastery of Black Metal.

By the time the last notes rang out on the Sophie stage, Sunday at Bloodstock 2024 had cemented itself as a triumphant conclusion to an unforgettable weekend filled with the passion and dedication we all strive to achieve year after year. Bloodstock 2024 wasn’t just a festival; it was a celebration of community, resilience, and the unyielding spirit of heavy metal.

On Monday, August 11th, we bid an emotional farewell this 2024 edition of the festival with a heartfelt tribute to Lemmy, which saw us carefully transport the Motörhead frontman’s sculpture from Catton Park to Nottingham Rock City, where it will rest before returning home to Bloodstock in August 2025. A fitting homage to a legend whose spirit continues to resonate deeply with the Metal community and will forever remain in our hearts.

As organisers, we can only look forward to 2025 with anticipation. Bloodstock has always been about more than the music – it’s about the people who make it all happen, on stage and off. 

Lemmy once said; “Born to raise hell, We know how to do it and we do it real well.” At Bloodstock, we live by those words every single day.

Until next year, horns up!

Oran O’Beirne