The history of Bloodstock

Bloodstock Open Air 2025

Here at Bloodstock HQ, we realise that our annual event has always been more than just a festival; it’s a gathering of people bound together by a shared passion for heavy and alternative music, however this year carried a weight unlike any other. 

Just 17 days after the now legendary ‘Back To the Beginning’ Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne celebration on their home turf in Birmingham’s Aston Villa Football grounds, (and three weeks prior to the gates of Catton Park opening), the world lost a true icon of heavy music.

Ozzy Osbourne’s extraordinary career, larger-than-life personality, and decades-long influence on generations of fans meant that this year’s festival would be as much about reflection and remembrance, as it was about riffs and roar.

This was the first UK metal festival since the passing of Ozzy, and from the moment fans arrived at Catton Park, there was a sense that this weekend was as much about remembering a legend, as it was about the music itself. In light of his passing, we felt that we needed to make this year a special one in his honour and opened the Ronnie James Dio stage for the first time ever on Thursday evening, dedicating an earth-shaking DJ set to the frontman as his iconic image proudly illuminated the main arena from the large screens. 

For the thousands of fans that sang and celebrated well into the small hours of first night of entertainment, we provided early access to a 17 meter “Ozzy Wall”, for those who wished to pay their respects and leave a message to the late, heavy metal pioneer. 

For the duration of this years Bloodstock, strangers bonded over the first time they heard Paranoid, or saw him live, swapped memories of his infamous onstage antics, and shared quiet moments reflecting on just how much he meant to this community. What could have been a sombre absence became something far more powerful: a collective celebration of a legend, with volume cranked high and arms raised in his honour.

This weekend was not just about four days of music, it was about coming together to grieve and to celebrate the extraordinary life of a man whose voice and spirit helped shape the very foundations of heavy metal.

Rewind a day earlier, and Catton Park was (as per usual) a hive of frenzied activity. A small army of hi-vis jackets could be seen beavering around all areas of the site on foot and on cherry pickers, ensuring that last minute checks are in place for the new area layout that features a no chair zone, additional disabled viewing stands, and new spectator bleachers for those that wish to chill out and enjoy a clear view of the Ronnie James Dio stage for a short while. 

Additional upgrades this year included brand-new audience screens and upgraded artist dressing rooms for the Sophie Lancaster Stage. Not to be outdone, the new S’tan Arena entrance made a striking impression. Featuring demonic red eyes, light show, and ominous dry ice that seeped from its skull, an entrance as theatrical as it was unforgettable, and one we think was perfectly fitting for the weekend ahead.

Backstage our dedicated artists liaison team are putting the finishing touches to the artist compound, which include a new upgraded catering area complete with live feed video wall of the main stage, hairdressing/barber facilities, tattoo, massage, rehearsal/jam-room services, and our Bloodstock TV film set, which will see a busy schedule of artists over the festival weekend. 

Come Thursday at 4pm, keeper of the Bloodstock gates, S’tan roared into life amidst a show of dry ice and coloured lights, in tandem with the familiar air raid siren, summoning thousands of Bloodsucker’s from the far-reaching corners of the campsites to descend upon the main arena for the first time this year. Despite the unfortunate timing of a deluge of rain, (which thankfully passed for the remainder of the weekend), spirits were high and Bloodstock 2025 was finally underway. 

As the Sophie stage sprang into life for the first time this weekend with Dead Flesh, Fairway Kill, Gnome, All For Metal and Behemoth frontman, Nergal’s powerful dark/Americana project, Me and That Man (making their Bloodstock debut), the main arena paid tribute to Ozzy with DJ setlist of anthems that saw Bloodstockers in full chorus, celebrating under the night sky. A truly memorable moment filled with emotions of both sorrow and joy. 

In keeping with the many production upgrades across the festival site, the Serpents Lair’s impressive new screen and light show played host to Robbed Zombie, much to the delight of the packed capacity who danced and partied well into the small hours of Friday morning, likewise with DJ sets, Bin Jousting and silent disco offerings across the main arena and campsites. 

Come Friday morning, main stage headliners Trivium arrived on site early to sound check in person, much to the surprise of thousands of weary-eyed metal heads who came to terms with what may be the most awesome alarm call ever! 

By 10 am the festival’s large selection of markets were busy with metal fans, as the sunshine encouraged punters to enjoy their coffee and conversation, while browsing for trinkets, vinyl, metal merch and more. With this being the first day that all four stages are active, backstage production staff are in full beast mode welcoming the days artists and ensuring all is in hand and we were off to a smooth start. 

With former Metal 2 The Masses Norwich winners, Shrapnel opening the main stage, the Sophie stage sees Onus, Turin and Lock Horns deliver impressive performances, showcasing a varied pallet of heavy genres to surprisingly large audiences considering it’s only just gone midday. 

Festival production is positively hectic at this point, with our dedicated team keeping everything running like clockwork. Tour bus, after tour bus rolls into the backstage area, a reminder that with each passing hour, the line-up of international bands gracing our stages grows ever more impressive.

Members of Trivium, Machine Head, Lacuna Coil, III of Sleep Token, Orange Goblin, Emperor, and Paleface Swiss move through the backstage spaces, attending to press, catching up with friends and family, and preparing for their sets. Meanwhile, over in the busy media area, a hive of activity is well and truly underway as the BOA press bullpen conducts an incalculable amount of interviews right next door to the Bloodstock signing tent, which saw some of the highest number of fans we’ve ever seen pass through over the festival weekend. 

The RAM Gallery welcomed its first full day of visitors, who stepped inside to explore a carefully curated exhibition. This year’s centrepiece was a unique collection of Machine Head memorabilia, charting the band’s journey from their early days with rare photographs, guitars, handwritten lyrics, and much more. Legendary artist Roger Dean (YES, ASIA) stopped by to meet fans and sign items, taking time to admire his own work on display, alongside an exhibit from Gojira drummer Mario Duplantier. The gallery was once again brought together by Bloodstock founder and artist Paul Gregory, alongside his daughter and Bloodstock booking agent Vicky Hungerford, all watched over by our Lemmy sculpture-turned-urn, now in its second year of display since last year’s unveiling.

Behind the Ronnie James Dio stage its business as usual with the festival’s production team ensuring that every aspect of day-to-day festival logistics runs smoothly, guided by regular department meetings focused primarily on health and safety. Like always, every wheel, every cog, every detail is managed with care and precision, keeping the weekend on track, despite the whirlwind of activity.

Back on the Ronnie James Dio stage under the glaring sunshine, rising Swiss Death Core foursome, Paleface Swiss are proving why they are one of the most talked-about emerging bands of the moment, with frontman Marc Zellweger directing the large crowd into dusty circle pits, much to their delight. 

Friday continued to offer stand out sets from UK Stoner crew, Orange Goblin (their last Bloodstock appearance before they retire the band later this year), Lacuna Coil, whose explosion of confetti took an immediate liking to one of the stage screens. Thankfully, our stage crew sprung into action and removed just in time for the, all-important, (and biggest) band announcement we’ve ever done for 2026. 

What followed was a spectacular Summer evening display of extreme metal from black metal legends, Emperor who, despite the glorious weather, took us to the icy-capped mountains of their native Norway for classics such as, “I Am The Black Wizards”, and “Into A Satana”. 

There have been many standout debuts at Bloodstock however the presence of Nailbomb performing their very first UK show will remain at the top of the list for the foreseeable future. Max Cavalera and company took to the Sophie Stage to crowds that we’ve not seen since Suicidal Tendencies in 2018, and Machine Head’s “secret” appearance in 2022. This was history in the making and boy, was it worth the wait! Incredible stuff indeed!

If all that wasn’t enough, punters had the pleasure of enjoying an electrifying headline performance (their second at the festival) from Trivium, Wasting no time in winning the sold out crowd over. Matt Heavy and co unleashed a litany of classics that some critics are citing as their best festival performance….ever! 

Featuring guests appearances from Machine Head general, Robb Flynn, Sleep Token bassist III, Ihsahn, and Malevolence’s Josh Baines, and with covers of Black Sabbath’s, “Symptom of the Universe”, and Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” - not to mention the first of three nights of spectacular fireworks - this truly was a night to remember. 

Closing out the live action in the main arena, punters flocked to the Sophie Stage to witness Canadian death metal force, Kataklysm pummel the audience with a fifteen-song setlist of aural brutality at its finest, before the late-night entertainment offered a laundry list of live music, food and activities across the festival site. 

With all hands on deck early Saturday morning, the crew and artist catering were busy preparing the day’s menus, while artist liaison moved swiftly to manage the arrival of Static X, Kublai Khan, Ministry, Heriot, Warbringer, Creeper, Fear Factory, and main stage headliners Machine Head, to name just a few.

Meanwhile, the Bloodstock TV and social media teams were in full swing, capturing interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and festival moments, while the signing tent readied itself for another busy day, following the completion of the daily t-shirt amnesty service each morning.

Across the site, the New Blood and EMP stages once again hosted a strong line-up, showcasing a wide selection of emerging talent from the UK and Europe through our Metal 2 The Masses grassroots initiative. This year saw a record number of alumni progress to perform on the Ronnie James Dio Stage, demonstrating that Bloodstock not only champions new bands but actively nurtures their development, offering opportunities that can be truly transformative for their careers.

Another sun-drenched day saw the arena erupt into life with blistering sets from Cage Fight, Ireosis, The Spirit, Baal, LA thrashers, Warbringer, Heriot, and Bloodstock debutants, Creeper. One of the day’s standout moments came courtesy of Texas hardcore heavyweights Kublai Khan, who turned the main arena into a whirlwind of dust within seconds of striking their first chords with circle pits and walls of death erupting in every direction.

The hazy summer atmosphere over the Derbyshire countryside throbbed with the industrial power of Fear Factory, the intensity of Ministry, and a rousing appearance from Breed 77, before the Sophie Stage closed with a spectacular set from Static X. Complete with a towering ten-foot Frankenstein and a hilarious pumpkin-headed crowd-surfer, floating across the audience in a Static X-branded dinghy, it was a finale as surreal as it was unforgettable.

But the performance of the day undoubtedly belonged to headliners Machine Head, making their long-awaited return to the Ronnie James Dio Stage for their first official headline slot since 2012. With no expense spared, Robb Flynn led Oakland’s finest through a career-spanning set packed with fan favourites, including Imperium, “Ten Ton Hammer”, “From This Day”, “Davidian”, and the anthemic “Halo”. 

A particularly poignant moment came when Robb paid tribute to his close friend and long-time Machine Head publicist, Michelle Kerr. Michelle had been at the helm of Bloodstock’s official PR since 2013 with Cosa Nostra PR, and her tireless passion and dedication played a huge role in helping shape the festival’s story over the past decade. 

Her loss last year was deeply felt by everyone in the Bloodstock family, and Robb’s words struck a chord across the arena. It was a touching reminder of the people behind the music who make this community what it is. May she rest in peace.

As the final notes of Halo rang out and Machine Head left the stage, the crowd spilled out of the arena buzzing from what had been an unforgettable Saturday. The mixture of raw energy, sun-soaked chaos, and heartfelt emotion made for a day that will live long in Bloodstock memory. But there was little time to rest, the final day was waiting, and with it came another wave of unmissable performances and closing celebrations to bring the weekend home in true Bloodstock style.

The bittersweet feeling of Sunday’s at Bloodstock will never cease to hit hard. The excitement of the day ahead is palpable, however, knowing that it’s also the last day of what we have all been planning for a whole year, brings a lump in ones throat.

As with every day, Bloodstock’s crew are up bright and early to ensure that everything goes to plan, however today was an exception, as Gojira’s crew rolled into Catton Park just shy of 6am to begin building what has become the biggest stage production we’ve ever had in our twenty four years! 

With the backstage area now covered in dust thanks to the arrival and departure of multiple tour busses and heavy vehicles over the weekend, our crew prepare for another stacked day of international metal acts featuring the likes of headliners Gojira, Mastodon, Obituary, Lord of the Lost, 3 Inches of Blood, The Black Dahlia Murder. We waste no time in cranking up the Sophie stage with UK psychedelic modern metal crew, Apathy, and Ronnie James Dio stage with dark symphonic five-piece, Ghosts of Atlantis. 

Blessed with yet another day of glorious weather, the main arena became a vibrant patchwork of colour, character, and self-expression, the kind of atmosphere Bloodstock has become known for around the world. To call it a beautiful sight feels like an understatement.

Standout sets came from Barbarian Hermit, WALL, L.A. progressive doom outfit Siglos, One Machine, The Black Dahlia Murder, and hardcore bruisers Thrown, while reports confirmed that every stage across the site was buzzing with record attendance throughout the weekend.

As the final hours of Bloodstock 2025 drew near, Atlanta’s progressive titans Mastodon delivered a spellbinding set. Their fourteen-song performance included The Motherload, Black Tongue, Megalodon, Blood and Thunder, and a jaw-dropping rendition of Sabbath’s Supernaught, a track they’d famously performed just weeks earlier at the historic Black Sabbath farewell show. Watching that unfold against a perfect Derbyshire sunset was nothing short of magical.

And then came a moment that will be talked about for years to come. As daylight gave way to dusk, Gojira took to the Ronnie James Dio Stage and delivered one of the most powerful performances in Bloodstock’s history. 

With a performance that spanned from the crushing weight of “Only Pain” and “Backbone”, to the soaring grandeur of “Flying Whales” and “Another World”, the French metal titans sounded absolutely colossal. Tracks like “Silvera”, “The Cell”, and “L’Enfant Sauvage” hit with seismic force, reminding everyone why Gojira have become one of the most important heavy bands of our time.

What made the performance even more special was the band’s tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. Their encore included a heartfelt rendition of Sabbath’s “Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes” (which they performed at Back To The Beginning), which drew thousands into a collective chorus under the night sky, a fitting salute to the man whose shadow loomed lovingly over the entire weekend.

There was a bittersweet air in the crowd; with Gojira’s star rising higher than ever, many suspected this might be their last time on a Bloodstock stage. If that proves to be the case, they left us with a parting performance nothing short of breathtaking, one that perfectly captured the spirit, power, and emotion of Bloodstock 2025.

And so, to the final performance of the weekend. We knew Obituary wouldn’t let us down, and as they launched into the traditional opener Redneck Stomp, the Sophie Stage erupted into a euphoria that only Bloodstock can conjure, thousands moving as one, bound together in the moment.

Despite their morbid titles, there was nothing but joy in the air as the band tore through Cause of Death, Chopped in Half, I’m in Pain, and Slowly We Rot, even dropping in a crushing cover of Celtic Frost’s Circle of Tyrants. The crowd was ecstatic, exactly the kind of shared release we strive to create each year.

Bloodstock 2025 will be remembered not only for the sheer power of the music but for the atmosphere that clung to Catton Park like a second skin. This was a year for the fallen, the cherished, and the icons who changed the game and kept it alive.

Long live their memories, the electric nights, and the unshakable bond of the Bloodstock community.

Until next year, be safe, and we’ll see you all soon.

The Bloodstock Team 

Written by Oran O’Beirne