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!
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, SLEEP TOKEN, DARK FUNERAL, EYEHATEGOD, DISCHARGE, 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, SAMAEL, CYHRA, NOCTEM, NANOWAR OF STEEL, THROWN INTO EXILE, PUPIL SLICER, CAGE FIGHT, VENDED, ILL NINO, SKARLETT RIOT, DESERT STORM, SORCERER, RED METHOD, BAEST, MOTHER VULTURE, BASEMENT TORTURE KILLINGS, CREPITATION, INHUMAN NATURE, MASTIFF, and PELUGION as well as many more yet to come. Stay tuned for additional 2022 announcements in due course.
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 festival trailer for the lowdown.
BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022.
For more info, click to www.bloodstock.uk.com.