The main stage is holding out well under the battering it is taking from this afternoon’s bands. Svalbard, under the direction of Serena Cherry, cut through the sunshine with direct brutality.
Words: Liz Medhurst
Photography: John Inglis
Acid Reign
Acid Reign followed, treating us to a high energy set packed full of personality. They sailed through some tech gremlins with good humour, chatting away to the crowd as if hanging out in the kitchen.
Steam was let off with a huge circle pit for Humanoia, and there was a heartfelt tribute to original bassist Ian Gangwer who passed away a couple of months ago.
Higher Power kept up the momentum, providing a huge amount of feedback and distortion, making a great crowd surfing soundtrack.
Over on the New Blood stage, we experienced the next generation with the young band Beyond Extinction, throwing out a wall of sound that belied their age and experience.
Meanwhile, on the Sophie stage, this afternoon’s highlight was the melodic hard rock of Primitai, covering a good balance between old school and fresh.
There’s a superb triple whammy coming up on the Ronnie James Dio stage later with The Wildhearts, Skindred and Devin Townsend. Skindred’s Benji Webbe is in the house already. Here he is in the media tent garden.
Extra bit of magic
Absence may have made the heart grow fonder, but it seems that the mood today has got that extra bit of magic. It’s always one of the best crowds that you will find anywhere, and everyone is relishing hanging out together in one big Metal family.
It doesn’t matter whether you’ve pulled out all the stops with your outfit, or you’re part of the “have you seen my mate, he’s wearing a black band t-shirt and jeans” brigade, everyone adds to the atmosphere and the arena is one giant canvas in this open-air theatre.
Our photographer John Inglis has been out and about in the field. Check out a selection of his crowd shots here, with more in all the other articles this weekend.
You can read all our Bloodstock 2021 coverage, including interviews, here.
