Bloodstock Festival 2023 has begun, and the anticipation is palpable. Heavy Metal music enthusiasts from all corners of the globe converge for a weekend of headbanging, camaraderie, and unparalleled musical prowess. As the sun sets over the hallowed grounds, the stage is set for a lineup that promises to be the most intense and diverse yet.
Bloodstock 2023
A late change to the lineup was announced as KK’s Priest stepped in to cover for Helloween, who were forced to pull out due to illness. “The heavy storms in Slovenia (our thoughts are with the flood victims) and cloudbursts in Wacken couldn’t harm us,” the band said. “We played all our scheduled shows and celebrated together with our loyal fans.
“Much more difficult for us is now to inform you that we have to cancel the upcoming festival gigs at the Hellsinki Metal Festival in Finland and Bloodstock Open Air in the UK due to acute laryngitis our singer Michael Kiske is suffering from.
“We did make this decision with a lot of consideration and with heavy hearts, but Michael’s condition unfortunately does not leave us any other choice. Thanks for your understanding.”
Violent Inzident
It takes balls to open Bloodstock, but Violent Inzident grabs both sacks by the hand with their Nu-Metal parodies. The tent is bumping as they rip through a smorgasbord of songs which replicate the most horrible era of Metal.
We get a red mohawk, a Fred Durst lookalike, a dude in a diving suit and pyrotechnics to equal Rammstein. It’s fabulous tongue-in-cheek, with songs like Drugs getting the early crowd cheering.
They have the chops to rock Soulfly, Limp Bizkit and more. An Argentinian flag is hosted aloft, and the crowd respond with an appropriate pit. A flash of Max Cavalera shows on the screen.
The breakdown of Bizkit induces more chaos as they launch into Fuck Shit Fuck.
The vibe is great. The audience are nodding along, smiles all around. It’s impossible to not groove along. Their last song is inspired.
“Imagine you’ve got a cock in each hand,” laughs the frontman. Hands aloft, this is an inspired opener that sets the scene for the weekend.
Bloodstock Festival 2023 is held over the weekend of 10-13 August 2023. MetalTalk’s Paul Hutchings and Adrian Stonley report from Catton Park.
All Photography: John Inglis and Paul Hutchings
All MetalTalk Bloodstock Festival 2023 coverage can be found at MetalTalk.net/tag/bloodstock-2023.
Weekend early bird tickets for Bloodstock 2024 will be available to purchase at the box office on-site for £165. This is the cheapest way to buy a 2024 ticket, minus any online booking or admin fees.
Bloodstock 2022 can be relived at MetalTalk.net/tag/bloodstock-2022.
