Bloodstock 2026 is finally upon us, and we return to the hallowed turf of Catton Park for the 25th anniversary of this great festival. The first day is usually very much the bedding-in day with a handful of smaller acts performing in the Sophie Lancaster Tent.
Bloodstock Open Air Festival
Catton Park, Derbyshire – Thursday 6 August 2026
Words: Adrian Stonley, Matty Hunter
Photography: Adrian Stonley, Keith Conlin
This year there is change afoot as the main arena and Ronnie James Dio stage are opened for the first time. Subsequently, we have two stages to cover, although proceedings do not get underway until late afternoon, so the fare on offer is reduced.
That being said, the day is closed out by the Mighty Saxon, who played the very first Bloodstock festival in Stoke a quarter of a century before.
However, before we fall entranced by their mighty Metal, there are some other bands to consider.
Heavysaurus
First up, with a serious amount of tongue-in-cheek come Germany’s Heavysaurus. It is what it says in the name. Heavy Metal dinosaurs, and no, we have not been on the beer yet either.
Bloodstock has always had a reputation as a family-friendly festival despite the more extreme nature of some of the acts that will play over the weekend. Heavysaurus are definitely for the kids, whether little ones or much bigger kids who should know better and after all these years still do not.
Musically, it is standard run-of-the-mill classic rock fare. But they are entertaining and ham it up to the perfect level. That said, I have to be honest, we are probably never going to hear or see Don’t Stop Believin’, Highway To Hell or We Will Rock You in quite the same way ever again.
Scarred for life, but fun.
Evil Scarecrow
We know things will take an upturn as the weekend progresses, and next up are long-term festival and BOA faves Evil Scarecrow who have always been a popular addition to any bill.
Although I have to be honest, the tongue-in-cheek humour is still very much to the fore. Unsurprisingly, they deliver their own interpretation of a mad, over-the-top, and completely bonkers Metal show. This is a perfectly balanced set of killer Metal with comedy.
Frontman Dr. Hell kept the crowd engaged with constant banter and theatrics.
The band brought a healthy crowd of early Bloodstock attendees whose energy was excellent, with plenty of singalongs. There were a few crowd surfers who wanted to kickstart the weekend in the best way.
What do you want from a band? Well don’t answer because they will provide it. If there is a band here this weekend who really know how to work a crowd, then it is Evil Scarecrow. It is daft, it is fun, it is seriously good Heavy Metal. The main thing is not to take them seriously.
There is enough onstage messing around and frivolous theatrics to last a lifetime, whether it is a caricature of Donald Trump throwing Dollar bills around (it did not take long for someone to have a dig at him), or inflatable balls and spiders and a good dose of pyro.
Of course, we still have all the charismatic and bizarre onstage characters as well as the death makeup and splattering of blood. Good unhealthy fun, that’s what it is and all in the best possible taste.
Despite all this stage presence, Evil Scarecrow also have the songs (and song titles) as well. Whether it is Green Bin Day, March Of The Spider God or Crabulon, they have something for everyone. We have often heard it said that Metalheads are scary. If you saw them dressed as dinosaurs and shuffling from side to side whilst waving hands in the air in a crablike manner, then you may well change your mind.
Mad, in a good way, but definitely not dangerous.
This was a memorable performance by the lads to kick off the weekend as the second band following Heavysaurus. Crabulon was a particular highlight in the set, with the crowd singing and dancing along.
The Nottingham lads who clearly love putting on a performance will be welcome back again after five years away from the Catton Hall grounds.
Saxon
Finally Main Stage sanity is restored with headliners and Metal Gods Saxon. Saxon proved exactly why they remain one of Heavy Metal’s most enduring institutions, delivering a triumphant Thursday night headline performance.
The band, who are 50 years and counting into their career, show no signs of stopping.
As the very first headliner at the original Bloodstock in 2001, their return to close this year’s opening day felt very full-circle, with thousands gathered to honour these Metal legends as the band took the audience through their discography with a meticulously crafted set.
The whole band were on fire, but Biff Byford particularly was in outstanding form throughout, his unmistakable voice showing little sign of age despite five decades of his craft. Addressing the crowd, he reflected on everything Saxon had experienced over the past 50 years, reminiscing about an era before Facebook, TikTok and streaming, when discovering Heavy Metal meant spinning vinyl records and cassettes.
The atmosphere was one of genuine celebration. Byford declared that everyone present was now part of the “Saxon family”, and the audience embraced that sentiment wholeheartedly. Fans young and old packed the field, with a constant stream of crowd surfers passing overhead as generations of Metalheads were seen.
It perfectly captured the community spirit that has always defined both Saxon and Bloodstock as the band delivered a set of greatest hits that provided everything that either a long-term fan or a newbie wants. Strong Arm Of The Law, Wheels Of Steel, 747, Dallas 1 PM, Princess Of The Night, it goes on and on.
Saxon have still got it, and what a way to close out the main stage of Bloodstock’s 25th anniversary opening night.
Cryptopsy
Cryptopsy brought the opening day of Bloodstock’s 25th anniversary to a devastating conclusion, making a long-awaited festival debut by headlining the Sophie Lancaster Stage.
Walking on to a tape of Metallica’s For Whom The Bell Tolls, the Canadians were met by an enormous crowd that had stayed out until the 10:40 pm start, with anticipation at fever pitch for one of Technical Death Metal’s most revered acts.
Celebrating 30 years of their landmark 1996 album None So Vile, the hour-long set focused predominantly on the record that many fans regard as one of the defining releases and among the greatest of all time in the genre.
The band’s upgraded production elevated the performance even further. Twisted and disturbing visuals filled the giant backing screen throughout the set, perfectly complementing the music’s relentlessness, while an endless stream of crowd surfers and a constantly rotating circle pit drove the tent into absolute carnage.
Despite the late finish approaching midnight, the crowd showed no signs of slowing down, feeding off the band’s relentless energy from start to finish.
The current lineup of Matt McGachy, guitarist Christian Donaldson, bassist Olivier Pinard and drumming phenomenon Flo Mounier appears incredibly tight-knit. McGachy is an exceptional frontman who pays homage to the legacy of Lord Worm while also imprinting his stamp on the band as he approaches 20 years in the quartet.
This appearance formed part of the band’s Malicious and Vile Summer Tour. As a huge Cryptopsy fan, this marked my third time seeing the band live, having previously caught them twice, most recently on their None So Vile 30th anniversary tour in Manchester earlier this year.
Remarkably, they still managed to raise the bar once again as a very talented group of musicians. On a personal note, it was great to meet the band again earlier in the day at the signing tent, and it was nice that they recognised me.
Bloodstock 2026 will be held over the long weekend of 6-9 August 2026. MetalTalk’s Matty Hunter, Adrian Stonley and Keith Conlin will report from Catton Park.
Take Part: Were you at Bloodstock this year? Who did you enjoy seeing the most? Email MetalTalk Editor Steve Ritchie to share your experience at Bloodstock@MetalTalk.net.
#boa26. For more information, visit bloodstock.uk.com. You can view a map of Bloodstock HERE.
You can find all MetalTalk Bloodstock 2026 coverage at https://www.metaltalk.net/bloodstock.
MetalTalk’s Bloodstock 2025 Coverage
MetalTalk’s Bloodstock 2024 coverage
MetalTalk’s Bloodstock 2023 coverage
MetalTalk’s Bloodstock 2022 coverage
Bloodstock 2027 will be held over August 5th – 8th. Early bird standard weekend tickets will be available at the main entrance box office throughout the festival, priced £210.00 with no booking fee. Tickets can be purchased online from Monday 10th August at 9 am at the official Bloodstock website.
