Bloodstock Festival 2024 – Friday. Friday night headliners were Swedish Prog Metaller’s Opeth. This was a particularly anticipated set as the band had made it clear that they would be playing a people’s choice for which the fans themselves had voted for the setlist.
Bloodstock Festival 2024
Catton Park, Derbyshire – Friday 9 August 2024
Opeth
There were a few questions hanging as to what the nature of this setlist would sound like. Would it be earlier, more Death Metal or some of the more recent proggier material? That question was answered very quickly with opening number The Grand Conjuration kicking matters off. 
With the exception of set closer Sorceress, the self-titled track from the album of the same name from 2016, there was nothing played that was written after 2008.
This was a clear Bloodstock set with songs dusted off after many years, yet it was also a set list that was clearly approved off and certainly will be remembered as one of those great Bloodstock moments.
Opeth are one of those bands who can comfortably and cleverly cut across genres with the technicality and guitar wizardry from frontman and lead guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt. This brings the music to a wider fanbase and enables the tunes to propel themselves into wider sonic areas than would normally be imagined for a Death Metal band. 
Yes, there is the vocal combination of clean and growled vocals, yet this is not the key element in the musical mannerisms of this band and they remain perfectly adept at changing the musical direction without losing the flow of the song.
Opeth can still revel in the heavy nature of their music, yet this does not detract from the more lush, quieter pieces and, in many ways, enhances their sound as they drop from a quieter acoustic interlude into a bone-crushing heaviness.
The texture of the music on show is clear to those witnessing this event. From songs like Demon Of The Fall into The Drapery Falls, this is pure Heavy Metal perfection and it was clear from the crowd reaction that this is what Bloodstock wanted and Opeth were more than happy to deliver.
Åkerfeldt also has the most wonderful sense of humour and, addressing the setlist, quipped, “‘Thanks for telling us we haven’t written anything any good for the last fifteen years,” before referring to the audience as Limey’s.
He has always had a wonderfully dry sense of humour, and this showed through in the between-song banter.
With Ghost Of Perdition from the Ghost Reveries album, there was a clear sensitivity in the playing with a beautifully adept and sumptuous display of musicality built into the guitar solos by Akerfeldt.
The set closed out with Sorceress, the title track from the same album. The one more recent piece was written eight years ago and, like so many classic Opeth pieces, was a longer-paced piece reaching numerous highs and well-crafted lows throughout.
A perfect piece of technical musicality for all to experience.
Opeth – Bloodstock Set List
- The Grand Conjuration [Ghost Reveries] 2005
- Demon of the Fall [My Arms Your Hearse] 1998
- The Drapery Falls [Blackwater Park] 2001
- In My Time of Need [Damnation] 2003
- Heir Apparent [Watershed] 2008
- Ghost of Perdition [Ghost Reveries] 2005
- Sorceress [Sorceress] 2016
Encore:
- Deliverance [Deliverance] 2002
Bloodstock 2024 will be held over the long weekend of 8-11 August 2024. MetalTalk’s Paul Hutchings, Adrian Stonley, Paul Monkhouse and Keith Conlin will be reporting from Catton Park.
Take Part: Are you at Bloodstock this year? Who are you looking forward to seeing? Want to get in touch and tell us how it’s going? Email MetalTalk Editor Steve Ritchie to tell us how it’s going for you. Bloodstock@MetalTalk.net
#boa24. For more information, visit bloodstock.uk.com. You can view a map of Bloodstock at bloodstock.uk.com/bloodstock_map.jpg
MetalTalk Bloodstock 2024 coverage is at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/bloodstock-2024.
You can read all the MetalTalk Bloodstock 2023 coverage at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/bloodstock-2023.
You can read all the MetalTalk Bloodstock 2022 coverage at metaltalk.net/tag/bloodstock-2022.
Weekend early bird tickets (Thu-Sun) for Bloodstock 2025 are available to purchase at the box office on-site for £175. Child weekend early bird’s are £45 (ages 4 -11). Mini moshers under age four can come for free.
Wednesday early access is also available for those who want to max out their Bloodstock experience – an early bird adult Wed-Sun ticket costs £200. There is no additional cost for children under 4, or aged 4-11, to arrive with a parent on Wednesday.
Bloodstock 2025 tickets can be purchased online from the official Bloodstock website.
