Bloodstock Festival 2024 – Saturday. Saturday afternoon in the Sophie Lancaster tent would not be the same without an element of manic mayhem, and this year, it was created by the assorted pirate-clad hordes awaiting Red Rum.
Bloodstock Festival 2024
Catton Park, Derbyshire – Saturday 10 August 2024
Red Rum
No, this is nothing to do with a racehorse, but simply a bunch of crazed Pirate Metallers giving it their all to ensure that the party came to Catton Hall, and they seriously succeeded. If you needed to let off steam and dance around like a loon, then this was the place to be.
Pirate Metal has created its own subgenre, and musically, there is a similarity between the bands. Yet, like their contemporary Alestorm, Red Rum really know how to work a Bloodstock crowd and get the most out of a heaving and sweaty tent.
From the moment they hit the stage, we knew we were in for a high-energy and enthusiastic set, with the band rollicking and rolling across the hallowed waters and high seas of Bloodstock. Okay, maybe I have taken a bit of licence there. The ground was rock hard and dusty, and the audience were kicking up clouds of dust and dirt.
As to be expected, the songs were a merry frolic through all things piratical, in other words, piracy, rum, ships, rum, sailing, rum, beer, more rum, drinking, rum oh and drinking rum…. and tea.
So, to set the scene. Well, first, dress up like a pirate, sound like a pirate, behave like a Heavy Metal warrior, and have a good time. From the first chords, we were jigging and foot tapping, the circle pit was rolling and the beer was flying. 
Fifty Gallons Of Ale saw the first Heavy Metal conga of the weekend, and They’re Taking The Hobbits To Isengard, the first Wall of Death. Well, that was debatable. With one side being Mordor (growl Mordor) and one the Fellowship, the idea to charge at each other and then ….jig. It was certainly one of the less bruising Walls I have encountered.
The rest of the set was a smorgasbord of sea-shanty-tinged Folk Metal with a leaning towards alcoholic beverages. Booze And Glory, Beer A Flowin, dedicated to the hard-working bar staff and the self-titled Red Rum.
With The Captain’s Command thrown in for good measure, this was a brilliantly balanced set with no let-up in intensity. The audience lapped up every note and chord and provided as much exuberance and effort as the band.
The guitars were as crunching as a wielded pirate sword, the keys providing the folk melodies. This was a perfect collection of Metal Madness. Sadly, the set only lasted for fifty minutes, and it was all over far too soon. Anyway, let’s drink to the next time.
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.
