Another barnstorming festival by Bloodstock (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Another barnstorming festival by Bloodstock

4:15pm Wednesday 19th September 2012 in AdXtra

Bloodstock Open Air festival celebrated its eighth year in style with over 11, 000 people descending on the UK's biggest independent heavy metal festival, writes Jeff Oram.

The event was held in the lavish surroundings of Catton Hall which is in the centre of a triangle of three midlands towns, Lichfield, Burton on Trent and Tamworth.  

Bloodstock Open Air is now marked on every festival going heavy metal fans' calendar. From humble beginnings as an indoor event in Derby Assembly Rooms in 2001 the organisers Paul Gregory and Vince Brotheridge have created a monster.

And it was needed to fill the gap where the legendary Donington Monsters of Rock.   The festival and following just grew and grew attracting bigger and bigger acts and of course thousands of fans year after year.

The August 2012 Bloodstock had over 100 bands playing and opened early on a Thursday. Amongst the great acts were Sepultura, Behemoth, Testiment, Machine Head, Anvil, Paradise Lost and the mighty Alice Cooper.

On the Ronnie James Dio stage and Viking Skull, Alcest, Orange Goblin, Furyon amoungst many more, on the Sophie Lancaster stage. Also including Fallen Fate, Stormborn and Dreamcatch, with a load of others, on the New Blood stage.

This feast of metal was well received by all and not just patrons of Catton Hall. There have been many outstanding reviews of the performances and more. Through out the rock/metal, music and mainstream press, which are easy to find online.

Finally ending all the acts headliner Alice Cooper, took to the stage, amazed old and young with a mammoth set spanning a career over five decades.
Ending his tour at Bloodstock, to celebrate 8 success years as an outdoor festival. Anyone wanting to catch this superb rocker and legend of metal should checkout his Halloween tour in the UK, towards the end of October.
 
But above all the atmosphere and general vibe of fun echoed throughout the festival and there was a real sense of community. This place is highly recommended to the seasoned festival goer and new alike. The Gregory family and other organisers over the years have invested time and effort to ensure everything is catered for aswell as the music.

The well oiled security team, provided by Show Sec, were great too, these guys and girls were on top form from the ground up to management. Also worth a mention are the great shuttle and national bus service. Provided by Big Green Coaches, like show Show Sec, festival provider veterans. With exceptionally friendly staff all the way up the line and reasonable destination rates.

Any parent concerned about their beloved children attending this fine independent festival, should not worry. Everybody had a thoroughly greet time and looked after each other. Perhaps the mainstream festival community and music lovers could take a leaf out of the metal community's book.
 
Bloodstock Open Air 2013 planning is now underway, confirming already special guests Anthrax and Accept.

http://www.bloodstock.uk.com