Bloodstock Open Air (B-O-A) is the UK’s biggest independent metal festival. Held at the picturesque location of Walton on Trent in Derbyshire, B-O-A has won the hearts and minds of fans of heavy rock and metal by consistently showcasing the strongest metal line up on UK soil.
Boasting over 100 international rock and metal acts across four stages, Bloodstock has announced some very special bands for this year's festival, easily topping the likes of Download and Sonisphere (which was sadly cancelled this year). The festival is a refreshing alternative to the overbearing commerciality of the big UK rock festivals. The family-run festival has an air of comforting friendliness to it that its larger competitors at Knebworth and Donington can never offer.
2012 sees Bloodstock attracting its biggest headliner to date in groove metal arena titans, Machine Head. Widely regarded as one of the finest live bands around, their Saturday night headline slot will surely be a historic occasion. Meanwhile, the night after, rock legend Alice Cooper will headline the very same Ronnie James Dio Stage, bringing his traditional theatrics and a whole barrel of indispensable anthems. Friday night sees Polish blackened thrashers Behemoth complete the trio of headline acts. Having been forced to pull out of Bloodstock two years ago due to frontman Nergal’s leukaemia, Behemoth will be roaring back into action at Bloodstock this year.
Other acts featured on the bill include Testament, Dimmu Borgir, Watain, Mayhem, Crowbar, Corrosion Of Conformity, Paradise Lost, Hatebreed, Sepeltura, Anvil and newer names like The Black Dahlia Murder and Evile.
Friday night will also see a special performance by Dio's Disciples in tribute to the great man himself.
Bloodstock 2012 will be taking place at Catton Hall, Walton-on-Trent in Derbyshire from the 9th-12th August. For more information, just visit www.bloodstock.uk.com.