I probably did yeah, but a better question is, did you see a hideously short yellow gazebo with stars on it? We impressed a lot of passers by with that bad boy

was good

Wearing leather is gay.

I'm with John, Sabbat were great, the bastard rain running in between the side of the stage was a bastard though.

SHITS AND GIGGLES!

(Although I didn't bother with the shits because the toilets were a complete disgrace)

Testament were bwiliant. Pure magical, great setlist, energetic performance and Chuck Billy being a fat clown. I also thought Sabbat, Finnlol and Korpiklaani were a bloody good laugh. Pretty terrible weather though, and a few too many knobheads - for example, the compete cunt next to me during Sabbat who was shouting stuff like "WE DON'T CARE, FUCK OFF" and "ARCH ENEMY! ARCH ENEMY!" at Walkyier. ARGH!

Also many a small child who went for arch poo, in poo and lacuna poo, in their trivium shirts.

It's probably gonna depend on the lineup whether I go again next year.

Sabbat was win, TBH they were the main reason I went.

and you were right here were some right fucking n00bs there

The Fourth Norseman wrote:
and you were right here were some right fucking n00bs there

Thats a horrible thing to say. I was there.

Povey wrote:

The Fourth Norseman wrote:
and you were right here were some right fucking n00bs there

Thats a horrible thing to say. I was there.

ha. n00b.

The Fourth Norseman wrote:

Povey wrote:

The Fourth Norseman wrote:
and you were right here were some right fucking n00bs there

Thats a horrible thing to say. I was there.

ha. n00b.

Obviously.

I've never been to Bloodstock, but by the looks of things Wacken > Bloodstock anyday!

\m/Steve\m/ wrote:I've never been to Bloodstock, but by the looks of things Wacken > Bloodstock anyday!

You're right y'know.

I'm on one or two of those photos!


A big thumbs up to Bloodstock Open Air.
A big thumbs down to the weather.
Talk about contrasting days! On the Friday I got seriously sunburnt on the top of my head and was soaked to the skin on the Saturday!
Met Nevermore, Sabbat, Chris Slade (ex AC/DC) and various groups of people who just wanted to chat. Was having a conversation with one guy from Oxford for about an hour while we were waiting for the Nevermore signing session. Top guy, if a little worse for wear...

Anyhoo, to the bands.

FRIDAY:

SCAR SYMMETRY - Perfect example of great in the studio, woeful live. Not entirely their fault as the sound engineer seemed to be on holiday.

WOLF - The sound engineer was still missing, now presumed dead. Poor Wolf. One and a half songs into their set and suddenly we're in Spinal Tap country with no sound coming from the stage whatsoever. Luckily, they not only won the audience over by throwing loads of beer into the crowd but also went on to play a total stonker of a set. Total Saxon/Maiden homage.

MEMFIS - Not bad but got bored halfway through and wandered off. Sixth style death metal. Not as annoying but hardly engaging either.

KORPIKLAANI - (Or Forest Clan apparently). Finnish nutters with a fiddle, an accordian, a flautist, a reindeer antler mic stand and a bizarre line in traditional Finnish metal polka. Hilarious and catchy.

EPICA - The majority of sound gremlins had departed by this point but one or two still lurked around trying to stop the lovely Simone Simons from being heard for the first track or two. Still a top performance though.

NEVERMORE - The sound gremlins were firmly grabbed by the throat and trodden into the dust by Nevermore vocalist Warrell Dane. Band, and performance of the day bar none. Staggeringly brilliant.

DARK TRANQUILLITY - Always reliable, always professional, always entertaining, always guaranteed to not play a single track off my favourite album!

LACUNA COIL - Not a fan before, and not one now. The erstwhile Ms Scabbia will always set many a pair of trousers afire but ultimately, her singing was rendered pointless and pushed into the background by the utter twat of a co-male vocalist doing his very best to prove that talentless, drunk-sounding tone deaf cookie monsters have a place fronting a band.

SATURDAY:

BENEDICTION - Old school death metal by pissed up brummies. Fantastic.

LEGION OF THE DAMNED - Slayer riffs and songs about werewolves. I love 'em.

FINNTROLL - New singer, new album but not a chnage for the better. New singer has no personality and could be the frontman for almost any of the bands on display on the second stage. Set highlight was when Sabbat's Martin Walkyier joined them for a rousing "Trollhammeren".

DREAM EVIL - The band from the 90's that the 80's forgot. Rousing and unashamed metal anthems in the Dio/Manowar mould. Excellent.

SABBAT - Due to Arch Enemy's non arrival at the signing tent (thus far), I buggered off to watch the band that I had been looking forward to the most all weekend. Found myself a nice comfy spot on the barrier and watched Martin Walkyier, Andy Sneap and co set about tearing the place up 80's UK thrash style. My personal favourite band of the weekend (but then I am biased).

ARCH ENEMY - Stayed on the barrier and watched the best set AE have played since The Swedish Apocalypse show of 2004. Chris Amott's back, Mike's still on fire and Angela was on a mission. Flawless set without an instrumental or pointless drum or bass solo in sight. Ace.

IN FLAMES - Once again they pissed me off by not playing Behind Space! Still, they did tear through Only for the Weak, Gyroscope, Episode 666, Trigger, tons of others and some amusing chat from a possibly tipsy Anders Friden "So who's going to illegally download the new album when we put it out then"?
Great way to finish a top weekend.
Just wish the weather could have been better.



The legend that is Andy Sneap.


Moi and Chris (AC/DC) Slade


Sabbat


And again.


...And again


Guess who.


Simone Simons of Epica


Arch Enemy (fuck off, I thought they were excellent)


Me and The Sneapster


Martin Walkyier and a fat cunt with a stupid expression (The sun was in my eyes to be fair).

Here's a few pictures that turned out pretty good...

What a bloke.


He was a funny fella too.


Skool of the old.


Stage.


Pagan up yer ass.

By they way, was that really Gizz Butt playing bass? I thought he was a guitarist, not a four string merchant. Damn good though. Tight as fuck.

Darkweasel wrote:By they way, was that really Gizz Butt playing bass? I thought he was a guitarist, not a four string merchant. Damn good though. Tight as fuck.

yeah he did a fuckin good job.

Would have been awesome to see fraser up there too though