Bloodstock 2023 10th to 13th August

By Stephen Cummings (BeardBo & GHUK)

(Image: © Bloodstock)

My Thoughts/Opinion on Bloodstock 2023

Arriving on the Unholy Grounds of Catton Park for the Bloodstock Festival! The weekend truly kicks off once you've cracked open your first beer, set up your tent, and reunited with your friends. As you make your way towards the arena, you'll see a sea of illegible band logos on t-shirts, Viking horns, and cowboy hats.

As you walk through the crowds of festival-goers, you feel an electric energy in the air. The excitement is palpable as everyone eagerly anticipates the start of the first band. The smell of burgers and hot dogs wafts through the air, and the sound of laughter and chatter fills your ears.

As you approach the main stage, you notice the impressive setup with towering speakers and flashing lights. You can't help but feel a rush of adrenaline as you imagine the bands that will soon be gracing the stage.

Looking around, you see that the festival-goers have truly embraced the spirit of Bloodstock. Many are decked out in black leather and studded belts, while others have gone all out with face paint and elaborate costumes.

As you take it all in, you can't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to be here, surrounded by like-minded individuals who share your love for heavy metal and all things rock. You raise your beer in a toast to the weekend ahead, ready to rock out with your friends and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Sound

After 10 years of attending Bloodstock, I can confidently say that the sound at the Ronnie James Dio and the Sophie Lancaster stage was the best I've ever experienced. It's unclear what the organisers did differently this year – perhaps new gear or a new PA company – but the sound was phenomenal. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the New Blood stage. While the music itself was great, many of the bands' vocals were drowned out by the mix. 

It's always exciting to see improvements, especially when it comes to sound quality. The changes in the Ronnie James Dio & the Sophie Lancaster stage sounds was an incredible experience, and it's interesting to speculate what could have led to the improvement in sound. Regardless of what changed, it's fantastic that it had such a positive impact on our experience.

On the other hand, it's disappointing about the sound quality at the New Blood stage. It's frustrating when vocals are lost in the rest of the sound, as it can take away from the overall performance of the band. It's important for Bloodstock to invest more in this stage, as these bands are often up-and-coming and could benefit greatly from a better sound system.

Cleanliness

Commending Festival Attendees for Maintaining a Clean Environment, I'd like to take a moment to recognise the vast majority of festival-goers who made a concerted effort to keep the grounds clean. It was truly inspiring to see everyone come together to pick up after themselves. Additionally, I want to applaud Bloodstock for their innovative beer token system, which encouraged the return of paper cups. A nod should be given to the toilet cleaning staff for keeping the toilets stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitiser and in generally good condition. There was also a significant reduction in damage to the festival's bins. The organisers had pleaded with the attendees to take care of the environment, and their efforts paid off and hopefully has saved the festival a lot of money in damages

Although Bloodstock was largely a positive experience, there were a few downsides. Regrettably, a few individuals caused trouble, resulting in some attendees having a less-than-ideal first festival experience. This included incidents such as mobile phone thefts, allegations of racism within the VIP camp, alleged groping within the mosh pits, and even physical altercations. These issues are NOT in any way Bloodstock's fault- this is down to the attendees of the festival. Hopefully, the security of the festival was able to apprehend these people and Bloodstock puts a permanent ban on them. One issue that was Bloodstocks fault however was again the lack of information on stage changes. Where was the updates on the app or even on the stage screens for swapping of times for Sacred Reich and Gatecreeper? This again was a major let down. I was lucky as I was already at the Ronnie James Dio stage but others were not so fortunate and missed Gatecreeper. I know there was internet issues throughout the grounds but please try harder when updating times. A simple stage announcement will do

Overall

Overall my Bloodstock experience has been amazing this year. I got to meet friends in person for the first time and got to hang with all my metal brothers and sisters. My band highlights were in no order. Megadeth, Killswitch Engage, Godeth, Moon Reaper, Gatecreeper, Sacred Reich, Fit for an Autopsy, Sepultura, Zeal & Ardor, Swarms UK and In Flames

I had a fantastic time at the Bloodstock event this year. It's always great to meet friends for the first time and be able to connect with people who share similar interests.

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