Bloodstock 2009
November 13, 2009
First published August 13th but alterations to my blog means a repost.
Thursday
The rain has kept away so far. It’s good pitching camp in the dry…except for the fuckin’ midges everywhere.
It’s pretty quiet at the moment but more “happy campers” are arriving every minute. The attempt to make some fresh coffee went drastically wrong as the newly bought “hex” stove burned a massive hole in the wood base I got to steady it in the ground. I might try again later over on the just noticed barbecue pit.
Friday
Its the start of the actual festival today and I’ll be walking round like a total zombie…. I had absolutely NO sleep last night, sleeping in my sleeping bag is like a fly being cocooned in a spider’s web, every time you move it tightens it’s grip on you even more.
Oh well, let’s get it on and see some great bands perform!
Fuck!!! the food is so expensive a teeny sandwich is is £ 6.00 WTF I think I’m going to starve this weekend.
The bands were a bit hit and miss today, some I missed, can’t say I was that bothered any way. A couple of highlights though. Definitely a young up and coming band from Slough I saw in the unsigned tent called Divine Chaos and also an amazing “in your face”performance from Municipal Waste who easily got the crowd in the palm of their hand. History was also created during their set as they achieved a world record of crowd surfing during one of their songs a staggering 428.
Nothing much going on now so a couple of hours relaxing in the hospitality tent, that’s one of the bonuses of an upgraded ticket…. the chance to meet the stars… if they decide to show :O
OK the next two bands to finish the night off, Arch Enemy and Carcass. I have to admit, personally, Arch Enemy were missing something tonight. The music was good, the Amotts delivered the songs impeccably, Sharlee was as dynamic as ever and Angela’s voice was perfect. The just seemed a little still?? Maybe with Michael Amott having to return almost immediately to perform with Carcass he was trying to conserve some energy? Final act of the evening was the re-formed Carcass, a band new to my ears, even though they were formed in the 80′s and split in 95 (I think) their history is laid in stone.
Saturday
WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SO FUCKING LOUD!! JUST GO AND FUCK OFF!!
Yes another restless night in the cocoon called a sleeping bag but to make it worse some guy decided he needed to tell the whole of the camping area his like of a “rock star” ALL FUCKING NIGHT! Oh well I’m up now, lets go and get some breakfast.
Ok its 7pm and the total number of bands viewed is two, yeah just two but two amazing live bands you would not want to miss. Wolf
the best hard rock outfit to come out of Sweden. Their posing is legendary, straight out of the old school book Then to follow my personal highlight of the whole weekend, The Haunted, they were so amazing live that the 40 minute set during lunchtime does them no credit at all. What the fuck are the organisers thinking of slotting them in at that time, Peter Dolving really had his work cut out trying to stimulate the meagre crowd that had come to watch
Well that’s my festival over with! SHIT! There’s another day left! What am I gonna do? Oh yeah I know Amon Amarth tomorrow and Anterior over on the Sophie Lancaster Stage Anyway until then I will be busy……….doing absolutely nada!! until Cradle Of Filth. Let’s see how long I stay for them? The answer…one song! How can such a band have such an effect, I mean even Cradle Of Filth T shirt clad fans were walking away. A sombre note though, I heard through the grapevine that the show was stopped early because a band member was struck by some missile and had to be helped off the stage. Now that is just stupid, I hope they find the culprit and give them what they deserve.
Sunday
Now here’s a surprise, I had quite a better night’s sleep but I did wake up soaking with sweat, these dome tents really feel like a greenhouse when the sun is beating down on them but I have to admit its much more preferable than being soaked with rain!
Ok time for lunch, not much though, I don’t want to have to stop later on the journey home.
That sorted time to take the tent down then we are ready to go as soon as!!
There wasn’t much going on for me today except that great band from Wales I mentioned earlier called Anterior, who I saw last January as support to The Haunted but they are only on a 6 pm. Time to relax in the hospitality suite again!
Ok now its time to go and see my first band of the day. No disappointment at all, Anterior have actually got even better over the few months since the first time I saw them. As soon as they finished their 30 minute set, its time to take a wander over to the main stage, again, for my final highlight of the weekend, What a blistering and fast hour that was, they were fucking awesome I cannot think of any other word to describe them!
Well there you have my Bloodstock 2009 weekend, sorry if you wanted set lists or more bands coverd but I can’t be everywhere at once and I’m not “Mr Memory Man” but I’m sure a quick look in the music press will have all the details you want.
you can view some photos I took during my weekend Amon Amarth Municipal Waste The Haunted Saxon Wolf
See Ya, dredmann!!
