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As Spring settles in, BLOODSTOCK HQ is a hive of activity.  This week’s announcement sees the first bands announced for the NewBlood stage, and the dates are set for the Finals of 2023’s METAL 2 THE MASSES programme, BLOODSTOCK’s celebrated initiative to help developing bands score a landmark opportunity, playing a slot on the NewBlood stage at the festival in August.  Some winners are chosen from online submissions, whereas others battle it out among their peers at local events across the country. This year, 29 different regions have stepped up and we also welcome initiatives from Croatia and Poland to the programme. 

The finals kick off this Saturday 29th April at Leicester’s O2 Academy and roll through to Saturday 8th July at Oxford’s Jericho Tavern.  Full dates are detailed below, so be sure to get out and support both bands and venues near you. 

Sat 29th Apr - LEICESTER O2 AcademySat 6th May - EDINBURGH La Belle AngeleFri 12th May - BELFAST Voodoo Sat 13th May - DUBLIN Fibber MageesSat 20th May - SHEFFIELD CorporationSat 20th May - MANCHESTER RebellionThu 25th May - NORWICH BrickmakersSat 27th May - MILTON KEYNES Craufurd ArmsSat 27th May - LEEDS The LibrarySat 3rd Jun - LONDON The DomeSat 3rd Jun - NEWCASTLE TrilliansSat 3rd Jun - OSIJEK (Croatia) Ex-EpicSat 10th Jun - CHORZOW (Poland) Lesniczowka Rock n’ Roll CafeFri 16th Jun - COLCHESTER CodaSat 17th Jun - GRAVESEND Leo’s, Red LionFri 23rd Jun - BIRMINGHAM Devils DogSat 24th Jun - HITCHIN Club 85Sat 24th Jun - WREXHAM XS @ The Penny BlackSat 24th Jun - BRISTOL The ExchangeFri 30th Jun - BOURNEMOUTH Bear CaveFri 30th Jun - CHELTENHAM Frog & FiddleSat 1st Jul - BURNLEY SanctuarySat 1st Jul - STOKE The UndergroundSat 1st Jul - NORTHAMPTON The Black PrinceSat 1st Jul - LIVERPOOL ZanzibarSat 1st Jul - CARDIFF FuelSat 8th Jul - NOTTINGHAM The Old Cold StoreSat 8th Jul - SALTASH LivewireSat 8th Jul - OXFORD Jericho Tavern
Meanwhile, grabbing NewBlood slots via the online submission process are these lucky acts.

Joining Friday’s NewBlood stage are London’s LOKUST.  Their ferocious, instrumental demo single, ‘Guiltless’ (featuring Krimh - Septicflesh/ex-Decapitated) only hints at what’s to come when they release their debut album this year.  Also appearing Friday will be Stoke On Trent’s self-described “heavy as fuck” trio, HEADPRESS. Get a taster of their brutal triple attack via the video for ‘Outlines’. And joining Friday’s fray are Yorkshire UKHC squad, STREET SOLDIER. Check out the crunchy uncompromising title track from their debut ‘One Man Gang’ EP.
Over on Saturday’s NewBlood stage, we welcome South Wales black metal collective OFNUS. Watch out for the band’s debut full length coming this Summer and meanwhile get a taster of their bleak, brutal sound.  Also featured on Saturday will be riff-laden Manchester metal trio, VICE. Their second album, ‘For The Fallen’ was released last summer - watch their video for ‘Vultures’ here.  Irish doomsters SOOTHSAYER also land themselves a Saturday slot. Get familiar with their glorious, atmospheric noise via the video for ‘Cities Of Smoke’, taken from their album ‘Echoes Of The Earth’. Last, but certainly not least, Danish modern death metal squad NAKKEKNAEKKER join Saturday’s line up. For a five piece with the average age of 18, these boys have skills beyond their years. Check out this clip of their live show.
Over on Sunday’s NewBlood stage, you’ll be seeing East Anglian thrashers ELIMINATION. The band’s 2021 debut, ‘Echoes of the Abyss’ turned many heads and the band are at work on its successor, due out this year.  In the interim, watch their video for ‘Icon of Despair’.  Also grabbing a slot are Northern Ireland rock trio, SKYPILOT. The band’s latest album, ‘Simple Beasts’, laden with fat riffs, landed last Summer, featuring the track, ‘Octofuzz’. And Nottingham extreme noise terrorists OUTERGODS grab a Sunday spot. Featuring members of Evil Scarecrow and Raised By Owls, the band are working on a new album that’ll land this Summer.  In the meantime investigate their ungodly ‘Catacombs of Madness’.  
BLOODSTOCK’s very popular club nights are also underway!  Grab your mates, hit the dancefloor and maybe you’ll be the lucky winner coming home with a pair of weekend tickets - every club night will be running a competition!  If none of these are near you, fret not, there will be more party nights at other locations through June and July revealed soon.
Fri 28th April - WARRINGTON FC2Fri 28th April - CARDIFF Metro'sSat 29th April - CAMBERLEY AgincourtSat 29th April - STOKE-ON-TRENT The Sugarmill
Sat 6th May - BRIGHTON AboveFri 12th May - BRISTOL The LanesSat 20th May - NEWCASTLE Reds Bar @ Northumbria Uni Students UnionFri 26th May - LONDON ElektrowerkzSat 27th May - SOUTHAMPTON SuburbiaSat 27th May - STOKE-ON-TRENT The SugarmillSun 28th May - EXETER The Cavern
Never been to BLOODSTOCK before but thinking of coming for a day to check it out? Can’t do the whole weekend, but don’t want to miss all the fun? A limited number of day tickets are on sale now in the ticket store. Adult day tickets are £75 and if you’d like to make it a family day out, child day tickets are £25 (mini moshers under 4 come for free), plus booking fees. Ready for the full weekend? VIP and campervan tickets are sold out, but you can still get standard weekend tickets in the ticket store. 
Planning your travel to Catton Park yet?  Big Green Coach will drop you & your gear right inside the festival gates for minimal walking, from all around the UK. Get more info at BIG GREEN COACH. For more travel info, look under the info section on BLOODSTOCK’s official website here.
BLOODSTOCK’s 2023 Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners are KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, MESHUGGAH, and MEGADETH. Also appearing are HELLOWEEN, IN FLAMES, BIOHAZARD, EMPLOYED TO SERVE, ROYAL REPUBLIC, SACRED REICH, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, SEPULTURA, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, CROWBAR, CANDLEMASS, TRIBULATION, SEETHING AKIRA, UGLY KID JOE, DECAPITATED, GATECREEPER, ZEAL & ARDOR, KING 810, ABBATH, URNE, ALL HAIL THE YETI, DEAD LABEL, BOSSK, CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL, BROTHERS OF METAL, PEST CONTROL, GUTALAX, UUHAI, INVISIONS, COBRA THE IMPALER, TROLLFEST, SKYND, WARKINGS, FROZEN SOUL, THE VIOLENT INZIDENT, TRIBE OF GHOSTS, DAKESIS, THE ENIGMA DIVISION, THE GREY, EYES, TUSKAR, STENGAH, OVERTHRONE, TORTURED DEMON, CASKET FEEDER, GAEREA, BLOODYARD, WOLFBASTARD, SKIN FAILURE, WITCHSORROW, WYTCH HAZEL, HATE, BLACK COAST, STRIKER, ZETRA and more.  Lots are still to be announced!  Get full festival information at bloodstock.uk.com.
BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 10th-13th August 2023.