📍 Catton Park, Derbyshire | 🗓️ August 7–10, 2025
Sharpen your horns, dig out your battle jackets, and start sacrificing your last clean band tee – because BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2025 is nearly upon us, and we are not ready in the best possible way. 🖤
The BOA faithful know what’s coming:
🎸 Wall-to-wall riffs
🥵 Circle pits in 30-degree heat (or ankle-deep mud, who knows?)
👹 Viking war cries at 10am
🍻 Drinking mead out of horns like it’s Skyrim IRL
…and maybe a casual exorcism in the Sophie tent if things get weird. (They always do.)
THIS. IS. METAAAAAAL.
🎤 2025 HEADLINERS OF DOOM & GLORY:
💀 Friday – LAMB OF GOD
Virginia’s finest groove metal berserkers are back to absolutely annihilate Catton Park. Expect circle pits the size of Derbyshire and breakdowns heavier than your nan’s lasagne.
⚔️ Saturday – OPETH
Swedish prog-death gods bringing the atmospheres, the hair, and the vibes. One minute you’re moshing, the next you’re staring at the stars wondering why your soul hurts (in a good way).
🔥 Sunday – KREATOR
German thrash legends to close it all with a firestorm of riffs, pyro, and sheer Teutonic rage. “Pleasure to Kill” live? YESS MUN. Prepare for war in the pit.
And that’s just the top of the (blood-soaked) iceberg. The rest of the bill is stuffed fuller than a mosh pit in a phone box:
🎵 Employed To Serve, Enslaved, Rotting Christ, Dying Fetus, Unearth, Septicflesh, Ingested, Samael, and many more still to come…
We’re in full prep mode here at The Riff Report HQ:
✔️ Tent that won’t collapse in the first gust of wind
✔️ Enough snacks to survive a nuclear apocalypse (or just 3 days of mosh pits)
✔️ Earplugs (because we’re not daft, mun)
✔️ And an emergency crate of Monster and Greggs sausage rolls 😅
🕖 Whether you’re a BOA virgin or a seasoned veteran with the battle scars to prove it – this year’s fest is shaping up to be one of the most savage line-ups yet. Stay tuned, ‘cause we’ll be dropping daily guides, packing lists, band breakdowns, and our legendary survival tips (Rule 1: NEVER trust a portaloo after midnight).
🔥 Bloodstock 2025 Quick Facts
📅 Dates: Thursday, August 7 – Sunday, August 10, 2025
📍 Location: Catton Park, Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire, UK
🎟️ Tickets: Already flying faster than a Slayer solo – grab yours while you can!
🎸 Headliners: Lamb of God, Opeth, and Kreator (hell yes!)
So, c’mon butt…
ARE YOU BLOODSTOCK READY?!
Let us know what bands you’re hyped for, what you’re wearing (corpse paint counts as SPF, right?), and whether you’ve actually packed that spare loo roll. 👀
#Bloodstock2025 #BOAOrBust #MoshOrDie #TheRiffReport 🩸⚔️
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
Comments