EUROPEAN METAL FESTIVAL ALLIANCE

Thirteen of metal’s biggest independent festivals have banded together for a three-day event like no other, live-streamed across Bloodstock weekend

IT’S SO SAD THAT BLOODSTOCK IS CANCELLED THIS YEAR! Vicky Hungerford (Bloodstock Festival Director): “It was inevitable, unfortunately. A year without any gigs is really strange. In 20 years, I’ve never not had Bloodstock, so it feels like a gaping hole. But this is what we need to do to get past this horrible virus.”

ABSOLUTELY. BUT IN A MORE POSITIVE LIGHT, WE’VE GOT THE EUROPEAN METAL FESTIVAL ALLIANCE! WHAT IS IT?

“Europe’s biggest independent events all work together when we’re booking bands. It’s a consortium, The United Festival Force. So when this happened, we all said, ‘Why don’t we create a huge festival alliance? If we join forces and join our social media and all our fanbases together, we can create this huge streaming event.’ The audience that the bands will get is huge. We worked out it’s over 2.3 million between all of us.”

WHAT FESTIVALS ARE INVOLVED? “Alcatraz in Belgium, Artmania in Romania, Brutal Assault in the Czech

Republic, Dynamo in the Netherlands, Into The Grave in the Netherlands, Leyendas Del Rock in Spain, Metal Days which is Slovenia, then Midgardsblot in Norway, Motocultor in France, Party. San in Germany, Resurrection in Spain, Summer Breeze in Germany, and Bloodstock. All well-known events.”

WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING DURING THE STREAMING EVENT?

“Lots of bands who will be playing have actually gone into the studio in the last two or three weeks, while lockdown’s been on. So you’re getting a band that’s physically gone into the studio. There will be some sets across the weekend of unreleased festival footage. We’ve got artists that are being interviewed. So we’re going to make it as interesting as we can, so that you are fully entertained over three days. It’s not the same as being in a field, but at least you’ve got the comfort of a nice toilet. We expect everyone to camp in their gardens!”

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

“€6.66. It’s gonna be split between the event, to give back to the independents, and the artists. It’ll start in the morning like a normal festival, and run right through until the end of the day.”

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM BLOODSTOCK 2021?

“We want to give fans as much as possible, so we’ve added a day. We are rolling over the line-up, bar Behemoth and a few smaller bands. We’re going to announce at least 10 extra bands for the extra date, and we’ve extended the deposit scheme. We’re also releasing exclusive 2020 merch, which marks the postponement of this year, because it’s going to be an unprecedented event.”

“WE EXPECT FANS TO CAMP IN THEIR GARDENS!”

VICKY HUNGERFORD

THE EMFA EVENT TAKES

PLACE AUGUST 7-9. SEE MORE AND BUY TICKETS AT WWW. METALFESTIVALALLIANCE.COM