BLOODSTOCK FESTIVAL
VENUE CaTTon hall DATE 06-09/08/2019
The days when Bloodstock was purely an extreme metal festival are long gone. Now, every year the bill is diverse and interesting, with progressive bands being warmly embraced by the audience.
FrIdaY
On Friday, however, it’s mostly gnarlier, more overtly metallic fare on the main stage. It says a lot for TesseracT’s growing popularity that they don’t seem incongruous plonked on this bill. Kicking off with Parts 1-3 of Concealing Fate, there are so many riffs pummelling the weather-beaten throng that the cerebral core of this band’s music almost seems superfluous. Of Mind – Nocturne is one of many beautiful moments when Dan Tompkins’ voice soars into blistering sunshine, but it’s equally gratifying to watch TesseracT flex a few muscles too.
“QUEENSRŸCHE’S BLOODSTOCK DEBUT COULD HARDLY BE MORE TRIUMPHANT.”
SaTurdaY
You may wonder how semi-freeform jazz-rock jams go down at Bloodstock. The Parallax Method discover that the answer is “rather bloody well, thanks!” From lissom funk to spiralling space rock, this instrumental trio play with an exuberance that makes the whole, kaleidoscopic shebang so utterly disarming.
Swallow The Sun face the task of battling against high winds on the main stage, and their sound swirls around uncontrollably. But the Finns battle against this, and it says much for their abilities that the intricacies and atmospherics of their music still come across. Songs like When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light and Firelights balance aggression with delicacy, and get a warm reception. This 40-minute set could have gone hideously wrong, but they cope confidently and come out on top.
SundaY
On the Sophie Lancaster Stage, Wheel combine a Cynic groove with left-field Voivod fury; it works brilliantly. The cascading Tyrant and the ever-shifting Wheel are engaging. And while they come on to a sparse audience, by the time the Anglo-Finns finish there’s a positive approbation from a crowd swollen to a respectable level.
Three albums into their long-awaited renaissance, Queensrÿche are back to their best, and tonight they’re support on the main stage to headliners Scorpions. With singer Todd La Torre nailing every last one of the relentless feast of classics, the Washington legends’ Bloodstock debut could hardly be more triumphant. Everything sounds immaculate, from a magical Take Hold Of The Flame to Eyes Of A Stranger, and founding guitarist Michael Wilton looks truly touched by the raucous singalongs erupting before him. “We are the one and the only Queensrÿche!” La Torre notes. Fair point, mate.