Bloodstock Festival Website: http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/
Buy Bloodstock Festival 2018 Tickets: https://bloodstock.seetickets.com/event/bloodstock-2018/catton-park/1136700/?ClearOffer=true
Sophie Lancaster Foundation: https://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/
This is part 2 of my top picks for Bloodstock Festival 2018, and this time I am looking at bands playing on the Sophie Lancaster Stage. The stage is named after Sophie Lancaster, a young woman who was horrifically beaten to death because she looked different. The Sophie Lancaster Foundation focus of stamping out prejudice, hatred and intolerance everywhere, and thanks to their amazing work, several police forces in the UK now consider attacks against those in the alternative community a hate crime. I have posted a link above to take you to their website to learn more about the Foundation and the amazing work they do. They also have a stall at Bloodstock every year, so please go and pay them a visit and buy something or donate as much as you can.
This year I am a little disappointed at the lack of folk metal (as most people on Facebook will know by now). However on Thursday we are treated to not one, but two folk metal bands for the Thursday night party.
Arkona
Arkona will headline the Sophie Stage on the Thursday night, bringing their Russian and Slavic pagan metal to the festival. Although I was not so much a fan of their latest record, Khram, I do enjoy many songs in their back catalogue, and I hope they bring the more dancey and folky songs to their setlist to help keep the party going. I do expect songs from their latest release, but I do hope there will be a continuing party through the evening.
Arkona will headline the Sophie Lancaster Stage on Thursday 9th August.
Buy Arkona merch and music: https://shop.napalmrecords.com/arkona.html
Listen to Arkona on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6AJ9HQ2Ptp1WWEfBFvR5fF
Skiltron
Thursday is most definitely a folk metal party, with Skiltron on earlier on the Sophie Lancaster stage. Their sounds is recognised straight away with their use of bagpipes and clean vocals. Their themes are very much of the Scottish clans and battles, and you can definitely have a good dance, singalong and drink to their music. I have waited a long time to see Skiltron, as I have always managed to miss them playing the UK previously when they’ve come over. Skiltron will be playing the Sophie Lancaster stage on Thursday 9th August.
Buy Skiltron music and merch: http://www.skiltron.net/shop/
Listen to Skiltron on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ijzdQPQtKqKGXx762wQJN
DORO
DORO is pretty much the Queen of Metal. She has an amazing voice, and her songs are catchy anthems that can be sung along to, which is perfect for a headline slot on a Friday night at Bloodstock straight after Judas Priest to keep the heavy metal party going. I will most definitely be headbanging along to her set this year. I’m a terrible metalhead and haven’t known about her for long, but she is one of the women in metal who show that we can rock just as hard as the guys can.
DORO will headline the Sophie Lancaster Stage on Saturday 11th August.
Buy DORO music and merch: https://doromerch.com/
Listen to DORO on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5GLeyUhj8B8f5pJxqZllKl
Orphaned Land
Orphaned Land bring their Arabic, Jewish and West Asian influenced metal to Bloodstock this year. Hailing from Isreal, they are sure to bring a fantastic show with them. From what little I’ve heard of Orphaned Land, I am going to make every effort to watch their set. While not strictly “folk” metal, their influences lie in the traditions and music of the nations and cultures described above, and it is a unique style which works really well.
Buy Orphaned Land music and merch: http://orphaned-land.com/shop/
Listen to Orphaned Land on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7xTMxqAmbtE0Nce5lz7t0h
Ostara Metal 