More than 16,000 rockers are expected to gather for this weekend’s Bloodstock Festival as tickets start to sell out fast

The outdoor festival is celebrating its 12th year at Catton Hall, in Walton-on-Trent, in August, with world-class headliners including Amon Amarth on Friday, August 11, with Ghost performing on Saturday, August 11, and headliners Megadeath on Sunday, August 12.

The Burton Mail caught up with Bloodstock organiser Vicky Hungerford, who grew the festival from a small event in Derby into the mega weekend we see now.

Amon Amarth will be among those to headline

She said: "Bloodstock started out Derby in 2001 as a smaller, indoor event and there wasn’t really anything metal related in the line-up. There was around 700 people who attended and even then we knew we needed to find a bigger venue to make it the heavy metal festival it is today.

"Festivalgoers can expect so much. We have Amon Amarth on their first-ever UK headlining show, with a big huge production with stage props.

"This year we are expecting about 16,500 people to attend. We are also hoping to break a Guinness World Record for the most people doing a Viking boat row. This basically entails as many people as possible simulating a rowing boat. We will also be holding the under 90kg world’s strongest man competition."

The full line-up is revealed

She added that rockers will get to hear 140 bands through the four days including Friday's headliners Amon amarth, Saturday headliners Ghost, Sunday's headliners Megadeth, plus Arch Enemy, Kreator, Blind Guardian, Hatebreed, Testament, Obituary, King 810, Brujeria, Whitechapel, Skindred, Possessed, Annihilator, Municipal Waste, Hell, Decapitated, Soilwork, Chelsea Grin, Macabre, Inquisition, King Parrot, Scarab, Wintersun, Oni, Dendera, Kroh, Abhorrent Decimation, Courtesans, Wretched Soul, Bossk, and Winterfylleth.

Bloodstock is coming back this weekend

Anthemic black metallers Winterfylleth join the main stage. Their fifth album The Dark Hereafter was released in October by Candlelight Records/Spinefarm, while Dendera bring their classic metal to Bloodstock for a Friday slot. The band have their third studio album set for release this year. Saturday sees doomsters Kroh join the bill. Kroh is the brainchild of Paul Kenney, founder member of Mistress.

Bloodstock will take place until Sunday, August 13. VIP and weekend tickets have now sold out but all other day tickets are available here.

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