Thrash metal veterans Saxon secured the distinction of being the inaugural Thursday main-act headliner for the Bloodstock festival, with an additional 26 bands likewise confirmed for the lineup.
The Bloodstock Open Air festival, a beloved event for heavy metal enthusiasts, is gearing up for another unforgettable edition in 2026. Here's a rundown of what fans can expect.
The four-day event will take place from the 6th to the 9th of August at Catton Park, Derbyshire. This year, for the first time, the festival will open its main stage on a Thursday, promising an extended metal extravaganza.
Headlining the main stage are some of the genre's biggest names. Lamb of God, Slaughter to Prevail, Judas Priest, and Saxon have been announced as the main-stage headliners for the event. Additionally, Cryptopsy, Wednesday 13, Leprous, and Carpenter Brut will headline the second stage.
Evil Scarecrow and Heavysaurus will also grace the main stage, joining the ranks of legendary bands like Trivium, who headlined the festival in 2025, and Gojira, who took the stage the same year, receiving a perfect five-star score from Stephen Hill of Metal Hammer. Saxon, who headlined the inaugural Bloodstock festival in 2001, will also be performing on the main stage in 2026.
Machine Head, Sepultura, Bleed From Within, Orbit Culture, Municipal Waste, 200 Stab Wounds, and Nevermore are among the other bands confirmed for the festival. Kittie, Castle Rat, Skynd, Graphic Nature, Neckbreakker, Celestial Sanctuary, and Mushroomhead are also part of the 24 other bands confirmed for the event, although the specific names of these bands have not been officially announced.
Early-bird, VIP, and campervan tickets for the festival have already sold out, indicating a high level of excitement for the event. Weekend tickets are still available, but more than 90 percent of them have been sold-out.
Stephen Hill, the same journalist from Metal Hammer who gave both Trivium and Gojira's sets at Bloodstock 2025 perfect scores, has stated that Bloodstock 2025 might have been the best yet, and Gojira might just have been the best of the best. With such high praise, expectations for the 2026 edition are sky-high.
So, metalheads, get ready for another epic Bloodstock Open Air festival in 2026!
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