Best / Worst BOA line-ups

[Haldamir319]

In the Next Announcement thread we had a couple of people with vastly different opinions on this year's line-up. Whilst seemed specifically aimed at the RJD stage, this got me thinking as to what the best / worst BOA line-ups are for us regulars on here?

I'm pretty easy going and like a lot of sub-genres, so I'd find it tough to outright say which was the best or worst for me and I'll have to think on this. But for some of you guys, it seems like you have set years in mind.

What do you think?

Here's the Wiki page if you'd like an easy-to-view reminder: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodstock_Open_Air

[robin8585]

As stated in that other thread, mainstage for the friday this year is the worst single day I've ever seen for me. I'll watch the headliner, and plan to actively avoid everyone else (I guess I might pop over to see if Decapitated decided to become good again, but I'm not holding my breath there).

2013 is the year I decided to go to Wacken instead, so it's probably that one. It's hard looking back like that, because afterwards all I remember is that I had a really good time every day. As I'm a wander around the arena all day rather than sit at the campsite drinking all day kind of guy, that's got to be mainly down to the bands. So even if it doesn't look great on paper (2011 looks a bit weak on both Friday and Sunday), it worked for me.

[i0th]

2012 is probably the weakest for my tastes looking back. This year is a strange one has the main stage has really polarising bands for me. Stuff I absolutely love like BG, Hell, Ghost Kreator.... and stuff I'll fucking run a mile from like Hatebreed, King 810, Whitechapel, Skindred... with far less bands I'm not overly fussed on. There's plent I want to see on the Sophie & Hobgoblin stages though so I've not got much completely free time. Friday between Endeavor & Soilwork and Saturday between Havok and Annihilator jump out but you've gotta eat & shop at some point.

Best ever Bloodstock line-up is still 2002.

[Slev]

Worst was 2009 IIRC, whichever year it was, was the year where all the bands I actually enjoyed where on on the Sunday and there where not a lot of them.

Best was 2015, with a large number of varied bands I liked. 2016 had the same number, but was almost all doom.

[Haldamir319]

Looking solely at the main stage, I've gone back and counted how many bands I at least "like" for each year I've attended (2009-present).

Here's how mine looks:

09: 16 (5 Fri, 5 Sat, 6 Sun) - accounts for 51.61% of the main stage bill
10: 18 (6,8,4) - 60%
11: 16 (5,5,6) - 59.26%
12: 16 (5,5,6) - 59.26%
13: 16 (4,5,7) - 59.26%
14: 13 (3,5,5) - 48.15%
15: 13 (4,4,5) - 48.15%
16: 13 (4,4,5) - 48.15%
17: 10 (3,3,4) - 37.04%

The percentage accounts for the different number of bands on the bill in the earlier years.

There's a small caveat here that, of those not counted, there's plenty that I didn't dislike - I just wouldn't be bothered either way to see them. But yeah, based on the above it looks like 2010 was the best RJD stage year for me and this year is the weakest. That being said, I like a lot of bands across the other three stages, so I still have plenty to see.

[Tet]

The best was 2011, which was also for me that last Bloodstock with a genuinely worthwhile lineup. It took a huge nosedive in 2012, and it would be tempting to claim that year as the worst. But sadly 2105 eclipsed that to be the worst of the bunch so far for my tastes.

Obligatory graph I did a few years ago:

[Gandalf the Red]

Funnily enough I thought 2009 was one of the best years part from the COF incident. A good selection from most of the genres and very little shouty bollocks.

Looking at the line ups then I reckon last years was the worst. 2012 was another duffer though.

2012 I watched 12 mainstage bands.

2015 I watched 18 mainstage bands. Probably a normal amount for me.

2016 I watched 9 mainstage bands. If it wasn't for Twisted Sister and Slayer then I doubt I would have bothered.

This year is already much better, without clashes it's currently 18 bands that I would watch.

[bloodfiend]

I'd say 2009 was the best year for me main stage wise - Carcass, Saxon, Katatonia, Insomnium, Cradle Of Filth, Blind Guardian, Kreator, Enslaved, Battlelore, Sabaton, Equilibrium, Anathema, Moonspell, Amon Amarth, Europe....not all of these delivered, i.e. it was the worst time I've seen Moonspell, and COF obviously got cut short, but looking at that line up on page, and love for them to have another fest like that.

Although 2014 was the most fun Bloodstock I've been to, because of the company and the fact we did VIP then, had an awesome time, but the 2009 line up was stronger.

Worst line up has gotta be 2015, the only time I haven't been cos the line up was so shit - they pushed my boundaries one step too far by getting Trivicunt to headline, but even excluding them the line up was shite - the always-shit-live Rob Zombie headlining the fest, the utter dogshit Black Label Society just behind him, the DM yawn fest that is Cannibal Corpse, Sepultura still flogging their dead horse, Pro-fucking-Pain!, the always shite Nepalm Death, Ihsahn avante-garde prog wankery, etc

[Killing_time]

I'd probably go for 2012 or 2010 as the best

2015 was the worst(Open Air)

[Gandalf the Red]

2015 was extremely poor when it came to headliners/special guests, but there was enough lower down the bill for me. Especially being an old Thrasher that likes Death and Black Metal. There was even a bit of Folk.

[houston4044]

Worst day: Saturday 2011, only 1 band I'd be excited to see in Skeletonwitch (very early finish for me )

Worst year: 2007, Good headliners but very poor undercard for me.

Best Day: Saturday 2017, when I compare it to previous years, Saturday this year is better than I originally thought, Eradikator and Havok then a great run from Annihilator through to Ghost will keep me a very happy chappy (Sunday 2013 was a close second, speaking of which...)

Best year: Sunday 2013, would of seen at least 14 bands each day

[pinhead0303]

2011 would just about edge it as being the best for me.

This year is the worst to date, so bad in fact that this is the first year I've been able to go but chosen not to, not even for a day.

[Bizza]

Definitely this year, the main stage is pretty poor if you're not a fan of thrash or metalcore. If is wasn't for Blind Guardian and my friends that are going I'd probably sell my ticket.

[Warlock]

I think 2011 looks like the best overall line up, way more proper metal bands and far less mainstream American and core stuff, most metal genres covered without too much of one thing. It looks the archetypal Bloodstock line up before they started relying more heavilly on repeats and non metal bands. Just wish I went that year!
2015 is one that I probably enjoyed the most, the friday was pretty poor, and the headliners and subs weren't great (I did enjoy Rob Zombie), but there was alot of great bands lower down.
I think last year was pretty dam good for my tastes too.
I don't like to say it but this year's is looking pretty weak, there's still plenty I want to see, but not many must sees or bands I can't miss. The headliners look pretty weak with Megadeth being the biggest band, and they play over here all the time. Amon being fairly small and bumped up, but a fan favourite, Ghost being a really hyped but not that special or big band. Arch Enemy are a poor sub, ok Kreator and Blind Guardian are pretty strong. Aside from that though some very questionable bookings like Hatebreed again, Decapitated very high up, and some of the worst and most inappropriate bands I've ever seen on a Bloodstock line up (King 810, Chelsea Grin, Skindred, Broken Teeth, The One Hundred etc). Also they have got way more Thrash bands than any other genre this year, and while I love Thrash, I'd like too see some variety, and think some genres are being completely over looked. Plus the choices for some of the Thrash isn't even that good, I'd rather have Sacred Reich and Tankard to Municipal Waste and Megadeth for example. But I am very happy with Annihilator. There are just so many bands doing the European circuit at the same time that they seemed to have missed.
There's still plenty for me and a great little run on the sunday with Possessed, Obituary, Brujeria and Hell, and the Sophie stage looks pretty strong with one of the best thursdays ever, plus the Hobgoblin stage looks pretty good, so guess these things make up for it and I'm sure I'll still have an awsome time, you need some breaks right?!

[houston4044]

In terms of the main stage, 2017 is by far and away actually the best year for me.

In comparison the latest two fests were close 2015 there was 16 acts, 2016 there were 13 and this year there are 18 bands I'd see. When I look at the best and worst overall years it's quite a big contrast, 2013 had 15 and 2007 had 6 acts.

When you consider that (so far) the first 2 acts on the mainstage I don't plan on seeing, that's pretty good value for money.