So Venom.....

[houston4044]

Priest would be utterly wonderful but have they dropped their asking price enough?

With WT and Rob Zombie this year I can't see JP being too far out of BOA's league (although might be pushing it a tad)

[Skippy]

I dont think JP would cost too much more than a Slayer, Megadeth, or anyone else they've booked recently, but that's just a guess. If it's Slayer again I would be so disappointed. Even with the fact I dont really like them, they were very poor last time and shouldn't come back again so soon.

[Virtue]

Hi, long time metalhead, first time poster here, Just want to say I'm totally stoked for Venom! They NEVER play the UK! Last time they where in Manchester was 2005 and I missed them so its a very rare opportunity to see them as I'm not sure when they will next play. They are one of my all time fave bands and pretty much secured me a ticket for them alone, all the other bands are a bonus to me

[beenabadbunny]

I dont think JP would cost too much more than a Slayer, Megadeth, or anyone else they've booked recently, but that's just a guess. If it's Slayer again I would be so disappointed. Even with the fact I dont really like them, they were very poor last time and shouldn't come back again so soon.

For me the biggest problem with Slayer was that as far as they were concerned it was very clearly just another night on a long tour.

Even Rob Zombie suffered from the same thing a little bit this year, I thought. I thought it was a great show but he let slip that he didn't actually know he was the closing headliner for the whole festival.

Not sure what you can really do about that - logistically of course you can't expect every top-line band to come to the UK for Bloodstock alone, so there'll always be some bands for whom it really is just another night of the tour. They don't always have to make it so obvious though.

And it's possible to go too far the other way too - I don't really take it too seriously when bands say stuff like "Bloodstock, you're the best audience we've ever had because this is the best metal festival there is!" as it can sound a bit contrived.

But I think there's a happy medium and a lot of the best headliners do manage to find it. Even if this isn't a particularly special show for them, they can still recognise that it's an 'event' for the audience.

[houston4044]

For me the biggest problem with Slayer was that as far as they were concerned it was very clearly just another night on a long tour.

Even Rob Zombie suffered from the same thing a little bit this year, I thought. I thought it was a great show but he let slip that he didn't actually know he was the closing headliner for the whole festival.

Not sure what you can really do about that - logistically of course you can't expect every top-line band to come to the UK for Bloodstock alone, so there'll always be some bands for whom it really is just another night of the tour. They don't always have to make it so obvious though.

And it's possible to go too far the other way too - I don't really take it too seriously when bands say stuff like "Bloodstock, you're the best audience we've ever had because this is the best metal festival there is!" as it can sound a bit contrived.

But I think there's a happy medium and a lot of the best headliners do manage to find it. Even if this isn't a particularly special show for them, they can still recognise that it's an 'event' for the audience.

Think that comes from the mentality of the band though, bands like WT, Sabaton or Evil Scarecrow got their breaks from BOA (and have a history with the festival) so will probably see it as more than "just another gig". Bands like Slayer or Zombie have no history with BOA and have gotten to where they are without BOA so it's nothing special to them beyond another festival headline gig.

Keep in mind some bands (like Zombie) just came off a European festival tour, I'm not surprised he didn't know he was closing the fest as it's a bit much to expect he know beyond the fact he's headlining anything else about the fest. Just be glad he
A) actually named the fest right
B) was at least honest
C) Didn't do a Motley Crue and run on stage (this was at Monsters of Rock at Donington) and shout "hello London!"

[beenabadbunny]

Yeah, all good points.

I did enjoy the singer from Dark Angel repeatedly insisting that we were in Birmingham

[Haldamir319]

I wouldn't be surprised if we're getting some sort of mainstream act on the Fri (Mastodon?), Nightwish on Saturday and a 'classic' band on the Sunday? (Priest would be my preference, but there's still some variety out there).

With a headline trio that melodic, that may go some way to explain why the two subs so far are relatively heavier ones.

Random question, are Watain too big to headline second? Could easily see them playing opposite Nightwish if so.

[ocean_of_ypres]

That wouldn't be too bad, in my opinion. If there were a melodic headline, watain in main support would balance it out, so the more extreme fans get a good sizeable band on the main stage, and then maybe something more to their tastes after on the SL stage

[Bearstock]

I wouldn't be surprised if we're getting some sort of mainstream act on the Fri (Mastodon?), Nightwish on Saturday and a 'classic' band on the Sunday? (Priest would be my preference, but there's still some variety out there).

With a headline trio that melodic, that may go some way to explain why the two subs so far are relatively heavier ones.

Random question, are Watain too big to headline second? Could easily see them playing opposite Nightwish if so.

I'd like a Friday of Watain -Behemoth - Venom personally

[cthulhu]

I wouldn't be surprised if we're getting some sort of mainstream act on the Fri (Mastodon?), Nightwish on Saturday and a 'classic' band on the Sunday? (Priest would be my preference, but there's still some variety out there).

With a headline trio that melodic, that may go some way to explain why the two subs so far are relatively heavier ones.

Random question, are Watain too big to headline second? Could easily see them playing opposite Nightwish if so.

I'd like a Friday of Watain -Behemoth - Venom personally

I'd like that too.

And to answer Haladamir's question I'd say there's no chance of Watain anywhere lower than the top 4 slots of mainstage. As for headlining the whole festival, unless they radically address their headliner policy to give an extreme band a shot despite being a smaller draw (which i'd like but can't see them doing) or unless they get Cradle of Filth to come back somehow it'll not be an extreme metal headliner anytime soon.

I'm basing that off of how successful Behemoth are right now and the fact they're still special guests but i'd love for Bloodstock to prove me wrong.

[Dobbydob]

Never really followed Venom, but a popular choice no doubt. Behemoth are another band I don't really listen to outside of live performances, but I really enjoyed them at BOA last time, so could be good again. But as been mentioned by others, bit of an underwhelming announcement.
Slayer would be an awful headliner if they were anything close to last time. They looked utterly utterly bored to be there, and I know the circumstances where far from ideal, but they were worse than Rob Zombie.
Bodom could be good, they played a decent amount of old stuff last time they played and there have been seeds of recovery in the last album to promote some optimism that they might be getting back to their roots.
Priest would be amazing and a huge deal for BOA. I'd argue they'd be the biggest headliner they'll have ever had.

[someone else]

I think Venom are, bit like the Metal Ramones or Misfits, a T shirt band who's logo is more well known than their music, but being announced a year before there's enough time for people to become 'lifelong fans'.

As for Priest - I doubt they'd be the biggest, not bigger than Alice Cooper or Slayer. As a festival headliner, the attendance of High Voltage was significantly smaller than BOA when they topped the bill, but they could be expensive, as unlike a lot of potential healdiners, they are still big in America and the Euro fest trail has to compete with US arena tours and package bills which may be more lucrative.

[metaldinosaur]

Always thought of Motorhead as the fashionable t-shirt logo of choice, for fashionable t-shirt people.

Also, why is everyone one so convinced that Priest will be playing- everyone was saying it was happening last year and then... Look what we got!

I'm sure if we wait long enough, they will play one year, as their just too perfect for it. But there is no suggestion that it will be this year, is there?

[Skippy]

Also, why is everyone one so convinced that Priest will be playing- everyone was saying it was happening last year and then... Look what we got!

I'm sure if we wait long enough, they will play one year, as their just too perfect for it. But there is no suggestion that it will be this year, is there?

I'm gonna call it now, Steel Panther to headline Sunday. Priest are in a perfect position to headline, but that doesn't mean BOA will book them.

[someone else]

I've got a feeling its going to be Steel Panther aswell - I'm sure there was a 'look who we're seeing' post from BOA on FB earlier in the year, and this type of post has been an indicator in the past IIRC.