LIVE REVIEW: Bloodstock 2012 Thursday night Bloodshot Dawn and Viking Skull

Day zero – Thursday 9th August 2012

Words: Band review by Gary Lukes with intro by Antony Roberts

Photos: Antony Roberts

BOA 2012 has come and gone.  The weekend flew by and so much fun was had, so many friends new and old were met, so many pints were drunk, and so many voices were lost singing along to a line up straight from the pits of hell.  Between shooting and covering other gigs this week, and fulltime jobs in the daytime we’ve gathered our thoughts from this year’s spectacular festival.  Gary Lukes kicks off proceedings with the bands we got to see following our late arrival on the Thursday, with the rest of the weekend to follow shortly.  

BLOODSHOT DAWN kicks off our Bloodstock at warp speed. Blasting through thrashing (semi-melodic) death metal full of gallop and groove. Onstage, fingers burn the fretboards relentlessly and hair becomes mass maelstroms. While on the ground, the audience respond in kind; a circle pit swirling to the fury of “Godless”. The band are the perfect start, and one that has a packed tent banging their heads, raising their horns and chanting their name.

VIKING SKULL know how to get the party started, invading the Sophie Stage with their bluesy, grooving rock/metal. Never have I experienced such an urge to break a stool over the back of the nearest spectator and then slide him along the bar. It’s the sound of American West Coast sleaze and the Dirty South colliding for a an all-out brawl in a biker bar somewhere near Northampton. Tracks like “You Can‘t Kill Rock n‘ Roll“ getting the crowd going and keeping the beers flowing.

Head over to our facebook page for a continuing flow of crowd photos that will be going up over the next few days, starting with the Thursday night rock disco here. 

Check out our review of Friday at Bloodstock here featuring Behemoth, Watain, Iced Earth, Grand Magus and more.

Check out our review of Saturday at Bloodstock here featuring Machine Head, Orange Goblin, Nile and more.

Tickets are already on sale for Bloodstock 2013 with Anthrax already confirmed, check out the official site for more info.