Slayer had been top of every Bloodstock attendee’s headliner wishlist from the moment the festival moved outdoors in 2005 but it seemed an unattainable pipe dream. However, with the booking of Motorhead in 2011 and Machine Head in 2012 suddenly it didn't feel like futile day dreaming anymore and in December 2012 came the news that the bookers had indeed achieved the unthinkable, Slayer would grace the boards in 2013. Their Sunday night headline slot was a watershed moment for the festival which saw it make the step from cult concern to major player in the market. It was also a hugely emotional affair as Jeff Hanneman had passed away just three months before. The wounds were obviously still raw and nothing was actually said from the stage, but there was not a dry eye when, during ‘Angel of death’, a huge backdrop bearing his name was unveiled. An incredibly touching moment that resonated across the field and probably alone justifies that show’s inclusion in this list (however, they were also bloody brilliant).

By Stewart Lucas