13. Megadeth – Ronnie James Dio stage - Sunday, August 13th – headliner!!!.

Let's go with a biggie, because you really can't call yourself a metal fan if you’re not planning on catching Megadeth. There isn’t even going to be anybody else on at the same time, so you have no excuse.

At some point in the last decade, Megadeth embraced their position as a heritage act. They dispensed with the inconsistencies that had plagued their performances in the late nineties and noughties and leaned into their legacy. The present incarnation of the band is a slick, well-oiled, and precision-engineered hit machine. Theirs’s is a back catalogue to be envied and they are not afraid to use it.

Mr. Mustaine has also gone through quite a metamorphosis. Gone is the hyper-opinionated agitator more than happy to call black-white if it goaded a reaction. What we now have is a refined elder statesman more than at ease with his history and his position.

They will close Bloodstock with an absolute bang. A feast of visuals and singalong classics. They have figured out what the masses want, and they are not afraid to give it to them. It's been a long road from snotty outcasts to living legends and there have been various missteps on the way, but Megadeth have weathered the journey well. So, strap yourself in and get ready for the headline set of the weekend.