Musician chaplain heads to Bloodstock heavy metal festival

A heavy metal loving chaplain is heading to the Bloodstock festival this weekend where he will head up the chaplaincy team.

Mark Broomhead is a pioneer minister and has played bass guitar for numerous Christian metal and rock bands over the last two decades, including Exoria, Fire Fly, Detritus and Seventh Angel.

He will be leading the 15-strong welfare group at the Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival from Friday to Sunday. Bloodstock, now in its tenth year, is one of the UK's largest independent heavy metal festivals, hosting more than 80 bands across three stages.

Broomhead, an ordained chaplain, was taken on after contacting festival organisers three years ago and asking if they needed a chaplain on the site. He has been in charge of welfare provision ever since.

“Basically we look after anyone who is not in need of hospitalisation or under threat of arrest,” he said.

“Some people lose their tents for one reason or another, for instance. We’re just there 24 hours a day for whenever people a helping hand or a chat, or a safe space to recover from a little over indulgence.”

Some 12,000 are expected to turn out for the festival, taking place at Catton Hall, Derby. The lineup includes Twisted Sister, Opeth and Children of Bodom. Festival goers can also have a go at Metal Karaoke.

Despite the setting, Broomhead is not shy about wearing his dog collar while wandering around the site.

“The collar offers instant identification and people seem to be fine with it. Bloodstock does tend to focus on the darker side of metal, and there are some openly satanic bands though there is a huge range of music. It is fantastic to be involved," he said.

Broomhead, who was ordained as a priest last year, has been leading a fresh expression of church called Sanctum at the St Barnabas Centre in Danesmoor. Its style of worship draws heavily from rock culture and the congregation has set up a small record label as part of its ministry.

Mark was recently licensed by the Bishop of Derby, Rt Rev Alastair Redfern, to start looking into a new form of church to appeal to Alternative sub cultures in Chesterfield town centre.