Hopefully the weather holds up this year, I didn't go last year but the weather looked absolutely horrendous, it was a scorcher when I last went in 2023 and tbh was an incredible festival.
This year I am not so sure, the headline acts aren't all that. Sleep Token might be the most promising, Vessel is a fantastic singer.
Highlights there for me are: Rise Against (best hardcore/punk band ever imo), Bullet for my Valentine, phenomenal catalogue and I reckon the Darkness will be a good laugh.
Sleeper there is Don Broco, probably one of my favourite more modern bands, got some absolute belters. Not sure if they are your thing @ProperCharlton but they have some right tunes. Manchester Super Reds No1 fan is a proper tune (weird title), Come out to LA, and especially 'You wanna Know' their back up vocalist who plays drums, Matt Donnelly might actually have better pipes than Rob Damiani. T Shirt song will also go off.
Post updates in here mate as I already have a bit of fomo cause I just love download for the experience, some good people there.
Hope you have a nice time 👍🏻
Last year was an absolute nightmare. The arena was a joke
I'm so glad I didn't go. It's one thing getting stuck in with that terrain, it's another to have to go back and camp in it.
2 years ago it was so dusty in some areas. Really hope the weather holds up this time for you mate, cause that swamp would genuinely ruin my weekend 😂
It's not too bad if you have an air BnB to return to, but is dire for camping.
We still had a laugh but then you got dickheads kicking mud at everyone on purpose then getting upset when the marine with us put two of them in a restraint hold at the same time.
Camping is class when the suns out, with last years weather I'd have been in tears mate.
Can't stand stuff like that, like the moshers who slyly hit people. Got no time for it. You can tell who's game at gigs and who's not and all that riff raff should stay among them.
First time at Donnington Monsters of Rock was 1992 as an impressionable 16 year old. Iron Maiden, Skid Row, Thunder, The Almighty... cant remember who else was on. Went back for 1995 to see Metallica again for the 3rd-4th (cant remember) on UK shores.
I haven't been to Download but a few of my friends go every year, the same guys that I went with in 1992
First time at Donnington Monsters of Rock was 1992 as an impressionable 16 year old. Iron Maiden, Skid Row, Thunder, The Almighty... cant remember who else was on. Went back for 1995 to see Metallica again for the 3rd-4th (cant remember) on UK shores.
I haven't been to Download but a few of my friends go every year, the same guys that I went with in 1992
That was the last one I went to - I’d been to every one before that - moved to the states before the 1993 one.
If anyone’s going in early on Thursday, go to see the Haunt, right at the bottom of the list. I saw them a couple of years ago at a small venue in Boston, and I’ve got tickets for the same venue where they’re heading in November. Capacity is 200, so Download is a bit of a step up, even if it is a side stage.
A few must sees on that list, but Spiritbox are top for me. Saw them a couple of months ago and they were on top form.
Watching Sleep Token explode in the last few years has been an insane experience for me. I saw them in 2019 in Manchester just after the first album came out - which was probably my favourite album of the year - and I knew they were going to be massive even then - it was so obvious, given the genre blending, incredible songwriting and the voice - but the second album didn't feel like much of a step forward and never really gained the traction I expected. Obviously, the third album went like a rocket (one of the best albums I've ever heard) and the new album has taken it up another notch even from there.
I've seen the footage of the first shows last weekend in Germany, and can confidently state anybody seeing that in Saturday will have their mind blown.
Truly the only act in the last 15 years that's made me feel like a teenager listening to them again - incredible act.
A lot of the other acts are shit, but Dayseeker are amazing (the singer's voice is next level good), Korn are a reasonable headliner, Spiritbox are the perfect festival metal band and there are a few others worth seeing (Loathe, Meshuggah, Lorna Shore, Polaris, Currents, Static Dress, Jinjer, Orbit Culture).
All that said, I ain't going because I'm working 🤣🤣🤣
I'd recommend Arctangent for people who enjoy a bit of Download. It's not their best line-up this year but a good combination of post-rock legends and mathcore lunatics at a decent bit lower cost that Download. If you can't make Download or can afford both then it's a great festival.
Comments
Can't stand stuff like that, like the moshers who slyly hit people. Got no time for it. You can tell who's game at gigs and who's not and all that riff raff should stay among them.
First time at Donnington Monsters of Rock was 1992 as an impressionable 16 year old.
Iron Maiden, Skid Row, Thunder, The Almighty... cant remember who else was on.
Went back for 1995 to see Metallica again for the 3rd-4th (cant remember) on UK shores.
I haven't been to Download but a few of my friends go every year, the same guys that I went with in 1992
I've seen the footage of the first shows last weekend in Germany, and can confidently state anybody seeing that in Saturday will have their mind blown.
Truly the only act in the last 15 years that's made me feel like a teenager listening to them again - incredible act.
A lot of the other acts are shit, but Dayseeker are amazing (the singer's voice is next level good), Korn are a reasonable headliner, Spiritbox are the perfect festival metal band and there are a few others worth seeing (Loathe, Meshuggah, Lorna Shore, Polaris, Currents, Static Dress, Jinjer, Orbit Culture).
All that said, I ain't going because I'm working 🤣🤣🤣