DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL DONINGTON PARK
ALTHOUGH conception was way back in 1980 and billed as Monsters Of Rock, this once one-day pleasure cruise is now a full-blown three-day rebranded extravaganza. Longer if you’re camping…
Mixed up within the 120-odd bands that appeared over the long spectacular, some completely unknown, it was quite bizarre seeing Busted headlining the Friday night Avalanche Stage, when arguably more established acts deserved that higher ranking. That same day also featured top billing for Queens Of The Stone Age on the Apex main stage with Royal Blood, Black Stone Cherry and The Struts who this year really are on top form, all bringing up the rear. As ever though, with multi-stage festivals of this size, you do tend to miss more than you actually see with many favourites clashing with other bands on other stages.
Saturday for many was about the rejuvenated Pantera, who played their first U.K. show for twenty years and topped the Opus Stage. Playing Mouth For War, paying tribute to their sadly departed band members and playing their passionate hearts out, the crowd loved them! Amongst others, support came from While She Sleeps, Tom Morello and Bleed From Within, who invited special comedic guests Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan to sing Enter Sandman. The funnymen seemed to love and, and I guess I would too.
Over on the Avalanche Stage Billy Talent held the masses. Whilst like all bands they love the big floor they do excel in a club setting, which they’ve recently done on our shores.
Back on the Apex Stage Wargasm did their thing, though I felt the female singer should have put more clothes on, The Hunna, formed back in 2015 and have four albums out did good, and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes received strong cheers also. Frontman Frank used his brains by wearing a pink jacket, hence standing out well. Babymetal, I really don’t get them at all.
Photography: ROY GOODALL.
Enter Shikari held the crowd though again not really my bag, though The Offspring on the other hand played a blinder, opening with apt Come Out And Play. With other classics like I Want You Back, Why Don’t You Get A Job, Pretty Fly, plus The Ramones cover from 1976, Blitzkrieg Bop. Really, these boys should have headlined instead of Fall Out Boy. A good band they may be, but they just don’t have the same pull, even trying the same trick by playing their big hit Sugar second tune in. Good as it is, it didn’t get as many claps as they’d like. That said, next time they play our shores a visit is worth the trip as they did do nearly two hours.
Sadly for many, whilst not all day, the rain did dampen Download with many places developing into serious mud baths, thus making trudging from various stages a serious chore.
If only large umbrellas could be erected then if it did pour down we wouldn’t be bogged down with muck and mess.
WORDS & PICTURE: ROY GOODALL.
