|
|
home » festivals » Download » Download Festival 2009
heaven is a place at Download on classic rock dayDownload 2009 reviewWednesday 17th June 2009 As we get nearer the site a lot of people are taking their camping gear back to their cars, no doubt hoping for a quick get away later and the main road is between the site and the car park so a rather effective man with a whistle system is in place to help the masses cross the road and also keep the traffic flowing in. When the whistle blows scores of fans race across the road all we need is a lollipop lady and the scene would be perfect, on the next whistle all stop and let the cars resume their journey.
Well today's main stage line-up is sort of heaven for me, billed as a classic rock day, I'm glad I don't have to move very far as the sun is still very much shining and very much hotter than yesterday, even with the factor 50 I feel like I'm frying. The Stone Gods kick off proceedings, for those who have been hiding away, these are a sort of reincarnation of The Darkness who I thought would have been perfect for the line up today, there is so much spandex in the audience it needs to been seen to be believed. For 11am the size of the crowd is rather impressive, The Stone Gods rattled through many hits of their debut album 'Silver Spoons and Broken Bones' including 'I'm With the Band', 'Defend or Die' and 'Burn the Witch', they also played a new track 'Going Under' to the ever growing crowd. The next band I caught were Skin who were making a comeback to Donington after 15 years, I was here then and I was singing my heart out today. Neville and the boys pulled off an amazing performance, it was like they'd never been away. Right from 'Money' their opening track you wouldn't believe that these guys had only seen each other for 2 weeks in 12 years.
Money House of Love Take Me Down to the River Look But Don't Touch Tower of Strength Unbelievable (EMF Cover) Like I say I am in Heaven today, I almost feel like I am too as it's so hot I must be closer to the sun than usual, can I endure the sweating crowd for Journey, hell yeah let's go. There must be times like today when lead singer Arnel Pineda can't believe his luck, one day he posts videos of him singing Journey cover versions, next day he’s there new lead singer, absolute fairy tale. I wasn't too sure how they’d be received by the Download crowd but after a damn good sing along to 'Don't Stop Believing' I had every faith in them getting a standing ovation had any of the crowd actually been sat down.
These were some mean pussycats on stage, Steel Panther had arrived, I almost felt bad for thinking about how good front man Michael Starr (real name Ralph Saenz) looked in his figure hugging leggings. The Panthers know how to have a good time and I wouldn't like to estimate how many people tried to wedge themselves inside the canvas walls to join the party, the banter was great, the atmosphere was great and the music well to be honest I don't think that really mattered.
And on with some Sparkle, you forget just how many hits Def Leppard have had until they start rattling through them in was is to be a mammoth 1 hour 45 minute set, their opening number 'Rocket' seemed to definitely do the trick it was like a stick of dynamite racing through the crowd, Joe Elliott was his steadfast self, leaping around the stage and getting the crowd hyped up. There will be serious sales of lighter fluid tomorrow, as with Whitesnake earlier the cigarette lighters are back for tracks like 'Two Steps Behind' and 'When Love and Hate Collide'.
The full set list was: Rocket Action C'mon, C'mon Make Love Like a Man Too Late for Love Nine Lives Love Bites Rock On Two Steps Behind Bringing on the Heartbreak Switch 625 Hysteria Animal Armageddon it Photograph Pour Some Sugar on Me Rock Of Ages When Love and Hate Collide Let's Get Rocked Time to get out the Car Par... 44 minutes, a special mention has to go out to the numpty who wasn't going to let any cars out of our car park until there were none on the main road... genius, especially as all the taxis and cars coming to the pick up point were coming in. It took 6 members of staff to realise why a few of us were getting a little upset, but hey what do we know we are only the punters that pay their wages. I did find it strange though how they suddenly started filtering the traffic after the guy at the front of our queue, kindly stated he would put his foot down even if the car park attendant didn't move. I can honestly say that I do feel that the staff in the car parks at every major festival I have attended do let the whole event down, they clearly are by no means trained how to deal with the flow of traffic, I appreciate the roads will become saturated at some point but even so a little common sense wouldn't go a miss... rant over. Donington - see you next year. review by Julie Weston photos by Luke Seagrave
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
eFestivals is 
