heaven is a place at Download on classic rock day

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.

Temperature check, HOT, HOT, HOT!

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.

The only slip up throughout the whole set was after Neville gave their fans huge thanks he dedicated 'Tower of Love' to them which was an obvious surprise to the rest of the band who launched into 'Look but Don't Touch' after finishing that song he did make a joke about f*cking up the most important gig of his life. Skins set list was:
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.

After searching out cold bottled water, and re applying more sun cream I decide to take the steady approach to ZZ Top and sit chilling on the grass to the left of the main stage, to start with all I can hear is the Download Radio Bus, but they soon realise how loud they are and adjust their volume to an appropriate level. The first half of the set was pretty unremarkable for me, it did pick up when they played the classics, 'Gimme All Your Lovin', 'Sharp Dressed Man' and 'Legs', it was at this point I had a date with Spandex and trotted off to the Tuborg Stage.

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.

I'd caught both Whitesnake and Def Leppard on their recent tour together so was looking for ward to seeing both bands again. First up were Whitesnake who opened with 'Best Years' David Coverdale had plenty to say but some of it seemed a little too staged as he said exactly the same lines on their recent tour, now I know Whitesnake are getting on a bit but surely then remember how to ad-lib. Throughout the set were several wave your cigarette lighter in the air moments including to 'The Deeper the Love', 'Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City' and 'Here I Go Again'. As the band were leaving the stage 'We Wish You Well' was played out to the audience.

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 loudest cheer of the night definitely went to drummer Rick Allen, Elliott spoke about the last time Def Leppard played Donington, and unbelievable 23 years ago, that was also the first gig Allen played since losing his left arm and how 'the boy at the back' had his spiritual rebirth at Donington. Elliott actively encouraged Allen to lap up the attention before saying, "so before he starts f*cking blubbing all over his cymbals, he's going to introduce the next song" which was indeed 'Rock of Ages'. Def Leppard tonight have rocked all ages and I think Allen is an inspiration to many others out there and I can't think of a better way to end Download Festival 2009. As I walked backed to the car I was still humming 'Let's get Rocked'.

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.

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