Download yells 'let there be rock!'

For those who were about to rock, were certainly in for some pretty heavy hitters this weekend with some of the biggest names in rock headlining the the 2010 Download Festival. Yet those same reasons to rock could easily have helped yet another annual ticket price hike across the board from admittance to appetite. Be it the extra 20 pence added to the price of drinks to a rather strange exclusion of the name AC/DC on the back of the official T-shirt merchandise; Download has become it's own worst enemy with it's success; now firmly planted as one of the largest and most expensive weekends of the festival calendar.

However, every cloud truly does have a silver lining. With some truly massive acts playing over the 3 days, and an extra stage just for that 'one band', it was shaping up to be a brilliant year.

After a later than normal starting time, Friday kicked off at 3pm with Year Long Disaster over in the Pepsi Max tent. With a little twist, front man Daniel Davies is joined by Karma To Burn for today's performance with that ear pricking perfectly balanced, heavily laden encompassing sound becoming quite the crowd lurer for a tent band opener. The hybrid unit power through the back catalogue dropping a rouge Karma To Burn instrumental number in to further flesh out an all overpowering sound for good measure. They close with (Sabbath cover) 'Never Say Die' and leave stage left with heads held high. A perfect performance to open a festival.

Over at the hugely over packed Red Bull stage, Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders provided perhaps a more 'Foo curious' crowd to some brilliantly upbeat and positive music. Make no mistake, this isn't heavy metal of any sort, and songs are clearly written from a front man singer/drummer perspective. Yet Hawkins has no problems with either; using his unique and snappy pace to throw off beats and fills into any moment of a track perfectly.

He openly concedes his frustration at the short 25 minute set he's been given. But as you'd expect from a man like this, optimism shines through. "This is only our first meeting, but I'd like to think of it as a good one. We'll be back again soon if you'd like us to be." Declared Hawkins before launching into aptly titled last track 'It's Over'. It's a short and sweet set in which all were clearly enjoying. Hawkins remained an energy ball demanding attention and showing further depth to the Foo Fighters' skin pounder which would be wrong to overlook. Hopefully this taster on this side of the pond can help lead to a more intimate tour run in the future.



Over on the Main 'Maurice Jones' Stage, Killswitch Engage fire into another year of arena filling carnage. Front man Howard Jones is clearly moved by organisers request for the band to fill in for last minute drop out Wolfmother. Playing a pretty standard affair in which most fans would have seen last year, the performance ends as the crowd erupts to take part in their flag ship Dio cover 'Holy Diver'. An emotional tribute to the recently passed Ronnie James Dio.

It's too easy to pigeon hole the next group into a 'super-group' category, but their live performance will do everything to prove otherwise. This is three (well,four) musicians at the top of their game, breaking all the genres and stereotyping along the way. Them Crooked Vultures were just on fire tonight. Opening with the tempo racing pace of track 'Elephants' it really doesn't take long for the packed out crowd to be swinging hips and jumping around. Extra fills and beats riddle the debut album set list from the mesmerising flails of Dave Grohl on stick duties. It's clear the Vultures' touring time has allowed the music to grow and flourish into new avenues and direction with hugely extended instrumental sections and solos padding out each track. Front man Joshua Homme comfortably retains attention with his showmanship and 'ginger Elvis' demeanour. A perfectly slow paced rendition of Album opener 'Nobody Loves me & Neither Do I' presses all the right buttons for the pressure cooker of a crowd to boil at the spine tingling explosion mid track. With all eyes on Grohl's hand in the air before it thuds back down into his kit, erupting the audience into a demented grooving madness.

Anyone dubious of their debut album can quickly become converted by the live show. Watching John Paul Jones and Homme sat peacefully on Grohl's risen drum stage whilst Alain Johannes belts out another wailing solo across the field only helps to bring the bands intimacy closer still. The set just clicks. The bands chemistry just works. They close with 8 minute epic 'Warsaw' to a field which has experienced something rather special this evening. Whether stood 20 meters or 200 from the stage, it was a sound which echoed and encompassed everything on the hallowed Donnington soil. Proving that even on such a big scale Them Crooked Vultures truly are a magic which is made all the more stronger by the sum of their parts, and hopefully here to stay.

The night's headliners have pulled out all the stops for their set. Their own stage stands adjacent to the main with inflated devil hats on top, and a runway a good 50 meters long. Festival organiser Andy Copping has spoken for years of his desire to have AC/DC grace Donington again (last time was 1991), and on it's 30th anniversary they're here once more. The stage explodes with fireworks and smoke as a steam train piles onto into view and the band emerge to the roars and cheer of 100,000 plus screaming fans. AC/DC are the complete package tonight. Angus Young constantly running around stage beaming with energy and those trademark moves we try to emulate over the years.

They play all the tracks you'd want to hear, 'Shoot To Thrill', 'Thunderstruck', and up tempo 'Let There Be Rock' with a gargantuan platform raised, confetti laden guitar solo. 'Hells Bells' sees the giant bell being lowered on-stage, to have Brian Johnson leap onto it's rope to create the opening chime. 'Whole Lotta Rosie' brings with it a tremendously large inflatable Rosie doll to straddle to stage.

The band finish tonight's perfect set with 'For Those Who Are About To Rock' and leave the stage to the biggest cheers of the weekend and a bombardment of (slightly late) fireworks. It's all you could want from the classic rockers. A stage show unrivalled by any others, with all the songs you know you love and most importantly, the perfect end to a truly great first day. Let there be rock!

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