Download 2016

[DomDom1984]

Realised I hadn't said anything yet. So here goes.

Can only echo the things said about doing something about the rain. Obviously can't help the weather but they can help the punters and they didn't do that nearly enough. On the subject of security, lots of folk seemed to dislike them, but I was okay with them and actually had a good rapport with the guys outside the Ready to Rock section. Guys from Ireland or N.I. and shared some banter on the way past usually. The bands...

Basically stayed at main stage all day. Royal Republic were good fun I guess. Alien Ant Farm provided my first singalong of the weekend which is always good, but Killswitch Engage were properly brilliant. A cracking setlist choice from them as well, and they really got us going.

Babymetal were before them, and they were a pretty controversial choice. I really liked them.

Korn were absolutely astonishing and very nearly stole the whole weekend with an absolutely crushing set. Helped that the crowd were up for it in a big way. Rammstein didn't top them music wise mainly down to what seemed to be pretty bad sound trouble at times which was off putting, but they put on a hell of a spectacle regardless.

Saturday got off to a flier with Avatar and Beartooth with the opening act winning the day, before we headed off to see NXT. Went to both shows and to our tent in the gap between. Got to see all of the guys I wanted to see. Rabid crowd for it too. Amazing moment when Triple H's music hit and folk started running over to the tent from all over the place. He'd then appear on main stage after Megadave.

So would Deftones and I only saw a portion of them, but they sounded and looked like they were on ridiculous form. But it was off to see Skindred and I didn't regret it. Benji Webb is a real fun frontman and their music is just great for a bit of a move. I thought Black Sabbath were pretty shite tbh. Ended up leaving them early.

Stayed in the tent for most of the early Sunday and got to the arena for Halestorm who were good. Shinedown were a wee bit better than them but Disturbed are a band who I'm not a fan of but they really killed their set. A great sound to them. Nightwish were the opposite. Like the band, but thought they were pretty poor.

So leave it to Iron Maiden to end the weekend with the best performance of the festival. I was a bit worried about loads of new stuff and Bruce's potential poor voice, but I personally thought he sounded incredible ( better than when I seen them on Death on the Road tour actually ) and thought the band were on top form. Belting out classics like "Fear of the Dark" and "The Number of the Best" is one of life's great pleasures.

[kaip]

On 16/06/2016 at 11:05 AM, coreyt409 said:

I'd imagine they'll announce a UK tour (hopefully one like the Final Frontier shows in 2011, Cardiff was a treat! But most likely big arenas/stadiums) soon after they finish their world tour/after xmas.

I was a bit on the pissed side but I'm sure he was on about a big one off gig 

[coreyt409]

4 hours ago, kaip said:

I was a bit on the pissed side but I'm sure he was on about a big one off gig 

Maybe.. wishful thinking on my part haha!

[coreyt409]

13 hours ago, DomDom1984 said:

Realised I hadn't said anything yet. So here goes.

Can only echo the things said about doing something about the rain. Obviously can't help the weather but they can help the punters and they didn't do that nearly enough. On the subject of security, lots of folk seemed to dislike them, but I was okay with them and actually had a good rapport with the guys outside the Ready to Rock section. Guys from Ireland or N.I. and shared some banter on the way past usually. The bands...

Basically stayed at main stage all day. Royal Republic were good fun I guess. Alien Ant Farm provided my first singalong of the weekend which is always good, but Killswitch Engage were properly brilliant. A cracking setlist choice from them as well, and they really got us going.

Babymetal were before them, and they were a pretty controversial choice. I really liked them.

Korn were absolutely astonishing and very nearly stole the whole weekend with an absolutely crushing set. Helped that the crowd were up for it in a big way. Rammstein didn't top them music wise mainly down to what seemed to be pretty bad sound trouble at times which was off putting, but they put on a hell of a spectacle regardless.

Saturday got off to a flier with Avatar and Beartooth with the opening act winning the day, before we headed off to see NXT. Went to both shows and to our tent in the gap between. Got to see all of the guys I wanted to see. Rabid crowd for it too. Amazing moment when Triple H's music hit and folk started running over to the tent from all over the place. He'd then appear on main stage after Megadave.

So would Deftones and I only saw a portion of them, but they sounded and looked like they were on ridiculous form. But it was off to see Skindred and I didn't regret it. Benji Webb is a real fun frontman and their music is just great for a bit of a move. I thought Black Sabbath were pretty shite tbh. Ended up leaving them early.

Stayed in the tent for most of the early Sunday and got to the arena for Halestorm who were good. Shinedown were a wee bit better than them but Disturbed are a band who I'm not a fan of but they really killed their set. A great sound to them. Nightwish were the opposite. Like the band, but thought they were pretty poor.

So leave it to Iron Maiden to end the weekend with the best performance of the festival. I was a bit worried about loads of new stuff and Bruce's potential poor voice, but I personally thought he sounded incredible ( better than when I seen them on Death on the Road tour actually ) and thought the band were on top form. Belting out classics like "Fear of the Dark" and "The Number of the Best" is one of life's great pleasures.

This pretty much summed up my whole weekend too, almost identical, good read!!

[festiman]

Download 2016 a mixed bag

In my 15 years of doing festival I have never been to one like Drownload 2016. For me Downpour 2016 started with a customary 3 laps around the famous race circuit that made Prost, Senna and Schumacher household names. I arrived on Thursday and pitched right next to the race track. Next I went to the Arena, which was sealed off (on Thursday eve) and got chatting with a uni girl from Glasgow who was in charge of security. 15 minutes later the gates to the Arena were open to me (alone). I watched bands like Santa Cruz test the venue and as I was the only soul around I got to provide feedback and to get chatting with a few bands. When I reached my tent I found it was slightly flooded leaving me with no option but to spend the night in my car. I missed most of the action on Friday as I was working from home (technically) at 5 pm I reached the Arena and watched Korn and Rammstein. On Saturday I headed to the Arena and was at the front row to catch all the action and stayed there from Avatar to Sabbath. Megadeth + Sixx playing Anarchy in the UK was the highlight of 2016 festivals. By the time Sabbath had finished playing Paranoid I was drenched from head to toe. I headed to the campsite to find my flooded tent was missing. I was far too tired to sleep in the car so I drove to the services and a room that costs £39 on most days set me back a nice £279. Annoyed as I was I found the Arena was so wet on Sunday had it been like that on Friday Drownload 2016 would have been called off. To top it all Ghost called of their show; so I watched Napalm Death in one of the smaller tents and they were bloody amazing. Then I headed back to the Arena to watch Nightwish, which was like punishment because I don't like them. The only reason I put up with it was because of Maiden who were due to play next but this guy really turned it on

 

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by festiman

[devilman]

3 hours ago, festiman said:

Next I went to the Arena, which was sealed off (on Thursday eve) and got chatting with a uni girl from Glasgow who was in charge of security. 15 minutes later the gates to the Arena were open to me (alone). I watched bands like Santa Cruz test the venue and as I was the only soul around I got to provide feedback and to get chatting with a few bands. When I reached my tent I found it was slightly flooded leaving me with no option but to spend the night in my car.

Was dry Wed and Thursday and didn't rain till Friday lunchtime. Did you pitch in a stream?

[scrubbertheman]

Enjoyed the Gutterdamerung thing. 

Only stayed in there cos of the rain, nice surprise