Download 2019

[Jericode]

I'm not saying don't have them at all, there's surely enough novelty in a 10+ year reunion to dump them on a lower stage but there's no chance they headline the main stage.

What about Queens of the Stone Age? Festival fresh since they did their own thing this year, subbed previously and have a solid back catalog to draw from.

[dentalplan]

11 minutes ago, Jericode said:

I'm not saying don't have them at all, there's surely enough novelty in a 10+ year reunion to dump them on a lower stage but there's no chance they headline the main stage.

What about Queens of the Stone Age? Festival fresh since they did their own thing this year, subbed previously and have a solid back catalog to draw from.

They would headline I think but there’s just no point in a Sex Pistols reunion now. I don’t think they look back fondly on the last one.

QOTSA should probably have been headlining this year but they’re doing their own show instead, put on by the company that does Download. I really think they’d be a good one for Download to get but if Festival Republic thinks they’d be best kept away then that’s that I guess. If it’s reconsidered then it’ll have to be next tour.

[punknotdrunk]

Without wishing to sound like a right old twat, I can guarantee you that the Pistols would attract a mega crowd. The word legends is bandied around far too much but there's a whole loada 15-25 year olds who I reckon would love a singalong to Anarchy in the UK! 10 years ago they sold out five night at Brixton Academy and tickets were going for a fortune.

I might be wrong - probably am - but as I said before, let's shake the bag up a little!

Always great to see PIL and would certainly not object to their inclusion.

I'm as fond of Queens of the Stone Age as the next man but I'd have them headlining the second stage.

[punknotdrunk]

And that's my final word on the subject of the Pistols - you'll be pleased to hear!

[Jericode]

You seem to be focusing way too much on what they could sell ten years ago. They aren't as big a draw now. PIL on a lower stage would be better off.

Give me Queens subbed by Shikari.

[punknotdrunk]

How do you know they're not as big a draw?!?! Just as much guesswork as my supposition.

But if the bookers don't get a little more creative then Download is going to become even more predictable and routine.

I was looking at the backs of t-shirts over the weekend with reproduction of line up from the last five years and it's pretty much the same bands going round and round in a time machine.

[Jericode]

Nothing wrong with festival favourites, and you other point about creativity is why I brought up headliners in the first place. They've only ever had 25 main stage headliners and there's only 12 of those who still could in my opinion. A reunion for a band who have never played the festival and haven't played anywhere for ten years probably isn't the answer is all I'm saying. I could very well be wrong but I think they'd be better off going for big bands headlining the other festivals like Foo Fighters and Green Day and promoting new headliners from the current festival favourites to make room to bring new bands in for the undercard.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Sex Pistols would headline if they reunited, no doubt about that. Slightly pointless to keep going on about booking them though when they haven't been active for 10 years. You might as well say Led Zeppelin could headline. 

In terms of 'fresh' realistic headliners they could book in the near future: NIN, Tool (done it before I know but they haven't toured the UK for ten years) QOTSA, Pearl Jam, Green Day, BMTH, Blink 182, Fall Out Boy, 30STM, Paramore- some would undoubtably go down better than others 

The likes of Architects, Ghost, Enter Shikari, FFDP, Parkway Drive that should be on their way up but need to avoid over saturation for the next couple of years. 

Then there's the old guard; Korn, Manson, Deftones etc. that aren't quite big enough but will probably end up getting the slot once Metallica, Maiden etc. have all retired. 

 

[punknotdrunk]

Wise words, Frankly Mr Shankly! I'd have no argument with any of your 'fresh' realistic headliner or your comments about Architects, Ghost et al.

[Hart Attack]

[MattysMilk]

Hoping Metallica are headlining but I think they are doing an Europe Stadium tour

[Andre91]

36 minutes ago, battleborn said:

 

Pretty sure Enter Shikari could already headline. They've been around and about for donkeys years and fairly popular. Remember them being huge when I was in college 6 years ago although it seems as though they've tapered off a bit since A Flash Flood Of Colour there last album seemed to do okay.

No they couldn’t. They aren’t anywhere near headliner size. I think they’d be an excellent sub, however. 

[Andre91]

MCR for Download 2019. 

[dannymichaels]

4 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

MCR for Download 2019. 

As much as I'd like that, I'm sure a hell of a lot wouldn't. Also MCR have no plans of reuniting.

[dannymichaels]

6 hours ago, punknotdrunk said:

That's my point, 10 years away gives them a novelty attraction that revolving Slipknot etc every other year is missing! They all still gig with side projects and they have a rip-roaring 90 minutes of classic songs. I saw them 10 years ago and they were epic. Lydon is one of the great front men.

Anyway, a more general point is that I'd like to see them thinking outside the box a little.

I think the fact that there seemed to be a fraction of the people watching the main stage on Friday night compared to Saturday night, kinda makes my point for me. Obviously GNR are a bit of an exception to most rules but bringing in an act that nobody's seen for a while is bound to refresh.

Same goes for the other stages. This was the first year I've been when, despite the weather, I found things – GNR apart – a little predictable.

Still had a great time, mind! An will no doubt be back next year!

 

 

From what I've experienced, bands that are given the push (Avenged, Biffy) or bands that aren't "metal" enough (Muse, The Prodigy) usually have mixed reactions online. 

I saw a comment saying "Def Leppard, Aerosmith and Kiss for next year. You heard it here first!" with about 20 likes. In my opinion that would be a pretty safe (aka bland as hell) announcement.

[Steve1000]

Do you not consider Maiden, Aerosmith (who are finished btw) and Rammstein to be recent years? 

Personally I don't think QOTSA at Download would be a very good idea, Muse and Biffy didn't go that well and I reckon it's because they're 'NME' rather than 'Kerrang'. Granted Queens are more alternative than those but still, they'd probably fill their undercard with Asking Alexandria's and Sleeping With Sirens', rather than the NIN's and Placebo's of the world.

[justanothername]

4 hours ago, battleborn said:

I suppose a good starting point for trying to narrow down next years headliners is to list as many bands that could feasibly headline the festival as possible that haven't done so in the past few years. So far I've got a pretty sizeable number; anyone obvious missed out? Probably?

1. Foo Fighters - If they couldn't bag them this year while at DL FR then no chance
2. Pearl Jam - Been after them for years, not got them and not starting now
3. Queens of the Stone Age - Should they? Yeah. Will they? Probably not?
4. Metallica - Depends on what the deal with the stadiums are but guessing it rules them out for now
5. Aerosmith - Didn't they do a farewell tour? So whats this 50th thing lmao, but guessing no
6. KISS - I hope not
7. Iron Maiden - One of the last old metal bands they can still milk so I guess so
8. Green Day - I don't know why these guys have never been booked but I don't see it happening 
9. The Cure - Never going to happen ever.
10. Slipknot - Yeah, I can see this happening if the album is down
11. Aerosmith - There are two of them now?
12. Muse - Didn't they do it on the Drones tour because they wanted to play fests that reflected the heavier (lmao) sound of the album. Given this recent stuff I reckon they'll probably pass
13. Rammstein - Are these guys actually still working on that album?
14. Iron Maiden - Done it again pal
15. Def Leppard - Stay away please
16. Korn - I saw these guys 3rd in 2013 and they haven't really grown since then (though I might be wrong) so I'm confused about how some people are pegging them to headline. 
17. Iggy Pop - Too small

Slightly weaker/more risky headliners

1. Bring Me the Horizon - Yeah why not and they should probably do it.
2. My Chemical Romance - Don't see why it would be that risky? Would be such a huge booking imo. 
3. Paramore - It wouldn't go down so well nowadays. Shame since After Laughter is just packed full of bangers
4. Queen + Adam Lambert - Considering that they were one of the headliners for the failed Soni I'm gonna say probably not
5. Bon Jovi - Don't see it happening. No idea why, just don't
6. Enter Shikari - Too small
7. Steel Panther - While I kind of see the appeal I detest this band. Still, DL needs more headliners and I guess they could be one to be given the push eventually but it doesn't feel like it'll happen

That's my thoughts on each of them, though I have no idea about anything really though

[dannymichaels]

1 hour ago, justanothername said:

My Chemical Romance

If they headline, and that's even if they reunite, do you think they'd go down well (or even want to return) considering they were bottled in 2007?

[Andre91]

7 hours ago, dannymichaels said:

If they headline, and that's even if they reunite, do you think they'd go down well (or even want to return) considering they were bottled in 2007?

Download is a different place now. They wouldn’t get bottled. They’d get a hero’s welcome, I am absolutely certain. 

[Matt P]

I don’t know why some people seem hellbent on wanting 3 ‘heavy’ headliners. It’s not just a metal festival.

[KingPin]

There's a new Slipknot album in the works so I think they're a nailed on act, so knowing this I'd quite like to see;

BMTH Tool Slipknot

As our 3 headliners, as Slipknot will make the festival sell, Tool are that rare legendary act and the festival would be bumping up a headliner which is something they need to start doing sooner rather than later.

[stuartmlambert]

Slayer will be in the mix as they have a new album out.

After the success of Reverance and the sell-out US tour, plus stepping up to arena-sized venues in the UK this year, Parkway Drive would be an awesome Friday night headliner. Their performance headlining the second stage on Saturday this year was absolutely 10/10. Crowd went crazy and there are plenty of anthems in their set now to get a bigger crowd singing.

My money is on Iron Maiden headlining the Sunday next year as they'll be pushing a new album.

So I'll hope for Parkway Drive (Friday), Metallica (Saturday), Maiden (Sunday).  And in the lineup I want to see Trivium, Power Trip, Savage Messiah, The Raven Age, Symphony X, Megadeth, Slayer, Paradise Lost, In Flames, Circus Maximus, Alien Weaponry.

The latter band are smashing the shit out of the charts in NZ, getting amazing write-ups so would be good to see them come over for a morning slot.

[justanothername]

11 hours ago, dannymichaels said:

If they headline, and that's even if they reunite, do you think they'd go down well (or even want to return) considering they were bottled in 2007?

That will be 12 years ago by time the next DL. Lot of time has passed and the resentment towards them will have passed. Lots of people who go to Download now will have grown up listening to them. It would be huge if DL bagged MCR next year. BVB seem to do just fine there and they're even more edgy

[justanothername]

26 minutes ago, stuartmlambert said:

Slayer will be in the mix as they have a new album out.

After the success of Reverance and the sell-out US tour, plus stepping up to arena-sized venues in the UK this year, Parkway Drive would be an awesome Friday night headliner. Their performance headlining the second stage on Saturday this year was absolutely 10/10. Crowd went crazy and there are plenty of anthems in their set now to get a bigger crowd singing.

My money is on Iron Maiden headlining the Sunday next year as they'll be pushing a new album.

So I'll hope for Parkway Drive (Friday), Metallica (Saturday), Maiden (Sunday).  And in the lineup I want to see Trivium, Power Trip, Savage Messiah, The Raven Age, Symphony X, Megadeth, Slayer, Paradise Lost, In Flames, Circus Maximus, Alien Weaponry.

The latter band are smashing the shit out of the charts in NZ, getting amazing write-ups so would be good to see them come over for a morning slot.

Slayer are on their final tour aren't they? I'm not sure when it finishes but I got a feeling that they'll be done by the end of the year. If it goes on a bit longer and into Summer fests I can see them headlining I guess.

[Andre91]

My Chemical Romance / Enter Shikari / Architects / Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes / While She Sleeps / State Champs / Milk Teeth 

Ghost / Behemoth 

Slipknot / Five Finger Death Punch / Trivium / Lamb of God / Coheed and Cambria / Code Orange / Power Trip / Cane Hill 

Within Temptation / Alestorm 

KISS / Judas Priest / Halestorm / Clutch / Amon Amarth / Arch Enemy / Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown / The Raven Age

Killswitch Engage / Gojira

 

I considered having Don Broco as a second stage headliner. 

Edited June 14, 2018 by Andre91