Download 2022

[Xeph1995]

The problem with Biffy is they have been booked too often for a band that doesn't have that much of a pull at download to begin with, I think as a left field one off booking like Muse was it works but not now, People don't wanna see them there again and the crowd size tells you that. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by Xeph1995

[thewayiam]

4 hours ago, Xeph1995 said:

The problem with Biffy is they have been booked too often for a band that doesn't have that much of a pull at download to begin with, I think as a left field one off booking like Muse was it works but not now, People don't wanna see them there again and the crowd size tells you that. 

Pretty much yes. I can't believe they would play Wolves of winter from that album over Animal style.

For me, I don't go to Download to see Biffy Clyro, I go to see the rockier bands that I don't get elsewhere...and I go reluctantly at that.

They shouldn't have headlined in 2017, it was way too late for their music style by then and 2022 was technically only 3 Download Festivals later for a band people don't want. They were hoped by many people like KISS to have been dropped.

[rivalschools.price]

Wow! What a great weekend!

Totally broken now though. No idea how I’ll manage 4 days next year haha.

[Andre91]

Bit of a long read but I’ve put together my ratings and reviews for the bands I was last weekend. 

FRIDAY

Bury Tomorrow - 8/10. I saw them last year at Slam Dunk with the new members and didn’t think it worked as well as it could have but they were really excellent and back to their best last weekend. They’re exactly the kind of band who should be playing Main Stage. 

 

Skindred - 8/10. Benji always says ‘Never surprised, never disappointed’ and I can’t add anything more than that. The perfect festival band. 

 

A Day To Remember - 9/10. The last time I saw ADTR at Leeds 2019 was the worst I’d seen them. The sound was poor and they looked disinterested. I was right down the front at DL and the crowd was incredible, the band were more energised and when you’ve got that many hits, it’s hard not to have a great time. Really, really fun part of the day. 

 

The Ghost Inside - 9/10. This was my first time seeing them and I couldn’t have wished for much more. They were on fire. Breakdowns were crushing, singalongs were massive and the crowd was well up for it. 

 

SATURDAY 

Cassyette - 7/10. I really like her. I think she’s a great performer and her voice is fantastic. I adore her raspy speaking voice between songs and she sounds much better live than on record. I hope she continues to rise. 

 

Malevolence - 9/10. One of my favourite bands who I’ve seen countless times in the last year and it was great to see such a big crowd for them. It wasn’t as rowdy as their shows usually are but it’s a massive outdoor stage. The new material sounded massive and I think they did more than enough to justify a move to the Main Stage within the next couple of years. These guys are only going to get bigger and bigger and it’s lovely to see. 

 

Dana Dentata - 6/10. I saw her at Leeds last year walking through the tent and was captivated by her. I think she’s really, really cool and really like the style of music she makes. The only reason it’s a 6 is because of how short her set was and how much of the crowd didn’t seem to get it. She’s very interesting to watch live. 

 

Higher Power - 6/10. You know what you’re going to get with Higher Power. I actually think they sounded better with the dude from Vein. Again, such short set times doesn’t do these bands many favours. Good to see some pits opening up and an enjoyable slot. 

 

Will Haven - 6/10. I don’t know too much about them but the sound for them was great. People seemed to be losing their shit which was cool to see. I enjoyed it, however short and (not so) sweet it was. 

 

Bleed From Within - 7/10. One of the biggest fuck ups in recent memory putting them in a tent that small, especially after their Pilot triumph last year. I just about squeezed a meter into the tent to see their set. Sort it our, Download. These are the kinds of bands you should be having on your outdoor stages. They sounded brilliant but, once again, what’s the point in giving them such a short set? 

 

Deftones - 7/10. One of my favourite bands ever who I’ve never seen before; I was so excited to see them but it just felt a bit flat. I obviously enjoyed them because how can you not enjoy those songs? But I found the sound to be the worst I heard all weekend. Why were the guitars to tame!? I’ll get onto them later but KoRn in the same slot the following day really showed how massive a band in a slot like that should sound. 

 

Funeral For A Friend - 7/10. The tent was absolutely rammed. I managed to get into the middle by riding my mate’s shoulders. People were losing their minds for this band and rightly so. It was such a feel good set. Not as good as when I was them in Sheffield earlier on in the year and I didn’t think the sound was amazing but having a set full of songs like that to end your day is always going to be a good time. 

 

SUNDAY

Alestorm - 1/10. I watched half of their set from the back. They get a 1 for actually turning up and playing. The worst band, man. Utter tripe. 

 

Rise Against - 5/10. I found their set really quite dull. Plenty around me seemed to be having a good time though so that’s cool. 

 

Spiritbox - 7/10. Another fuck up by putting this band in that tent. The organisers knew how rammed it would be. I don’t care about your future piece of history you were trying to make. Plenty of people I know didn’t get to see them because they couldn’t get anywhere near the tent. It was the busiest I’ve ever seen any tent at any festival. That said, they sounded gargantuan. Courtney LaPlante is a star and she sounded unbelievable. The power in her voice, man. I was in awe the whole time. They absolutely need a Main Stage slot next year. 

 

Volbeat - 7/10. I’m not a massive Volbeat fan. In fact, I’m a very casual Volbeat fan but they’re similar to Skindred really. Always pull a big crowd, suit the festival really well and have a lot of great songs. I enjoyed the half of the set I saw after Spiritbox. Get them headlining the Second Stage next time instead of playing third down again, eh? 

 

KoRn - 10/10. The set of the weekend by some way. It’s not new news but KoRn are (and have been for quite a few years now) in the form of their lives. They are simply phenomenal live. The sound was unbelievably good. Jonathan has become a monster live. His lower register is bone-shaking these days. I mentioned it earlier but this is how crushing guitars can sound. They always pull a headline sized crowd and have more bangers than you can shake a stick at. The atmosphere for their set was electric. Once all of the dinosaur bands fully retire, they could do much, much worse than giving KoRn a full headline slot. It would go down a storm and would be thoroughly deserved. This was *the* ultimate Download Festival set. 

 

Biffy Clyro - 9/10. The most consistent live band on planet Earth. They are never anything less then a 9/10. Yes, the crowd started off small (it did get bigger) but never became huge but that didn’t impact their set. The new songs sounded incredible, the hits such as Bubbles, Mountains and The Captain were greeted with glee. All three of those guys are incredible performers and the visuals and pyro were everything a headliner set should be. It’s such a shame that a large portion of the DL crowd doesn’t even bother to give them a chance because they really are a brilliant festival headliner. I guess you smelly moshers don’t deserve The Biff, eh? I’m being slightly facetious but I do think they will continue to be booked every few years and rightly so. One of the very best bands this country has to offer. 

 

Overall, this was my second favourite Download after my first full weekend in 2017. The weather was beautiful, the company was beautiful and the general feeling of being back in that field surrounded by likeminded people was the most beautiful thing of all. There really aren’t many things like the vibe you feel with the people at a festival like Download, is there? You always feel safe and in good spirits. 

 

Very excited for next year and I can’t wait to see who plays. I just hope that there is a bit more focus on the top two stages on some younger bands, as Download is the only place can can push them on such a large scale and that is something the festival should focus and pride themselves on. 

[Andre91]

Oh, I forgot Steel Panther. 1/10 - See Alestorm. Shite. My halloumi fries were infinitely more enjoyable. 

Edited June 18, 2022 by Andre91

[Moey]

I did the full 5 days for the first time this. Utterly broken by the Sunday.

Thought Massive Wagons were great and sounded so much better for being on a larger stage rather than in a tent.

Skindred, as mentioned above, perfect festival band. Not my style of music but put on a great show and pulled a big crowd.

Those Damn Crows - loved it. Might not be everyone’s thing but was great for me.

Monster Truck - a little disappointed with their set but enjoyed nonetheless.

Tried to get in to megadeth but it just didn’t do it. Maybe as I was on the fringe of the crowd and the wind was howling.

Maiden- never enjoyed them on the prev 2 times at DL, but I actually thought this was much much better. Watched from the hill.

Powerwolf - a new find. Loved it.

Volbeat - excellent

the Darkness - one of my highlights. Never thought I’d see the Christmas song live. Just good fun.

steel Panther felt a little dated, tbh. Highlight was the lady doing sign language - she deserves a fucking medal 🏅 

one of my most enjoyable DLs. Bring on next year, whoever the bands will be 🤘

[willgooneday]

Was Maiden's crowd as dead as this video makes it look? Seems insane for people to just be standing around like that for Maiden... where the pits? Are they just further back?

Edited June 27, 2022 by willgooneday

[BenG92]

42 minutes ago, willgooneday said:

Was Maiden's crowd as dead as this video makes it look? Seems insane for people to just be standing around like that for Maiden... where the pits? Are they just further back?

Are Maiden really a mosh pit band..? I mean I get it, you can pit to anyone, but the average fan must be in their 40s by now which won't help.

[jump]

45 minutes ago, willgooneday said:

Was Maiden's crowd as dead as this video makes it look? Seems insane for people to just be standing around like that for Maiden... where the pits? Are they just further back?

Old bands attract old people. 😜

Now if they were to book a few younger bands like Turnstile on the main stage…

[willgooneday]

6 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Are Maiden really a mosh pit band..? I mean I get it, you can pit to anyone, but the average fan must be in their 40s by now which won't help.

I mean Maiden are a bit like Metallica in that there one of the few MoR bands that have massive appeal to younger generations. They were still huge when I was a teenager, and my 40th is a long way away. Look at footage of their foreign shows, the energy is much bigger - there's something off with British crowds. 

[BenG92]

6 minutes ago, willgooneday said:

I mean Maiden are a bit like Metallica in that there one of the few MoR bands that have massive appeal to younger generations. They were still huge when I was a teenager, and my 40th is a long way away. Look at footage of their foreign shows, the energy is much bigger - there's something off with British crowds. 

I mean, the third result for "iron maiden mosh pit" on Youtube is from the Netherlands in 2014 and it's embarrassing. The first result doesn't even have Maiden in it. That should tell you something. At least the Chile one looks lively.

Now try "BMTH mosh pit" and see how it looks 😅

[willgooneday]

Wrong thread

Edited June 27, 2022 by willgooneday

[Andre91]

The dream BMTH day would be packed full of younger bands: 

BMTH / Architects / Don Broco / Turnstile / Code Orange / Motionless In White / Spiritbox / Malevolence 

 

[rivalschools.price]

On 6/18/2022 at 9:00 AM, Andre91 said:

Oh, I forgot Steel Panther. 1/10 - See Alestorm. Shite. My halloumi fries were infinitely more enjoyable. 

To be fair, halloumi fries are more enjoyable than most bands so that’s quite a high bar to get over.

[Andre91]

23 minutes ago, rivalschools.price said:

To be fair, halloumi fries are more enjoyable than most bands so that’s quite a high bar to get over.

I had a halloumi wrap in the village on the Saturday night and I’m quite sure it is one for the very best things I’ve ever eaten in my life. I’ve thought about it regularly since coming home. 

[rivalschools.price]

3 hours ago, Andre91 said:

I had a halloumi wrap in the village on the Saturday night and I’m quite sure it is one for the very best things I’ve ever eaten in my life. I’ve thought about it regularly since coming home. 

Haha, I had some spicy deep fried cauliflower thingys in Glastonbury and I have been fancying them ever since.

At this stage they are the main thing I’m looking forward to getting a ticket next year for haha.

[devilman]

Ya'll halloumi n00bs need to get yourselves to the akrotiri strip in Cyprus in the 80s for a full mezzi. It's nice that halloumi is getting popular and that but what they serve you is a pale imitation of the real thing 🤣

I had a great weekend. Didn't see a bad band as luckily I avoided kiss. My Highlights were Blues Pills, Last Internationale and Spiritbox. Shame about the Biffy crowd but it did get busier as the hordes made it down from Steel Panther. I sat them out after Korn as I was gubbed. I'm glad I chose Creeper instead of deftones as the youtube vids I've seen they sound absolutely terrible. Crushing 3 way clash that was.

[NoBuses]

What beer was the co op selling this year?

[scrubbertheman]

Taken a while to come back on the forums after the massive disappointment from this year’s Download.

Maybe it’s all been said before, but I’m too lazy to doomscroll through all the previous posts.

Bloody hell it was quiet though, or was that just me? 

Getting near the front at the mainstage was not a challenge at any point.

Loads of the “other stuff” that fills the border and spaces in the arena seemed absent.

The village was just weird. I didn’t mind the container thing, but that would have been empty at the first sign of rain.  Loads of emptiness around the outside of the containers.

I had a few must-see’s at the Dogtooth Stage, but the way it was set on the hill made it really difficult to actually see the bands if you were more that 12feet away from the barrier. I can’t remember it being like that before (?), happy to be corrected on this point.

Positives though…

Didn’t queue once for a pint.

Didn’t queue once for a piss.

All the empty space in the campsite made staggering for a fence piss at 3am much easier.

 

Worse thing is, I’m dumb enough to keep lining Download’s pockets next year. Mainly because I keep seeing the 2 x Tallica rumours everywhere. Dunno if they’re substantiated anywhere or way.

 

Rant over.

[BenG92]

25 minutes ago, scrubbertheman said:

Mainly because I keep seeing the 2 x Tallica rumours everywhere. Dunno if they’re substantiated anywhere or way.

This thread and the one on the DL forum needs a stickied post with this info at this point 🤣

Source for 2x Metallica, BMTH subbed by Architects and a fourth was a user who leaked the 2021 pilot lineup 3 days in advance so it's not baseless, but as always with these things, who actually knows. 

[scrubbertheman]

18 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

This thread and the one on the DL forum needs a stickied post with this info at this point 🤣

Source for 2x Metallica, BMTH subbed by Architects and a fourth was a user who leaked the 2021 pilot lineup 3 days in advance so it's not baseless, but as always with these things, who actually knows. 

Thanks for the info! 

[Spiral_Low]

22 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

This thread and the one on the DL forum needs a stickied post with this info at this point 🤣

Source for 2x Metallica, BMTH subbed by Architects and a fourth was a user who leaked the 2021 pilot lineup 3 days in advance so it's not baseless, but as always with these things, who actually knows. 

Another on there claiming it's Metallica Thurs n Fri, Slipknot sat and BMTH sun. Gonna have a ruined rep if it's not true lol.