Download 2023

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

5 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Only had half an hour to throw it together so some things are definitely off. 

Mastodon deserve that slot IMO after one of the best metal albums of 2021. Agree that the placement is weird though and I can see Architects subbing too. Agree on the others, couldn't think of good 3rd slot fits that were interesting, only bands like Trivium came to mind.

If that was the line up I’d structure it more like this: 

Friday: Bring Me The Horizon, Architects, While She Sleeps 

Saturday: Metallica, Gojira, Mastodon 

Sunday: System of a Down, Faith No More

Maybe throw Disturbed on under Faith No More. An older band headlining second against BMTH would probably be wise too, maybe Motley Crue or Judas Priest. 

[Andre91]

I’d rather Metallica didn’t play a set celebrating their weakest record.

[BenG92]

40 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

I’d rather Metallica didn’t play a set celebrating their weakest record.

You're right, it would be 20 years since St. Anger... 

[jump]

46 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

I’d rather Metallica didn’t play a set celebrating their weakest record.

That's a controversial statement. I’d probably call Death Magnetic their weakest, it’s just a redundant album in the scheme of things since it’s an okayish version of what they have done. Even as shit as Reload, St Anger or Lulu were at least there’s a purpose or an idea for them unlike Death Magnetic.

Out of the first five which everyone seems to love And Justice For All is the weakest for me, I’d bump it to 6th and bring in Hardwired as 5th. Hardwired did what I thought wasn’t possible any more and made me give a shit about new Metallica music even if it is a few songs too long.

[beetchez]

What if for 2023 they pulled a Reading and had six headliners? Would we get six actual headline-level bands or would there be a few sub-level bands marketed as "headliners".

Eg: 

Main Stage 1: SOAD/Metallica/MCR

Main Stage 2 (really just Zippo but larger): Alice Cooper/The Offspring/FFDP

Edited January 17, 2022 by beetchez

[BenG92]

1 hour ago, beetchez said:

What if for 2023 they pulled a Reading and had six headliners? Would we get six actual headline-level bands or would there be a few sub-level bands marketed as "headliners".

Eg: 

Main Stage 1: SOAD/Metallica/MCR

Main Stage 2 (really just Zippo but larger): Alice Cooper/The Offspring/FFDP

L+R did it for Covid (and it stuck) which Download obviously isn't bothering with, but let's play for fun - tricky coming up with an actual 6 co-headliners for Download that make it look worth doing

Bring Me The Horizon / The Offspring

Nine Inch Nails / Faith No More

Deftones / Korn

Something like that maybe. Days would have to be stacked with bigger-than-usual names

[jump]

I don't get the point to be honest. Acts like The Offspring or Alice Cooper would probably be 2nd stage headliners anyway and Download don't have enough headliner options to have 6 proper headliners as it is.

[BenG92]

16 minutes ago, jump said:

I don't get the point to be honest. Acts like The Offspring or Alice Cooper would probably be 2nd stage headliners anyway and Download don't have enough headliner options to have 6 proper headliners as it is.

Yeah it's tricky to pull off. L+R is quite clearly a "main main stage" and another one and it would just look silly putting Korn next to Slipknot

[jump]

3 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Yeah it's tricky to pull off. L+R is quite clearly a "main main stage" and another one and it would just look silly putting Korn next to Slipknot

It's easy enough to do put you can't just call the same 2nd stage headliners a main stage headliner all of a sudden without actually getting bigger bands, it looks too much like a shit marketing move. Like get Def Leppard to headline the other main stage whilst Metallica are on the main stage rather than just calling The Offspring a main stage headliner when they were last booked to headline the second stage anyway. However they can't really do that as there's not enough Download headliners to begin without going through them twice as fast.

 

[BenG92]

2 hours ago, jump said:

It's easy enough to do put you can't just call the same 2nd stage headliners a main stage headliner all of a sudden without actually getting bigger bands, it looks too much like a shit marketing move. Like get Def Leppard to headline the other main stage whilst Metallica are on the main stage rather than just calling The Offspring a main stage headliner when they were last booked to headline the second stage anyway. However they can't really do that as there's not enough Download headliners to begin without going through them twice as fast.

 

The main reason it doesn't work is that Download already has less bands across the first two stages than Leeds used to, so you'd have to cut say 17 bands down to 12 and make them all bigger bands with longer sets. Have Clutch start the day at 1pm, Lamb of God on at 3pm etc. which just sucks for the smaller names trying to break out

[jump]

23 hours ago, BenG92 said:

The main reason it doesn't work is that Download already has less bands across the first two stages than Leeds used to, so you'd have to cut say 17 bands down to 12 and make them all bigger bands with longer sets. Have Clutch start the day at 1pm, Lamb of God on at 3pm etc. which just sucks for the smaller names trying to break out

Why would Clutch and Lamb Of God suddenly be opening the stages?

If Download actually had enough headliners this sort of set up would work well for them as there's loads of Brixton/arena sized rawk bands who are never gonna move up the line up so it would be making the most of those bands.

[BenG92]

Just now, jump said:

Why would Clutch and Lamb Of God suddenly be opening the stages?

If Download actually had enough headliners this sort of set up would work well for them as there's loads of Brixton/arena sized rawk bands who are never gonna move up the line up so it would be making the most of those bands.

Perhaps Clutch is too far then, but not that far off. In the two main stage setup you need to reduce the overall amount of bands. Say Download has an average of 16 bands a day (2019), at best this becomes what, 12 bands? So you're looking at bands like Power Trip and Underoath to open is more like it.

[Andre91]

Bring Me The Horizon / Trivium / While She Sleeps 

Behemoth  

 

[Download presents: Knotfest UK] Slipknot / Limp Bizkit / Gojira 

Within Temptation 

 

Avenged Sevenfold / Judas Priest / Disturbed 

Sabaton

Edited February 2, 2022 by Andre91

[BenG92]

13 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Bring Me The Horizon / Trivium / While She Sleeps 

Behemoth  

[Download presents: Knotfest UK] Slipknot / Limp Bizkit / Gojira 

Within Temptation 

Avenged Sevenfold / Judas Priest / Disturbed 

Sabaton

As much as I like Slipknot I really hope they're not back yet again next year, swap that day out for a mainstage fossil act like Metallica who are long overdue to return. Call it 40 years of Metallica rather than 40 years of Kill 'Em All. 

[Alex Winstone]

I'd like to see Turnstile, Backxwash and Carpenter Brut on the undercard perhaps headlining one of the tents.

[beetchez]

Thoughts?

[Andre91]

5 minutes ago, beetchez said:

Thoughts?

I’d be inclined to swap Sabaton and to Sunday, Shikari to Friday and Gojira to Saturday, Clutch are a bit too low and I doubt Bury Tomorrow would be back on Main just one year later either. Other than that, it looks really decent. 
 

Ghostemane headlining the tent would be a fantastic booking, as would Cult of Luna. 

[beetchez]

2 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

I’d be inclined to swap Sabaton and to Sunday, Shikari to Friday and Gojira to Saturday, Clutch are a bit too low and I doubt Bury Tomorrow would be back on Main just one year later either. Other than that, it looks really decent. 
 

Ghostemane headlining the tent would be a fantastic booking, as would Cult of Luna. 

Yeah I put the undercards in weird places because Copping would prefer weekend tickets sold over day tickets.

[FeverDream]

13 hours ago, beetchez said:

Thoughts?

I’d take that. Though I don’t think Don Broco are at sub level just yet. In fact when was the last time they played Download? Seems like a band that should play a lot more often than they do. Good selection of newer bands that are still relevant creatively.

[Andre91]

Turnstile headlining the Second Stage. Make it happen. 

[JimMacVeigh]

1 hour ago, Andre91 said:

Turnstile headlining the Second Stage. Make it happen. 

I was going to say Avalanche but I’d take second stage too. Utterly breathtaking in London on Tuesday. 

[beetchez]

Not a lot of dad rock in this prediction.

[rivalschools.price]

3 hours ago, beetchez said:

Not a lot of dad rock in this prediction.

How old do you think people need to be a dad, haha.

Loads of those bands have been going over  20 years.

Reminds me of those compilation CDs they release for Father’s Day. Hawkwind, Steppenwolf ,Deep Purple and the like. Should call it grandad rock now.

[Spiral_Low]

RATM's rescheduled USA dates would support the idea of them doing European festivals next year 

I think:

RATM, SOAD, Metallica

W/ Disturbed, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Gojira, The Offspring, 

[Alex Winstone]

Dream Widow set? Dave Grohl's thrash metal band