Download 2025

[Siddey1994]

16 minutes ago, northernangel said:

Download biggest issue now is that its like they are putting two different festivals together.

One man’s issue is another man’s dream. Where else on earth could I potentially watch Anaal Nathrakh, McFly & Green Day in one single day? Beats me but newer, more diverse Download is ticking more boxes for me than ever these days.

[GlitterTea]

12 minutes ago, Siddey1994 said:

One man’s issue is another man’s dream. Where else on earth could I potentially watch Anaal Nathrakh, McFly & Green Day in one single day? Beats me but newer, more diverse Download is ticking more boxes for me than ever these days.

VERY THAT

[Spiral_Low]

55 minutes ago, RedJosh said:

R+L weren't booking extreme metal like Meshugga,Cradle of Filth, Lorna Shore, Apocalyptica, Orbit Culture, Anaal Nakarath, Svalbard, Sylosis, Alcest, Whitechapel or Sikth even in it's heaviest years or non mainstream metal like Within Temptation or Vola. All of which is there this year. It is 100% widening what it is booking, but they are adding just as much extreme stuff as they are softening the festival just the heavy is stuff is normally lower down and the other stuff at the top of the festival.

 

53 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Download now is still heavier than Reading has ever been. 

With respect guys, I said 'moving in that direction' I didn't say 'has become'. 

 

And also Reading/Leeds 2002, year before Download, booked Dillinger Escape Plan, Raging Speedhorn, Amen and Slipknot all on the main stage on their 'heavy day'. 

[DomDom1984]

I think the term "heavy day" kinda makes Andre's point there.

[Spiral_Low]

24 minutes ago, DomDom1984 said:

I think the term "heavy day" kinda makes Andre's point there.

A redundant point as I hadn't said Reading was heavier than Download, I just said Download was moving in a Reading type direction. Feel like this argument for arguments sake tbh. 

[Andre91]

Just now, Spiral_Low said:

A redundant point as I hadn't said Reading was heavier than Download, I just said Download was moving in a Reading type direction. Feel like this argument for arguments sake tbh. 

It’s not going in a Reading direction, though.

[Marka23]

1 hour ago, Spiral_Low said:

 

With respect guys, I said 'moving in that direction' I didn't say 'has become'. 

 

And also Reading/Leeds 2002, year before Download, booked Dillinger Escape Plan, Raging Speedhorn, Amen and Slipknot all on the main stage on their 'heavy day'. 

And at the time Reading was more of a rock festival 

[northernangel]

2 hours ago, DomDom1984 said:

I think the term "heavy day" kinda makes Andre's point there.

Yeah to be honest 2002, 03, 04 and St least two days that wouldn't have looked out of place at Download. 05 a d the odd other day cut it down basically because it had a new home. 06, 07 then two days almost in 08 I wouldn't say would have looked out of place. 2010 definitely had two days. Remember as well 

[firehazard]

12 hours ago, Rusty Spoon said:

I'd be surprised if this doesn't sell well. There'll be a lot of crossover between Green Day and Sleep Token fans I'd imagine. 

 

Eh? They're polar opposites. There might be Sleep Token fans that like Green Day, but less the other way round. 

[she bangs the drums]

I've just listened to Sleep Token for the first time and it sounds more like Busted or McFly than a headliner at a rock / metal festival? 

 

It doesn't sound bad, just very different than expected. 

[Andre91]

49 minutes ago, she bangs the drums said:

I've just listened to Sleep Token for the first time and it sounds more like Busted or McFly than a headliner at a rock / metal festival? 

 

It doesn't sound bad, just very different than expected. 

Come on. They sound nothing like either of those bands. There’s nothing ‘pop punk’ about them. 

[Siddey1994]

7 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Come on. They sound nothing like either of those bands. There’s nothing ‘pop punk’ about them. 

Typical logic, if there’s any mildly commercial elements to metal music it may as well be Adele to some people.

[Chavmeisterdeluxe]

1 hour ago, she bangs the drums said:

I've just listened to Sleep Token for the first time and it sounds more like Busted or McFly than a headliner at a rock / metal festival? 

 

It doesn't sound bad, just very different than expected. 

Woeful take, Green Day sound more like those bands than Sleep Token

Edited 2 hours ago by Chavmeisterdeluxe

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, she bangs the drums said:

I've just listened to Sleep Token for the first time and it sounds more like Busted or McFly than a headliner at a rock / metal festival? 

 

It doesn't sound bad, just very different than expected. 

I get what people are saying with ST, it was only 2022 they were subbing the Avalanche tent and 2023 they subbed the FR tent to be headlining Download 2 years later. For all the times Download have refused to booked other bands going higher over the likes of Maiden even when they've done a big tour, it seems mad to them that this is now the case.

 

Andy done a piece on it because it's obvious ST have got a certain overall reaction outside of this forum and essentially he's got to do what people asked for several years ago. He's got to changes things up and said the festival will die if they don't. But it's more a case of he's got no choice because the options aren't there.

 

Giving bands spots like 3rd down the main stage would have helped as then at least they are open to broader elements and it's not just such a shock. I fully get the point that a tonne of tickets sold doesn't mean those people are attending Download, or do attend it generally whether they are similar to other bands on the bill or not. 

[firehazard]

1 hour ago, she bangs the drums said:

I've just listened to Sleep Token for the first time and it sounds more like Busted or McFly than a headliner at a rock / metal festival? 

 

It doesn't sound bad, just very different than expected. 

 

Have some of got a bet on for who can make up the most ridiculous lie about Snooze Token?

[Obsidian_Forest]

Listening to a band on the lineup called Windhand. The 2013 album Soma is some proto Master of Reality/Sabbath/Electric Wizard sh*t. Highly recommend if you like that slow dirty fuzz stuff 👌

[northernangel]

Would be fairly sure Till doing Wembley Arena November 25 rules him out.. 

[Spiral_Low]

2 hours ago, she bangs the drums said:

I've just listened to Sleep Token for the first time and it sounds more like Busted or McFly than a headliner at a rock / metal festival? 

 

It doesn't sound bad, just very different than expected. 

I wouldn't say that but they do have a big indie pop feel to some of the vocals (and Wikipedia does list that as one of their genre's).

[Chavmeisterdeluxe]

58 minutes ago, northernangel said:

Would be fairly sure Till doing Wembley Arena November 25 rules him out.. 

That seems ambitious. Are Brixton just not booking anyone who might have a rowdy crowd now they've reopened? 

[Chavmeisterdeluxe]

51 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

I wouldn't say that but they do have a big indie pop feel to some of the vocals (and Wikipedia does list that as one of their genre's).

Wikipedia could have J-Pop listed as one of their genres in a few minutes if I could be arsed. Their genres are all over the shop but pop punk isn't one of them, so they still don't sound like Busted or Mcfly 

Edited 1 hour ago by Chavmeisterdeluxe

[she bangs the drums]

Sorry if I upset some people. As I said, it doesn't sound bad, I like my initial 5-6 songs I've heard. It was just very different from the image I had in my head of them with the mask and headlining Download. It reminded me of the vocals on Don Broco.

 

I should also add, I think it's great the festival is giving someone new a chance and sounds like they have come a long way fast from headlining Radar Festival to now headlining Download. I wish them well.

[Chavmeisterdeluxe]

1 minute ago, she bangs the drums said:

Sorry if I upset some people. As I said, it doesn't sound bad, I like my initial 5-6 songs I've heard. It was just very different from the image I had in my head of them with the mask and headlining Download. It reminded me of the vocals on Don Broco.

 

I should also add, I think it's great the festival is giving someone new a chance and sounds like they have come a long way fast from headlining Radar Festival to now headlining Download. I wish them well.

He definitely sounds like Rob from Broco on certain songs when he's singing lower.

 

Their rise has been mental, mostly down to the sexy bassline in the last 90 seconds of The Summoning and young people of today wanting to f**k everything.

 

3 albums of great quality though for me 

[Spiral_Low]

9 minutes ago, Chavmeisterdeluxe said:

Wikipedia could have J-Pop listed as one of their genres in a few minutes if I could be arsed. Their genres are all over the shop but pop punk isn't one of them, so they still don't sound like Busted or Mcfly 

I didn't say it was. 

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, northernangel said:

I get what people are saying with ST, it was only 2022 they were subbing the Avalanche tent and 2023 they subbed the FR tent to be headlining Download 2 years later. For all the times Download have refused to booked other bands going higher over the likes of Maiden even when they've done a big tour, it seems mad to them that this is now the case.

 

Andy done a piece on it because it's obvious ST have got a certain overall reaction outside of this forum and essentially he's got to do what people asked for several years ago. He's got to changes things up and said the festival will die if they don't. But it's more a case of he's got no choice because the options aren't there.

 

Giving bands spots like 3rd down the main stage would have helped as then at least they are open to broader elements and it's not just such a shock. I fully get the point that a tonne of tickets sold doesn't mean those people are attending Download, or do attend it generally whether they are similar to other bands on the bill or not. 

Weird logic. ‘They haven’t done it before so why are they doing it now.’ Because times change and Download clearly is. 
 

This forum, and the Download one, mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. It’s such a tiny amount of people. The real evidence is in the anount of tickets being sold. To think a band like Sleep Token can sell 130,000+ tickets and those people won’t want to go to a festival is silly. They will. 

[Alvoram]

Svalbard ❤️

I know Serena through the roller coaster enthusiast community. She's very talented, kind, selfless and an all round fantastic person, often putting herself out to do / arrange things for others, despite her very busy life. I really enjoyed their last album, and listened to it quite a lot, but shockingly, have only seen them live through video!!! So I'm looking forward to seeing Svalbard a lot.

Try and make the effort to go and see them, it'll be worth it, I promise!