| Music Festival Name: | Download Festival |
| Location: | Donington Park, Leicestershire, England |
| Years Active: | 2003–2019, 2021–present |
| Dates: | May / June (2003), |
| Genre: | Hard rock, heavy metal, punk |
| Capacity: | 111,000 (in 2019) |
Download Festival is a rock festival created by Andy Copping, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 2019); Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne (since 2018) and at the Hockenheimring in Baden-Württemberg, Germany (since 2022).
Download at Donington is the most popular and has hosted some of the biggest names, including Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Slipknot, Metallica, Linkin Park, Korn, Soundgarden, Motörhead, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Def Leppard, Kiss, Judas Priest, Rammstein, Status Quo, Mötley Crüe, Journey, ZZ Top, Whitesnake, Faith No More, Guns N' Roses, and Fall Out Boy.
The Download Festival was conceived as a follow-up to the Monsters of Rock festivals which had been held at the Donington Park circuit between 1980 and 1996. The first Download Festival was created by Stuart Galbraith and co-booked by Andy Copping in 2003 in the same location.[1] [2] [3] Download was initially a two-day event, expanding to three days in 2005.
The name Download was chosen for the festival for two reasons. Downloading was a dirty word in the music industry at the time, due to file sharing, and rock is seen as a rebellious genre of music. Also Download was to be a Monsters of Rock for the 21st century and the internet would provide connectivity with its audience.
The 2003 festival tickets had a code on them, which would allow festival goers to download tracks from bands which had played. Although this idea has been dropped in subsequent years, the festival organisers have nurtured an online community through the Download Festival Forums. Initially a sounding board for the fans (and critics) of the festival, the boards have become an integral part of the festival organisation with regular contributions from festival director John Probyn and promoter Andy Copping. The forums also provide face to face feedback through the Fan Forum meetings (started in 2006) and organise the Boardie BBQ (2006 on) and the Boardie Takeover night (2009), football tournaments and a pub quiz for the R.I.P. campers who arrive on a Wednesday night.
When Download began, it took place on the Donington Park circuit infield as had Monsters of Rock. However, in 2008 developments for Formula One meant that the infield was no longer suitable as a festival site. The festival moved to the "Sunday Markets" site to the west of the circuit. Although adequate, numbers were limited and the location of the campsite meant that getting from tents to the arena was quite a hike. 2009 saw the arena move to a much more suitable location to the south of the circuit and has remained there every year since. In 2019 the capacity was 111,000.[4] Security for the festival has constantly been undertaken by professional crowd management specialists Specialized Security, although the campsite area has had various contractors throughout.
From 2009 to 2019 and returning in 2021, there has been on-site radio broadcasting from Rock Radio on 87.7FM. This RSL broadcast has aired music from festival bands, interviews and news to the festival site and the surrounding area, with the signal reaching as far as Nottingham.
The Download Dog is the official mascot of the Download Festival[5] and appears on a wide range of material related to the festival, such as tickets, stage banners, merchandise, marketing, and the official Download website.[6]
| Event | Year | Date | Headliners | TV Broadcast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003 | 31 May – 1 June | |||
| 2 | 2004 | 5–6 June | |||
| 3 | 2005 | 10–12 June | |||
| 4 | 2006 | 9–11 June | |||
| 5 | 2007 | 8–10 June | |||
| 6 | 2008 | 13–15 June | |||
| 7 | 2009 | 12–14 June | |||
| 8 | 2010 | 11–13 June | |||
| 9 | 2011 | 10–12 June | Sky Arts | ||
| 10 | 2012 | 8–10 June | |||
| 11 | 2013 | 14–16 June | |||
| 12 | 2014 | 13–15 June | |||
| 13 | 2015 | 12–14 June | |||
| 14 | 2016 | 10–12 June | |||
| 15 | 2017 | 9–11 June | |||
| 16 | 2018 | 8–10 June | |||
| 17 | 2019 | 14–16 June | |||
| CANCELLED | 2020 | 12 – 14 June | N/A | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |
| DLTV | Youtube | Online event in replacement of the cancelled 2020 event | |||
| CANCELLED | 2021 | 4–6 June | N/A | ||
| DLTV | 4–5 June | Slipknot, Linkin Park, Kiss, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Biffy Clyro and Muse | Sky Arts | TV special celebrating the best headliners from the past 10 years, replacement of the cancelled 2021 event. | |
| 18 | 18–20 June | N/A | Pilot event part of the UK COVID-19 Government events research programme | ||
| 19 | 2022 | 10–12 June | Sky Arts | ||
| 20 | 2023 | 8–11 June | Bring Me the Horizon, Metallica x2 and Slipknot | N/A | |
| 21 | 2024 | 14–16 June | Queens of the Stone Age, Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold | N/A | |
| 22 | 2025 | 13–15 June | Green Day, Sleep Token and Korn | ||
Notes:
The first Download was held on 31 May – 1 June 2003. The original headliners were Iron Maiden and Limp Bizkit, although the latter pulled out and were replaced by Audioslave. Metallica attempted to step in as headliners, but were unable to do so, owing to headlining that year's Reading and Leeds Festivals. Instead, having performed an exclusive club show in London the night before, they played an unannounced "secret slot" in the afternoon on the second stage, with no soundcheck. "Sunday belonged to Metallica," wrote Mick Middles in Classic Rock. "At 3.15 the band were fired into the heart of the festival. Before me, a nonplussed, earplugged infant was held aloft. Somehow it seemed historical. Debuting selections from St. Anger, Metallica swept into a 90-minute frenzy so irresistible that even the Hells Angels were seen clapping in wholehearted appreciation at the end. The coup was complete."[9]
Chevelle were scheduled to play the Scuzz stage on Sunday but pulled out at the last minute. Instruction, playing their second set of the festival, stepped in as the replacements.
| Saturday 31 May | ||
| Main Stage | Scuzz Stage | |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Maiden Marilyn Manson Deftones Ministry InMe Murderdolls Amen Funeral for a Friend Stampin' Ground Shadows Fall Murder One | A Reel Big Fish Taproot Sepultura Reef HIM SOiL The Hellacopters SikTh 3 Colours Red From Autumn to Ashes QueenAdreena Violent Delight Arch Enemy Chimaira | |
The 2004 edition of the festival was held on 5–6 June. Another stage was added to the festival, bringing the total to three. Seventy-two bands played over the two days. The 2004 event was also notable for several last minute hitches. First, SOiL got lost on the way to Donington and missed their main stage appearance on Saturday (they later joined Drowning Pool on stage to perform Drowning Pool's "Bodies" and their own song "Halo"). Static-X missed their slot due to a bus breakdown. On Sunday, Slayer arrived on time, but their equipment did not, leading to a slot change from the middle of the afternoon on the main stage to a later slot (and longer set) on the second stage. Slayer were replaced on the main stage by Damageplan, who were scheduled to play the second stage. Their setlist ended with a rendition of Damageplan founders Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell's most recognisable song from Pantera, "Walk."
The biggest news came from the headliners Metallica, when Lars Ulrich was rushed to hospital.[10] Taking to the stage an hour and a half late, James Hetfield explained the situation with Ulrich and the show then began with Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo playing on "Battery" and "The Four Horsemen." Slipknot's Joey Jordison played the rest of the set apart from Fade to Black which was played by Metallica's drum technician, Flemming Larsen.
The full line-up included:
| Saturday 5 June | |||
| Main Stage | Snickers "Game On" Stage | Barfly Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linkin Park Sum 41 Iggy and the Stooges The Hives The Distillers Cradle of Filth Monster Magnet Opeth The Dillinger Escape Plan | Pennywise Electric Six Wildboyz Arch Enemy Biffy Clyro Million Dead Instruction 36 Crazyfists Akercocke Viking Skull Powder D-Void The Bled | Peaches International Noise Conspiracy Ikara Colt thisGirl Roxy Saint The Glitterati Surferosa Burst Lowfive Bullet for My Valentine The Holiday Plan Hiding Place Fireapple Red | |
| Sunday 6 June | |||
| Main Stage | Snickers "Game On" Stage | Barfly Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metallica Korn Slipknot Machine Head Damageplan Soulfly Ill Niño Turbonegro Breed 77 | HIM Bowling for Soup Taking Back Sunday Slayer Life of Agony Brides of Destruction Drowning Pool Hatebreed Hoobastank Trapt Silvertide Ricky Warwick Terra Diablo | Suicide Girls Young Heart Attack Span The Sounds Dirty Americans Recover Amplifier Do Me Bad Things Danko Jones The Black Dahlia Murder Mooney Suzuki Gonga Hurricane Party Planet of Women | |
In June 2004 a two-day Download Festival was held on Glasgow Green, several days before the Donington event. This had a limited line up with only nine bands performing over a two-day period. The bands which did play included the headliners, Metallica and Linkin Park. Download Scotland also saw an appearance from the Welsh rock band Lostprophets who did not perform at Donington.
Acts which also appeared over the two days at Download Scotland were Korn, Slipknot, Iggy and the Stooges, Machine Head, the Distillers and HIM.
The running order went as follows:
Download 2005 was held again at Donington Park, on 10–12 June 2005. This festival was different from previous years as the Saturday was officially dubbed Ozzfest 2005, as well as an "Indie day" on the first day of the festival.
Billy Idol performed on the Snickers stage on the Friday night, his first UK gig after a lengthy hiatus, performing songs such as White Wedding, Rebel Yell and a cover version of Van Halen's anthem, Jump.
Feeder's frontman Grant Nicholas was so relieved the band had won the crowd over (there were concerns that they would be received badly by the traditional attendees to the festival), he decided to smash his green Fender Jazzmaster guitar after "Descend" was performed. He later said that he regretted it, but also said he kept the neck and the tremeloes, and might use what was left to make a new guitar. In a July 2010 interview with Kerrang!, it was suggested to Nicholas that he destroyed the guitar as he was frustrated at trying to win the crowd over, as their music was different from the Download demographic, but claimed himself in reply to this that he "Wanted to do the most rock and roll thing after eventually winning over the crowd". In the same interview, Nicholas said that they were "guinea pigs" at the festival as part of the organisers experiment to make it an alternative festival, but said it was a moment of the band's career he is still proud of.
Lemmy also took to the stage, with former MC5 members, and Gilby Clarke, to perform Back in the USA.
Initially, Bert McCracken of the Used and Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance were asked to perform their cover of Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie, but the former friends refused the offer to perform the cover as they had recently fallen out.
The official line-up included:
| Friday 10 June[11] | ||||
| Main Stage | Snickers Stage | Napster Stage | Snickers Bowl Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feeder Garbage Dinosaur Jr Megadeth Biffy Clyro The Others JJ72 Idiot Pilot Wednesday 13 Queen Adreena | Billy Idol The Used My Chemical Romance InMe The Bled Apocalyptica Underøath Lordi Fozzy Flogging Molly | Napalm Death Raging Speedhorn Paradise Lost A Change of Pace Hurricane Party Tokyo Dragons Colour of Fire Slunt Just a Word Crashdïet Planet of Women | Tat Ellis The Mascara Story | |
| Saturday 11 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Snickers Stage | Napster Stage | Snickers Bowl Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Sabbath Velvet Revolver HIM Anthrax Alter Bridge Bowling for Soup A The Mad Capsule Markets The Dwarves Trivium | In Flames Chimaira Lamb of God Bullet for My Valentine Meshuggah Unearth Every Time I Die Open Hand American Head Charge The Hurt Process Hondo Maclean Three Children Of Fortune | Helmet The Lucky Nine Breed 77 The Explosion Towers of London Johnny Truant The Ga Ga's The Answer Panic Cell Crucified Barbara Diamond Nights Quit Your Dayjob City on Fire S.A. Sanctuary | Reuben Days Of Worth Fastlane | |
| Sunday 12 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Snickers Stage | Napster Stage | Snickers Bowl Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System of a Down Slipknot Slayer Nightwish Killswitch Engage Papa Roach Mudvayne Society 1 DV8 | Motörhead DKT/MC5 Funeral for a Friend[12] Lacuna Coil Mastodon Shadows Fall Helmet Caliban As I Lay Dying Gizmachi Send More Paramedics The Mascara Story | Therapy? Team Sleep Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster The Dresden Dolls The Glitterati The Saints Engerica 3 Inches of Blood Still Remains No Hope in New Jersey Acidtone Henry Rollins | Electric Eel Shock The Suffrajets Johnny Panic | |
The 2006 Download Festival was held at Donington Park, England on 9–11 June. The headlining acts (Tool, Metallica and Guns N' Roses) have sales of approximately 200–250 million albums between them, more than the entire line up of 2006's V Festival.
2006 was the first time the festival was mirrored in the Republic of Ireland, as Download Festival Ireland.2006 was also by far the warmest year Download has ever had.
During the festival Korn vocalist Jonathan Davis was rushed to hospital.[13] Similar to 2004's Metallica set, Munky, Fieldy and David Silveria arrived and explained to the fans why Davis could not make it and played with guest vocalists Corey Taylor from Slipknot, Dez Fafara from DevilDriver, Jesse Hasek from 10 Years, Benji Webbe from Skindred, M. Shadows from Avenged Sevenfold, and Matt Heafy from Trivium. Lyrics from the song "Blind" were displayed on the screen for Matt Heafy. Metallica played the album Master of Puppets in its entirety in honour of its twentieth anniversary. Guns N' Roses also performed material from the long forthcoming Chinese Democracy album.
Main StageThe main stage was situated in the centre of the arena with crowd control moving around it, and was the largest of all three stages, the safety barriers used at this stage were in a T shape so as to avoid crowd crush in the middle. The stage was open-air and named in honour of the 25th anniversary of Kerrang! magazine. Down played an unannounced set on Saturday (With the laminates showing ??? in their time slot); opening up the Main Stage.[14]
Snickers StageThe Snickers Stage was situated in a tent, behind the main stage and was the second largest stage at the festival. Access to the stage was via a one-way system which attempted to spread people around the site, rather than all attempting to push through a rather small space.
Soilwork were scheduled to play on Sunday, but were replaced by DevilDriver (playing their second set of the festival).[15]
Gibson/Myspace StageThe Myspace stage was the smallest of the three and under a smaller tent. It was positioned across from the front of the main stage.
| Friday 9 June[16] | ||||
| Main Stage | Snickers Stage | Gibson/Myspace Stage | Snickers Bowl Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The All-American Rejects Atreyu InMe Clutch Fishbone Dredg Bleeding Through Gojira Throwdown Suns of the Tundra | Ginger & the Sonic Circus Backyard Babies Cathedral Engerica Bullets & Octane My Awesome Compilation Animal Alpha The Audition Art of Dying Enter Shikari Kitty Hudson | Gay for Johnny Depp Keiko SinTuition | ||
| Saturday 10 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Snickers Stage | Gibson/Myspace Stage | Snickers Bowl Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metallica Korn Trivium Avenged Sevenfold Stone Sour Alice in Chains Arch Enemy Bloodsimple Satyricon Down | Alter Bridge Opeth Within Temptation Secret Machines Billy Talent Henry Rollins DevilDriver SikTh Johnny Truant Khoma | Killing Joke Reuben Mondo Generator Louie This Is Menace 10 Years Flyleaf Manic It Dies Today Living Things Exit Ten Colon Open Bracket Stonegard My Alamo | Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly getAmped The Hedrons | |
| Sunday 11 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Snickers Stage | Gibson/Myspace Stage | Snickers Bowl Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guns N' Roses Funeral for a Friend Bullet for My Valentine Cradle of Filth Lacuna Coil In Flames 36 Crazyfists DragonForce Hatebreed Breed 77 | The Prodigy Alexisonfire Eighteen Visions Hundred Reasons Aiden Fightstar From First to Last DevilDriver Zebrahead God Forbid | Sick of it All Lordi Skindred Moneen Darkest Hour Blindside Mendeed Bring Me the Horizon Zico Chain Voodoo Six Lauren Harris Winterville Streetlight Youth I-Def-I | Viking Skull Betty Curse Evergrey | |
During the Sunday headline set of Guns N' Roses, bottles were thrown at the band. This caused problems after the band's lead singer, Axl Rose, slipped on the wet surface and a bottle hit bassist Tommy Stinson. Stinson threw his bass, hitting one of the cameramen, and left the stage. He returned after the song and apologised, but warned the crowd that if this activity continued, he would leave for good. There were some disturbances but they eventually died down, and later in the set Rose commented "I'm actually having quite a good time now! I couldn't have said that an hour ago!"[17]
On the final night, fires were started by some festival goers and police were called, arresting twelve people.[18] At around 4 am, the fire brigade arrived to put out a large fire at the gold campsite. A number of people had taken the railings that had been used to separate the campsite area from the path and used them to barricade the road to prevent the fire engines from reaching the main fire. At this point a number of police assembled in riot gear stormed the campsite. The festival director, John Probyn, posted a message on the official website stating that "About 150 people spoiled the end of what had been a great weekend for over 75,000 of us."[19]
The 2007 Download Festival took place on 8–10 June 2007.[20]
The three bands that headlined the 2007 festival were My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park and Iron Maiden. Korn's Jonathan Davis stated that the reason for the band returning in 2007 was because of his absence due to illness the previous year. He stated on the official Download Festival website, "I am so looking forward to coming to the Download Festival this year. I was heartbroken to pull out last time. So this time I am very happy to be coming back and we promise to rock the place! I will definitely make-up for missing the last one. You can expect an amazing Korn show!"[21]
Download 2007 was Dimmu Borgir's first ever festival appearance in England. Hardcore Superstar pulled out of their slot on the Tuborg stage on the Sunday because their tour bus broke down in Germany. Download 2007 featured an Indian band Parikrama. They became the first band from India to make it to Donington.
Download 2007 also featured the first band to officially perform on the Thursday of the festival. Scumface played on the Tuborg Stage during the boardie barbecue.[22]
Lamb of God's DVD Walk With Me in Hell features the band's full performance at the festival.[23]
| Friday 8 June[24] | |||
| Main Stage | Dimebag Darrell Stage | Tuborg Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| My Chemical Romance Velvet Revolver Wolfmother DragonForce Megadeth Hinder Buckcherry Zico Chain | Korn Enter Shikari Paramore Porcupine Tree Saosin From Autumn to Ashes Turbonegro Ill Niño ANJ | Suicidal Tendencies Hayseed Dixie Job for a Cowboy The Hedrons Sanctity I Was a Cub Scout The Scare Neurosonic This Et Al Cynic Fortune Drive Drive-by Argument | |
| Saturday 9 June | |||
| Main Stage | Dimebag Darrell Stage | Tuborg Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linkin Park Marilyn Manson Slayer Machine Head Bowling for Soup Thirty Seconds to Mars Aiden Shadows Fall Hellyeah Turisas | Mötley Crüe Satellite Party Biffy Clyro My Vitriol My Dying Bride Gallows Anathema As I Lay Dying Bring Me the Horizon Bloodsimple Elliot Minor Cat the Dog S.A. Sanctuary | Head Automatica Necro The Answer Silverstein Lez Zeppelin Architects Priestess Panic Cell Beyond All Reason My Alamo Damone Army of Freshmen Malpractice | |
The 2008 festival took place on 13–15 June. It had a significantly different layout to previous years: the arena area was situated in land to the west of the race track instead of the traditional race track infield area. Among numerous changes, the second stage became larger and moved from a marquee to open-air, on a tarmac car park.[25]
"I am looking forward to humiliating those little boys in little bands who think they count," declared Gene Simmons of Kiss. "We're going to blow their shit to pieces... If U2 or Radiohead are on the bill at Download, then I accept these are good bands. But they will still run for cover when Kiss take the stage, for they are in the presence of a transcendent rock force."[26]
Chris Cornell was scheduled, but cancelled his European tour to focus on a new album. Twin Method, and Finger Eleven were announced but removed from the official website's lineup. On the Friday of the festival, Kid Rock was meant to appear between Seether and Disturbed on the Main Stage but pulled out at the last minute. At first it was announced that this was due to illness.[27] Rock later claimed he left the festival grounds after becoming dissatisfied with the amenities.[28] But, the following year, Download's booker theorised that it had been due to a broken heart.[29] Rock's no-show allowed two bands following him, Disturbed and Judas Priest, to play longer sets.
The 2008 Boardie BBQ took place on the Gibson stage on Thursday 12 June and included a performance by Forever Never.[30]
| Friday 13 June[31] | Web site: Error | Drupal . 9 April 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121119034146/http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/lineup/index.aspx . 19 November 2012 . dmy-all . | ||
| Main Stage | Tuborg Stage | Gibson Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiss Judas Priest Motörhead Disturbed Seether Beat Union Black Tide | Simple Plan Rise Against Rival Schools The Subways The Fall of Troy Comeback Kid The Black Dahlia Murder Stone Gods Zebrahead | The Dillinger Escape Plan Kill Hannah Slaves to Gravity High on Fire In Case of Fire Blackhole Hostile Firewind Caimbo Rolo Tomassi Lovvers | |
| Saturday 14 June | |||
| Main Stage | Tuborg Stage | Gibson Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Offspring Incubus Bullet for My Valentine Biffy Clyro Alter Bridge Madina Lake 36 Crazyfists Job for a Cowboy Skindred Sign | HIM Ash Pendulum Ace Frehley Amon Amarth Bleeding Through Throwdown A Day to Remember The Devil Wears Prada Alesana Annotations of an Autopsy Malefice | Testament Saxon Johnny Truant Fighting With Wire Brigade Army of Freshmen The Haze Big Linda The Last Supper Trigger the Bloodshed Mexicolas Rise to Remain Verra Cruz | |
The 2009 Download Festival took place on 12–14 June at Donington Park with an estimated attendance of 120,000 over 3 days. The arena had once again changed location, this time to an open field area south of the race track which was more suitable and a shorter walking distance from the camping areas than last year.
The headliners were Faith No More (Friday), Slipknot (Saturday) and Def Leppard (Sunday).[32] Sunday had a strong classic rock themed line-up on the main stage with bands such as Whitesnake, ZZ Top and Journey, somewhat reminiscent of Monsters of Rock. This would become a recurring feature in future years. Other notable performers included Limp Bizkit, who were playing in the UK with their original line-up for the first time since 2001, Trivium returning for their third appearance and first head lining spot, Anvil, the band featured in the 2008 film Anvil! The Story of Anvil, and Steel Panther, who were making their first appearance in the UK on the Tuborg Stage. A fourth stage, the "Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage", also made an appearance at this year's festival. This stage was also present at other UK festivals, such as T in the Park in Balado, Scotland, and the Underage Festival in Victoria Park, London.
The 2009 Boardie BBQ took place in the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage on Thursday 11 June. This year the band was Attica Rage.
The Thursday night of the 2009 festival also saw the Boardie Takeover night. Four bands, three DJ's: Cyst, Dave KC and Gabber Fox, solo singers Hevs and TonsO'Fun, a stand-up and a burlesque dancer – all members of the Download Festival Forums – performed to a full house in the End Tent. These bands were Scumface (returning after a successful appearance at the Boardie BBQ in 2007), Orestea, Echovirus and headliners, Silent Descent.[33]
On Monday 18 May the festival confirmed on its official website that Camping tickets had completely sold out.[34]
On 19 May, it was revealed in an interview with Andy Copping on Music Channel Scuzz that there would be secret sets. It was later revealed the bands would be Enter Shikari and Thunder.[35]
On Wednesday 3 June, one week before the campsite opened, Download released a further 2,500 camping tickets. These limited tickets sold out within 24 hours of being released.
The winners of the "Red Bull Bedroom Jam Competition" was Gravesend-based band After the Ordeal. This set was a 'virtual gig', with the band playing live from their bedroom and this footage being streamed live onto the Main Stage at Download Festival, between Pendulum and Marilyn Manson.
The winners of the "Tuborg Battle of the bands" was Leeds punk band Acid Drop and they opened the Tuborg stage on Saturday 13 June.
The Ghost of a Thousand were scheduled to headline the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage on Saturday but the band cancelled. the Blackout stepped in to play their slot, thus giving them two slots on the festival's bill.
Slipknot's performance is available in their new DVD (sic)nesses. It was released on 28 September 2010 and served as a tribute to their late bassist Paul Gray. It was Gray's last UK gig with Slipknot before his death in May 2010.
| Friday 12 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | Tuborg Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faith No More Korn Limp Bizkit Killswitch Engage Billy Talent Staind The Blackout Hollywood Undead | Mötley Crüe Opeth Lacuna Coil Bring Me the Horizon Dir En Grey Parkway Drive A Day to Remember In This Moment Steadlür | Meshuggah Duff McKagan's Loaded Backyard Babies Voivod Enter Shikari Middle Class Rut Lauren Harris Sylosis Bleed from Within Hunting the Minotaur Sleepercurve | Blackhole New Device DissolvedIn Linchpin Don Broco The Outcry Collective White Man Kamikaze Young Guns Tripswitch The Instigators | |
| Saturday 13 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | Tuborg Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slipknot Marilyn Manson Pendulum DragonForce Down Hatebreed DevilDriver Five Finger Death Punch Ripper Owens | The Prodigy Chris Cornell You Me at Six The Answer Static-X Fightstar In Case of Fire Hardcore Superstar Symphony Cult The Crave | Anvil Architects Thunder Lawnmower Deth Man Raze General Fiasco Billy Boy on Poison Loverman S.A. Sanctuary Facecage Black Spiders No Americana Acid Drop | The Blackout This City People in Planes My Passion The Auteur None the Less 13 Riots Forever Never Serpico The Computers Japanese Voyeurs Auger Bane | |
| Sunday 14 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | Tuborg Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Def Leppard Whitesnake ZZ Top Dream Theater Journey Black Stone Cherry Skin Tesla Stone Gods | Trivium Papa Roach Buckcherry Clutch Shinedown Volbeat Karma to Burn Sevendust God Forbid Suicide Silence Trigger the Bloodshed Sacred Mother Tongue | Therapy? The 69 Eyes Sabbat Steel Panther Dear Superstar Hexes Hostile Esoterica Pulled Apart by Horses Turbowolf Violent Soho Brides | We Are the Ocean Flood of Red Exit Avenue First Strike Twin Atlantic Attack! Attack! Logan Fei Comodo Jettblack Million $ Reload Raucous Jays Fall from Grace | |
The Download Festival was confirmed to return to Donington on the weekend 11–13 June 2010, the campsites opening on 9 June. On 25 January, nine bands were announced at the official Download website, including AC/DC as one of the main stage headliners.[36] On 15 February Rage Against the Machine and Aerosmith were confirmed as the other two main stage headliners, as well as 5 more bands confirmed a few hours later.[37]
Saxon performed their 'Wheels of Steel' album in its entirety to commemorate its 30th anniversary. Download 2010 was also the 30th anniversary of rock festivals at Donington Park, since the first one – which Saxon performed at – in 1980.
It was announced on 16 May that the second stage would be renamed "The Ronnie James Dio Stage" in tribute to the singer who died of stomach cancer on the same day.[38] It was also announced that the main stage would be called the Maurice Jones Stage after the co-founder of Monsters of Rock who also died the previous year.
28 May saw 15 more bands added, and an official announcement of the Jägermeister-sponsored fifth stage, which would host acoustic acts, including bands also performing regular sets at the festival.[39] The initially announced Sum 41 cancelled, owing to drummer Steve Jocz being involved in an accident.[40] On 30 May 2010 it was announced that Wolfmother had to cancel due to illness. They were replaced by Killswitch Engage.[41]
Aside from Dio, the year was sadly memorable for other deaths. Y&T performed the Pepsi Max Stage to a jam-packed audience, marking the band's long-anticipated return to Donington after performing at Monsters of Rock in 1984. Download would be bassist Phil Kennemore's last UK show in the UK: he died from lung cancer six months later. Killing For Company drummer Stuart Cable, previously of Stereophonics, died the week of the festival, at which the band were to play.
Ratt were scheduled to play on Sunday, but cancelled due to illness of vocalist Stephen Pearcy. On 9 June, FM were announced as Ratt's replacement.
The Boardie Takeover ran for the second year in a row on Thursday 10 June.[42] It featured the bands Silent Descent, Fallen Fate, Jacknife Holiday and Cyster Scalpel, as well as singers, DJs and a burlesque dancer.
AC/DC played on an exclusive stage next to the Maurice Jones stage, allowing the band to utilise their full stadium show, as announced on 28 May. This marked the first time a headlining band brought their own stage to Donington. All headlining bands on the other stages had finished before AC/DC began. The stage was used only by AC/DC; the next day, the runway at the front was dismantled and the stage remained empty. "I took my son to see AC/DC..." recalled Saxon's Biff Byford. "Watching Angus from out in the crowd was great, and it was a rite of passage for my son."[43]
The final day saw torrential rain. "By the time Aerosmith take the stage," noted Classic Rock, "we're essentially one amorphous mud blob of an organism blinking through the mire towards the bright lights. They, on the other hand, have Steven Tyler, a man whose dress sense... makes Lady Gaga look like a vicar's wife."[44]
| Friday 11 June | ||||||
| AC/DC Stage | Maurice Jones Main Stage | Ronnie James Dio Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC/DC | Them Crooked Vultures Killswitch Engage 36 Crazyfists Unearth | Bullet for My Valentine Coheed and Cambria A Day to Remember Anathema Trigger the Bloodshed | Job for a Cowboy As I Lay Dying Tyketto Lawnmower Deth Sweethead Year Long Disaster | Devil Sold His Soul Funeral Party Heights Never Means Maybe Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders Imicus The Humour | Skin Jettblack Sondura Starseed Danny Vaughn | |
| Saturday 12 June | |||||
| Maurice Jones Main Stage | Ronnie James Dio Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rage Against the Machine Deftones Megadeth Lamb of God Five Finger Death Punch Flyleaf Atreyu Hellyeah Taking Dawn | Thirty Seconds to Mars HIM The Blackout Volbeat We Are the Fallen Cancer Bats My Passion Rolo Tomassi Sonic Syndicate Rise to Remain | Michael Monroe Skin Y&T Senser Enuff Z'nuff Halestorm Rock Sugar Genitorturers Reckless Love Sybreed Holy Grail Killing for Company Godsized | Breed 77 Glamour of the Kill Kadawatha This Is Divine Stand Up Guy No Mean City The Dead Lay Waiting The Plight Urban Voodoo Machine Revoker | Reckless Love Panic Cell The Humour The More I See Dommin Everything Burns The Blackout | |
| Sunday 13 June | |||||
| Maurice Jones Main Stage | Ronnie James Dio Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerosmith Stone Temple Pilots Motörhead Billy Idol Slash Cinderella Saxon FM Dommin | Stone Sour Airbourne Steel Panther Porcupine Tree The Dillinger Escape Plan The Damned Things Napalm Death Switchfoot August Burns Red Nonpoint 3 Inches of Blood White Wizzard | Suicidal Tendencies Zebrahead Young Guns Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Whitechapel The Jim Jones Revue Esoterica Your Demise Crime in Stereo TAB the Band The Morning After S.A. Sanctuary No Americana Ben Poole | Panic Cell Max Raptor T-34 Starseed Hearts Under Fire You And What Army Sacred Betrayal Enemo-J The Virginmarys Straight Lines Tiger Please | Ginger Wildheart Nonpoint Enuff Z'nuff DJ Clash (Scott Rowley and Alexander Milas) The Dirty Feel Ricky Warwick Taking Dawn | |
The Download Festival was confirmed to return to Donington on the 10, 11, and 12 June 2011. Linkin Park and System of a Down were the two main stage headliners officially announced, with Saturday subheadliners Avenged Sevenfold and Sunday second stage headliner Rob Zombie announced a short while later.
On 22 February, Def Leppard were announced as Friday's main stage headliner,[45] with Twisted Sister, Down, Duff McKagan's Loaded and Trash Talk also added to the line-up.
15 March saw the Darkness unveiled as the widely speculated Friday subheadliner, with Funeral for a Friend, Plain White T's, Framing Hanley and Hyro Da Hero also added. In April, the Red Bull Bedroom Jam stage and Jägermeister Acoustic stage's acts were revealed.
Wayne Static was scheduled to open up the main stage on the Sunday, but he pulled out a month prior. Masters of Reality were scheduled to perform but pulled out on 30 March and Karma to Burn were to play the second stage on Sunday but were replaced by Hyro Da Hero, thus giving him three sets over the course of the festival; the most in Download history.
Steward 0836 was manning the main stage at the festival, when he caught the attention of fans waiting for Sunday's bands to appear. Some friendly interaction led to cheers from the audience, then one of the giant stage-screens showed him making the "devil horns" gesture, which was applauded by tens of thousands of rock fans. The official Download Festival website even featured him as an artist on their site.[46] [47] [48]
| Friday 10 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Def Leppard The Darkness Alter Bridge Thin Lizzy Black Stone Cherry Duff McKagan's Loaded Puddle of Mudd CKY | Pendulum Korn Bring Me the Horizon Children of Bodom The Damned Things Anti-Flag Young Guns Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows Evaline | Danzig Times of Grace FM Hyro Da Hero Asking Alexandria Lower Than Atlantis Japanese Voyeurs Royal Republic Betraeus Sweet Savage | Modestep Envy of the State OAF The Hype Theory Don Broco Page 44 Hill Valley High Makethisrelate Kellermensch | Skindred The Last Republic The Dirty Youth Million $ Reload Obsessive Compulsive The Verses | |
| Saturday 11 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System of a Down Avenged Sevenfold Skunk Anansie Down Hollywood Undead Skindred Escape the Fate All That Remains The Devil Wears Prada | Alice Cooper Twisted Sister Cheap Trick Mr. Big Dio Disciples Clutch Dan Reed Rock Sugar The BossHoss Rise to Remain Chthonic Sacred Mother Tongue | Funeral for a Friend The King Blues Sevendust Evile Trash Talk Your Demise letlive. VersaEmerge Ghost Straight Line Stitch TRC Houston The Rods | Dangerous! Kill 21 The Dangerous Summer Dear Superstar Heights Blitz Kids Welcome Wednesday The Ocean Between Us The Morning After Dripback Fighting Wolves | Bowling for Soup Dan Reed Sons of Icarus Royal Republic Maiden uniteD Never Means Maybe Skin Intraverse | |
| Sunday 12 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linkin Park Bullet for My Valentine Disturbed The Gaslight Anthem The Pretty Reckless Bowling for Soup Madina Lake Biohazard Suicide Silence | Rob Zombie The Cult Black Veil Brides Buckcherry Turisas Gwar Kvelertak Hyro Da Hero Malefice Yashin Collapse | Frank Turner Plain White T's Silverstein Framing Hanley Deaf Havana T-34 Starseed My Darkest Days Sworn Amongst Hell Trucker Diablo Knock Out Kaine Jameson Raid | H.E.A.T. Baptized in Blood The Dead Lay Waiting Illuminatus ACODA You and What Army Floods Autumn In Disguise October File Belligerence Skeletal Damage | Dave McPherson Red, White and Blues Hyro Da Hero The Morning After Slaves to Gravity Heaven's Basement Voodoo Johnson Raven Vandelle | |
On 12 July 2011 it was confirmed via Twitter, and the Download official website that the festival would be staged in 2012 between 8–10 June. Limited early-bird tickets were put on sale on 15 July. It was announced on 10 November via BBC Radio 1 that Metallica would headline the main stage on the Saturday and also that they would be playing their self titled album in its entirety.[49] The next day Black Sabbath were announced to headline the main stage on Sunday 10 June, closing the festival.[50] On 18 November, the Prodigy was announced as the headliner for Friday 8 June.[51]
On 12 April 2012, Download Festival announced on their website, official Facebook page and official Twitter page that the main stage will be named after Jim Marshall who died a week earlier.
Due to the wet and windy conditions on the site, there was a delay in opening the arena on the Friday, resulting in the cancellation/postponement of certain performers.
American heavy metal band Machine Head reportedly broke the festival record for the most circle pits happening during one song, with a reported 29 pits happening at once.[52]
Comedian Bob Slayer, who is a regular on the comedy stage at Download, broke his neck doing a wheelie bin crowd surf stunt whilst entertaining at the festival.[53]
The line-up won an award in the 2012 UK Festival Awards, and festival director John Probyn won a "Lifetime achievement award".[54]
| Friday 8 June | |||||
| The Jim Marshall Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Redbull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Prodigy Chase & Status Machine Head Billy Talent NOFX Fear Factory | Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators Nightwish Opeth Little Angels Terrorvision The Quireboys Red, White and Blues | The Devin Townsend Project AxeWound SOiL While She Sleeps The Defiled Lawnmower Deth Hounds Absolute Power Silent Descent Impaled Existence | Cancer Bats Gallows The Safety Fire Voodoo Six Marmozets Upon a Burning Body Dive Bella Dive Reachback Dead Harts The Jellycats Broken | Yashin Skindred Breed 77 Million Dollar Reload Neonfly With One Last Breath | |
| Saturday 9 June | |||||
| The Jim Marshall Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Redbull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metallica Biffy Clyro Tenacious D Steel Panther Trivium Black Veil Brides Saxon As I Lay Dying | You Me at Six Killswitch Engage Skindred Kids in Glass Houses Theory of a Deadman Four Year Strong Lower Than Atlantis Turbonegro Ginger Wildheart Halestorm Fozzy Page 44 | The Mission The Union Corey Taylor Sylosis My Passion The Treatment Anti-Nowhere League Gun The Yo-Yos Turbowolf Don Broco Avosetta No Americana | Cockney Rejects Fearless Vampire Killers LostAlone Mallory Knox Butcher Babies ACODA Never Means Maybe I Divide Golden Tanks 4Arm Freebase Royal Cartel | Tyla The Quireboys Toby Jepson Heaven's Basement Red, White & Blues SOiL Gun Six Hour Sundown | |
| Sunday 10 June | |||||
| The Jim Marshall Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Redbull Bedroom Jam Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Sabbath Soundgarden Megadeth Lamb of God Black Label Society Anthrax Kyuss Lives! DevilDriver Stellar Revival | Rise Against Dropkick Murphys Refused Shinedown Ugly Kid Joe Sebastian Bach Rival Sons August Burns Red We Are the Ocean Black Spiders Kobra and the Lotus | Periphery Ghost Firewind Emmure La Dispute The JCQ Shadows Fall Edguy Reckless Love Heaven's Basement Feed the Rhino Skarlett Riot | William Control Hawk Eyes The Dirty Youth The Minutes With One Last Breath Kopek You and What Army Strangle Kojak Adelaide Mechanical Smile PitchBlack Kamchatka | Saint Jude Fearless Vampire Killers Furyon Mordecai Daken Voodoo Johnson Sanguine White Powder Gold | |
Five Finger Death Punch were scheduled to perform on Sunday on the Main Stage between DevilDriver and Kyuss Lives! but on 5 April they pulled out due to logistical difficulties.[55] Anthrax, who were initially set to play on the Zippo Encore Stage, were brought up to the main stage (later dubbed the Jim Marshall stage) due to Five Finger Death Punch's cancellation.
T. Mills was scheduled to perform on Saturday on the Red Bull stage but pulled out in May and also Porter Robinson, who was also set to play on the same stage on the Friday pulled out due to the recording of a new album. He was replaced by Voodoo Six.
Due to the wet and windy weather, Download did not open its Arena gates on Friday 8 June until 14:00 whilst laying down straw in the Arena and removing potentially dangerous signs and banners which could prove hazardous in high winds, meaning some of the bands were shifted around. Cancer Bats were moved from second opening band on the Jim Marshall Stage to a headline slot on the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage, with Rise to Remain and Six Hour Sundown missing out on a slot entirely. Fear Factory were also given an additional 10 minutes of performance time due Cancer Bats being relocated to a different stage and Rise to Remain being cancelled. Europe were scheduled to play the Zippo Encore stage on Friday before Little Angels, but it was announced at the last minute that they will not be able to perform due to traffic and transportation issues. Much criticism was aimed at the organisers for not preparing better as the poor weather occurred before the festival goers arrived. Also the conditions in the camping and arena meant that many fans who required disabled access were left stuck in the mud requiring help from their fellow fans to reach their destination, or even the toilets, often with little to no help from organisers.[56]
The eleventh annual Download festival was confirmed for 14–16 June 2013. Early bird tickets went on sale 15 June 2012, where a newly implemented deposit scheme was introduced; which allowed customers to pay for their ticket(s) over three payments rather than one. Iron Maiden were announced as the Saturday headliner on 20 September 2012 to commemorate 25 Years since first appearing and headlining Monsters of Rock in 1988 on Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour .[57] Rammstein let slip on the same day that they will be headlining Download on the Sunday,[58] which was confirmed by the festival organisers the following morning. Seven days later it was confirmed via Andy Copping (festival promoter) that Slipknot would be the Friday headliner.[59] From 5 November, bands started to be announced sporadically via Facebook, Scuzz TV, BBC Radio 1, Kerrang! Magazine and the personal Twitter account of Andy Copping.
Goldsboro were due to be playing at the festival, but on 19 February they confirmed they would not be able to perform. After the Burial were scheduled to perform on the Red Bull Studios stage, but pulled out on 17 May in order to focus on their new album.
On 28 May, Skin and Red, White & Blues cancelled their appearances at the festival. Both acts were to perform twice over the weekend, on the Zippo Encore and Jägermeister Acoustic stages. On 3 June, Andy Copping confirmed that Buckcherry would be pulling out of the festival and that they would be replaced by Black Star Riders.
| Friday 14 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Studios Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slipknot Bullet for My Valentine Korn Down Papa Roach Asking Alexandria Architects Rise to Remain | Black Stone Cherry Gogol Bordello 3 Doors Down Volbeat Europe DragonForce Uriah Heep Dir En Grey Monster Truck | HIM Converge Motionless in White Turisas In This Moment The Sword Hang the Bastard Patent Pending Palm Reader Emperor Chung | Fearless Vampire Killers FIDLAR The Algorithm Zico Chain Blood Command Verses Page 44 Zoax Semperfi Akord Free Fall Hammer of the Gods | We Are the Ocean Walking Papers Hear Kitty Kitty Toseland Rob Lynch Avosetta | |
| Saturday 15 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Studios Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Maiden Queens of the Stone Age Motörhead Alice in Chains Mastodon Black Star Riders Young Guns UFO | Enter Shikari Jimmy Eat World Thunder Lit Karnivool Katatonia Escape the Fate Hardcore Superstar Heaven's Basement I Divide | The Hives Kvelertak Chthonic Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats Bury Tomorrow Heart of a Coward Empress AD Walking Papers Nekrogoblikon earthtone9 Crowns Hill Valley High Broken | Last Witness Rat Attack Lonely the Brave Voodoo Six Press to Meco Searching Alaska Wounds Sky Valley Mistress Silent Screams Black Moth Astroid Boys Idiom Wild Lies Cytota | Devin Townsend Acoustic TV Buffalo Summer Crowns Straight Lines Fahran The Killing Floor The Afterparty | |
| Sunday 16 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Studios Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rammstein Thirty Seconds to Mars The Gaslight Anthem Stone Sour Parkway Drive Five Finger Death Punch Coal Chamber Cancer Bats Sacred Mother Tongue | Limp Bizkit A Day to Remember Airbourne Ghost Rival Sons Amon Amarth Masters of Reality Graveyard The Ghost Inside Hellyeah Blitz Kids | Satyricon Modestep P.O.D Newsted Red Fang Vision of Disorder Bleed from Within Hacktivist Brutality Will Prevail Little Caesar Krokodil States of Panic Bovine | Sonic Boom Six Glamour of the Kill I Am I Falling with Style Surrender the Coast The Howling Forever Can Wait Radkey Buffalo Summer Huntress Black Dogs Mordecai The First Naked Flame | Heaven's Basement Pig Iron Crash Mansion New Killer Shoes I Am I Night By Night The Graveltones Arthemis | |
The twelfth annual festival was held 13–15 June 2014. Earlybird tickets went on sale 21 June 2013. Between 4–6 November, all three main stage headliners were confirmed, along with all the sub-headliners. Linkin Park performed their debut album, Hybrid Theory album in its entirety.
Reactions to Avenged Sevenfold being announced as headliners were very mixed. After a Facebook user suggested that Dying Fetus headline the festival instead, a social media trend titled #WhyNotDyingFetus was started as a joke. However, this actually led to the band being booked to play, although not in a headline slot, and they were officially confirmed on 6 November.
To commemorate its 20th anniversary, the Offspring performed their third studio album, Smash, in its entirety. Also, their appearance marked the first time in Download history that a previous main stage headliner returned to play a lower slot (though Limp Bizkit, who were originally scheduled to headline the festival in 2003 would return in 2009 to play a lower slot).
Andy Copping confirmed via Twitter that there would be a Secret Set on the Pepsi Max Stage on the Sunday, performing in the time slot in between Crazy Town and Memphis May Fire. This transpired to be Black Stone Cherry.
On 23 May, the Main stage was renamed the Stephen Sutton stage after Stephen Sutton who died on 14 May.
The Boardie Takeover returned on Thursday 12 June and featured four bands and 2 DJs. The bands playing the Takeover are: Last Edition, Scumface, Dumbjaw & Incinery.
Joe Bonamassa was originally booked to play on the Zippo Encore Stage Saturday before Status Quo but he was moved to the Sunday Main Stage due to a double booking. Trivium were initially confirmed to be headlining the Red Bull Studios Live stage on the Sunday, but following a generally negative response from fans due to the size and limited capacity of the tent, the band was moved to Zippo Encore Stage headliner.
In Flames were scheduled to sub-headline the Zippo Encore stage on Sunday, but they were quietly removed from the line-up poster on 26 February. It was later revealed that they had cancelled all of their Summer shows to finish recording their new album. On 22 March the latest announcement was leaked by Classic Rock Magazine. Shortly after the leak, Defeater, who were scheduled to play on the Pepsi Max Stage Sunday, were confirmed to have pulled out due to their lead singer, Derek Archambault, suffering an injury and having to undergo hip replacement surgery. Danger Danger were originally confirmed, but pulled out on 7 April, claiming that bookings had been erroneously made for various dates. September Mourning were confirmed for the Pepsi Max Stage on the Friday but were removed from the lineup on 2 May (as they wished to focus on getting their sophomore album completed), they were replaced by I Am Fire. Cage the Gods also pulled out on 2 May. King 810 pulled out the day before they were due to play because their lead vocalist and bassist were arrested. Upon a Burning Body were scheduled to appear on the Pepsi Max stage on Saturday, but were forced to pull out because singer Danny Leal was taken seriously ill with an inner ear infection that meant doctors would not clear him to fly to the UK.
The unknown band 'Iceman Thesis' were subtly added to the lineup poster in the buildup to the event. They were scheduled to perform for five minutes on both the Pepsi Max and Red Bull Studios Live Stage on the Saturday at the same time. The band performed both sets as scheduled with all ten (two bands of five) member's identities hidden using balaclavas. They performed one song known as 'Return to Harmony' before leaving the stages.
| Friday 13 June | |||||
| The Stephen Sutton Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Studios Live Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avenged Sevenfold Rob Zombie Within Temptation Black Label Society Skindred Powerman 5000 Crossfaith Miss May I | The Offspring Bad Religion Flogging Molly Rival Sons The Temperance Movement The Answer Drenge Tesla Tax the Heat | Opeth Anathema Letlive. Royal Blood Quicksand The Amity Affliction Radkey Turbowolf I Am Fire No Hot Ashes | Dan Reed Network Tyketto Battlecross Baby Godzilla Huntress Lyger Drones Page 44 They Say Fall Bloody Hammers Bad Touch Goldray | Jamie Lenman The Answer Danny Vaughn New City Kings The Mercy House Mia Klose Brother & Bones | |
| Saturday 14 June | |||||
| The Stephen Sutton Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Studios Live Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linkin Park Fall Out Boy Bring Me the Horizon Killswitch Engage Bowling for Soup While She Sleeps Bury Tomorrow Fozzy Dying Fetus | Status Quo Twisted Sister The Wildhearts Monster Magnet Orange Goblin Skid Row Twenty One Pilots The BossHoss Chevelle The Dirty Youth Press to Meco | Behemoth American Head Charge The Black Dahlia Murder Vamps Blessthefall Arcane Roots Lonely the Brave Marmozets Lawnmower Deth Zoax Collibus Iceman Thesis | SikTh The Howling Malevolence Martyr Defiled New Politics Nothing More Skyharbor coldrain Chasing Cadence Sinners Highway Colt 45 Breathe in the Silence Cytota Iceman Thesis | Ginger Wildheart Bowling for Soup Anathema Toby Jepson Dave McPherson Richards/Crane Ducking Punches Enemo-J | |
| Sunday 15 June | |||||
| The Stephen Sutton Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | Pepsi Max Stage | Red Bull Studios Live Stage | Jägermeister Acoustic Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerosmith Alter Bridge Steel Panther Volbeat Joe Bonamassa Richie Sambora Buckcherry Winger Red Dragon Cartel | Trivium The Pretty Reckless Seether Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals Sabaton Sepultura Emmure We Came as Romans Skillet Kill Devil Hill Avatar | The Dillinger Escape Plan The Used Suicide Silence Against Me! Memphis May Fire Black Stone Cherry Crazy Town The Treatment Feed the Rhino Thy Art Is Murder The Graveltones The Charm the Fury Viza | Zebrahead Monuments Polar Heart in Hand Reignwolf Adelphia The Magnus Puto Create to Inspire Kid Karate Chinese Missy Life on Standby Arthemis Dead City Streets | Nick Oliveri Jon Gomm Oxygen Thief Milk Teeth VerseChorusVerse Fizzy Blood Stormbringer | |
The 2015 edition of the festival took place on 12–14 June. The top three acts on the main stage and the second stage headliner for each day were announced over 18, 19 and 20 November. Bad weather on Friday night and Saturday left the Arena, Village and campsites extremely muddy. Many tents were abandoned over night due to flooding and leaks.
On 22 March 2015, the Download Dog made an appearance at a Progress Wrestling show in London. The Dog invited the entire roster to do a show at Download 2015 but excluded the current Progress Champion Jimmy Havoc. Havoc attacked the Dog at the show. It was confirmed that Progress would do a show at Download after previously in 2014 doing three shows at the Sonisphere Festival.[60]
Following on from the Offspring's second stage appearance in 2014, Faith No More's subheadlining position marks the second time a previous main stage headliner have returned to play in a lower slot. Mötley Crüe's performance was their last ever UK festival appearance.
Several bands who pulled out of the 2014's festival returned to play in 2015, these bands include In Flames, Defeater, Upon a Burning Body & September Mourning.
The Sword were due to play on the Maverick Stage on Friday, but were removed from the line-up poster in March, later being confirmed to have pulled out. King 810 were due to play the Maverick Stage on Sunday, but pulled out on 15 May due to undisclosed reasons, just as they had done before in 2014. On 22 May, Ghost Town, who were confirmed to play on Jake's stage on Saturday, pulled out due to undisclosed reasons; they were replaced by Dub War. Antemasque were due to play on the Zippo Encore Stage on Friday, but pulled out in May, the Cadillac Three were moved up from Jake's Stage to replace them.
After many weeks of discussion surrounding the identities of two secret bands playing over the weekend, Young Guns and the Darkness were confirmed on 8 June. Babymetal also joined DragonForce on stage to perform their song "Gimme Chocolate!!".[61]
The Jägermeister Acoustic Stage will no longer be present at the festival, due to Jägermeister pulling out as a sponsor, however, bands will still perform acoustic sets, on the brand new Dog's Bed Stage. Hands Like Houses were scheduled to perform there on Friday, but the show was cancelled.
Returning for its 7th year, the Boardie Takeover took place on the Thursday night in the Doghouse Tent located within the festivals Village area. This year's bands were selected by the Takeover team, Hevs and Phil
| Friday 12 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Maverick Stage | Jake's Stage | Dog's Bed Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slipknot Judas Priest Five Finger Death Punch Clutch Lacuna Coil At the Gates Hellyeah All That Remains | Black Stone Cherry Thunder Corrosion of Conformity Modestep The Cadillac Three Blues Pills Fearless Vampire Killers Rival State | Fightstar DragonForce Sylosis Beartooth Defeater Gnarwolves Krokodil Counterparts | A Young Guns Bombus The One Hundred Decade American Fangs Allusondrugs Blood Youth The Raven Age Wild Lies God Damn E of E | Hands Like Houses Beasts Rival State | |
| Saturday 13 June | ||||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Maverick Stage | Jake's Stage | Dog's Bed Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muse Faith No More A Day to Remember Rise Against Parkway Drive Hollywood Undead Mallory Knox Funeral for a Friend Heart of a Coward | Marilyn Manson Black Veil Brides Black Star Riders Motionless in White Carcass Testament Ace Frehley Apocalyptica Malefice Geyser The Lounge Kittens | Andrew W.K. Body Count Every Time I Die Crown the Empire Northlane Upon a Burning Body Stray from the Path Hands Like Houses Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! In Hearts Wake | Hey! Hello! The Pink Slips Dolomite Minor Insomnium Purson Dub War The Struts Roam Creeper Crobot Emp | re New Years Day Love Zombies Iconic Eye | Tim Vantol Von Hertzen Brothers Crobot | |
| Sunday 14 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Maverick Stage | Jake's Stage | Dog's Bed Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiss Mötley Crüe Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators Billy Idol Blackberry Smoke Tremonti Cavalera Conspiracy 36 Crazyfists Pop Evil | Enter Shikari Lamb of God In Flames L7 Eagles of Death Metal Godsmack We Are Harlot Backyard Babies Von Hertzen Brothers H.E.A.T The Dead Daisies | Yellowcard The Ghost Inside Madball Three Days Grace The Darkness Code Orange Evil Scarecrow September Mourning Like a Storm | Suicidal Tendencies FIDLAR Chelsea Grin Butcher Babies Aaron Keylock Man with a Mission The Qemists René LaVice Trash Boat LTNT Hyena Colour of Noise Beasts Sirens in the Delta | Like a Storm Broken Chords Fearless Vampire Killers | |
At the 2015 festival, the police and the festival organizers engaged in massive technological surveillance of those who attended the festival.[62] RFID wristband and facial recognition technology were used, installed by the Leicestershire Police without notifying the public prior to the event, and compared visual scans of the festival attendees against a European criminal database. RFID wristbands were the only way to make purchases or travel across the festival grounds' zones.[63] Information about purchases were stored and sold to other marketers. Muse frontman Matt Bellamy commented on the surveillance during the band's performance of "Uprising", in which he said "Fuck Leicestershire police for scanning your faces!"[64]
The 14th annual Download Festival was held on 10–12 June 2016. All three headliners were confirmed between 19–21 October 2015 and it was confirmed that Bruce Dickinson was due to fly his Ed Force One 747-400 Jumbo Jet across Download to get to the festival. However, this didn't happen, and in fact Ed Force One flew into East Midlands airport from the opposite direction. Motörhead were due to play the Main Stage on the Friday of the festival; however, due to the death of lead singer Lemmy Kilmister on 28 December 2015, the band would no longer be playing, as confirmed by drummer Mikkey Dee.[65] On 7 February 2016, 36 more bands were added to the bill, as well as the announcement that the Main Stage would be renamed "The Lemmy Stage" in memory of Kilmister, instead of having a band replace Motörhead, it was confirmed that there would be a tribute to Lemmy, which was confirmed at the fan forum to be a 20-minute video.
Heavy rain caused the venue to flood, with some campsites suffering worse than others. The Met Office later confirmed that it could have been the wettest in the festival's history.[66] By Saturday, The Village area was mainly mud with a bit of straw laid down near the entrance to the Blue Campsite. This led to great difficulty trying to get to the main arena, as one had to walk through thick mud most of the way. Architects was scheduled to play on the Encore stage on 11 June but had dropped all of their European festival tours due to a family emergency and were replaced by Against the Current.[67]
Both Moses and Ghost were also forced to pull out of their scheduled sets on Friday and Sunday respectively due to illness on both counts.
The Maverick stage on Friday was closed out by a screening of Gutterdämmerung, coupled with a live score; described as a "rock ‘n’ roll / film / gig concept from the mind of Belgian-Swedish visual artist Bjorn Tagemose".
| Friday 10 June | ||||
| The Lemmy Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Maverick Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rammstein Korn Killswitch Engage Babymetal Alien Ant Farm Royal Republic | All Time Low Twin Atlantic Glassjaw The Amity Affliction Skillet Graveyard As Lions RavenEye | Gutterdämmerung The Wildhearts Kadavar Fort Hope Heck Zoax Puppy Hill Valley High | Raging Speedhorn InMe Savage Messiah Skinny Lister From Ashes to New Counting Days Havok Strange Bones The Amorettes Weirds In Search of Sun | |
| Saturday 11 June | |||||
| The Lemmy Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Maverick Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Sabbath Deftones Megadeth Rival Sons Atreyu Beartooth Avatar | NOFX Skindred Against the Current Juliette & the Licks Bury Tomorrow Tesseract Scorpion Child The Men That Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing Inglorious Santa Cruz | Pennywise Neck Deep Anti-Flag Escape the Fate Lawnmower Deth Danko Jones Turbowolf Black Peaks SHVPES | Municipal Waste The Shrine Cane Hill Slaves Dead | Milk Teeth Wage War Palisades Reigning Days Wearing Scars Scattering Ashes | |
| Sunday 12 June | ||||
| The Lemmy Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Maverick Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Maiden Nightwish Disturbed Shinedown Halestorm The Temperance Movement Amon Amarth Monster Truck | Jane's Addiction Billy Talent Don Broco Breaking Benjamin One Ok Rock Periphery Delain Grand Magus Whiskey Myers Buck & Evans | Saxon Gojira Electric Wizard Tremonti Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes Attila The Dirty Youth The Raven Age Wild Lies | Napalm Death Ho99o9 Good Tiger Ashestoangels Black Foxxes The Kenneths Muncie Girls The King Is Blind Witchsorrow Vukovi The Franklys | |
As confirmed by The Mirror, NXT also appeared at this years event, although where Progress Wrestling was after the bands in the campsite, WWE NXT was in the main arena, with a special stage constructed. During the event, the companies' COO and founder of NXT Triple H was awarded by Dave Mustaine the Spirit of Lemmy Award due to their friendship and working relationship.
In addition to the annual UK edition of Download Festival, it was also announced that in 2016 there would also be a Download held at the Longchamp Racecourse (fr|Hippodrome de Longchamp) in Paris on the same weekend as the UK Festival. The lineup will be similar to the UK Festival, but not identical. Iron Maiden were announced as the Friday headliner on 19 October 2015, part of their The Book Of Souls Tour. Rammstein were announced as Sunday headliners on 21 October 2015.
| Stage 1 | ||||
| Friday 10 June | Saturday 11 June | Sunday 12 June | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Maiden Deftones Gojira We Came as Romans | Korn Biffy Clyro Babymetal Saxon Apocalyptica | Rammstein Volbeat Sabaton Trivium Skillet | ||
| Stage 2 | |||
| Friday 10 June | Saturday 11 June | Sunday 12 June | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost Anthrax Avatar Beartooth | Jane's Addiction Amon Amarth One Ok Rock Mass Hysteria | Megadeth Rival Sons Children of Bodom Lofofora | |
| Stage 3 | |||
| Friday 10 June | Saturday 11 June | Sunday 12 June | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tremonti BlackRain The Raven Age Wild Lies | Twin Atlantic The Struts The Inspector Cluzo Arcane Roots Shinedown | Skindred Last Train New Years Day Strange Bones The Shrine | |
The 15th annual event took place on 9–11 June 2017. From 3 November 2016, band announcements began,[68] including the headline acts in System of a Down, Biffy Clyro and Aerosmith.
| Friday 9 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System of a Down Prophets of Rage Five Finger Death Punch Mastodon Sabaton Motionless in White Northlane | Sum 41 Good Charlotte Baroness Suicidal Tendencies Machine Gun Kelly The Raven Age Blackwater Conspiracy | Sleeping with Sirens State Champs Four Year Strong Issues Code Orange The Devil Wears Prada Astroid Boys M O S E S | Exodus The Contortionist Krokodil Lost Society Venom Prison God Damn Red Sun Rising Yonaka Otherkin Holding Absence She Must Burn | |
| Saturday 10 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biffy Clyro A Day to Remember AFI Pierce the Veil Of Mice & Men Sikth Creeper Hacktivist | Rob Zombie The Devin Townsend Project Coheed and Cambria Max and Igor Cavalera Return to Roots Kvelertak Suicide Silence Alestorm RavenEye Tax the Heat | Simple Plan The Story So Far Every Time I Die Crown the Empire Knuckle Puck As It Is The One Hundred Trash Boat Greywind Normandie | Wednesday 13 The Lounge Kittens I the Mighty Sick Puppies Casey The LaFontaines IDLES Junior BlackWaters Drones Dead Label | |
| Sunday 11 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerosmith Alter Bridge Steel Panther Airbourne In Flames The Cadillac Three Orange Goblin Fozzy | Slayer Opeth Clutch Ministry Anathema DevilDriver Red Fang The Dead Daisies Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown Broken Witt Rebels | The Dillinger Escape Plan Moose Blood Basement The King Blues Touché Amoré Dinosaur Pile-Up Dead | Blood Youth Grove Street Families Wallflower | Perturbator Like a Storm Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics Devilskin Love Zombies Fizzy Blood The Charm the Fury Stone Broken Brutai Fallen State | |
Returning for its second year, Download Festival France takes place just south of Paris the same weekend as the Donington event. So far five bands have been announced including headliners System Of A Down, Linkin Park, and Green Day the lineup reads as follows:
| Friday 9 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Main Stage 2 | Warbird Stage | Spitfire Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linkin Park Blink 182 Pierce the Veil Kvelertak | Gojira Dinosaur Jr. Raveneye Mallory Knox | Hatebreed Skinny Puppy Dagoba Dead | Nostromo Mars Red Sky The Charm the Fury The Cadillac Three | ||
| Saturday 10 June | ||||
| Main Stage[69] | Main Stage 2 | Warbird Stage | Spitfire Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Of A Down Five Finger Death Punch Epica Alter Bridge Far From Alaska | Slayer Paradise Lost Blues Pills DevilDriver Black Foxxes | Caliban Soilwork Touché Amoré Code Orange Lonely the Brave | Sólstafir The Living End Aqme Project Black Pantera | |
| Sunday 11 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Main Stage 2 | Warbird Stage | Spitfire Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Day Rancid Suicidal Tendencies Leogun | Prophets of Rage Mastodon Architects Suicide Silence Rise of the Northstar Tesseract | Carpenter Brut Kontrust Coheed and Cambria Stray from the Path Red Sun Rising | Crown the Empire Northlane Lost Society Creeper Astroid Boys | |
Download Festival Madrid is a brand new member of the rock and metal festival family, taking place in the Spanish capital. After hosting a Parisian edition of the festival for the first time last year, the iconic festival spreads its reach even further in 2017, establishing a new outpost in Madrid.
| Thursday 22 June | ||||
| Main Stage 1 | Main Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linkin Park Five Finger Death Punch A Day to Remember Code Orange | Gojira Monster Magnet House of Pain Hacktivist | Dark Tranquillity Motionless in White Touché Amoré The Charm the Fury RavenEye Kaothic | Jardin de la Croix Black Peaks Porco Bravo Lizzies Inmune Virgen | |
| Friday 23 June | ||||
| Main Stage 1 | Main Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System of a Down Cult Hamlet Myrath Bat Sabbath | Mastodon Opeth Zebrahead Skindred | Brujeria Every Time I Die Zeke Triggerfinger We Ride | Dawn of the Maya Somas Cure Against the Waves Late to Scream | |
| Friday 23 June | ||||
| Main Stage 1 | Main Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prophets of Rage In Flames Iced Earth Cobra | NOFX Ministry Kvelertak Sólstafir | Suicidal Tendancies Apocalyptica Avatar Deafheaven Phil Campbell And the Bastard Sons God Damn We Ride | Wormed Arcane Roots Blaze Out Trono de Sangre Syberia Childrain | |
The 2018 event has been confirmed for the weekend of 8, 9 & 10 June 2018. On 6 November Ozzy Osbourne was announced as the first headliner, with Avenged Sevenfold and Guns N' Roses being announced on 8 and 10 November.
| Friday 8 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avenged Sevenfold Bullet for My Valentine Volbeat Marmozets DragonForce Avatar Boston Manor | You Me at Six Hell Is For Heroes Jonathan Davis Andrew W.K. CKY Nothing More Miss May I Culture Abuse | Bad Religion The Bronx Cancer Bats Stick To Your Guns Stray from the Path Ded Employed to Serve Woes | Tesseract Napalm Death Emmure Igorrr Blessthefall Loathe Savage Messiah Gold Key Kaiser Franz Josef Helpless Cellar Darling | |
| Saturday 9 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guns N' Roses Black Stone Cherry Thunder The Temperance Movement The Struts Monster Truck Whiskey Myers The Pink Slips | Parkway Drive Babymetal Asking Alexandria L7 Bury Tomorrow Corrosion Of Conformity Lawnmower Deth Von Hertzen Brothers Powerflo | Neck Deep Mayday Parade The Maine Being As An Ocean The Fever 333 Rolo Tomassi The Faim WSTR TIGRESS The Bottom Line | Thy Art Is Murder Plini Knocked Loose Malevolence Massive Wagons SHVPES Sleep Token Higher Power Anchor Lane Death Blooms | |
| Sunday 10 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozzy Osbourne Marilyn Manson Shinedown Black Veil Brides In This Moment Hatebreed Cradle Of Filth Inglorious | Rise Against Alexisonfire Meshuggah Thrice Body Count Kreator Dead Cross Turbonegro Greta Van Fleet Starcrawler | The Hives Less Than Jake A Jamie Lenman Black Foxxes Milk Teeth Bad Cop/Bad Cop Puppy Ecca Vandal Dream State | Baroness Zeal & Ardor Myrkur All Them Witches Wayward Sons Myke Gray No Hot Ashes The Hyena Kill Sun Arcana Koyo | |
It has been confirmed that Live Nation, Unified and Secret Sounds will take the UK-founded rock festival to Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse on Saturday 24 March 2018. This will be a one-day event and the line-up is to be announced on Thursday 9 November.
| Saturday 24 March | ||||
| Black Stage | Red Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Korn Limp Bizkit Mastodon Gojira Of Mice & Men King Parrot | Prophets of Rage Good Charlotte Amon Amarth Sabaton Northlane Ocean Grove High Tension | NOFX Hot Water Music Suicidal Tendencies The Story So Far Neck Deep Trophy Eyes Bad Cop/Bad Cop Clowns | Arch Enemy Nails Falling In Reverse Issues Make Them Suffer Psycroptic Chase Atlantic Cast Down | |
Returning for its third year, Download Festival France takes place in Brétigny-sur-Orge just south of Paris the weekend after the Donington event (15th, 16, 17 & 18 June). Headliners were Ozzy Osbourne, Marilyn Manson, Guns N' Roses & Foo Fighters. Originally, Black Veil Brides was supposed to play on 15 June but pulled out the festival to join the Vans Warped Tour back in America.
| Friday 15 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Main Stage 2 | Spitfire Stage | Warbird Stage | Firefly Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozzy Osbourne Opeth Powerwolf Billy Talent | Ghost Alestorm Eluveitie Wakan Tanka | Vandenberg's Moonkings Sidilarsen Pogo Car Crash Control Cellar Darling | Converge Underoath Thy Art Is Murder Bury Tomorrow | Peter Alexander Band Plays Tribute To Lynyrd Skynyrd Hangman's Chair Laura Cox Band Merge | |
| Saturday 16 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Main Stage 2 | Spitfire Stage | Warbird Stage | Firefly Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marilyn Manson Avatar Hollywood Undead Turbonegro Crossfaith | The Offspring NOFX Betraying the Martyrs Alcest Wild Mighty Freaks | Treponem Pal Mantar Nothing More Skinny Lister Ded | Meshuggah Ultra Vomit Thrice Tagada Jones Whiskey Myers | Galactic Empire Cemican Bad Cop Bad Cop Jean Jean | |
| Sunday 17 June | |||||
| Main Stage | Main Stage 2 | Spitfire Stage | Warbird Stage | Firefly Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foo Fighters The Hives Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes Wolf Alice The Noface | Mass Hysteria Dead Cross Royal Republic The Struts Teacup Monster | Ego Kill Talent Landmvrks Arcane Roots The Last Internationale | Perturbator Slaves Graveyard Starcrawler | In Search Of Sun Nesseria Stone Broken Kaiser Franz Joseph | |
| Monday 18 June | |||
| Main Stage | Warbird Stage | Firefly Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guns N' Roses Volbeat Jonathan Davis Baroness | Seether Greta Van Fleet The Pink Slips The G | Jared James Nichols Grit | |
Returning for its second year, Download Festival Spain takes place just south of Madrid three weekends after the Donington event (28, 29 & 30 June).
| Friday 29 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Main Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guns N' Roses Bullet for My Valentine Creeper | Parkway Drive Clutch Thrice | Viva Belgrado Underoath Ankor Leather Heart | Moose Blood The Pink Slips | |
| Sunday 16 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Main Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozzy Osbourne Volbeat Baroness | Judas Priest The Hellacopters Shinedown L7 | Carcass Madball In This Moment Crim Ego Kill Talent Meltdown | 77 Adrift Crisix Crossfaith Teething Eon | |
The 2019 event took place during 14–16 June.[70] The first 20 bands, including all three main stage headliners, were announced at 2 pm on 23 October 2018. More bands were announced on 27 January 2019.[71] In terms of genres, 44 artists represented rock (out of 117), while 41 bands played metal music.[72]
Now three-time headliner Def Leppard played their seminal album Hysteria in full as part of their set.
Some people left the festival before any of the bands had even started playing due to heavy rain turning the site into a "mud-bath". Several festival goers injured themselves due to falling over because of the conditions.[73]
| Friday 14 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Def Leppard Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators Whitesnake Clutch Blackberry Smoke Tesla Last in Line | Rob Zombie Eagles of Death Metal Opeth Deadland Ritual Delain Kvelertak Skid Row Goodbye June | Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Reel Big Fish The Interrupters Zebrahead Man with a Mission Icon for Hire Sumo Cyco PENGSHUi | At the Gates Ne Obliviscaris Jinjer Twelve Foot Ninja Vega Lost Society Skynd Conjurer Nova Twins Those Damn Crows GroundCulture | |
| Saturday 15 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slipknot Die Antwoord Trivium Skindred Behemoth Power Trip Royal Republic Alien Weaponry | Halestorm Stone Temple Pilots Three Days Grace Brothers Osborne Epica Animals as Leaders Elvana Bad Wolves The Inspector Cluzo | Simple Creatures The Wonder Years Nothing,Nowhere Trash Boat ROAM Palisades The Beaches Hot Milk Yours Truly Parting Gift | Carcass Batushka Intervals The Hu Riding the Low Lovebites Queen Zee Underside Cloud Vambo | |
| Sunday 16 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Zippo Encore Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tool Smashing Pumpkins Lamb of God Amon Amarth Godsmack Underoath I Prevail Cane Hill | Slayer Dream Theater Anthrax Beartooth State Champs Starset Badflower Dinosaur Pile-Up Like a Storm | Enter Shikari Fever 333 Palaye Royale The Amity Affliction Our Last Night Black Peaks Heart of a Coward Allusinlove Black Futures RedHook | Municipal Waste Whitechapel Coldrain Alcest Toska Crystal Lake Kim Jennett Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics Blurred Vision Wolf Jaw Lost in Stereo | |
The 2019 event was held in Sydney on 9 March and in Melbourne on 11 March.Ozzy Osbourne was announced as the headliner of the festival, but cancelled due to his illness, pneumonia.[74]
| Saturday 9 March[75] | |||||
| Black Stage | Red Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | Ascension Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judas Priest Rise Against Anthrax Airbourne Luca Brasi Alien Weaponry | Slayer Alice in Chains The Amity Affliction Behemoth I Prevail Polaris Voyager | Ghost Pennywise Thy Art Is Murder Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Code Orange The Fever 333 War on Women New Years Day | Sum 41 Halestorm Twelve Foot Ninja Converge Frenzal Rhomb High Tension Slaves Ruins | Justice for the Damned Devilskin Outright Eat Your Heart Out Aversions Crown The Beautiful Monument RedHook | |
| Monday 11 March | |||||
| Black Stage | Red Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | Ascension Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judas Priest Rise Against Anthrax Luca Brasi Airbourne | Slayer Alice in Chains The Amity Affliction Behemoth I Prevail Voyager | Ghost Sum 41 Pennywise Code Orange Me First and the Gimme Gimmes The Fever 333 Slaves New Years Day | Halestorm Twelve Foot Ninja Thy Art Is Murder Polaris Frenzal Rhomb Converge High Tension War on Women Ruins | Justice for the Damned Devilskin Outright Alien Weaponry Aversions Crown Eat Your Heart Out The Beautiful Monument Windwaker | |
The Live Nation and Creativeman Productions took place at the UK-founded rock festival to Makuhari Messe, located in Chiba, on Thursday, 21 March 2019. This was a one-day event.[76] Ozzy Osbourne was announced as the headliner of the festival, but cancelled due to his illness, pneumonia.[74]
| Thursday 21 March 2019[77] | |||
| Blood Stage | Tears Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Judas Priest Sum 41 Anthrax Halestorm Amaranthe | Slayer Ghost Arch Enemy Man with a Mission Like a Storm | ||
| Friday 28 June[78] | ||||
| Main Stage 1 | Main Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scorpions Papa Roach Vita Imana | Sabaton Children of Bodom Turbonegro Comeback Kid | Mantar Liily The Wizards Le Temps Du Loup Rolo Tomassi | Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Turnstile Brutus Cannibal Grandpa Hiranya Holy Cuervo DJ'S | |
| Saturday 29 June | ||||
| Main Stage 1 | Main Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slipknot Amon Amarth Red Fang Perturbator | Stone Temple Pilots Berri Txarrak Rival Sons Kontrust | Enter Shikari Leprous Will Haven Ànteros Graveyard | The Baboon Show Megara Lovebites El Altar del Holocausto Walking with Wolves Back to the 90's DJ'S | |
| Sunday 30 June | ||||
| Main Stage 1 | Main Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tool Architects Toundra Amon Amarth Fiend | Sum 41 Soulfly Brass Against Boston Manor | Watain State Champs Fever 333 Bones of Minerva | The Interrupters As It Is Bala Nothing,Nowhere | |
The 2020 Download events were due to be held in the UK, Australia and Japan. They were all cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A return of the Paris edition was also planned but was cancelled in September 2019 due to construction work on the festival site by French transportation company SNCF.
The 2020 event was scheduled to take place during 12–14 June. The initial lineup was announced on 23 September 2019, with Kiss, Iron Maiden and System of a Down to headline. On 26 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, it was announced that the 2020 event had been cancelled.[79] [80]
The 2020 festival was replaced by Download TV, a 3 day virtual festival showing old performances, unseen interviews, new performances and more. The online festival started on the same day the festival was due to take place.
The 2020 event was scheduled to take place in Melbourne on 20 March and in Sydney on 21 March. However, due to headliners My Chemical Romance withdrawing from the festival due to fears regarding the pandemic, and the organisers unable to secure a replacement headline act in such a short time, Download Australia 2020 was cancelled. The other headliners were to be Deftones and Jimmy Eat World.[81]
The 2020 event was scheduled to take place in Chiba City on 29 March, headlined by My Chemical Romance.
For 2021, only a UK Download event was scheduled to take place from 4 to 6 June. The dates for the 2021 Download event in the UK were announced on 3 June 2020.[82] The announcement revealed that two headliners, KISS and System of a Down, as well as many other acts, would be returning to the festival after its cancellation in 2020.[83] As was the case with the previous year, the 2021 event was cancelled on 1 March 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[84]
The 2021 event was replaced with another virtual event similar to 2020. It was announced on 14 May 2021 that there would be two special programmes on Sky Arts on 5 and 6 June featuring the best headliners from the past 10 years of Download.[85]
As part of the second phase of the UK Government's Event Research Programme, a pilot testing event of Download Festival 2021 was announced on 26 May 2021 called Download Festival Pilot. The event was held from 18 to 20 June with an all-British lineup headlined by Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes, Enter Shikari and Bullet For My Valentine.[86] The main stage on the Sunday experienced a few sound issues, notable during Loathe's set which saw them lose their sound during the final song of their set,[87] and The Wildhearts who ended their set early and left the stage.[88]
| Friday 18 June | |||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes Neck Deep Boston Manor Hot Milk | Sleep Token Holding Absence Malevolence Death Blooms | ||
| Saturday 19 June | |||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Enter Shikari While She Sleeps Twin Atlantic Yonaka A Wargasm Bleed From Within Conjurer | Creeper Stone Broken Those Damn Crows Vukovi Tigercub The Hara As Everything Unfolds Lotus Eater | ||
| Sunday 20 June | |||
| Main Stage | Second Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet For My Valentine Skindred The Wildhearts Elvana Lonely the Brave Loathe Employed to Serve Saint Agnes | Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls Trash Boat Massive Wagons Jamie Lenman Higher Power Chubby and the Gang Cassyette Static Dress | ||
The 2022 UK Download event took place from 10 to 12 June.[70]
The dates for the 2022 Download event in the UK were announced on 1 March 2021, with Kiss, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro set to headline.[70] Wednesday 13 pulled out a few weeks before due to bicep surgery.On Saturday 11 June, East Midlands Airport was forced to close its runway for a short time due to drones being in the vicinity, which were reported by Leicestershire Police and the Festival as being flown by guests at the festival.[89]
| Friday 10 June | ||||
| Apex Stage | Opus Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiss A Day to Remember Skindred Black Veil Brides Bury Tomorrow Theory Wayward Sons | Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes Airbourne Lacuna Coil Myles Kennedy & Company Skynd Kris Barras Band Ayron Jones | The Ghost Inside Sleep Token Normandie Meet Me @ The Altar Kid Brunswick As Everything Unfolds PENGSHUi Press Club | Electric Wizard Blues Pills Red Fang British Lion Bokassa Tempt A.A. Williams Dead Poet Society Cellar Door Moon Crow The Scratch Heriot | |
| Saturday 11 June | ||||
| Apex Stage | Opus Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Maiden Deftones Shinedown Black Label Society Monster Truck Those Damn Crows The Raven Age | Megadeth Mastodon Daughtry Bush Ice Nine Kills Malevolence Cassyette Dirty Honey | Funeral for a Friend Creeper The Faim grandson Holding Absence Loathe Dragged Under Salem Blackout Problems Aniimalia | Sepultura Napalm Death Dying Fetus Bleed from Within Venom Prison Will Haven Higher Power Dana Dentata Banks Arcade Dead Label Death Blooms Temples on Mars | |
| Sunday 12 June | ||||
| Apex Stage | Opus Stage | The Avalanche Stage | The Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biffy Clyro Korn Volbeat Rise Against Alestorm Powerwolf Wargasm | Steel Panther The Darkness Skillet Baroness Tremonti Wednesday 13 Massive Wagons The Last Internationale Control the Storm | Descendents Boston Manor Trash Boat Spiritbox Marianas Trench Jamie Lenman The Hara Cemetery Sun Dead Posey Static Dress | Myles Kennedy Yonaka Twin Temple Fire from the Gods Orbit Culture Kill the Lights Modern Error Phoxjaw Bimini Anchor Lane The Velveteers The Injester | |
| Friday 24 June[90] | ||
| Metallica Five Finger Death Punch Sabaton Enter Shikari Behemoth Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes Poorstacy Ghostkid Holding Absence | ||
| Sunday 14 August[91] | ||
| Dream Theater Bullet for My Valentine Mastodon Steel Panther Soulfly At the Gates Code Orange The Halo Effect Band-Maid | ||
The 2023 event took place from Thursday 8 June to Sunday 11 June. As a celebration for the twentieth anniversary of the festival, a four night event was announced.
On 7 November, over 60 artists were announced to perform at the festival; including headliners Bring Me the Horizon, Slipknot and two unique sets from Metallica. Five Finger Death Punch were originally scheduled to headline the Opus Stage on the Thursday but had do withdraw due to an illness of lead vocalist Ivan Moody. On 26 May, Skindred were announced as a replacement.
Greg Puciato was scheduled to perform on the Saturday but on Friday 9 June he announced his decision to pull out due to "multiple inner circle emergencies".[92] nothing,nowhere., also scheduled to perform on the Saturday, also pulled out of the festival line-up for undisclosed reasons.
On 14 June 2023, Derbyshire Live reported on the experience of disabled festival goers who highlighted overflowing toilets, camping on gravel, staff unaware of basic information and "appalling" transport for disabled people.[93]
| Thursday 8 June | ||||
| Apex Stage | Opus Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metallica Alter Bridge Halestorm Jinjer Mammoth WVH | Skindred Puscifer Hundred Reasons The Bronx Cancer Bats Cherry Bombs | State Champs Mom Jeans Punk Rock Factory Fearless Vampire Killers Tigress | Perturbator Haken A.A. Williams Caskets Mimi Barks Snayx | |
| Friday 9 June | ||||
| Apex Stage | Opus Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bring Me the Horizon Architects Pendulum Neck Deep Hot Milk Nova Twins Stand Atlantic | Evanescence Within Temptation Asking Alexandria Epica Elvana Smash into Pieces The Warning | VV PUP The Blackout Crawlers Demob Happy AViVA As December Falls RedHook Fixation | Carpenter Brut Empire State Bastard Brutus Ingested Undeath Pupil Slicer Witch Fever Taipei Houston | |
| Saturday 10 June | ||||
| Apex Stage | Opus Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metallica Disturbed Alexisonfire Clutch Ice Nine Kills Fever 333 Polaris | Placebo Simple Plan Three Days Grace Motionless in White Carcass Municipal Waste Stray from the Path Static Dress | Coheed and Cambria Deaf Havana Bob Vylan Kid Kapichi Casey Blackgold Rituals | Creeper Monuments GWAR Spirit Adrift Enola Gay Bambie Thug Beauty School Dropout Lake Malice Kid Bookie Antisaint | |
| Sunday 11 June | ||||
| Apex Stage | Opus Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slipknot Parkway Drive I Prevail Behemoth The Hu Lorna Shore Bloodywood | Ghost Bad Religion Palaye Royale Dinosaur Pile-Up Avatar The Amity Affliction SiM Blind Channel | Electric Callboy Set it Off Mod Sun Cleopatrick Jazmin Bean Joey Valence & Brae Taylor Acorn Crashface | Hatebreed Touché Amoré Terror Soen Green Lung SOUL GLO The Meffs Hawxx Graphic Nature Beauty School | |
Billed as Download XXI, the twenty first iteration of the Donington-based festival took place between 14 and 16 June 2024. It returned to the three-day festival format that began in 2005.
The first wave of acts, including headliners Queens of the Stone Age, Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold were announced on 7 November.
| Friday 14 June | ||||
| Apex Stage | Opus Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queens of the Stone Age Royal Blood Black Stone Cherry Polyphia The Struts Those Damn Crows The Blue Stones | Funeral for a Friend Heilung Mr. Bungle Soft Play All Them Witches Scene Queen Halocene Hanabie. | Busted Wheatus Bayside Vukovi Escape the Fate Dream State AViVA TX2 STORM | Biohazard HEALTH Make Them Suffer The Callous Daoboys Urne Frozemode Defects | |
| Saturday 15 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Opus Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Out Boy The Offspring Enter Shikari Babymetal Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes The Hunna Wargasm Bambie Thug | Pantera While She Sleeps Tom Morello Slaughter to Prevail Karnivool Bleed from Within Alien Weaponry Asinhell Heriot Florence Black | Billy Talent Holding Absence Silverstein Noahfinnce RØRY Charlotte Sands Lowlives DeathbyRomy HotWax Mallavora | Fear Factory Dying Fetus Alpha Wolf Ne Obliviscaris Dying Wish Gel Guilt Trip Calva Louise Alt Blk Era Knife Bride Celestial Sanctuary | |
| Sunday 16 June | ||||
| Main Stage | Opus Stage | Avalanche Stage | Dogtooth Stage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avenged Sevenfold Limp Bizkit Sum 41 Bowling for Soup Kerry King Creeper Code Orange Lord of the Lost | Machine Head Corey Taylor Thy Art Is Murder Zebrahead Elvana Royal Republic 311 Kelsy Karter & the Heroines | The Used Counterparts Hoobastank Atreyu Of Mice & Men Tigercub Pinkshift Noisy Cemetery Sun Delilah Bon | The Black Dahlia Murder Erra Fit for a King Shadow of Intent Imminence Brand of Sacrifice Crystal Lake Parkway Drive Missio Underside Harper Until I Wake | |
Scowl, Pest Control, Zulu, Speed and Ithaca were booked to perform but pulled out because of the festivals partnership with Barclays, and their ties to Israel.[94] The bank later suspended their sponsorship of Download and other UK festivals, following pressure from fans of Download and other artists who had been booked to play at the festival.[95]
Bad Omens were set to headline the Opus stage on the Friday, but pulled out due to mental health concerns, they were replaced by Funeral for a Friend[96]
Download Festival is set to return to Donington Park on June 13–15, 2025. Band announcements began on November 12, 2024, with over 90 acts confirmed to appear, including main stage headliners Green Day, Sleep Token and Korn.[97]
| Friday 13 June | |
| Apex Stage | |
|---|---|
| Green Day |
| Saturday 14 June | |
| Apex Stage | |
|---|---|
| Sleep Token |
| Sunday 15 June | |
| Apex Stage | |
|---|---|
| Korn |
