Virtual festivals: the future, or the best of a bad situation?

If you didn't know, we're still entangled in a global pandemic. Everyone's plans for 2020 have been completely derailed, and as the days go by, we trudge on with a mix of hopeful optimism and an attitude of "there is a good chance this year will just keep getting worse".

One of the many casualties that Covid-19 has taken away from us is music festivals. It's summertime, the temperature is... usually reasonable, and you're living in a field for five days getting tanked with your mates - it's a British tradition for people of all ages (but mostly 16-38 year olds). For many, it's the highlight of the year; the Christmas of the summer. Alas though, 2020 wasn't having it, and we have to wait until next year at least.

However, some of the powers that be have found a way around their restrictions, by holding a very 21st century alternative to the sights, sounds and smells of a wet and muddy field: a virtual festival. Accessible to anyone with a device that can use the internet, some select festivals have shown footage from old concerts, held interviews with bands that were set to play the festival this year, and even broadcast a live performance online from certain acts.

What seems to be the case though, is that many of the festivals choosing to do this, are very firmly entrenched in a "community" style feel. Download Festival is one example - the biggest rock and metal festival in the UK, whose message and branding emboldens a spirit of one big rockin' family. Having been five times now, it's incomparable to other festivals I've attended, simply because everyone feels welcome and everyone is there to have a good time. The music also helps.

On the weekend the festival was supposed to be taking place, Download held its own online festival in the form of Download TV, where there were interviews and performances involving bands on the 2020 bill, as well as other forms of entertainment including cooking shows and eyoga. All this was available to everyone for free, with encouragement throughout to raise money for the NHS. In the end, the festival raised £10,585 for NHS Charities Together, plus £135,558 in charity t-shirt sales, which is an incredible effort! Yes, the NHS isn't a charity and shouldn't need help from a music festival to raise its funds, but this was a grand gesture from the Download team.

2000 Trees Festival, a small to medium sized event held at Upcote Farm in Gloucestershire, provided an alternative on a slightly lesser scale, by broadcasting live performances from a number of acts booked for this year, as well as interviews and unseen footage from old shows. The somewhat predictably named 2000 Screens admittedly, in the words of the festival team themselves, "could never replace 2000 Trees", but it was a pretty damn good lifeline. They didn't have to organise it, but they did for their love of music.

2000 Trees Festival held its online festival, 2000 Screens, in July

Most years, as June draws to a close, Glastonbury have the BBC at their mercy. You can't blame them really, it is Glastonbury after all. It was only fair that the Beeb show famous performances from old headliners and other memorable moments during Glasto's 2020 weekend. It was nice to relive past memories of me either glued to the TV at home watching Metallica, or at the Pyramid Stage watching the event close out in a storm of fireworks and flags during The Who. Alongside their mainstream television coverage, Glastonbury also aired free content online including meditation sessions, behind the scenes footage, and even debates from the infamous Left Field activist organisation.

What Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds lack though, is the community spirit. For Download and 2000 Trees, what was unique to them was the feeling that you could talk to anyone and they would become your new mates. What people will miss from Glasto instead is maybe taking an inadvertent stroll through Shangri-La and not being sure if what you're seeing is real, or if the shrooms have finally kicked in. Reading & Leeds? Maybe having someone defecate on your tent.

In respect of Download and 2000 Trees, that's what was needed most in 2020: the big happy family vibe. Everyone there is your friend. No online festival could fill that void, even if Zoom is a thing now. This was what made Download TV especially more unique. You can tell they put a lot of thought into their content and made the best of what they could, and the acts seemed more than happy to take part.

Download 2018 - the festival family

We should be thankful for what British festivals have done for us in this cacophony of a year. In an effort to lift our moods and give us something to plug the gaps in our summer, we have been treated to some very unique experiences that, as good as they were, hopefully won't have to happen again. Keep your fingers crossed that by 2021 we will be able to return to our second homes, sitting in camping chairs, drinking warm cans and tripping over guy ropes in the night.

But will this become more common in the future? Will some events divert to an online format in a bid to save money and avoid any potential social distance rule breaking? Or will things return to the way they were soon enough, and this will be a one off? We can only wait and see.

In the meantime, here I am enjoying a Saturday watching Iron Maiden on Download TV, when I should have been in a sea of 100,000 metalheads at Donington Park instead... watching Iron Maiden.

Album per day: Day 22

Artist: Fightstar
Album: Behind the Devil's Back
Released: 2015

I'm going to see if I can talk about Fightstar without mentioning frontman/heartthrob Charlie Simpson's turbulent past in teenage trio Busted... well that went tits up didn't it?
Anyway, even while he was still playing with Busted, Simpson was flirting with the heavier side of music, as he was practicing with Fightstar in his spare time. Then came the news that nowadays would  be like comparing Zayn's departure from One Direction: Charlie Simpson had left Busted to pursue alternative musical paths. The band combine the brutality of British hardcore usually heard when trawling through Hell Is For Heroes and early Biffy Clyro, with an atmospheric, sometimes soothing rock sensation more reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails or Deftones. After three albums and a five year hiatus, they returned to the live circuit this year (check out the review I did of them at Download Festival here). And now, they have a new album out, but is it a welcome return, or are they not showing the promise they used to? We'll see.
Beginning in slickly produced guitar riffs, Sharp Tongue is a promising start. Dual vocals are shared with guitarist Alex Westaway, whilst Simpson provides his trademark scream. I'm not afraid to admit that he possesses one of my favourite voices in music at the moment; the way he can transition between death growls and the cleanest of voices is incredibly enviable. If Twitter has taught me anything recently, it's that Fightstar have a lot of "bros", including, but not limited to, Bring Me The Horizon and You Me At Six. You can definitely hear the influence from the former on Murder All Over, a track based around electronica samples and a pulsating hook. The vocals from Behind The Devil's Back calls to mind the more recent output from Biffy Clyro, combined with the technical musical performance of Deftones. The Blackest Of Birds seems like a fitting title for a track that resembles the more mature side of Slipknot, given the fact that Slipknot used to sniff jars of dead crow before their gigs to get them into the appropriate frame of mind. Melodies take flight, and... lay eggs in your ears? I tried bird puns, and I quailed... or fowled?
Overdrive's punky nature is mashed with what sounds like left behind 80's synth from a Journey record. If there's one thing Fightstar can do, it's rope people back in who may have been scared by songs like Deathcar. More Human Than Human picks this up, albeit with deeper tones, and a bass that could wobble the unwobbled. Animal starts like a pack of lions on the hunt, and then flutters between a colourful parrot and a herd of galloping gazelles. This could well be the anthem of the record. The gargantuan Titan is as massive as its title suggests, and I'm practically circle pitting around my dining room table and typing this letter by letter per rotation.
Sink With The Snakes prolongs the metallic elements of this band, with gruff vocals aplenty. The production values are exceptional, but one thing I've noticed is that Fightstar appear to be making more impressive verses than choruses, a quality seldom picked up when it comes to other acts. Culminating in the shoegazey Dive, Charlie Simpson's falsetto voice over power chords calls to mind a tormented Thom Yorke crooning over what would easily have been the heaviest Radiohead song ever released. It's not anti-climactic, but it's not an epic ending.
Bands return from hiatus because they have explored life away from their original routine, but soon come to realise that what they had was too good to step away from. Reforming can sometimes be pointless and disastrous, but in most cases, they are exciting times for fans and bands alike, with the new lease of life unleashing a breath of fresh air on the music industry. And whilst Behind The Devil's Back will hardly leave the music industry quaking in its fragile boots, it will no doubt make a loud enough noise to be noticed. It's a solid album, applying a similar formula to the one that spurned Fightstar to originally tackle the rock and metal scene ten years ago, but with an added maturity. They're currently on a UK tour, playing my hometown tomorrow, and I am even more tempted to now turn up at the door.

Rating: 8/10
Recommended tracks: Sharp Tongue, Animal, Titan

Festival season: Download

Having been lucky enough to be going to festivals ever since I was 13, I decided this year it was time to expand my experience further and tackle two very different events, with most of the years being taken up by V Festival before it completely went to shit. In the red corner, we have Download Festival, the spiritual home of rock, and a festival I have spent countless hours watching videos of on YouTube and reading about over the years, and is living proof once more that rock will never die; I will be reviewing it in this post. In the blue corner, we have Glastonbury, the juggernaut of the music calendar with artists spanning just about every genre and a place to just cut loose and be chill, which I will review in a later post, otherwise this post will be even more dreary.

"The home of heavy fucking metal" - Rob Halford

After sampling the delights of Sonisphere last year, I knew I wanted to try a bigger scale festival that was committed to pleasing those who hold a candle for rock and metal music. Then I heard who was headlining and I knew it must be done; I had to see Slipknot again after losing my shit to them back in January at the NIA. I was quite keen on experiencing the infamous Kiss live show, and as for Muse, headlining Download is something I've wanted them to do for a long time, so I knew I couldn't pass up a trip to Castle Donington.

Wednesday and Thursday were as good as they could get. Apart from the almost four hours of queueing to enter the village, there wasn't much to complain about; good weather, brilliant company, but wait a minute, what's this? OH YEAH. The cashless system won't work for you and you can't eat or drink anything of ours for one day, because Sam, or Captain Beige as I had been affectionately referred to, you should fuck off back to V. After getting this fixed, safe to say I binged hard on liquids and burgers.

Rising and shining, excited for what was to come, Friday began with a group of excitable, tipsy young adults feeling as giddy as children on Christmas Day. The weather was a little more accommodating to those of us who would rather not be cooked alive, and the first band to receive my full attention were Lacuna Coil, who always have a strong following, but have never really been the most exciting prospect when it comes to the stage. However, they delivered a confident performance, with vocalist Cristina Scabbia (who I still can't believe is over 40) whipping the crowd into chant after chant, and their cover of Enjoy The Silence soared like a raven.
Staying on the Main Stage, blues rockers Clutch, unlike Lacuna Coil, have a sterling reputation for their live shows, and they definitely backed up these claims with a note-perfect set, with closer One Eye Dollar receiving one of the biggest crowd reactions the festival would see that day.
Five Finger Death Punch are not afraid of anything, whether it's getting three youngsters from the crowd onstage to bang their heads along to Burn MF, or even daring trying to upstage Clutch. They just about pull it off, which was no easy feat. They're on an upward trajectory, and we could be seeing future headliners in the making. One thing they don't do is manage to stop the almighty downpour that follows, which is more evidence that God is not a Judas Priest fan... who'd have thunk it?!
With the rain dampening camp spirits, we headed for the sanctuary of the third stage to witness the return of Fightstar. Unsure of their live prowess, but confident in their ability to write stellar rock songs, I went with an open mind. Opening with Paint Your Target was a brilliant move, and from thereon the crowd were on their side. The aforementioned song and an almighty Deathcar were the highlights of what was the set of the day. The tent may have been heaving because of the flood in progress outside, or everyone was actually there for Fightstar; whatever the reason, Charlie and co. left a big impression on everyone that day.

Not to be outdone, Slipknot were back after having a year off headlining Download. The stage setup was different, the masks were different, the line up was different... it felt like a new experience, and not the same stage shows, or even members they brought to Download in 2009 and 2013. Clearly a little miffed by the rain, Corey Taylor did his best to keep everyone warm, reminding everyone that the UK is the reason they are a band, and how nothing means more to them than Download, and it really did sound genuine. The set was very well chosen, with new single Killpop sitting nicely alongside oldies such as The Heretic Anthem and Eyeless (which was killer). The rain wasn't the only heavy thing at the main stage that night, and the 'knot left their mark once more to remind everyone that whatever the barrier, there is still plenty of fire in this monster's belly yet.

Not to be outdone, the weather insisted on remaining as wet as my pants after that Fightstar show. Making an effort to get into the arena a bit earlier today, I caught a bit of Welsh emo stalwarts Funeral For A Friend. They've had a fall from grace it seems, and even though the opportunity to play the Main Stage is one that should not be taken lightly, they just didn't seem fussed. Nine years ago they would've tore Download a new arsehole when they sub-headlined just beneath Guns N'Roses, but like their good songs, those days seem to have sadly passed by.
Radio 1 poster boys Mallory Knox were next to grace the Main Stage, and it was certainly a step in the right direction. Determined to keep a hold of the impatient, wet crowd, vocalist Mikey Chapman keeps them engaged with some surprisingly political comments, and closer Lighthouse provides a ray of sunshine on an otherwise gloomy afternoon.
Cello metal? Those two words alone were enough to convince me to check out Apocalyptica on the Zippo Encore Stage, who claimed they were suffering from technical difficulties, which did not matter due to the fact that three cellists were playing heavy metal on orchestral instruments! As impressive a skill as it is, the show felt flat and rather average. For a band who started out playing Metallica covers, one of those songs might not have gone amiss.
The only time Parkway Drive managed to make me stand to attention was with their delightful cover of RATM's Bulls On Parade. It takes balls to cover Rage, but these guys just about nailed it. The rest of their set was your run of the day metalcore, and got the crowd moving on a very wet and cold afternoon.
Tim McGrath led his band Rise Against through a strong back catalogue with plenty of back and forth with the crowd, but their aggressive take on political punk lacked that little bit of oomph their live shows are usually credited with. Maybe they were suffering from the pathetic fallacy? By no means a bad set, but definitely not a great one.
Two years on since their last performance on the Zippo Encore Stage, A Day To Remember have been the band everyone thinks will next make the step up to headliner status soon; this is a fact that frontman Jeremy McKinnon even acknowledged between songs. A very random cover of Champagne Supernova both confused and delighted the crowd, and closer The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle left us yearning for more, but a nicely brewed setlist left many punters thrilled, even if McKinnon was running out of breath towards the end. But then again, who can blame him?
Then it was party time. Time to party. Party hard. It was Andrew W.K. time. Every song was introduced with "this song is about partying", and just when you think he'll drop Party Hard, he'll play another banger. Even a totally absurd rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful didn't stop the packed tent from having the time of their lives, but unfortunately we had to vacate the tent in order to pick up a decent spot for the next headliner.

A lot was said from both camps about Muse taking the top spot at Download. Many said that they were nothing more than a pop rock band who belonged at Glastonbury and Reading, some being far too ignorant to even give them a chance, whereas others who were perhaps more reliably informed insisted that they'd blow everyone away when they mix their heavy material with their hits. For casual listeners it was a questionable booking, but for the superfans it had been a long time coming. Did Muse pull it off? Of course they did. Right from the get go the capacity crowd was bouncing off the proverbial walls, and with a few rarities dropped in such as Micro Cuts and Citizen Erased mixed in with rockier songs from seventh album Drones, you get the feeling that there have been a lot of doubters eating their words after this gig. You only have to look at the reviews and the forums to see how well they went down. When Muse go heavy, they go hard, and they once again showed that they aren't a band who rely on a pretty stage show.

Sunday was the day I was least looking forward to, not just because it was the last day of the festival, but also because the line up is a classic rock fan's dream. Whilst I enjoy classic rock, I'm not sure a day of it on the Main Stage would gauge my interest. Nonetheless, I had a quick watch of both Cavalera Conspiracy and We Are Harlot. Both of these bands were shining examples of why most of the time, when you're the frontman and you're forming a new band, it won't cut the mustard when compared to your back catalogue. The former were abrasive and heavy, but not remotely interesting, whereas the latter were just plain boring.
There was a lot of excitement in the camp for the "secret" set from returning heroes of rock The Darkness. It took me two songs to make my mind up that Justin Hawkins was losing his infamous falsetto voice, and with a dragged out introduction, it just wasn't worth the hype.
The final trio of acts that would be witnessed at Download would all be on the Main Stage, kicking off with Slash. A set that mixed Guns N'Roses, Velvet Revolver and Slash's solo project with Myles Kennedy made for a very well received performance. Slash hasn't lost his magic at all, and Kennedy is easily one of the best rock vocalists out there. Ending on a triumphant Paradise City left everyone in buoyant mood whilst the dark clouds overhead decided we'd suffered enough this weekend.
Bearing down on us for their final performance at Donington were Mötley Crüe, the granddaddies of glam metal. It was awfully nice to see their backing dancers, and even though guitarist Mick Mars looks like he's about to disintegrate at any second, the man can still shred. Their gratitude to Donington was clear, and with a show laden with special effects, they were definitely out to steal Kiss' thunder. Their final UK tour is later this year, and this was the best possible advertising campaign for it.

To close the weekend, Kiss went out looking for new recruits for the Kiss Army. With lights and fireworks that would be more accustomed to a celebration of the millennium, Paul Stanley seemed to be feasting on the 80,000 smiling faces in front of him. They had all the old tricks, from Gene Simmons' bloody mouth, to Paul taking some sort of zipwire to a stage in the middle of the crowd, and it felt like the 1980's were back. Of course there were the songs too. Kicking off with Detroit Rock City, and encoring with the terrific trio of Shout It Out Loud, I Was Made For Lovin' You and Rock And Roll All Nite ensured that Sergeant Stanley would be welcoming thousands of new applicants to put their life on the line for rock n'roll. This is a band that will live forever. I also would like to know if Gene Simmons still really believes if rock is dead?

And so it comes to an end. Well done if you got this far... I started to get bored reading it back to myself. Download may just well be my favourite festival, even after going to Glastonbury a week prior to writing this. The music is solid, and the people are real music fans who may also be some of the friendliest people I've ever met. There's still plenty to do when there is no live music to enjoy; even if you want to get married to the burger you just bought, they'll do it in the inflatable chapel which turns into a rave cave after hours. Weather and initial cashless issues aside, Download 2015 was a killer experience, and I'm already packing for 2016.

Album per day: Day 2

Day 2
Artist: Faith No More
Album: The Real Thing
Released: 1989

Having spent my not so rebellious teenage years jamming to Rage Against The Machine, I was surprised that I never explored the world of alternative funk metal further. Faith No More seemed like a good area to venture into, especially since I will most likely be catching them at the upcoming Download Festival in June, and they will be releasing new music for the first time in about 18 years (check out Motherfucker if you haven't already).
On first listen, it is clear that the main draw to this band is vocalist Mike Patton. He easily has one of the most distinctive voices in rock music, and let's face it, the chorus for Epic would be a lot less... erm... epic if he didn't apply his singing style to it. However, the instrumentation on this record is top banana. You won't find any of James Martin, Bill Gould, Roddy Bottum or Mike Bordin being spoken about in the same vein as the instrumentalists of the world that have become synonymous with their instruments, such as Hendrix or Peart, but damn, they're a tight unit.
For a song that could very easily drag on, their cover of Black Sabbath's War Pigs is one of the highlights. The riff itself is enough to make this song take up permanent residency in my head, and with almost eight minutes at its disposal, the band take the song down every weird and wonderful avenue that they can. Unfortunately, one song that did drag on was Woodpecker From Mars; it's a very well put together tune, but after a few repetitive sections I'm a little thrown. Edge Of The World was a strange and solemn ending, but then again, weird and unconventional is what Faith No More specialised in. Of course, Epic soars like the timeless anthem it is, and Surprise! Your Dead! is a two minute suckerpunch.
The fusion of rap and rock from Faith No More was not a new thing, with bands such as Public Enemy, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Beastie Boys showing that it could be done. However, Faith No More took the formula and experimented with it further, and without them, a lot of other bands may not have had the courage to do the same. I enjoyed this record, and I'll definitely be checking them out at Donington, the spiritual home of rock.

Rating: 8/10
Recommended songs: Epic, Surprise! You're Dead!, War Pigs

Get a Download of this!

I don't know if anyone knows this, but apparently you can't please everyone. On 17th, 18th and 19th November 2014, the infamous Download Festival announced its first set of confirmed bands for the 2015 event. Lets go through each confirmed band, shall we?

Friday

The first day needs to be hard-hitting, and it needs to set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Who better than to send the happy campers of Download back to their tents in a hyperactive mood than Slipknot? This is the band's third headline appearance at Donington since 2009, which has given people reason to moan about how there is a lack of diversity amongst the headliners each year. I could understand people whinging about that if the headliner were an act who are infamous for having the stage presence of a courgette, but this is Slipknot we're talking about; arguably one of the most destructive live outfits around. With a rotating setlist and new album .5: The Gray Chapter out now, I see no reason why they can't slam Download to the ground once more.

Before the masked mayhem though, you have to go through Judas Priest first. A band that are undisputed legends of the heavy metal circuit, they will go down a proverbial storm at Download. Last time they graced Donington's hallowed turf, they played as special guests to Kiss in 2008, and I hear they were phenomenal. As veterans of the live circuit, they played back when this festival was called Monsters Of Rock, over thirty years ago, so it is time for them to show these young whippersnappers how it's done.
The main stage announcements are completed by Five Finger Death Punch. My girlfriend went to Download's 2013 event, and came away from it with nothing but good things to say about this band. With live performances as hard-hitting as their name, they'll be bringing their stateside heavy metal show to Donington for their fourth appearance. They have rightly earned their place high on the main stage, and with the anthems that gracefully adorn their back catalogue, they are sure to whip up a frenzy and get the circle pits going. Future headliners? We'll see.
For the Zippo Encore stage, Black Stone Cherry are your headliners. Now, this has set the cat amongst the pigeons, so to speak. Whilst Black Stone Cherry are a hugely respected band amongst the rock community, they are in the exact same position that they were in back in 2013, when they headlined the second stage against main stage headliners, you guessed it, Slipknot. They will definitely pull a big crowd on the Friday, but for those who have to choose between these two American heavyweights again, it's not an easy choice to make. That and, some people are a bit sick of them being at Download (this is their third year in a row here). I however, would like to see them on the main stage at some point. Their recent arena tour with Airbourne in tow suggests that there can only be bigger things on the horizon for Black Stone Cherry.

Saturday

Whether the ignorant masses incapable of accepting change like it or not, Muse are headlining the Saturday night. Regarded as the greatest live act around today, Muse will be showcasing their alternative rock to the metal masses, which is an environment that they're not entirely unfamiliar with. The minor backlash that they received upon announcement was totally unjustified. This is a band who can woo you and make your clothes mysteriously fall off with a delicate piano ballad, but can also burst your eardrums with an onslaught of riffs. With a rumoured "heavier" seventh album in the pipeline, I can guarantee that Muse will be one of the heaviest bands of the weekend, with more riffs than Donington will be expecting. If they play the right songs, they will go down an absolute storm e.g. playing Stockholm Syndrome, Dead Star and Hyper Music in favour of Explorers, Undisclosed Desires and Feeling Good will win over the doubters who have the band pigeonholed as Queen wannabees who write radio rock for teenage art students. This is a chance for Muse to shut everyone up who thinks they can't rock a cradle.

Muse can make light work of following many bands, but returning former headliners Faith No More are not going to be an easy band to follow. A very popular pick, they blew everyone away when they returned to the live circuit and headlined Download in 2009. Now though, they're bringing some new tunes with them, which will become part of the first album they have released in 18 years. The recently aired Motherfucker has fans pining for more, and at the same time has left every fan as confused as ever, as let's face it, Faith No More are at their best when they leave people feeling confused. Even if their new material somehow fails to deliver, you can bet your mortgage that songs like Epic and We Care A Lot will leave the crowd caring a lot.

A Day To Remember are guaranteed to draw a huge following to the main stage. They're currently coming to the end of a small UK tour, with the foundations being built for what could become one of the most successful acts to come over from across the pond in recent years. Having caught their main stage set at Leeds Festival this year, they're definitely at home on a big stage, with the crowd being in the palm of their hand. Thousands upon thousands of excitable punters were singing the guitar riff to 2009 single The Downfall of Us All before A Day To Remember had even taken to the stage; this is the kind of hype that the Download crowd will gladly provide too. A crossover of pop punk and modern metal appeals to many demographics, meaning that everyone from happy hardcore teenagers to the most metal dude you know will be keeping an eye on this band. Miss them at your peril.
And now, we have Marilyn Manson headlining the Zippo Encore stage. His recent appearances at Download gathered many critics, with claims that he was either "not bothered" or that he was too drunk to know his Antichrist from his Superstar; these criticisms were mostly related to his much maligned 2009 appearance on the main stage. Download Festival booker Andy Copping confirmed that he refused to book him after the calamitous 2009 gig, but since Copping recently observed Manson back in action in the USA, he explained that Manson is "back to his best". This will excite those who are holding out hope for the American to not have completely lost it, but will also provide those who aren't satisfied with Muse as a headline option, with something to get their teeth into.

Sunday

The final day of the weekend is very much as classic rock affair as the line up looks so far. Kiss will be closing the main stage, with what may be one of the biggest shows Donington will ever see. They're definitely showmen, but with Gene Simmons' big mouth not gaining him many fans (see my post before this), he may be prone to a bit of verbal from the local pundits. Maybe this his way of winning over his haters, and it may very well work; last time they headlined in 2008, if Donington had a roof, Kiss blew it off, and then some. Their anthems have the power of unite all masses, with what may prove to be one of the loudest singalongs of the weekend.

Signing off in style with their last ever UK festival appearance is Motley Crue. They're old hands at this, and since it's their final tour, they will want to go out with a bang. Kiss will have trouble following them, because when the ever so solid Crue are on form, they're untouchable. With a sold out tour of the USA behind them (with Alice Cooper in tow), and nine studio albums behind them, be sure to see them for what may be the final time, as each individual embarks on their own projects/consider retirement.

A mixture of Download favourites, Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators combines the sexy Guns n' Roses riff machine with the soaring vocals of Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy. These two rock n'roll juggernauts put Axl Rose's silly excuse of modern "Guns n' Roses" to shame. Rather than being all about Axl, with these two it's all about the music. New album World On Fire will get an airing, and you can guarantee a top notch atmosphere with the popular top-hatted veteran. Still to this day he is one of my favourite guitarists, and with his trademark Gibson Les Paul on display, Kennedy's Plant-style crooning will surely be one of the strongest and most popular performances of the event.

Finally, topping the second stage are techno-wizards Enter Shikari. They seem to be at Download every other year, but that's only because their live shows are such a draw. At Leeds 2014, they were easily one of the best performances I've seen at the festival, and I am lucky enough to be catching them on their upcoming UK tour. New album The Last Garrison is due for release in January, and if the title track is anything to go by, we're in for another groundbreaking effort from the St Albans quartet. There will be a large dose of youngsters who will be sacrificing their chance to see the painted ones on the main stage, but what they will get is a powerful light show complete with high intensity mosh pit action. There will be blood, and I warn you, there will be genre-bending.

We wait in anticipation for further announcements from the Download camp. Your move, Mr Copping.