With three brand new headline acts Download Festival certainly rang the changes this year. They’ve proven to be agile enough to adapt to a changing scene without losing that core rock vibe. For people camping District X has grown into an impressive entertainment centre in its own right. And this year the sun shone on our beloved Donington Park almost continuously. Here are Gary and Aggy’s personal top picks along with our daily round up.
Gary’s five of the best
Friday – Green Day – The Headline Masterclass
Pay attention bands because this is how you do a major headline set. With the almost impossibly youthful Billie Joe leading the way this is a no frills blast-o-rama of one of pop punk’s greatest back catalogues. There’s a noticeable lack of chit chat between songs which assures a continued momentum that makes the time on stage fly by. The band are tight, the vocals sit right in that sweet spot and the crowd lap it up. The moment when the line ‘Here comes the rain again’ produces actual rain right on cue is surreal. This is Green Day’s first time at Download, let’s pray it’s not their only time here.
Saturday – BEX – Leading Punk Into A Bright New Future
Hard work paying off sums up BEX’s stunning performance at this year’s Download. The Vivienne Westward devotee doesn’t just look every inch the part she also puts on a show filled with little glimpses of a maturity well beyond her years. The way she owns the Avalanche stage, her audience engagement and above all how she conveys her passion for her art is at the highest level. That punk tag belies a rich multi-genre appeal too, all topped off with a voice that cuts like a knife. This is an artist that looks likely to be around for a very long time.
Saturday – Don Broco – The Perfect Festival Band
The sun is out, the vibe is excited and Don Broco are on stage. It doesn’t get much better than this if you’re into just having an easy fun time. Now firmly established on the rock circuit the Bedford boys are pushing on up the music tree and today they show why. Musically upbeat they have, in Rob Damiani, a truly great front person. It’s not only his excellent vocals that grab your attention, it’s his let’s get this party started attitude. The band look very comfortable on the massive main stage. Could they be a headliner of the future maybe?
Sunday – Harpy – The New Age Goth
With two costume reveals in the first song and a half Harpy isn’t hanging around. She is a visual delight. We need to get that out of the way first, a vision of gothic with more than a fetish leaning. It’s her voice that stuns though. Her siren’s call reminds you of classic early era Amy Lee. When she adds a bit of fry things go very rock and roll. She prowls the stage like a panther hunting its prey. Her prey, the audience, are helplessly under her spell. A part of a group of new artists killing it right now Harpy is very much on an upward curve.
Sunday – Jinjer – The Musical Visionaries
There are few artists around that can boast the kind of technical ability you find in Jinjer. Let’s take the focus away from that voice for a moment to appreciate how damn good Roman (guitar), Eugene (bass) and Vladislav (drums) are. The polyrhythms, the jazz influenced inserts, the precision it’s all played with. These guys are next level. And then let’s return to Tatiana (the voice) Schmayluk. There are no superlatives yet invented that can describe fully just how impressive this singer is. To be able to range from sweet and clean to face melting otherworldliness so fast is beyond incredible. So to is this performance.
Aggy’s Five Of The Best
Friday – Battlesnake – The Bold and Bizarre
Wild and wonderful this sextet from Australia make their dazzling Download Festival debut. Playing two shows over the weekend and we caught them both. Bustling with energy while donning handmade white outfits decorated in sequins and studs, this band has lore behind it, creating its own world of magic and mystery. We love their track ‘Nightmare King’ but the crowd absolutely ate up every song they played. These guys are zany but they are also incredibly talented musicians and showmen. Near the end of their set, a few strip down into their budgie smugglers, which gets a roaring response.
Friday – Weezer -The Bucket List Band
Seeing Weezer perform at Donington Park is a pinch-me moment for many of us who have loved them since the 90s, with some growing up with their music. It feels like a nice chill set while watching them from the crowd with many singing along to their smash hits such as ‘Beverly Hills’ and ‘Buddy Holly’. There was just pure love and sharing in the joyful moment with the festival family. A band like Weezer is always a welcome addition to the Download line up, where the music is fun, sometimes quite relaxing but always with those endorphin boosting beats.
Saturday – Smash Into Pieces – The Swedish Show Stoppers
We are absolutely blown away by this larger-than-life performance. Their music and stage presence are impressive and extraordinary. You can’t help but fall in love with them. Fire burst from the Avalanche stage as they offer a flawless set while revving up the crowd. Even on your first time seeing them you find yourself singing along to their incredible melodic choruses. They have so many bangers but we just can’t get enough of ‘All Eyes On You’ and ‘Let Me Be Your Superhero’. We predict massive things to come for Smash Into Pieces, watch this space!
Saturday – Cradle Of Filth – An Unstoppable Force
It’s always a pleasure to see Cradle Of Filth live. This year is special for many reasons but it was also so deserved that they are the headline act on the Dogtooth stage. Dani Filth is one of the best showmen in the business. He has his vision and always delivers. The entire band are hugely talented and have a flair for the theatrical which is so unique to them. Dani Filth has decided to surprise his partner Sofiya with a beautiful wedding proposal with Download as the backdrop and the fans as the witnesses. We all collectively laughed that when she accepted and he proclaimed “Thank f*ck for that!”. There was a real buzz in the air afterwards, you could tell everyone was on cloud 9 after sharing such a beautiful moment.
Sunday – Steel Panther – The Party Starters
Comedians and musicians rolled into one Steel Panther are a band you can’t ignore. It is such a rollicking good laugh listening to their ridiculous lyrics and banter. We love it when they invited a girl on stage to sing with them, and she gives as good as she got with the crowd going wild. It’s a performance like no other that really gets the Download fans into silly billy mode. They also have pole dancers on stage who gave a mesmerising performance and added that extra pizazz.
The One We Both Agree On – Kittie
Gary: Back after a fifteen year hiatus it was Kittie who initially got many people excited when the first line up announcement was made last November. The Canadians were a part of the Nu Metal revolution even though their sound is crunchingly heavy so their return has long been waited for. The Dogtooth tent is full of anticipation that explodes as the set gets underway. This is a class return if ever there was one. It’s like they’ve never been away. Morgan Lander looks uber cool and sounds like she’s smiting her enemies sonically. Her sister Mercedes makes drumming like a beast look effortless while Ivy Jenkins and Tara McLeod are sublime. This is not just a masterful show, it’s an emotional one too with many fans seeing the band here for the first time. This is just about as good as it gets.
Aggy: We feel like we have stepped back into the 90s/00s when we saw the fans turning up in their baggy jeans and spikey hair to see the iconic Kittie. We can’t remember the last time we have seen so many crowd surfers, we even saw a little girl being passed to the front. They have clearly been missed as the Dogtooth stage was packed and the crowd goes absolutely crazy from start to finish. Watching Kittie live is like experiencing an important part of metal history. We love finally hearing their song ‘Brackish’ in all its glory.
Daily Round Up
Wednesday
It’s All Ears Avow who are given the honour of being the first band to play Download 2025 this year and they don’t fluff their lines turning in a solid set. Change Persona bring some pop punk fun while headliners Exist Immortal do more than enough to make you think they could be in the arena soon. Elsewhere Panic! At The Bingo and Emo Drag Karaoke provide are welcome returnees. Weather report: Keep hydrated but will I need wellies?
Thursday
Lunatic Aussies Battlesnake hit The Den hard playing the first of two shows (See Aggy’s Five Of The Best) over the weekend. The Defenders Of The Riff podcast goes live from the Aptly titled Ace Of Spades venue. It includes guests Dave Hill (not that one), Ol Drake and the ever eloquent Becky Baldwin. Booking cheesy popsters Vengaboys certainly got the gatekeepers raging. It proves to be one of the shows of the weekend with the Doghouse not only rammed but it leaves thousands of people dancing outside too. It’s an I was there moment. Aqua for next year may not be such a silly idea. Weather report: It’s Monsters Of Rock time with sunburn and a late soaking on the same day.
Friday
Reggae punx from Japan SiM bring the intensity with their lively early afternoon set. We expect to see them higher up the bill in the future. American skate punk rockers CKY return for their third year and bring the sunshine with them once again. UK alt rockers Boston Manor are in fine form. They grace the Apex stage in the mid-afternoon chill zone. The Meffs show why they are being labelled as ones to watch. The duo make enough noise with their no nonsense sound to make you think they’ve hidden an extra musician somewhere. Jimmy Eat World have still got it and grace Donington with their impeccable delivery of hits including fan favourite ‘The Middle’ which had the audience beaming. One of a crop of punk acts that are doing rather well right now Rise Against make full use of the big stage to show off their repertoire. Dutch symphonic stalwarts Within Temptation headline the Opus stage in a typically classy fashion. Sharon den Adel just keeps sounding better with each passing year. Moody cellists Apocalyptica close the day on the Dogtooth with a stirringly atmospheric show. Weather report: Tis but a shower.
Saturday
Static Dress gain an army of new fans this year with a jaw dropping stage show. British heavy metal with a modern twist, Loathe give a fresh taste of what the scene has on offer. Shredmeister Sophie Lloyd is about as rock as you can get. She’s joined at one point by Nathan James of Inglorious. But it’s Marisa Rodriguez who threatens to steal the show with a vocal masterclass. Fast paced and brutal Hate Breed play an electrifying set, big on crowd participation, throwing out giant black inflated balls, and encouraging everyone to get on their feet! Almost an unknown entity to many Kim Dracula isn’t for the faint hearted. The rap/metal styling runs amok while the bass player knocks out some sensational grooves. We all know we want to see the iconic ‘Sail’ by Awolnation and they give the fans exactly what they want and much more. US rockers Palaye Royal just do what they do – entertain. One song into the Sex Pistols and the heavens open. We get a rainbow as Frank Carter tears it up. Seeing three original members of such an iconic group together on stage alongside a younger singer is a special moment. The music is timeless and Frank gives it the energy it needs. Shinedown are the consummate professionals giving a hundred per cent. The big Sleep Token debate reaches fever pitch. You can’t deny they put on a huge show and tonight the crowd love them. Only time will tell if they have real staying power. Weather Report: Sunblock, deluge, rainbow, sunblock.
Sunday
It’s early on that last day and Bleed From Within create such a buzz throughout their set with eye-catching visuals, pyrotechnics and tight musicianship. They prove themselves to be contenders to move way higher up the bill. Fairy doom merchants Faetooth have more than a hint of grunge in their sweet mix too. They pull in a good crowd early in the day. Not ones to faff about with frivolities Meshuggah turn up, slay and leave. They also get the award for prettiest backdrop of the event. We’re sure they’ll be thrilled. Courtney LaPlante pulls out her full range of expressive stage poses during the Spiritbox set. Vocally mesmerising she is someone that doesn’t need to run around whipping up a storm to whip up a storm. Alien Ant Farm play a touching voicemail by the late Michael Jackson praising their cover before performing ‘Smooth Criminal’. We stumble across House Of Protection and we are so glad we did. The electronic two piece have the crowd jumping high in the air during their set. Bullet For My Valentine are on a roll right now. They sound like they’re on a mission tonight. If ever a band have earned the right to headline Download it is Korn. Hotly tipped in their heyday it just didn’t happen. Now though they grab their chance with open arms and produce a wonderful show. This is vintage from Jonathan Davis and co. They close the festival in real style. Weather report: A little early rain doesn’t dampen enthusiasm.
The sands of time are shifting in the music industry. If you don’t march to the beat then you’ll get left behind. And so with the close of Download 2025 we can reflect on a beloved festival that is getting to grips with this by being brave and trying new things to get ahead of the curve. Three brand new headliners was a punt that paid off in spades. The vibe was as chilled and friendly as it has ever been. We had excellent facilities with the toilets being singled out on social media for praise. That must be a first. Download is embracing a new era with new music and new fans head on and fully committed.
Long may it rock \m/
Review by Gary Trueman and Aggy Gillon
All photos by Gary Trueman
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