To say I’ve never been to a festival before, I must admit, I am totally jealous of anyone who has got their hands on Download tickets this year! To be fair, I probably couldn’t hack living in a tent for days but the line-up this year makes me die with excitement.
Now I know people say that the whole ‘festival living’ is great, but I have worries, I mean, how am I going to keep my hands clean for putting my contact lenses in and out, how the hell do I go for a wee in the middle of the night in the dark and most importantly, where the hell can I buy some of those 1990’s jelly shoes?
Anyway, that’s not the point, in fact, I think I could cope with looking like a complete dinosaur for a few days, if it meant I could get involved with some of the foxes that are singing their tiny hearts out at Donnington Park this summer.
Here are my hot picks for the weekend (not who I think are best though, just who I‘d love to see!)… So take pity on a poor journalist why don’t you and pack up our pink suitcases for a weekend in the sun.
Friday 12 June
A Day To Remember
Well, everyone knew I was going to scream my head off when I heard A Day To Remember were playing this year and finally getting the recognition they deserve within the music industry.
Their new album Homesick is nothing short of incredible, and ADTR are in fact one of my all time favourite bands and Neil Westfall is officially the hottest man on the face of the Earth.
In This Moment
I’ve only recently heard of these guys, but I checked them out at the Give It A name Introduces tour last week, and they really were fantastic - to me anyway… the guys I were with hastily left the room after deciding they were only famous because of their female singer.
I have to point out though, that Maria Brink’s vocals can put many a hardcore band front man’s to shame, and although I’m only just getting to grips with their debut album, Maria is a real inspiration to me and I’m championing these for the coming months.
Limp Bizkit
Who wouldn’t want to see Fred Durst ‘Rollin’ around on stage? (see what I did there?) I mean, whether you’re into this who ‘ghetto rock’ shizzle or not, Limp Bizkit are the sound of ‘My Generation’ (and again) and it would actually be a crime against music not to get involved in one of their shows.
Plus Fred does have something weirdly attractive about him don’t you think?
Bring Me The Horizon
Saw these guys on the Kerrang! Tour with their Download pals, Dir En Grey and although I’d caught them in a small gig venue before, it was nothing near as epic as their show at Manchester Academy, which saw the atmosphere in the room become so electric that I wished I’d worn Wellington boots.
Although they aren’t the type of band I’d really listen to at home, their live shows are bloody epic, and as they left the stage I wished they’d been given a longer set, or in fact, just ditched Dir En Grey and et them carry on through… their set at Download promises to be unmissable.
Saturday 13 June
Slipknot
Ever since I heard that the Slipknot guys are sick in their masks when on stage because of how hot it is, I’ve always wanted to see them live; just to see if it’s actually true I guess.
Marilyn Manson
I’ve always had a bit of a weird crush on the old Manson; I don;’t know why, I just think he’s so, well, wrong, that I just love him. That and, when my Grandma bought me Lest We Forget for Christmas a couple of years ago, I really found out what all the fuss was about.
What an epic bloke this guy is, it’s so rare to find someone so eager to go against the ‘rules’, since Ozzy Osbourne stated biting heads of bats left right and centre. Plus, it I’m there in some foxy jelly shoes, he’s never going to resist me…. Right?
You Me At Six
I’m not quite sure how these guys bantered their way onto the line-up as I think they’d be far better suited at somewhere like Leeds/Reading being pretty little emo pop kids, but I guess with the heaps of coverage in Kerrang! Magazine, those big wigs at Download thought they’d better get someone for the tenny-boppers. Personally I love them though, their album is in my car right now!
Fightstar
My new celeb best mates, Charlie, Omar, Alex and Dan were so excited aobut playing Download again that I have to say, I wish I could shack up with them and get involved in the whole shebang.
I’ve seen them live before and their stage presence is just epic, combine that with Be Human’s musical anthemia and I think you have sexy time on a stage ready for the taking.
Sunday 14 June
Def Leppard / Whitesnake
My housemate (and FF’s movie writer) has kindly introduced me to the joys of ‘classic rock’ during the time that I’ve known her, and for me, Def Leppard and Whitesnake were both bands whose songs I knew, but never really knew who sung them.
After working in a rock club for three years I should probably have known better, but as my musical tastes were slightly more ADTR and Nightwish, I never really delved into these Old Skool stars, well that was until about a year ago, and now I would be honoured to check out such musical genius given the chance.
Trivium
When I was younger I could never decide if I wanted to marry Matt Heafy or Bullet For My Valentine’s Matt Tuck, but after Trivum were my first face to face interview as a ’real’ music journalist, the good old Heafy proved his worth and made it into my list of ‘potential rock stars to marry.’
The only time I’ve seen them they were supporting Slayer and the fans were less than kind to then to say the least - booing in-between every song and generally being complete arse’s. So needless to say, it was hard to enjoy their set when everyone around me wanted to see the back of them and they probably couldn’t wait to get the hell off the stage!
Papa Roach
Although most people only know Papa Roach for their Last Resort, they have made several attempt to wield their way back into the rock scene, and with their latest attempt dragging my mate around on tour with them, it would be nice to see if they still have it, or whether it’s time just to hang up the microphone and get the hush Puppies on now.
Shinedown
By far one of the best bands to be brought to my attention this year, I missed seeing them when they came to the UK, and I’d totally do anything to be given a second chance as their debut album, The Sound Of Madness is bloody amazing.
If you crossed Staind and Nickelback and formed a decent band without the shit attitude of Staind’s Aaron Taylor… this is what you’d be left with. If you haven’t already, check them out right now!
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison
To say I’ve never been to a festival before, I must admit, I am totally jealous of anyone who has got their hands on Download tickets this year! To be fair, I probably couldn’t hack living in a tent for days but the line-up this year makes me die with excitement.
Now I know people say that the whole ‘festival living’ is great, but I have worries, I mean, how am I going to keep my hands clean for putting my contact lenses in and out, how the hell do I go for a wee in the middle of the night in the dark and most importantly, where the hell can I buy some of those 1990’s jelly shoes?
Anyway, that’s not the point, in fact, I think I could cope with looking like a complete dinosaur for a few days, if it meant I could get involved with some of the foxes that are singing their tiny hearts out at Donnington Park this summer.
Here are my hot picks for the weekend (not who I think are best though, just who I‘d love to see!)… So take pity on a poor journalist why don’t you and pack up our pink suitcases for a weekend in the sun.
Friday 12 June
A Day To Remember
Well, everyone knew I was going to scream my head off when I heard A Day To Remember were playing this year and finally getting the recognition they deserve within the music industry.
Their new album Homesick is nothing short of incredible, and ADTR are in fact one of my all time favourite bands and Neil Westfall is officially the hottest man on the face of the Earth.
In This Moment
I’ve only recently heard of these guys, but I checked them out at the Give It A name Introduces tour last week, and they really were fantastic - to me anyway… the guys I were with hastily left the room after deciding they were only famous because of their female singer.
I have to point out though, that Maria Brink’s vocals can put many a hardcore band front man’s to shame, and although I’m only just getting to grips with their debut album, Maria is a real inspiration to me and I’m championing these for the coming months.
Limp Bizkit
Who wouldn’t want to see Fred Durst ‘Rollin’ around on stage? (see what I did there?) I mean, whether you’re into this who ‘ghetto rock’ shizzle or not, Limp Bizkit are the sound of ‘My Generation’ (and again) and it would actually be a crime against music not to get involved in one of their shows.
Plus Fred does have something weirdly attractive about him don’t you think?
Bring Me The Horizon
Saw these guys on the Kerrang! Tour with their Download pals, Dir En Grey and although I’d caught them in a small gig venue before, it was nothing near as epic as their show at Manchester Academy, which saw the atmosphere in the room become so electric that I wished I’d worn Wellington boots.
Although they aren’t the type of band I’d really listen to at home, their live shows are bloody epic, and as they left the stage I wished they’d been given a longer set, or in fact, just ditched Dir En Grey and et them carry on through… their set at Download promises to be unmissable.
Saturday 13 June
Slipknot
Ever since I heard that the Slipknot guys are sick in their masks when on stage because of how hot it is, I’ve always wanted to see them live; just to see if it’s actually true I guess.
Marilyn Manson
I’ve always had a bit of a weird crush on the old Manson; I don;’t know why, I just think he’s so, well, wrong, that I just love him. That and, when my Grandma bought me Lest We Forget for Christmas a couple of years ago, I really found out what all the fuss was about.
What an epic bloke this guy is, it’s so rare to find someone so eager to go against the ‘rules’, since Ozzy Osbourne stated biting heads of bats left right and centre. Plus, it I’m there in some foxy jelly shoes, he’s never going to resist me…. Right?
Tagged in Download Festival