Download Festival 2017 - Day Three Review

EVER seen the film Speed? Or as Homer Simpson so brilliantly described it - "The bus that can't slow down." Well that was me on the Sunday at Download.

In Flames - Picture by Matt Eachus

I was struck with a piercing backache that only abated when I was either sat up against something or walking. And so that led to me taking in a hell of a lot of bands on the Sunday and clocking up thousands upon thousands of steps on my pedometer.

It all started OK with Chris Jericho's FOZZY on the main stage, but then I took in bits of GROOVE STREET FAMILIES, ORANGE GOBLIN, THE DEAD DAISIES, BLOOD YOUTH, CADILLAC THREE, DEAD! and DEVIL DRIVER in the next three hours. 

I made sure I stayed in front of the main stage for IN FLAMES - another one of those bands with a load of great tunes but never seem to be able to push themselves further up the bill. I enjoyed it and Anders Friden's banter with the crowd.

After that it was back to hiking from stage to stage as saw ANATHEMA, AIRBOURNE, TOUCHE AMORE and MINISTRY.

And then came one of the highlights of the weekend. I had only stopped by the main stage to see STEEL PANTHER do one song so I could see "the joke" and then I would be on my way to see a "proper" band. I owe those guys an apology.

Steel Panther - Picture by Ross Silcocks

It is more than just one joke, it is a constant barrage of them mixed in with some brilliant, brilliant songs. I had so much fun that for an hour I completely forgot the agony my back was putting me in. I'm smiling again thinking about it now. I underestimated Steel Panther and I am happy to be proved wrong.

As you may be able to tell, my back pain sapped a lot of energy and enjoyment from the Sunday. I watched a chunk of ALTER BRIDGE and MOOSE BLOOD and a healthy dose of SLAYER (well, it would be rude not to) before heading for the gate. I caught the drift of AEROSMITH from the car park, but I was done.

The sun did not give up all weekend, which meant for once we could all focus solely on the music and having a good time - and boy did I have one. See you again next year.

Nearly 50 acts added to Download 2017 bill

Photo credit:

 

Ross Silcocks

THE organisers of this year's Download Festival are getting serious - as they announce nearly 50 acts to play the Donington rock bonanza in June.

Steel Panther, A Day To Remember, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicidal Tendencies, In Flames, Hacktivist, Creeper and Moose Blood are among the dozens of bands headed to the East Midlands.

Northlane, The Devil Wears Prada, State Champs and Touché Amoré are also on the list. System Of A Down, Biffy Clyro and Aerosmith headline the event.

Download Festival's Andy Copping said: "We're committed to delivering the best in rock and metal year on year for the fans, and this year is no exception. 

"Right through from The Dogtooth Stage, all the way to the top, fans are guaranteed to witness an incredible weekend of music from their trusted favourites, and discover new favourite bands."

The festival takes place over the weekend of June 9-11 and for more information on tickets and the full line-up as it stands, visit downloadfestival.co.uk

Download 2015 - Day Three review

SOMETIMES you have a band in your life that you get, but not everyone else does - and that's just fine.

It gives you more of a connection with them and their songs and makes seeing them live - even at 11.50 in the morning - a really rewarding experience.

Brock in action - picture by Richard Johnson/Download 2015

That band for me is 36 Crazyfists, whose first album Bitterness The Star I picked up back in the early 2000s and never looked back. But this was the first time I had seen them perform in the flesh.

They kicked off with a new one - Vanish from Time And Trauma - in an eight-track set that included highlights from throughout their career and ended with their most memorable (and earliest) hit, Slit Wrist Theory.

For me, it was a fantastic performance and a delight to finally see them perform. And to top it off, I met frontman Brock Lindow for a brief chat and a picture backstage in the press area and he was a lovely guy. What an experience.

36CF weren't my first band of the day though, with Pop Evil having the unenviable task of opening the Main stage on "Hangover Sunday", but they did a good job of it and pulled in a decent crowd.

I also very much enjoyed Tremonti on the Main stage a little later as my Sunday began to get going.

But then I suffered another disappointment. I appreciate We Are Harlot are an arms waving, lighters-in-the-air sort of band but it just didn't do it for me on the day - even with their cover of Queen's Tie Your Mother Down.

I departed and caught a bit of Blackberry Smoke on the Main stage and The Darkness pulling in the biggest crowd the Maverick stage tent had seen all weekend. A triumphant return for them.

Billy Idol is also not really a boat floater for me, so after a bit of his set I popped up to see Eagles Of Death Metal on the Zippo Encore stage. Now this I did like. Jesse Hughes and his band of merry men seemed to enjoy their time and that rubbed off on the crowd. It was a lot of fun and a lot of dancing in the mud. Good stuff.

Myles & Slash - picture by Scott Salt/Download 2015

Now back in the groove, it was time for Slash (feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators) on the Main stage - and what a performance.

I was worried I didn't know enough Slash material to enjoy the set, but he's a guy who knows what the crowd wants and it was rammed full of Guns 'n' Roses classics too and one from his Velvet Revolver days.

For those tracks Myles Kennedy shows his skill as a vocalist and avoids the trap of slipping into an Axl Rose parody. As such, we get to enjoy Nightrain, You Could Be Mine, Sweet Child O' Mine and Paradise City. And, of course, Slash's axemanship is second to none.

In Flames - picture by Giles Smith/Download 2015

And as my festival looks to finish on a high, I take in In Flames on the Encore stage and they also hit the spot. Anders Friden leads the onslaught of hit after hit - including my favourites Where The Dead Ships Dwell and Deliver Us - before finishing on their biggest smash, Take This Life. Incredible.

I take in a little bit of Motley Crue as they say goodbye, but to be honest neither they or Kiss are my kind of thing, it's getting late and I have a three-hour journey ahead. 

My big regret is missing out on what has been reported as a stormer of a performance from Enter Shikari, but my Download Festival is over and what an amazing weekend of music it's been \m/