Download Festival – Top 10 Sets

If you are looking for in depth critiques of musical brilliance, this list isn’t for you. This piece flows from a place of emotion and memory, and I would struggle to define my love of Download any other way. Download has always been about the experience as a whole for me and I wanted to take the time to reflect on that with my Top 10 Download sets.

10  - The First Download

 Linkin Park -  2004 – Main Stage

My first Download was an experience that was incredibly similar to my first metal gig a few years before (KoRn in 2002 when I was 14, if you must know).

 I was 16 and travelling with a group of girls I didn’t know very well. It was in the middle of my GCSEs and I had an exam at 9am the Monday morning. Being at Donington for the first time was an eye opener. There were so many others just like me (girls in mosh gear!) it felt like going home and always has done ever since.

I ended up breaking off from the girls I travelled with and camping with some people I knew and some students from Loughborough Uni. None of them were exactly thrilled to be “babysitting”, so I kept out of their way and largely missed out on the whole camaraderie of the festival experience that first year. It wasn’t until later years I got to experience that in all its alcohol soaked glory.

 I was all about the Nu-Metal though and I couldn’t wait for Linkin Park on the Saturday night, and that set has cemented itself in memory for the last 16 years. I vaguely recall there being some disapproval over Linkin Park being in that slot. They only had 2 albums of material and some of the people I’d spoken to felt they didn’t quite deserve to be headliners yet.

16 year old me didn’t care about metal politics and how “deserving” they were, because at the time Linkin Park were one of the biggest bands in world, and they had captured the heart of an entire generation. They were one of the bands that made metal accessible to me and so many others.

 It was the first time I’d been in a huge festival crowd, and of course with their lack of material, they seemed to play everything from Hybrid Theory and Meteora. My teenage heart was so enamoured I didn’t even mind Chester Bennington completely fluffing “Breaking the Habit”.  It was the highlight of the festival for me, as the Sunday was a shambles (honestly, set times all over the place, bands swapping stages, sets getting cut dramatically  shorter… oh and an ex boyfriend who likes to tell people he missed Damageplan because of me. He didn’t even want to see Damageplan at the time. Nice try Fatty) and I had to leave early anyway to get home for next mornings exam (Chemistry? Physics? Some bullshit I’ve never needed to use in my life ever probably)

Would I have placed a band with only  2 albums of material playing a headline set in my Top 10 for any reason other than feeling dreamy eyed and nostalgic? Probably not.  But that Linkin Park set was very special to me because it was my favourite from my first Download.

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9 – The band that needed its own stage

AC/DC – 2010 – Their own stage

2010 was my first Download after missing a few years. I missed 2009 as I’d just become a mum, so this was my first one and I spent the Wednesday in my tent crying with guilt because I’d left the baby with her dad and she’d chosen this day to start walking. My friends coaxed me out with several shots and a trip to the indoor cinema to see Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Later on they’d UV paint me as a cat. That’s what friends are for.

I hadn’t expected too much from AC/DC. In my eyes they were old men who played music for other old men. I didn’t understand why they had their own stage, and felt like I might just watch a bit of their set and then go and do something else for a bit.

I got to eat my words though.

Of course AC/DC needed their own stage to bring their full stadium experiencing to Download, including their very own Rock n Roll train. I was captivated by how good they were and stayed for the whole thing, and found myself surprised at just how many AC/DC songs I actually knew. Walking back to my tent I realised… I was really fucking sunburnt.

Since 2010, AC/DC have featured regularly in my playlists for the sheer feel good factor of the memories of dancing to them in a field with my brother, a pint of cider  and some nasty sunburn.

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8 – The time I realised I had tits

Chimaira – 2005 – Second Stage

The first time Download was a 3 dayer, and I had packed light. So light in fact that I didn’t have any way of keeping warm. No jacket, no hoodie. No money. No common sense. Moron. Me and my best mate were in this tiny tent that definitely wasn’t waterproof either. What was I thinking?

Aside from being 17 and freezing and skint, I was also heavily into Chimaira too. They were on quite late in the day on the second stage (which at the time was in a tent and a pure mission away from the main arena) and famous for doing “Wall of Deaths” during their sets.

“No biggie. I’ve done a wall of death a few times. I can do it again” were my actual thoughts on the matter.

I remember Chimairas set feeling completely frantic under the cover of the tent, and not being able to get my feet on the floor at several points.

It was during the Wall of Death that some big bastard punched me square in the tits, and I hit the deck. Let me tell you, it’s scary when you go down in a melee and nobody stops to pick you up. My nose bled intermittently for the next day. 

And yet I just feel warm and fuzzy when I remember getting smacked around like a rag doll to one of my favourite bands at the time.

Anyway, I couldn’t find any clips from Chimairas 2005 set, so here’s a Wall of Death compilation from Loudwire.

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7 – ThEy aReN’t MeTaL!!!

Chase and Status – 2012 - Mainstage

The fucking rain that year. Jesus. 2012s Download was a feat of endurance, I saw 100s of people leaving on the first night. Much like 2019 now I come to think of it. I had offered to pitch a friends tent (oo-er) on the Wednesday ready for him arriving on the Friday… the tent blew down about 4 times. On the plus side, navigating all that mud meant I slept like a baby every single night, having burnt 5000 calories a day but only surviving on a single portion of chips and way too much vodka.

Chase and Status were yet another unpopular choice to be in such a high up slot, subheadling before the Prodigy. Primarily a live drum and bass act, their booking sparked an out pouring of anger prior to them playing. I got into so many internet arguments over this one. “If you don’t like them, go and watch something else”. Duh. It really wasn’t hard.

So let’s be honest. They maybe didn’t have the pull you’d expect a sub headliner to have. There were huge gaps of space throughout the standing area and up the hill. But I think knowing that they had such a difficult task ahead of trying to win over a predominantly metal audience, Chase and Status brought an absolutely ferocious energy to Donington that day. I remember the rain stopping and the sun peaking through the clouds. My brother and I were down at the front moshing around and from where I was, you’d never have guessed anyone was objecting to them being on the stage. Everyone was absolutely loving it.

I personally ALWAYS love it when Download books an act that is more dance/electro/drum and bass, which brings me on to…

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6 – More drum and bass

The Qemists – 2015 – Fourth stage

After Rammstein, The Qemists are one of my favourite all time bands and well deserving of their chance to finally play Donington. I might be completely biased, but I feel they are so underrated, particularly with the depth of their song writing skills. Rather than leaning heavily on squeaky bleepy bloopy noises, The Qemists have always demonstrated their ability to write brooding thought provoking music and lyrics, but where other similar acts were hugely commercially successful, the Qemists just seemed to slog and slog and slog, despite producing some stunning work.

2015s set at Download festival was a rowdy affair that packed the tent out completely. I mean, its not hard to pack that tent out, as year after year the same thing happens again and again – Acts that are too big for the stage get booked to play it and people end up waiting outside. I’ve got friends who couldn’t get in to see The Qemists, or were in but way to squashed to even move.

 Yours truly was on the front row for the entirety of it in my Warrior Sound t-shirt, losing my glowsticks quite early in. The Qemists ended up pulling the largest crowd all weekend for the fourth stage.

Anyway, here’s a VIDEO if you don’t believe me

5 – I couldn’t possibly stand here. No. There are people. What if they start moshing?!?

Slipknot – 2013 – Main Stage

So I’ve seen Slipknot at Download several times, but I think 2013 was probably my favourite Slipknot set, as it was before they released the Gray Chapter and started to bore the tits off me. It was also the year the barricade broke several times. There was this crazy static tension before they took to the stage which I hadn’t seen before and haven’t seen since either.

Rumours would fly around the festival about people being knocked out and crowd surfed to the front, and the set would be halted a few times for safety concerns. It was completely wild.

My only regret is not being further forward. I feel like I lost out on being swept away in that sea of madness by being where we were. We had a couple with us and the woman was a bit of a horror and was making a scene about people being near her, or touching her, or moshing next to her.

Yes. We’re at a festival.

She cleared off with her man friend to stand at the very back of the hill way before Slipknot began (he never forgave her for that. I don’t think they speak anymore), and my brother and I did our best to get a bit closer. No luck though. If there’s one thing I’m not, it’s rude at festivals. Who can be arsed shoulder barging people so you can get 3 feet further in.

Slipknot and Download have been having a love affair for a very long time, and I feel like the set we got in 2013 was all kinds of magic. Maybe I was just the right amount of wasted. Maybe it’s because my brother is my favourite person to mosh with. Maybe it’s because the annoying couple vanished. Maybe Slipknot played a blinder. Who knows?

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4 – We’re a familayyyyyyyyyyah

Metallica – 2012 – Main Stage

“How can you be a Metallica fan and like the Black Album, you’re such a fucking fake, poser, blah blah blah…” *eye rolls*

I like the Black album. I don’t even care.

Just as they had done in 2006 with Master of Puppets, Metallica returned to Drownload to play another album in its entirety, this time the Black album.

Metallica have been at this a long time, and incidentally, I had been at the cider for a long time, and in all honesty, can I remember all the wonderful details? No?

Do I remember discussing Get Him To The Greek with some randoms whilst we were waiting for the band to start, and hugging a random guy old enough to be my grandad during Nothing Else Matters? You bet.

Do I remember them playing the Black Album? Yes

Do I actually remember them playing the Black Album? ……..not really.

Do I remember being absolutely over joyed and singing along the entire time? Yes.

There’s not many more moments I can remember feeling that happy.

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3 – Much less fire than other European festivals?

Rammstein – 2016 – Main Stage

So I’ve heard several times that Rammsteins UK festival appearances are well and truly toned down due to excessive health and safety laws. Can confirm at another major European festival there was a big tower next to me that kept randomly exploding with fireworks and flames during Rammsteins set, so maybe there is some truth in that. Or maybe that wasn’t part of the show and I should have been concerned for my safety. I would love it if someone could confirm if the rumours about less pyro for the UK is true.

When comparing the two headline appearances (2013 and 2016) I feel 16 had the stronger of the two set lists. 13 was missing fan favourite Engel, and had the stripped down piano version of Mein Herz Brennt, as well as the odd addition of Wiener Blut. In the 16 set list, the full band version of Mein Herz Brennt had returned in all its orchestral glory, and to they were now playing rarity Hallelujah as well.

Rammstein are famous for the level of detail they put into each show, with intricate sets, huge theatrics and lashings of fire, and whilst I have never seen a bad Rammstein performance, I feel 2016 just pipped 2013 as my favourite UK festival one.

Of course the car broke down in Uttoxeter on the way home and we were stranded overnight and well into the next day. Memories… like the corners of my mind…

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2  – The sonic recreation of the end of the world

Pendulum – 2011 – Second stage

2011 was a brilliant Download right up until I woke up in a puddle on the Sunday morning and caught a horrendous cold. It was also the year me and my friends wore really bad dust suits (there were a couple of us wearing them, mine was see though damn it) and rave masks in anticipation of Pendulum. We also wore cheerleader outfits too at one point.

If you’d have told me then that I would never see a good Pendulum set this good again, I wouldn’t have believed you. This signalled the end of Pendulum Live as we knew it with the band taking a long break after 2011. Rob and Gareth would continue DJing and Producing as Knife Party, but Pendulum have  returned for the odd live appearance here and there.

It was like being packed in a sardine tin, I’d never seen so many people turn up at this stage. I started quite close to the front and end up getting moved to the side. There were pits erupting everywhere, glowsticks bouncing, bottles flying. Def Leppard on the other stage must have seemed so incredibly tame…

I distinctly remember Pendulum playing Set Me On Fire, which I never thought would work in their live set, and I had to just pause for a few moments to take it in.

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Honourable Mentions

Die Antwoord – Mainstage – 2019

What the actual fuck  was that? My favourite set from last year! Again, so many whingey people “Oh they are not metal, why are they on at Download, boo hoo hoo…” Just watch something else Princess. You’ll be fine.

Crossfaith – Mainstage – 2014

Again, I love me a bit of electro and the Japanese crossover act pulled Download apart so early in the day on the Friday

Genitorturers – Third Stage – 2010

Who doesn’t love a bit of kinky industrial?

Queens of the Stone Age – Main Stage 2013

Yes Josh Homme, that was a helicopter. You were not high.

Modestep – Third Stage – 2013

Front row for them for about 35 seconds. That was crazy intense.

Twenty One Pilots – Second Stage  - 2014

Had never heard of them prior to Download, and this was their first UK appearance. I thought they were really talented guys and I’m not even remotely surprised they’ve gone on to be as massive as they are now.

Rene LaVice – Fourth Stage – 2015

I love dubstep. Whatever.

1 – No way should they have been in a tent

Prodigy – 2006 – Second Stage

2006 was my favourite Download ever for a number of reasons. I was 18 and drinking wasn’t as much of a pain in the tits as it had been in 2005. The weather was glorious. I had these really cute little gothy braids in that weekend and did so many free After Shocks in the After Shock tent.

 And my friend stayed sober on the Sunday and drove us home way before the rioting started!

So the number one spot goes to the number one set of the festival and to the legends that are the Prodigy.

Later years would see them on the main stage but I feel like 2006 might have been a little bit of an experiment with their booking. They’ve always had an appeal with the alternative crowd; most metal club nights will usually throw a Prodigy track on at some point. I remember my Krazyhouse days so fondly. A few orange reefs and Out of Space blasting on the K1… I digress…

The second stage was still in a tent that year and I remember the frustration at telling my friends “We’re going to have to go early to make sure we get in” and them going “Nah, honestly, it’ll be fine”.

It was not fine.

There was at least the same number of people outside fighting to get in as there were already in there. The “gamble” of booking a dance act and putting them in the headline position on second stage had paid off. People wanted to see The Prodigy.

I felt really deflated being so far back and not being able to get anywhere near the tent initially.

“Ah we’ll just leave it” they said and started to turn back…

No. Absolutely not. Not happening. No.

I weaved, and wiggled, and moved like I was in the Matrix through hundreds of people and got in the tent just as the Prodigy took to the stage. Had just enough space to throw some shapes and a guy asked me if he could have some of my drugs. I wasn’t on drugs. That’s how I know I was busting some serious moves. I probably looked like a knob.  But I was so happy though.

I’ve found some video footage from the set – on a shaky camera phone of course. It was so rammed that people started to scale the supports and the set had to be stopped until everyone got down.

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In conclusion, Download holds lots of happy memories for me and my favourite sets are linked to those positive times. Until next year Donington… \m/