FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Download Festival 2024

The picturesque village of Castle Donington in the East Midlands is a quiet civilisation for 51 weeks of the year, or at least when there’s no racing at the nearby Donington Park. However, at no point is the peace and tranquillity shattered more than the second weekend of June, when up to 100,000 rockers, punks, metalheads and heavy lovers bound through. For nearly four-and-a-half decades, Donington Park has  combined its duties of hosting motorsports with the title of ‘Spiritual Home of Rock and Metal’, and its here we find Download Festival, now in its twenty-first year. Distorted Sound are, once again, covering the festival for your reading pleasure; here is how the biggest weekend of rock and metal is shaping up!

Friday – June 14th

Friday’s main, Apex Stage is the one for the classic rock enthusiasts, opening with blues rock duo THE BLUE STONES and continuing with the charged, driving hard rock of Welsh upstarts THOSE DAMN CROWS and the more glam leanings of THE STRUTS, who have supported some of the biggest names in the game. Things take a left-field turn with the polyrhythmic stylings of Texan instrumentalists, but the straight and narrows returns for the rest of the evening, with Kentucky rock heroes BLACK STONE CHERRY up next and then British heavyweights ROYAL BLOOD, who will likely find the Donington crowd more to their taste than the one at Radio 1’s Big Weekend. Finally, headlining are QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, making just their second appearance at Download Festival but will no doubt send punters into raptures with newer songs from last year’s excellent In Times New Roman… album alongside massive tunes like No One Knows and Feel Good Hit Of The Summer.

Over on the Opus Stage, Japanese metalcore outfit HANABIE will be sure to blow hangovers away before HALOCENE bring their vast arsenal of rock and metal covers alongside original material such as Repent. One of the hottest names around in self-proclaiming ‘bimbocore’ royalty SCENE QUEEN follows, with ALL THEM WITCHES taking everyone into the early evening amid a haze of riffs and stoner/psychedelic vibes. Fresh off the back of playing BEARDED THEORY, punk duo SOFT PLAY will be sure to cause a ruckus before MR. BUNGLE, the experimental rock loons featuring FAITH NO MORE singer Mike Patton, make their Download debut. HEILUNG‘s neo-folk and tribalistic movements will cast a very special incantation over all who attend their ceremony before FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, stepping up in place of the originally scheduled BAD OMENS, close the stage with some of the biggest post-hardcore numbers ever recorded.

The Avalanche Stage Hosted By Kerrang! Radio is opened by Norwegian metalcore sensation STORM, with emo revivalists TX2 and AVIVA continuing the party, South Welsh alternative rockers DREAM STATE have got a big future ahead of them, whilst metalcore icons ESCAPE THE FATE have seen it all over the last two decades and know how to bring a performance. Up next is VUKOVI, bringing you pop-punk from the heart of Scotland and they’re ably followed by New York noisemakers BAYSIDE. However, whilst there’s been plenty on this stage from those who are up-and-coming, the final two bands are a nostalgia trip like no other for everyone over the age of 30, as first WHEATUS bring their alternative rock to make Teenage Dirtbags of us all once more and then British pop rock titans BUSTED make their Download Festival debut to send everyone to the Year 3000 yet again.

At the top of the site at The Dogtooth Stage, it’s a triple-salvo from London to start as metallers DEFECTS, alternative rap trio FROZENMODE and sludge metal bruises URNE all pull punches and take no prisoners. A quick trip to America next; mathcore mob THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS are sure to be a standout of the weekend – there’s added violin for good measure – and metallic hardcore outfit ZULU bring huge riffs and hard-hitting lyrics about Black America. It’s back to the capital with ITHACA and their own hardcore stylings and then SPEED bring a taste of Down Under to Download Festival with huge hardcore anthems and no-frills delivery. Californian hardcore punks SCOWL will whip the tent into a frenzy whilst MAKE THEM SUFFER deliver filthy breakdown after filthy breakdown. HEALTH will turn the night moody and sultry with their electronic-based industrial and it’s then left to New York hardcore legends BIOHAZARD to bring Download‘s smallest stage to a close on day one.

Saturday – June 15th

Fresh from Eurovision, BAMBIE THUG opens the Apex Stage on Saturday with their self-proclaimed ‘ouija pop’ and they’re followed by one of the most notorious bands to come out of the UK in years – the electronic punk duo that is WARGASM. Taking things a bit lighter are indie rockers THE HUNNA up next before British legend FRANK CARTER returns with THE RATTLESNAKES to raise the roof and Japanese trio BABYMETAL give us huge riffs, dazzling choreography and have everyone throwing the ‘Fox God’ horns before dinner time. ENTER SHIKARI are darlings of the UK alternative scene and their high energy blend of electronica, punk and metal is sure to deliver before THE OFFSPRING give us a huge throwback with the likes of Pretty Fly For a White Guy and The Kids Aren’t Alright. Talking of throwbacks, your main bill toppers on day two are the mighty FALL OUT BOY, who have cemented their status as one of the biggest rock bands on the planet right now and will pull off a set of both modern ragers and pop-punk classics to close Download Festival for another Saturday.

If a few sore heads are around after Friday night, British metal bruisers HERIOT will be sure to kick them into touch on the Opus Stage, with Welsh rockers FLORENCE BLACK  following to show why they’re the new name of everyone’s lips of the New Wave of Classic Rock. ASINHELL, the death metal side project of VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulson will bring riffs and blast beats while BLEED FROM WITHIN are the shining star of British metalcore right now and will prove that with a blistering set. Australia’s KARNIVOOL will delight with their prog metal and Russian deathcore mob SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL will terrify with their breakdowns, before TOM MORELLO will give us a masterclass in guitar playing, most likely alongside a few RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE songs. WHILE SHE SLEEPS go from strength to strength and will no doubt give a wicked show of metalcore riffs and huge choruses before, for the first time since April 2000, PANTERA take to a UK stage once again to give us those songs in all their glory.

On the Avalanche Stage, Bristol alt-metallers MALLAVORA open up proceedings, followed by Hastings post-punk starlets HOTWAX and Californian dark pop artist DEATHBYROMY. The gritty, grungy tones of LA-via-UK quartet LOWLIVES are up next, before CHARLOTTE SANDS arrives with her pop-driven emo and RØRY follows that with her brand of pop-infused metal. Alternative artist and major YouTuber NOAHFINNCE brings his punchy pop-punk anthems to the stage as the sun begins to set, with seminal Canadian rockers SILVERSTEIN bringing their timeless tunes to the stage thereafter and British outfit HOLDING ABSENCE rounding out the undercard on day two with their expansive and hugely catchy post-hardcore. Headlining are the ever-brilliant, punk stalwarts BILLY TALENT, now into their fourth decade as a band and still as beloved as they were at the time of their debut release in 2003; expect huge anthems and a tent bouncing for more.

Up at The Dogtooth Stage, death metal rookies CELESTIAL SANCTUARY will be determined to make a big impression early doors, as will Brighton’s KNIFE BRIDE and their blend of goth and nu-metal. ALT BLK ERA bend genres with ease and their impressive blend of rap, drum n’ bass and opera among their rock will be an experience to remember. CALVA LOUISE, from the UK via Venezuela, New Zealand and France, bring big, fuzzy riffs with catchy melodies and choruses, while GUILT TRIP bring huge breakdowns and the cutting edge of the UK’s hardcore scene. The hardcore continues with both New Jersey bruisers GEL and Oregon natives DYING WISH before NE OBLIVISCARIS arrive with their neo-classical extreme metal that also features elements of jazz and prog rock. ALPHA WOLF are sure to bring a loud and lairy set of huge-sounding metalcore and then, ten years after they tore up the Apex Stage, death metal legends DYING FETUS come back to Download Festival to rip everyone a new one once more. Closing the stage are legendary industrial metallers FEAR FACTORY, re-energised with new singer Milo Silvestro and guaranteed to bring The Dogtooth Stage to its knees.

Sunday – June 16th

There’s more Eurovision talent kicking off the Apex Stage on Sunday, this time in the form of goth metallers LORD OF THE LOST. There will be pits and bodies flying galore when CODE ORANGE bring their metallic hardcore punk in spades and then huge singalongs when CREEPER turn up in their current guise of goth rock kings of the UK. KERRY KING needs absolutely no introduction – expect furious thrash alongside a couple of SLAYER classics – and BOWLING FOR SOUP will bring their usual, high-octane and bouncy pop punk show. The tissues will be out as pop-punk icons SUM 41 play their final ever UK festival show before calling it a day early next year, whilst the baggy jeans will be out for nu-metal legends LIMP BIZKIT, currently on the form of their lives and ready to make Download Festival bounce once again. Returning for their third headline show in ten years, AVENGED SEVENFOLD will close Download Festival in style for another year – expect big numbers from their back catalogue alongside tunes from their most recent album, Life Is But a Dream….

KELSEY KARTER & THE HEROINES will open the Opus Stage with a set of full-bodied rock and roll numbers; ALIEN WEAPONRY will follow that with grooves, riffs and their excellent blend of English and native Maori lyrics. 311 are legends in the alternative metal world and will be sure to bring a set of huge throwbacks before ROYAL REPUBLIC will throw a massive party with their catchy hard rock and occasional dips into CANNIBAL CORPSE. Seemingly now the Download Festival house band when SKINDRED aren’t around, ELVANA are back for another round of impersonations and grunge classics, while ZEBRAHEAD will provide plenty of two-stepping fun with their seminal ska punk. Things take a turn for the seriously heavy in the guise of Australian deathcore titans THY ART IS MURDER and then, after delivering many people’s highlight of the previous year’s festivities, ELECTRIC CALLBOY are back for more huge, electronic-infused metalcore numbers and massive choruses. COREY TAYLOR performs his first solo show at Download Festival since 2012 after that before, closing the stage in style, are the legendary Bay Area thrashers MACHINE HEAD – get your running shoes on, because there will be major circle pits at this one.

The Avalanche Stage welcomes the empowering force of DELILAH BON first up on Sunday with her own brand of ‘Brat Punk’; she’s succeeded by CEMETERY SUN who deliver a lethal blend of alt-rock and pop-punk with electro and R&B tones. Worthing-based NOISY will provide a blend of genres from rap to jungle and rock the likes of which you’ve never heard before, with Baltimore rock newbies PINKSHIFT up afterwards with songs inspired by 90s grunge and 00s pop-punk. TIGERCUB will bring riffs and a new approach to what rock music should be; they’re followed by metalcore veterans OF MICE & MEN with their big breakdowns and catchy choruses. ATREYU will provide a good time of metalcore goodness, whilst HOOBASTANK will bring the nostalgia in spades with their alternative rock. COUNTERPARTS are there for those who like their bruising hardcore and, finally, THE USED will deliver a set of huge hits from their back catalogue as they give us their blend of emo, punk and post-hardcore.

Hailing from Buffalo, NY, UNTIL I WAKE will open The Dogtooth Stage on Sunday with a hard-hitting metalcore show and then make way for HARPER, the viral sensation who stunned America’s Got Talent with her SPIRITBOX cover; she might be young, but she packs a hell of a punch. PEST CONTROL are loaded with crossover thrash goodness for the early afternoon while UNDERSIDE are determined to put Nepal on the map with their huge riffs and savage vocals. Texan alternative electronic duo MISSIO are up afterwards and followed by the Japanese hardcore/metalcore rousers CRYSTAL LAKE. Canadian symphonic deathcore outfit BRAND OF SACRIFICE are out to cause mayhem and mischief, much like Swedish metalcore upstarts IMMINENCE and more symphonic deathcore in the guise of SHADOW OF INTENT. There’s another big dose of metalcore coming after with the raucous FIT FOR A KING and the jarring, vicious sounds of ERRA, which brings us to what may be the most emotional set of the weekend, as melodic death metal heavyweights THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER return to the UK for their first show on this soil since the tragic passing of frontman Trevor Strnad.

So there you have it – every band on every stage at this year’s Download Festival. Look out for our review of the weekend if you can’t make it and, if you’re going and see us around in the crowd, come and say hi! Ours is a can of Liquid Death, please and thank you.

Download Festival takes place from June 14-16th at Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.

For more information on Download Festival like their official page on Facebook.