Download Festival blog: Live action from Donington!
We'll be posting updates from the biggest rock event in Europe throughout the weekend
The view from the Snickers Bowl
This year's Download Festival is off and running, with 50,000 rock fanatics rammed into a racing circuit over the weekend to witness headline sets from Tool, Deftones, Korn, Funeral For A Friend and the mighty Guns N' Roses and Metallica.
But Download is about more than the bands (although there are hundreds, playing across four stages); it's a lifestyle. With extreme sports, the extreme village, late night cabaret shows, nightclubs and so much more.
Sound Generator's rock editor, Eleanor Goodman, will be reporting live from Donington all weekend - bringing you a taste of the Donington experience. Be it Guns N' Roses setlist to the air guitar championships, to weirdest and most ostentatious tattoos of the day, she's be sure to have to covered.
For the Download 2006 picture galleries, updated throughout the weekend, click here later.
1.00PM Friday, June 9th
It's that time of year again for all followers of rock to uncover their tattoos, polish their piercings, and dig out their black t-shirts. . Download is upon us, and this year, it's hot.
Amplifier front man Sel Balamir took to the main stage in a defiant camouflage hat and t-shirt, ready for attack. So it was a pleasant surprise for Download's hung-over hordes when they eased the festival into action with the meandering into for forthcoming sophomore album "Insider".
Gloriously hot, packed arena, smiling faces....good vibe. Could be the best Download yet.
1.50PM Friday, June 9th
Jada Pinkett is an unlikely candidate for metal stardom, but she gave it her all today with new band Wicked Wisdom, who came on like a chugging mush of early nu-metal sounds. Cutting a wiry figure and clad in knee-high black boots, she stalked and snarled her way through "Bleed All over Me" and "Something Inside Of Me" whilst hubbie Will Smith offered moral support from the wings.
Really odd keyboard interlude though!
People are already sunburnt!
3.30PM Friday, June 9th
Heavier than a really heavy thing, and as fun as a really fun thing, metal mentalists Strapping Young Lad brought the real metal to the party, and it was loud. "You love us, you really love us!" cried weird-haired singer Devin Townsend. "How unfortunate for yourlack of taste". Epic.
17.30PM Friday, June 9th
Max Cavalera and Soulfly played the legendary "Roots, Bloody Roots", a defining Download moment!
Really good atmosphere - plenty of people in bikinis, plenty of inflatable crocodiles.
11.00AM Saturday, June 10th
And this year's secret band is...Down! A badly kept secret due to a post on their official website, thousands upon thousands gathered to create a sea of horns, as well as pay tribute to the treasured memory and heritage of Dimebag Darell.
The New Orleans heavies rocketed through a hard, heated set, opening with the unmistakably crushing riff of Lysergic Funeral Procession whilst the mighty all-America Phil Anselmo knocked back ice cold Bud from a can and fans waved Confederate flags. 'I want you to headbang like it's 1984' raged Anselmo, proving mad cheers and frantic headbanging.
After loaded references to the evil weed and some dirty inneundo, they tore into 'Bury Me In Smoke' and threatened violence upon those who weren't rocking. Despite the heat, a circle pit opened up and fans drowned in the sandy mist.
Messing about with the opening from 'Stairway To Heaven', they had Donnington in the palm of their hands.
They left a crowd of disappointed fans wanting more, yet happy in the knowledge that they had seen something totally unique.
With the most lunatic crowd yet and the most muscle on show, it looks like the day can only get more brutal.
12.30PM Saturday, June 10th
It's official, the sun is turning everyone crazy. Download has turned into a patchwork of coloured umbrellas and cheap hats, alongside England flags and the odd Jolly Roger. The onscreen text messages are turning weirder: "What kind of an idiot takes a cheesegrater to Download? Me, that's who" read one. Quite. Lucily Bloodsimple were on hand to reinforce the lunacy. They made the crowd simmer under the midday sun with their heavy yet catchy brand of metal.
1.30PM Saturday, June 10th
Over on the Snickers Stage, Devil Driver got some love from Phil Anselmo, who stepped onstage to give singer Dez Fafara a much-needed earplug and give the crowd a quick blast of his mighty vocal chords.
2.30PM Saturday, June 10th
The football kicked off and crowds poured away to watch live action on the cinema screen - after Alice In Chains, naturally. The seminal nineties band induced a sense of nostalgia yet still sounded suprisingly fresh, new singer William Duvall bringing his own personality to the grunge table. As their last note rang out, football mania resumed, and the bands started to run late...
4.30PM Saturday, June 10th
A fantastic win for England and a performance from tattoed sleaze-meisters Avenged Sevenfold - awesome! There are a startling array of costumes at Download today, including a man in a leather kilt and another in fishnet stockings and an army helmet. Also spotted - Ginger Wildheart's characteristic dreads, as he knocks back a variety of coloured cocktails. Smooth.
5.30PM Saturday, June 10th
Breaking news! Korn front man Jonathan Davies is unwell, and there are frantic backstage auditions going on to find suitable singers. So far, M Shadows from Avenged Sevenfold and Lacey Mosley from Flyleaf are rumoured to be guesting...
7.00PM Saturday, June 10th
With the screens back in action after technical difficulties, the male members of the crowd contented themselves with shots of scantily clad women...Then Korn were upon us, main man down yet ploughing on like it was 1994. Over on the other side, in the Snickers tent, Opeth crammed a massive four songs into a majestic 40-minute set.
9.30PM Saturday, June 10th
With Metallica running late, the restless crowd turned to bottle-throwing, creating a dangerous war of plastic.
10.10PM Saturday, June 10th
Saviours of bottle injuries and thrash metal gods Metallica stepped up to receive the love, opening with the monolithic 'Creeping Death'. When the band announced they would play Master of Puppets in its entirity, the crowd erupted into glorious praise and got out their air guitars. This band can do no wrong.
12.30PM Sunday, June 11th
While some campers trailed home early after a long weekend of relentless heat, hardcore survivors settled down to watch power metallers Dragonforce, their set unfortunately blighted by poor sound. Meanwhile, Soilwork missed their slot on the Snickers Stage after their guitarist had a vascular spasm. Devil Driver stepped in to fill the slot, whipping up a super-massive dusty circle pit.
2.30PM Sunday, June 11th
Betty Curse put in a great performance, coming on like pop icon Kelly Clarkson with a dark, sinister twist. She gave it her all and rocked the goth look with her purple eye shadow and bright pink designer dress, but was unfortunately up against an unresponsive crowd.
4.30PM Sunday, June 11th
Axl Rose sighted backstage, here's hoping he hangs around...Lacuna Coil played to a tired, difficult crowd, but devotees lapped up material from Comalies and Karmacode. Cradle Of Filth won the audience's attention with a strange, monster-like gimp and a raunchily-dressed twirling acrobat woman. Good effort!
But Download is about more than the bands (although there are hundreds, playing across four stages); it's a lifestyle. With extreme sports, the extreme village, late night cabaret shows, nightclubs and so much more.
Sound Generator's rock editor, Eleanor Goodman, will be reporting live from Donington all weekend - bringing you a taste of the Donington experience. Be it Guns N' Roses setlist to the air guitar championships, to weirdest and most ostentatious tattoos of the day, she's be sure to have to covered.
For the Download 2006 picture galleries, updated throughout the weekend, click here later.
1.00PM Friday, June 9th
It's that time of year again for all followers of rock to uncover their tattoos, polish their piercings, and dig out their black t-shirts. . Download is upon us, and this year, it's hot.
Amplifier front man Sel Balamir took to the main stage in a defiant camouflage hat and t-shirt, ready for attack. So it was a pleasant surprise for Download's hung-over hordes when they eased the festival into action with the meandering into for forthcoming sophomore album "Insider".
Gloriously hot, packed arena, smiling faces....good vibe. Could be the best Download yet.
1.50PM Friday, June 9th
Jada Pinkett is an unlikely candidate for metal stardom, but she gave it her all today with new band Wicked Wisdom, who came on like a chugging mush of early nu-metal sounds. Cutting a wiry figure and clad in knee-high black boots, she stalked and snarled her way through "Bleed All over Me" and "Something Inside Of Me" whilst hubbie Will Smith offered moral support from the wings.
Really odd keyboard interlude though!
People are already sunburnt!
3.30PM Friday, June 9th
Heavier than a really heavy thing, and as fun as a really fun thing, metal mentalists Strapping Young Lad brought the real metal to the party, and it was loud. "You love us, you really love us!" cried weird-haired singer Devin Townsend. "How unfortunate for yourlack of taste". Epic.
17.30PM Friday, June 9th
Max Cavalera and Soulfly played the legendary "Roots, Bloody Roots", a defining Download moment!
Really good atmosphere - plenty of people in bikinis, plenty of inflatable crocodiles.
11.00AM Saturday, June 10th
And this year's secret band is...Down! A badly kept secret due to a post on their official website, thousands upon thousands gathered to create a sea of horns, as well as pay tribute to the treasured memory and heritage of Dimebag Darell.
The New Orleans heavies rocketed through a hard, heated set, opening with the unmistakably crushing riff of Lysergic Funeral Procession whilst the mighty all-America Phil Anselmo knocked back ice cold Bud from a can and fans waved Confederate flags. 'I want you to headbang like it's 1984' raged Anselmo, proving mad cheers and frantic headbanging.
After loaded references to the evil weed and some dirty inneundo, they tore into 'Bury Me In Smoke' and threatened violence upon those who weren't rocking. Despite the heat, a circle pit opened up and fans drowned in the sandy mist.
Messing about with the opening from 'Stairway To Heaven', they had Donnington in the palm of their hands.
They left a crowd of disappointed fans wanting more, yet happy in the knowledge that they had seen something totally unique.
With the most lunatic crowd yet and the most muscle on show, it looks like the day can only get more brutal.
12.30PM Saturday, June 10th
It's official, the sun is turning everyone crazy. Download has turned into a patchwork of coloured umbrellas and cheap hats, alongside England flags and the odd Jolly Roger. The onscreen text messages are turning weirder: "What kind of an idiot takes a cheesegrater to Download? Me, that's who" read one. Quite. Lucily Bloodsimple were on hand to reinforce the lunacy. They made the crowd simmer under the midday sun with their heavy yet catchy brand of metal.
1.30PM Saturday, June 10th
Over on the Snickers Stage, Devil Driver got some love from Phil Anselmo, who stepped onstage to give singer Dez Fafara a much-needed earplug and give the crowd a quick blast of his mighty vocal chords.
2.30PM Saturday, June 10th
The football kicked off and crowds poured away to watch live action on the cinema screen - after Alice In Chains, naturally. The seminal nineties band induced a sense of nostalgia yet still sounded suprisingly fresh, new singer William Duvall bringing his own personality to the grunge table. As their last note rang out, football mania resumed, and the bands started to run late...
4.30PM Saturday, June 10th
A fantastic win for England and a performance from tattoed sleaze-meisters Avenged Sevenfold - awesome! There are a startling array of costumes at Download today, including a man in a leather kilt and another in fishnet stockings and an army helmet. Also spotted - Ginger Wildheart's characteristic dreads, as he knocks back a variety of coloured cocktails. Smooth.
5.30PM Saturday, June 10th
Breaking news! Korn front man Jonathan Davies is unwell, and there are frantic backstage auditions going on to find suitable singers. So far, M Shadows from Avenged Sevenfold and Lacey Mosley from Flyleaf are rumoured to be guesting...
7.00PM Saturday, June 10th
With the screens back in action after technical difficulties, the male members of the crowd contented themselves with shots of scantily clad women...Then Korn were upon us, main man down yet ploughing on like it was 1994. Over on the other side, in the Snickers tent, Opeth crammed a massive four songs into a majestic 40-minute set.
9.30PM Saturday, June 10th
With Metallica running late, the restless crowd turned to bottle-throwing, creating a dangerous war of plastic.
10.10PM Saturday, June 10th
Saviours of bottle injuries and thrash metal gods Metallica stepped up to receive the love, opening with the monolithic 'Creeping Death'. When the band announced they would play Master of Puppets in its entirity, the crowd erupted into glorious praise and got out their air guitars. This band can do no wrong.
12.30PM Sunday, June 11th
While some campers trailed home early after a long weekend of relentless heat, hardcore survivors settled down to watch power metallers Dragonforce, their set unfortunately blighted by poor sound. Meanwhile, Soilwork missed their slot on the Snickers Stage after their guitarist had a vascular spasm. Devil Driver stepped in to fill the slot, whipping up a super-massive dusty circle pit.
2.30PM Sunday, June 11th
Betty Curse put in a great performance, coming on like pop icon Kelly Clarkson with a dark, sinister twist. She gave it her all and rocked the goth look with her purple eye shadow and bright pink designer dress, but was unfortunately up against an unresponsive crowd.
4.30PM Sunday, June 11th
Axl Rose sighted backstage, here's hoping he hangs around...Lacuna Coil played to a tired, difficult crowd, but devotees lapped up material from Comalies and Karmacode. Cradle Of Filth won the audience's attention with a strange, monster-like gimp and a raunchily-dressed twirling acrobat woman. Good effort!
By: News Desk
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> Discuss this story on the Message Boards > Other artist info: Tool, Metallica
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