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Monday, 14th April 2008

This year鈥檚 Download Festival really is drawing in bands from the four corners of the earth with the latest announcements seeing bands from South Africa to South Wales to South America via Scandinavia added to the list.

Flying the flag for the home countries Wales鈥� Bullet For My Valentine and Scotland鈥檚 Biffy Clyro both return to Donington for another round. England鈥檚 Fightstar make their second appearance at the festival (let鈥檚 let it lie that the one with the eyebrows from Busted in is the lead singer).

After four years away, New Jersey鈥檚 The Dillinger Escape Plan return whilst Simple Plan, Seether and Madina Lake will both be making their Download debuts.

The addition of the Cavalera Conspiracy sees the return of Brazilian brothers Max and Igor Cavalera who have both enjoyed huge success in the past in world conquering Thrash band Sepultura.

Fans will be nostalgic for the Sepultura days but we are promised the new project will set the blood pumping equally as fast.

Apocalyptica

Within Temptation, fronted by the glamorous Sharon den Adel, will be scoring their Download hat-trick this year however it is the return of Apocalyptica that had me punching the air with glee.

Cellos and metal may not seem a likely marriage but somehow the Finnish quartet manage it. They last appeared at Download in 2006 and watching their set was something I can only describe as surreal.

Metallica on the cello is haunting and they have no need of vocals as they are provided by the audience in what becomes an interactive metal-meets-classics jam session. For those who have never seen Apocalyptica live, try it, you may just like it!

Wednesday, 5th March 2008

After the announcement of the headliners last month, the Download Festival is now steadily trickling out a line up which just makes you wish June was closer.

For those who thought the headliners of Kiss, The Offspring and LostProphets may be a little tame for their liking the announcement of Children of Bodom, In Flames, Alter Bridge and Coheed and Cambria a week later surely calmed their fears.

Children of Bodom

鈥極n the ground鈥� the inclusion of the Finnish 鈥楥hildren of Bodom鈥� was particularly welcomed as was the confirmation of their Scandinavian death metal neighbours, In Flames from Sweden. The dust mats will definitely be needed for the pits this year.

The legendary status of Donington as a rock venue gives it an almost pilgrimage like feel in the heart of rockers across the globe.

Children of Bodom have long wanted to play at Download but their schedules have never allowed. Their 2008 slot will see them fulfil a dream, as they say 鈥淵ou know, it's a great pleasure for us to be involved with an event that has such an incredible history.听

Back in the early '80s, the Castle Donington Festival was a truly ground-breaking event, one that every band dreamed of playing, and now in 2008 it's our turn to make a bit of history.鈥�

The next set of announcements was a packet of Download鈥檚 friends from across the Atlantic with American鈥檚 Chris Cornell, Jimmy Eat World, Jonathan Davis, 36 Crazyfists and Job For A Cowboy added to the line up.

As often mentioned by the visiting bands from the States, the festivals in America can鈥檛 compare to Download.

Latest additions include The Subways, Black Dahlia Murder, Throwdown and Bleeding Through, further adding to the spread of genres.

But the latest announcement is a coup which has long been wanted and rumoured since Download started, 2008 will see Kid Rock make his Donington debut.

Monday, 11th February 2008

This year鈥檚 Download Festival headliners have been announced with Kiss, Lostprophets and The Offspring taking the renowned Donington mainstage honours.

The announcement of legendary Kiss, complete with their trademark black and white make up, has undoubtedly caused a ripple of excitement across the generations of festival goers.

The universal appeal of Kiss is certainly heart warming for those like myself who have seen Kiss live before many 鈥楧ownloaders鈥� were so much as a twinkle in their parents eye.

Bassist Gene Simmons, larger than life in all respects, has carved himself a new niche with his appearances on the TV reality programme 鈥楻ock School鈥�, which I will forgive for spawning Lil鈥� Chris, furthering his pearls of wisdom to a new generation.

This year marks their 35th anniversary but there appears to be little chance of the Kiss set showing signs of age (and I鈥檓 not cruelly suggesting the make up covers the wrinkles鈥�)听

I suspect it will be a big, glam, loud spectacle with more fireworks than Chinese New Year. As Gene says: 鈥淲e are throwing down the gauntlet. Let those who are faint of heart, take heed. We will take no prisoners鈥�. I won鈥檛 argue.

Lostprophets

Waving the flag for Britain, Welsh rockers Lostprophets last played at Donington in 2002 when they formed part of the Ozzfest line up.

Always striking me more California than Cardiff, Lostprophets are working on a new album and promise lots of new material for Download.

New material at a festival is a difficult balance to strike, whilst die-hard fans will be happy to hear every new offering, to keep the wider audience content a generous injection of their better known hits to date will have to be liberally interspersed.

It will be a tough call but good to see some home grown talent given the nod.

The Offspring make their Download debut in 2008, a surprising fact given they hit the heights back in 1994.

Offspring

Punk rock with some tongue in cheek humour, an energetic set will be expected and lead singer Dexter has said "We are fully pumped to be making our return to the UK headlining this Summer's Download Festival.

"UK fans are the best and have made our festival shows some of the most memorable ever. Can't wait!". A blast of Californian skate sunshine should prove a popular draw.

And for those who find the big 3 perhaps a little soft, well never fear there鈥檒l be plenty of opportunity for some old style metal moments.

As Morecambe & Wise are to Christmas TV, Download are welcoming the old school of true metal to their stages with Motorhead and Judas Priest both confirmed. If it ain鈥檛 broke, don鈥檛 fix it. These are two bands that will be on my Download dancecard without fail.

Also announced are H.I.M and Rage Against but this is still a mere fraction with dozens more to be announced.

With the internet ripe with rumour, this year looks set to be a veritable smorgasbord of all things rock for a festival that has established an atmosphere always greater than the sum of its parts.

In a year when newspapers are full of doom and gloom of credit crunches there is a sense that for three barmy nights in June we will all be too busy following Kiss鈥檚 instructions to rock 鈥榥鈥� roll all night to worry about anything else.

Rebecca Hobbs