Music : Alternative Dance, Rock and Metal
This is a daytime event (e.g. starts late morning or early afternoon - see below for times).
Download Festival '09
last updated : Fri 20th Feb 09
Date: Friday 12th - Sunday 14th June 09
Location: Donington Park, Derby
Cost: £135 weekend, camping is an extra £25, Day Ticket info yet to be released.
There are 6 weeks until Download Festival 2009
Three days of heavy rock music over three stages at Donington, the spiritual home of rock!
Download returns for a seventh year, held over the weekend of Friday 12th to Sunday 14th June 2009. Download Festival will return to Donington Park once again, but away from the racetrack.
Tickets are on sale priced as follows: a full weekend ticket is priced at £135, camping is an extra £25 (family camping is also available), car parking tickets are priced at £10 advance, £20 on the day, camper vans tickets are priced at £40, and lockers will be £11. Kids aged 12 or under will be eligible for concession rate tickets. These will only be available on the day from the on-site Box Office and there will be unlimited availability.
Expect the campsite to open at noon on Wednesday 10th June and to close at noon on Monday 15th June.
The bars stay open after the entertainment has finished, and running until 2am (Friday to Sunday) they'll be an after-hours Campsite Entertainment Zone, which has a café, beer stall, funfair rides, various shops, and a cinema. Note that you may NOT bring any alcohol onto the site.
Markets should include a variety of food from around the world, as well as clothes, jewellery, massages, piercing & tattoos, organic foods, souvenirs, merchandise, chairs, and other stuff.
Children under 14 years of age must be accompanied by a guardian over 21. No children under 5 years will be permitted.
Line Up
Slipknot
The heavy metal 9-piece will be taking a break from their ‘All Hope Is Gone’ World Tour to play at Download for the third time. Expect more masked mayhem from the controversial headline act.
The Prodigy
Making their second appearance at Download, The Prodigy will be injecting a dose of fierce electronica and rock-rave beats, promising a performance not to be missed.
Mötley Crüe
The last time Mötley Crüe came to Download they played to a ram-packed tent of screaming fans, throwing out hits such as ‘Girls Girls Girls’ and ‘Dr. Feelgood’. They’ll be back at Download again this year, so get ready for another round of pandemonium from the lavish LA wildcats.
Korn
Playing staggeringly for the fifth at Download, Korn have established themselves as a highlight for festivals fans across the globe. Get ready to let Jonathan, Munky and Fieldy rock your tiny socks off one more time.
Pendulum
2008’s heroes of drum ‘n’ bass / metal mash ups join the fray after a welcoming reception last year from the Download crowd.
ZZ Top
Comprising of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, are one of the few bands in music history to retain the same original recording line up for nearly 40 years. Rock hits such as ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’ and a striking visual image of sunglasses, leathers and beards have garnered them icon status, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Returning to Donington for the fourth time,
Whitesnake
Whitesnake make their Download Festival debut as Very Special Guests joining Def Leppard. Enjoying a career spanning three decades, David Coverdale & co. have been responsible for hits such as ‘Here I Go Again’ and ‘Is This Love’, and last year released their eleventh studio album which went straight in at Number 5 in the UK charts.
Trivium
Download favourites Trivium are back to rock the main stage yet again with a brand new selection of songs from new album Shogun, which went straight into the UK Top 20 upon release last September. Partly responsible for bringing heavy metal back into the 21st century, Trivium have worked their way up the Download bill and are widely considered one of the best of the new breed with 1 million album sales worldwide.
Killswitch Engage
After making a phenomenal Download debut in 2005, Killswitch Engage returned in 2007 due to popular demand - we're stoked to welcome them back in 2009. - See you at the front...
Marilyn Manson
The self proclaimed Antichrist Superstar, has carved a successful music career over the last decade, with anthemic hard rock songs about murder, sadism, drug abuse, sex and death. Live, his performance is unparalleled, with theatrical costume changes and disturbing backdrops. Making a return to Download for the third time (2003 and 2007 being the other appearances), Manson will be performing tracks from his new album The High End Of Low.
Dragonforce
Having spent the last couple of years edging their way more and more into the public’s consciousness, young power metallers Dragonforce will be inhumanly rampaging at this year’s Download. Expect to hear such tracks as “Through the Fire and the Flames” and “Heroes of Our Time” from the formidable English six-piece.
DevilDriver
Hailing from Santa Barbara, California, groove metal band DevilDriver make a welcome return to Donington. The last time the band was at Download, they attempted a Guinness world record for the largest circle pit – before the attempt was rejected by Guinness on the grounds that it’s impossible to “define where any circle/mosh pit starts and ends”.
Faith No More
11 years after famously calling it a day in April 1998, Faith No More have confirmed that they are re-forming, and will headline Download Festival at Donington Park this summer.
THE ANSWER
Hot off the back of their 42-date US tour supporting AC/DC, THE ANSWER return to Download for the third time, in support of their brand new album Everyday Demons. Having already supported the likes of The Rolling Stones and Whitesnake in addition to AC/DC, Northern Ireland’s hottest new blues rockers will have no problem playing to the Download crowd.
FIGHTSTAR
Brit-rockers FIGHTSTAR come back to Download for the third time. Recently added onto the Radio 1 A-List, the post-hardcore outfit fronted by Charlie Simpson are about to release their third album ‘be human’ through their management imprint label Search and Destroy.
BRING ME THE HORIZON
Sheffield noiseniks BRING ME THE HORIZON also return for the third time, and will be looking to replicate their typically boisterous pit action at this year’s Download. Their latest album Suicide Season, released last year, received 5 K’s from Kerrang! Magazine and the band were also part of Kerrang!’s Relentless Energy Drink Tour earlier this year. Lock up your daughters!
STONE GODS
STONE GODS return for the second time having wowed the crowds at last year’s Download Festival. The band truly broke through last year with album Silver Spoons and Broken Bones and will be looking forward to joining The Answer and Black Stone Cherry at this year’s Download, having toured with both bands.
STAIND
Multi million selling US rock act STAIND make their Download debut this year, following the release of their sixth studio album last year. Over the last ten years they have sold more than 12 million albums worldwide and earned their place as one of the most successful rock bands of the new millennium.
FACECAGE
Des Moines metal exports FACECAGE will visit Donington for the first time at this year’s Download Festival, to promote their as yet unnamed fourth studio album, which like their third, will be produced by Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, who co-founded the Great Big Mouth label with them. Fans will have to turn up on the day to see if Corey joins them on stage for a number or two!
GO:AUDIO
Techno pop-rockers GO:AUDIO return for the second time having played on the third stage at Download last year. Building their fanbase through MySpace and touring with acts such as Kids in Glass Houses and Hellogoodbye, they are due to release their first album later this year.
SHINEDOWN
Florida rockers SHINEDOWN make their Download debut this year. They have sold 6 million records worldwide to date and are currently signed to Atlantic Records. Their third album The Sound Of Madness was released in June 2008 and they went on to support Disturbed later that year.
STATIC-X
LA industrial metal quartet STATIC-X will be looking forward to playing their first Download Festival, particularly after their scheduled appearance at Download 2004 was cancelled due to transport problems! Their sixth studio album Cult of Static was recently released in the UK, which features Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine and was produced by John Travis (Kid Rock, Buckcherry).
AUGER BANE
South East Londoners AUGER BANE are set to perform their first Download Festival, with big rock songs taken from their two EP’s ‘Scream Sessions’ and ‘House Of The Scorpion’ and album Wings Of Fallen Rock. A new album is in the making.
VOLBEAT
Danish rockers VOLBEAT also make their Download debut following a successful show at London’s Islington Academy last month. Their fusion of metal and rockabilly has given them three albums to date, and various music awards in Denmark.
SEVENDUST
Joining the nu-metal fraternity at this year’s Download is SEVENDUST, straight from Atlanta. Seven albums on, the band is due to start work on their eighth album due out next year. Having enjoyed commercial success in America, they have worked with the likes of Deftones and toured with acts such as Korn, Staind and Machine Head.
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
Forming in 2005 this rap rock band from California remain a mystery – adorning individual masks and with names like Johnny 3 Tears, J-Dog, Da Kurlzz and Funny Man this LA band are nothing short of exciting. This will be their first appearance at Download Festival.
LAUREN HARRIS
Lauren Harris, daughter of Iron Maiden legend Steve Harris is no stranger to Download Festival having appeared in 2006 and 2007. She returns this year with her debut album Calm Before The Storm under her belt, ready to rock Download once again!
HUNTING THE MINOTAUR
Describing their music as ‘angry smash punk’. This British quartet are promising dual guitar riffs, destructive bass frequencies and big, hard bloody beats. This will be their first Download appearance and definitely not their last.
JAPANESE VOYEURS
Japanese Voyeurs are a London-based five piece based around charismatic lead singer Romily Alice. Their unique sound and Romily’s unusual love-it-or-hate-it vocals got the band instantly snapped up by Fiction Records.
WHITE MAN KAMIKAZE
London band White Man Kamikaze supported the Sex Pistols at Hammersmith Apollo in 2008 and have been lauded by the likes of Mark Lamarr and Alan McGee and have won over various indie music critics with their NYC-style garage rock.
STEEL PANTHER
Legendary LA glam-rockers Steel Panther have the longest running show on the Sunset Strip and mix up tributes to 80s hair metal with comedy and on stage antics. Various A-list rock stars and celebrities have joined them on stage such as Juliette Lewis, Jeremy Piven, Tom Morello and P!nk.
LOVERMAN
Loverman are Gabriel Bruce, Jon Jackson and Chris and Adam Prendergast. They've read too many dirty books and watched too many dirty films and now make loud dirty music. Soaked in sleaze and grunge, they are set to take their place amongst their fallen idols, in the darkest, dankest, underbelly of pop.
BLACK SPIDERS
Hotly tipped British rockers Black Spiders, who feature ex-Groop Dogdrill member Pete Spiby, claim they sound like ‘Black Sabbath eating Guns N Roses for breakfast’ and have won full support from the UK rock press for their ‘crotch-rodden sleaze rock’.
GENERAL FIASCO
Tipped by XFM, Radio 1 and 6 Music, Get Fiasco are currently finishing their debut album in Northern Ireland, having formed in 2007. Usually on tour with indie bands such as The Pigeon Detectives, Download’s bound to be one heck of an eye opener!
TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED
Bath-based grindcore outfit Trigger The Bloodshed stormed the stage at last year’s Download and will be coming back with new album The Great Depression which has received rave reviews in the UK rock press.
SACRED MOTHER TONGUE
Northampton metallers Sacred Mother Tongue have already received some great write ups in the rock press with Metal Hammer calling them ‘the most convincing British metal bands to emerge in a long time’. Their album The Ruin Of Man was out in April.
THE 69 EYES
Finland’s The 69 Eyes are currently recording with Slayer producer Matt Hyde, working on their self proclaimed sleazy blend of post-apocalyptic rock ‘n’ roll, having previously worked with Ville Valo and Bam Margera.
DEAR SUPERSTAR
Manchester’s Dear Superstar have been winning over fans through their support slot on the recent Papa Roach UK tour and will be looking forward to catching up with them at Download! Two albums under their belt and some guest vocals from Bullet for My Valentine have done these boys well so far.
HEXES
Hexes are a British punk band featuring former A bassist and current Radio 1 Rock Show presenter Daniel P. Carter. Support slots coming up with Gallows and Alexisonfire will undoubtedly pull in even more fans for this popular lot.
PULLED APART BY HORSES
Leeds alt-rockers Pulled Apart By Horses have been linked to a supposed new ‘grunge’ movement in Yorkshire but maintain they also listen to the likes of Refused and Black Sabbath just as much. Their energetic live show is not to be missed.
BRIDES
Brighton crossover quartet Brides are shaping up for good things since forming in 2007. Blending punk, metal, prog and post hardcore they’re now part of the Visible Noise stable with album Ocular. Unveil out now.
For more info on the lineup please visit downloadfestival.co.uk
