Following months of hype and discussion, Download Festival 2025 arrived with high expectations. As always, Donington would be home to some of rock, metal, punk, and alternative music’s biggest and brightest names. While thousands had spent the past two days in District X, soaking up the sun, and being entertained by the likes of the Vengaboys, it was time for Download to really kick off.
London-based Brazilian punk rocker Karen Dió has the humongous task of opening the Avalanche stage tent. However, her energetic style is the ideal antidote to kickstart the first day of Download. With a dedicated gaggle of fans chanting for her in between songs, it’s clear Dió has momentum behind her. Tracks such as ‘Stupid’ and ‘Sick Ride’ are melodically sharp and delivered with charisma. Over on the Opus (second) stage, Irish quartet The Scratch bring a percussive Celtic drive, mixed with a thrashy punk stomp that doesn’t outstay its welcome.
Unpeople may only have six songs to their name, but they’re able to deliver one of the most infectious sets of the day. The Avalanche tent is packed for the quartet, who have quickly shown a knack for producing big, addictive hooks. Nonemoreso than on the closing number, ‘The Garden’. No matter what else I heard over the next two days, the refrain of “Da, da da da, da da” remained firmly lodged in my consciousness. Nevertheless, it’s another promising showing for Unpeople, who continue to pull in crowds. Hopefully, new material is on the horizon soon.
A walk over to the Apex (main) stage sees CKY bring some nostalgic 2000s alt-metal to the day. The trio deliver an acceptable, if unremarkable set that expectedly ends with ’96 Quite Bitter Beings’. Boston Manor fair better, appearing unfazed by the sheer number of people watching them. With material split between ‘Sundriver’ and ‘Datura,’ the Blackpool quintet flourish with an abundance of energy on ‘Container,’ ‘HEAT ME UP’ and the groove-laden ‘Foxglove’.
The early evening saw the start of a mouth-watering run of bands on the Apex stage. Returning to Donington for the first time in 12 years, Jimmy Eat World fulfilled expectations with a career-spanning set that didn’t disappoint. Classic singles such as ‘Sweetness,’ ‘Pain,’ and ‘Big Casino’ are slotted in between fan favourites ‘A Praise Chorus’ and ‘Let It Happen’. Frontman Jim Adkins is timeless, in looks and energy, with him and his bandmates serving up anthem after anthem of emo rock greatness.
Somehow, Weezer have the hefty task of following them, and starts off strong with ‘Hash Pipe’ and ‘My Name is Jonas’. And while a bulk of their set is dominated by classic Weezer cuts (‘Holiday,’ ‘Pork and Beans,’ and ‘Surf Wax America‘), there are moments where they go a bit too deep for the festival crowd. For example, ‘Only In Dreams’ is especially dragged out, but the trio of ‘Say It Ain’t So,’ ‘Beverly Hills,’ and of course, ‘Buddy Holly’ somewhat rescues Weezer’s long overdue Download debut.
The night ended with a triumphant headline slot from Green Day. Considerably a band that should’ve headlined Donington way before now, the trio’s Download bow is organic, bringing their stadium show to the legendary site with ease. Sure, Billie Joe Armstrong’s cliché “Heeeeeey oooooh”s are overused, and ‘Holiday’ and ‘Hitchin’ a Ride’ are drawn out, but it’s all part and parcel of a Green Day show. As is Armstrong’s anti-Donald Trump speech, leading the crowd to chant “you fat bastard”. The political undertones are expected and welcomed, making ‘American Idiot’ era material become timeless. Likewise, ‘Dookie’ cuts ‘Basket Case,’ ‘Longview,’ and ‘When I Come Around’ bring together multiple generations of punk fans, before ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’ eerie line of “Here comes the rain again” sees the Donington skies open up.
By the time the final chords of ‘Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)’ ring out across a sea of thousands of fans and the skies are lit up with fireworks, Green Day have undoubtedly set the bar high for the rest of the weekend’s headliners.
Read our review of Day 2 (Saturday) of Download Festival 2025 here.
Read our review of Day 3 (Sunday) of Download Festival 2025 here.
All photographs supplied by Download Festival.
Download Festival 2026 takes place at Donington Park, Leicestershire from Wednesday, June 10th to Sunday, June 14th, 2026
Tickets are available here.
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