After months of build-up, rock and metal fans made their annual pilgrimage to Donington for three days of non-stop music. Download XXIII arrives with blue skies and scorching temperatures rather than the usual mud and waterproofs, and it shows in the crowd, an atmosphere where strangers become friends within minutes and even the most seasoned Donington veterans are caught scrambling for shade. Across the Apex, Opus, Avalanche, and Dogtooth stages, the bill spans nu-metal legends, a host of emerging names, and a headline slot that will be talked about for years to come. As ever, here’s our rundown of the weekend, day by day.
Friday
While some weary heads are finding their bearings after getting down to Five the night before, others are welcoming Californian quartet Silent Planet. Led by the bare-footed Garret Russell, they showcase a strong brand of emotional metalcore. With atmospheric elements on ‘Euphoria’ adding depth, the growing crowd show appreciation for their cinematic execution. While ‘Panic Room’ is preceded by Russell’s passionate speech on genocide and innocent citizens in the States being taken from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). It’s a thought-provoking and impactful way to start Download 2026.
Paleface Swiss frontman Marc “Zelli” Zellweger has only been given one meal voucher; he’s hungry to frankly “fuck shit up”. Charging with hulking instrumentation, the Swiss outfit takes no prisoners for their Friday afternoon showing. As chaos ensues, Zellweger is commanding and charismatic. ‘Please End Me’ and ‘Let Me Sleep’ see a sea of bodies throwing down and crowdsurfing. Whereas ‘Everything Is Fine’ showcases the quartet’s melodic chops. For a band with a live reputation, Paleface Swiss didn’t disappoint.
Creeper are no strangers to Donington, and it shows, pulling in a big crowd on the Opus stage. With a set dominated by last year’s vampiristic album, ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’, it doesn’t quite have the desired, bombastic effect, especially in the Friday afternoon sun. Nevertheless, the theatrics are in full flow, with the whole band in their 80’s vampire rock get-up. Hannah Greenwood sultry croons her way through ‘Razor Wire,’ before lead vocalist William Von Ghould is beheaded at the end of their set.
A first visit to the repositioned Avalanche Stage sees Drain’s Sam Ciaramitaro in high spirits. Whether he’s joining the rabid crowd or launching the mic (until he’s told off), he leads hardcore punks’ presence at Download. Over the course of an all too brief 25 minutes, they deliver a thrilling, anarchic outing that leaves not only Ciaramitaro with the biggest grin.
Although we briefly witnessed Scene Queen‘s “bimbocore” on the Apex stage, Electric Callboy‘s evening set was the first time we took in the sheer scale of the main stage. Having gone through a viral-fueled trajectory in recent years, the German electro-metallers are certainly at home on the big stage. After all, they’ve played London’s Ally Pally on their last UK visit and are playing UK arenas next year. With trance-infused interludes (and costume changes), the sextet blasts through a setlist dominated by fan-favourites. ‘Hurrikan’s euro-pop-cum-deathcore segue into a bass-pumping version of blink-182’s All The Small Things’ and Drowning Pool’s ‘Bodies’. Away from the crowd-pleasing, electro hooks and tomfoolery, Callboy are a fierce metalcore outfit, as ‘RATATATA’ and ‘Electric Operator’ show. Closing out with ‘Spaceman’ and ‘We Got The Moves,’ they’ve got the crowd eating out of their neon-soaked hands. Don’t be surprised if they’re closing out the Opus, or even the Apex, stage in the near future.
Once upon a time, 21 years ago to be exact, Feeder were given the task of closing out the main stage at Download. While the festival may have evolved, their return to Donington on the Avalanche stage is roundly welcomed. The veteran UK rockers deliver some crowd-pleasers early on in the form of ‘Come Back Around,’ ‘Feeling a Moment,’ and ‘Seven Days in the Sun’. “Breakthrough” hit, ‘Buck Rogers’ receives one of the bigger responses, before they dive into their early catalogue. Although they deliver a nostalgic trip, it’s time to head back to the main stage for tonight’s headliners.
With many wearing backwards red caps, it’s clear Limp Bizkit‘s main stage is much anticipated. Frontman Fred Durst is donning a voluminous grey wing as they finally fulfil a spot they were meant to do 23 years ago. Although Bizkit have appeared at Donington since, it’s been a long road back to the top. As they pay tribute to late bassist Sam Rivers and close friend (and band driver) Dougie Miller, they know what they’re here to do. They’re here to party like it’s Nineteen Ninety-Nine.
Opening (and closing) with ‘Break Stuff,’ Durst, underrated guitarist Wes Borland, drummer John Otto, stand-in bassist Richie Buxton (Ecca Vandal), and DJ Lethal, lead a nu-metal revival karaoke party. Durst is his usual laid-back, charismatic, cool. While Lethel serves 80s pop in between classics such as ‘My Generation’ and ‘Nookie’. With a set dominated by ‘Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water’ record, it sees US singer Lauren Sanderson join Durst for the expletive-filled ‘Hot Dog’ before four lucky fans provide back-up vocals on ‘Full Nelson’.
Their distinct cover of George Michael’s ‘Faith’, alongside ‘Take a Look Around’ and ‘Eat You Alive’, sees them in full flow. While the momentum is halted during ‘My Way’ to attend to an injured fan, one final blast of ‘Break Stuff’ allows Durst and company to end the night on a high.
Saturday
“Wakey wakey!” shouts Ginger Wildheart of The Wildhearts as he kicks off the Saturday of Download. As a late addition, due to Ginger’s recent terminal cancer diagnosis, there’s a poignant tone to their 6-song outing. However, it’s more of a celebration of life as Ginger reminds us, commenting on the importance of mental health, before launching into the classic ‘I Wanna Go Where The People Go’. Ginger’s dog (and show stealer), Mollie, provides a wholesome moment by invading the stage to give him some love.
A walk over to the Dogtooth stage finds Tropic Gold pulling in a crowd with their brand of alt.metal. Despite being limited to 20 minutes, the South East England trio make good use of their time, delivering an energetic set with a small gaggle of fans enjoying themselves. After bringing out Harpy for their recent collaboration, ‘Witch House,’ they close with ‘Holy Horror’. Among his screams, there is gratitude from emotional vocalist Jacob Parris.
Back outside on the Apex stage, viral mainstays South Arcade feel right at home in the ample setting. Sure, their 2000s schtick might come off as a little forced, yet the Oxford quartet have the hooks to win you over. In-between songs, vocalist Harmony Cavelle is bubbly and charming. while her bandmates deliver a colourful brand of pop-rock. Throwing in some early afternoon pyro for good measure, this is simply the next stepping stone on South Arcade‘s rise.
Having done our press duties for the day, we venture back out to catch the final moments of Conjurer‘s Dogtooth stage set before heading back to the main stage. For once, the weather gods are on BabyMetal‘s side as they pull off a rain-free set at Download. It’s a fact that even lead vocalist Su-metal acknowledges. “We are so happy to be back at Download, with sunshine!” she excitedly says early on. Completed by fellow vocalists Moametal and Momometal, the kawaii metal trio blitz their way through a decade-plus of favourites. Backed by the always reliable Kami Band, BabyMetal deliver a well-tuned show that attracts a diverse crowd. For every sugary hook they deliver (such as ‘Distortion’ and ‘Gimme Chocolate!!’), there’s an abundance of heaviness thanks to ‘Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!’ and ‘Song 3’.
Over in the Avalanche Stage, Marmozets continue their comeback with a brash, hard-hitting set that serves as a reminder of their vibrancy. Playing to a packed-out tent, new cuts ‘Kiss From a Mother’ and ‘Cut Back’ zig and zag in between familiar favourites such as ‘Is It Horrible’. ‘Captivate You’ continues to soar as it takes hold of the masses. Throughout, Becca Bottomley is versatile as Sam Macintyre stirs up the crowd, who duly respond. It may have been close to a decade since their last visit to Donington, but it was worth the wait.
With Guns ‘n Roses’ marathon-long set in full swing on the Apex Stage, Architects are the ideal alternative. A packed Opus stage field sees the metalcore mainstays go through the motions with old and new cuts. However, it doesn’t go entirely smoothly. Whether it’s Sam Carter’s ropey vocals on ‘Doomsday’, or the multiple interruptions due to safety concerns from security, they never quite hit their stride. Dan Searle encourages fans to be safe, yet the delay leads to sections of the crowd petering out. Although they return, you can’t help but feel the momentum has slightly gone. Landmvrks vocalist Florent Salfati makes a cameo on ‘Brain Dead’ before ‘A Match Made in Heaven’ begins a late-set comeback that concludes with ‘Animals’. In what was an opportunity for Architects to throw their hat into the discussion for future main stage headliners, it feels slightly missed, even if that’s not entirely the band’s fault.
Sunday
After two days of near-perfect weather and a run of standout sets, Download‘s final day arrives with the bar set high, and it’s the rising unpeople who get things underway. With news of their debut album, ‘We Are Unpeople’, finally out in the open, the UK rockers make the jump from Avalanche to Apex stage in just 12 months with ease. Despite the early start, it’s clear their energetic and anthemic sound has enough pull to drag many out of their tents. Opening with ‘Waste,’ there’s a feverish urgency to what the quartet execute. Elevated by their four-part harmonies, ‘clouds’ already sounds like a firm fan-favourite. Whereas ‘Smother’ shows they have plenty of bite to them, despite the infectious “woah”s. The grunge-stomping anthem, ‘The Garden’, brings this opening Sunday outing a close. Having ticked off Download and Slam Dunk main stage appearances in a matter of weeks, you get the feeling that it won’t be the last time we see unpeople on a big stage.
Where others take the opportunity to leave a lasting impression, Catch Your Breath simply falters. Their brief set on the Opus Stage sees the Texans demonstrate a style that fails to make them standout from other bands of their kind (such as Dayseeker and Bad Omens). While the artificial psychological musings attempt to create a narrative, it’s not quite enough to rescue a forgettable set. Next, as Kublai Khan TX are rampaging on the Apex stage, Aussie band Wayside provide a change of pace with their shoegaze-infused brand of alt-rock. Their solid rhythmic core is complemented by surging guitars and harmonious vocals, proving to be a nice introduction to the relatively newcomers.
The rise of RØRY continues as she kickstarts the ‘Bloodletting’ era with her Apex Stage set. Her tales of struggle have clearly resonated with a dedicated following. Where older cuts soar (‘Uncomplicated’ and ‘Alternative’) with a melodic rock, new songs such as ‘Degradation’ and ‘Dead Girl Walking,’ show she’s able to pull off a heavier side. Throughout, she speaks about her struggles with addiction, grief, and mental health, as well as paying tribute to late collaborator and Catch Fire vocalist Miles Kent. It makes for an impactful and emotional set. As she closes with ‘Blossom,’it’s a clear career milestone, one earned after finding her breakthrough later in life than most.
The Plot In You bring one of Sunday’s more emotionally direct sets to the Opus stage, vocalist Landon Tewers switching between soaring cleans and searing screams. ‘Left Behind’ proves a standout mid-set, while closer ‘Feel Nothing’ sends the crowd off in fine voice, a fitting way to cap a tight, high energy turn on one of the festival’s bigger stages.
Over on the packed Avalanche stage, Dinosaur Pile-Up show plenty of gratitude as they soak in the reception, their big, anthemic grunge-rock filling the tent. ‘My Way’ and ‘Big Dogs’ land as clear highlights, the latter’s gleeful takedown of celebrity culture proving as infectious live as it is on record.
Elsewhere on site, Tom Morello is riffing away on the Opus stage and the Apex crowd is feasting on Ice Nine Kills’ theatrical brand of horror rock. Still, Northern Irish veterans Ash pull in a somewhat expected, older crowd of their own, longtime favourites ‘A Life Less Ordinary’, ‘Shining Light’, and ‘Girl from Mars’ landing despite Tim Wheeler’s vocals getting slightly lost in the mix.
A returning and expanded Mastodon are firmly in their groove on the Opus stage. Their recently released single ‘Your Ghost Again’, a tribute to late guitarist Brent Hinds, sits seamlessly alongside longtime favourites like ‘The Motherload’, before we head off to make sure we’ve got a good spot for Letlive.
That decision pays off as Letlive.‘s return to Download proves to be as feral as their first appearance here in 2011. Returning to the scene where Jason Aalon Butler infamously “invaded” the stage, that moment is lightly reenacted, with Butler tearing his shirt open and stripping down within a couple of songs. ‘Le Prologue’ and a scorching ‘Renegade 86” set the tone early, before ‘Good Mourning, America’ becomes a springboard for a pointed piece to camera on wealth inequality. Over the course of roughly 40 minutes, the quintet deliver a rambunctious reminder of their chaotic greatness, closing on a ferocious rendition of ’27 Club’ that sees Butler scale the stage scaffolding, ignoring calls to climb down even as the sound gets cut. An act of awesome, righteous rebellion, and one of the clear highlights of the weekend.
There are so many people wanting to see A Day To Remember that they’ve got a whole crowd of fans on stage behind them. Walking out to the theme from ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, the band open on ‘The Downfall of Us All’, that iconic intro pulling the whole crowd in instantly, before working through ‘I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?’, ‘2nd Sucks’, and ‘Right Back at It Again’. Momentum is quickly on their side as confetti blows across Donington’s hollow fields. Rather than leaning solely on newer material, the band deliver a hit-filled set, stretching back to ‘The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle’, as well as digging deep into 2009’s ‘Homesick’. Nevertheless, ‘All My Friends’ fits in seamlessly alongside the older cuts, turning into one of the set’s biggest singalongs. Jeremy McKinnon has the crowd stacking one surfer on top of another for “double surfing,” while Super Mario makes an appearance mid-set, firing t-shirts into the crowd from a cannon. ‘Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the End’ lands as a genuine highlight, before the band close out on ‘If It Means a Lot to You’ and ‘All Signs Point to Lauderdale’ to some of the loudest singing of the weekend so far.
That loudness doesn’t last as the record for the weekend, though. After 12 years away, Linkin Park have returned to Donington, and it’s clear from the outset that whatever online scepticism preceded the set, it’s silenced within minutes. Whether or not you agree with the band being active again is a discussion for another time. Tonight is all about the here and now. Opening with an extended ‘The Emptiness Machine’ before sliding into a run that balances newer material against catalogue favourites, ‘Up From The Bottom’ and ‘Heavy Is The Crown’ hit with real force. Mike Shinoda takes a moment to mark the occasion, Emily Armstrong now the first woman to headline Download in the festival’s 23-year history, and the pair use ‘Two Faced’ to invite a women-only pit as a mark of celebration.
Throughout, Armstrong holds her own, never serving as Shinoda’s shadow or a fill-in. A stripped-back, piano-led ‘Lost’ offers one of the set’s more tender turns before ‘Breaking the Habit’ swells back to full voice, providing an emotional release for many. Closing with a stellar run of ‘Papercut,’ ‘In The End,’ and ‘Faint,’ tonight is a celebration of a band revitalised, and one that realises how important their music has been to generations of fans.
Conclusion
Three days, dozens of sets, and one genuinely historic headline slot later, Download XXIII draws to a close. From Silent Planet‘s thought-provoking opener to Limp Bizkit finally fulfilling a Donington destiny two decades in the making, Friday alone set a tone the rest of the weekend struggled to match, though Saturday’s BabyMetal and Marmozets‘ sets came close.
Sunday, though, belonged to two very different kinds of triumph. Letlive.‘s rabid, scaffolding-scaling return proved that chaos and heart aren’t mutually exclusive, while Linkin Park closed the weekend with a set that honoured everything the band has been and everything they’re becoming. It’s a fitting way to send off a festival that, across three days, felt less like a nostalgia trip and more like proof that rock and metal’s future is in safe hands.
Roll on Download XXIV.
Download Festival XXIV takes place at Donington Park from Wednesday, 9th to Sunday, June 13th 2027.
Visit downloadfestival.co.uk for more information.
