Download 2012

Download 2012

Donnington Castle

8th to 10th June 2012

Download 2012 will be remembered this year for many things but most of all......  Mud!

It was clear to see from the start that this was going to be a very dirty weekend but with such a packed line up I was sure the mud was not going to stop anyone.

It would be impossible for me to do a review of every band that I saw so I’m going to stick to my favourites!

My favourite set of the weekend (which is probably obvious to anyone that knows me) was Corey Taylor’s acoustic set.  Corey had been asked to headline the Pepsi Max tent but had declined stating that if he was coming to Download he wanted to watch Metallica’s set. 

Corey Taylor is a charismatic burst of energy and it is clear to see why he has an enormous following in the UK as the tent soon filled to bursting.

Mr Taylor appeared on stage donning wellies and a flat cap, with his guitar round his neck and a cigarette in his mouth to loud chants from the crowd.  He opened with the haunting ‘Bother’, one of my favourites, and his set included ‘Through Glass’, ‘Snuff’,  and an acoustic version of Slipknot’s ‘Spit It Out’, during which Mr Taylor had the whole crowd jumping up and down on one leg (Only Corey Taylor could manage that!)

Corey was then joined on stage by Jason Rappise while he covered songs by the Nine Inch Nails and Alice in Chains, as well as treating fans to a ‘sneek peek’ of one of the new songs off the new Stone Sour album which is set for release in October.

As Corey left the stage he was ushered back onto it again by Download organiser and promoter, Andy Copping and Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas.  Much to Corey’s surprise it turned out that Slipknot had won a very special Golden God award to celebrate 10 years of both Download and Metal Hammer, for the ‘Best Download Moment’ and it was his ‘Jump da fuck up’ section during Slipknot’s 2009 Download appearance that thousands of fans had voted as their favourite.  A very emotional Corey thanked his fans for being the best fans in the entire world.

On Friday afternoon the Zippo stage got treated to full on Yorkshire rock in the form of Terrorvision.  A barefoot Tony along with Leigh, Mark, Cam and Milton thrilled the fans with a high energy performance including hits such as ‘Alice What’s the Matter’, ‘Demolition Song’  and ‘Oblivion’ to name a few.  

Terrorvision never fail to entertain and it was clear to see why 20 years on they are still going strong!

This year’s Download was packed with such a stunning line up of bands that it was impossible for you to see everyone.   I did however, get to see many others including Slash, Little Angels, The Yashin, Nightwish, Trivium, Machinehead, Metallica, Lower Than Atlantis, Tenacious D, Black Spiders and Devildriver.  I can also say that after seeing them live I am now a convert to Steel Panther! 

If you ever get the chance to go to Download....  do it!  You won’t be sorry!