The final day of Download Festival was laced with set clashes for many and whilst the energy levels are usually low on the last day, you wouldn’t have been able to tell from all the crowdsurfing to the female-only mosh-pits.
Unpeople – Apex Stage – 11am
Kicking off the final day were another British band with huge prospects. A band that have just announced their debut album, headlined a huge show in London and released a couple of singles in the form of ‘clouds’ and ‘friends’. Despite the early start, the main stage area was packed with people ready to circle pit and sing every word along with the band. They may have just had half an hour, but in that time they played seven songs, got guitarist Luke Caley into a circle pit and easily won the award for happiest band of the weekend. A constant smile lived on all of their faces for the whole time, with the line ‘go ahead and live the dream’ from ‘moon baboon’ proving particularly meaningful as bassist Em Lodge pointed to the stage while singing it as a sign of how much being there meant to them. On this, and every other, showing it won’t be the last time. Unpeople are the UK’s favourite band, they just don’t know it yet. (DH)
Kublai Khan TX – Apex Stage – 12pm
If you didn’t know already, Kublai Khan TX are a band from Texas, not that you’d need reminding during their set as the “yes ma’am’s” were sufficient. With full body head-banging being a requirement, even those walking past complied. It was like when you try to not walk to the beat of a song but you physically cannot help it. Pair that with a “motherfucker bang your fucking head” and a “monkey see monkey do” from ‘Darwinism’ and ‘Theory of Mind’ and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a mosh pit. (BO)
RØRY – Apex Stage – 1.10pm
Anyone planning to stay on at the main stage after Kublai Khan TX was in for a very different set, with minimal moshing occurring during RØRY, the vibe shifted from physically brutal to emotionally brutal. As Rory spoke of overcoming addiction, family issues and grief, it was hard for this set to not strike a chord with everyone in the audience. Flags being raised along with the mood for ‘KIDS THESE DAYS’, a song written completely from hate comments. And whilst this mood did fluctuate slightly for the last few songs, ending with ‘Strange’ followed by ‘SORRY I’m LATE’ and ‘BLOSSOM’ invited a feeling of hopefulness which carried through the rest of the day. (BO)
The Pretty Wild – Avalanche Stage – 1.50pm
If you weren’t already in the front of the tent then tough, you weren’t getting in for The Pretty Wild. With many a character taking up space front and centre from a giant Labubu to a “crowd surfing crustacean”. Playing one of their slightly older songs ‘bLAcK oPs (m@n!a)’ was a friendly reminder that the brutal breakdowns were always a part of their DNA. As for vocal delivery, you can’t ask for much more, from the sister’s high-end harmonies to the pit inducing screams. Ending on their viral song ‘sLeepwALkeR’ which prompted a wave of phones to shoot into the air to capture the moment, but that didn’t seem to dissuade the crowd surfers. (BO)
Thrown – Opus Stage – 2.35pm
From their set, it would appear that Thrown don’t know the meaning of “taking it easy” with the entire band giving it everything. Head-banging so hard you fear they may cause a concussion. The crowd matched this energy, especially the steady flow of surfers rolling down the hill towards the stage. With heavy drop after heavy drop, the only respite seemed to be the trap beats sprinkled throughout their songs. Although it seemed to have the opposite effect for their most known track ‘on the verge’, with the intro hyping people up into a frenzy when the chorus kicked in. From their start in Stockholm to their set on the Opus Stage, it’s clear there is a growing demand for this band. (BO)
The Plot In You – Opus Stage – 3.30pm
The booking of Thrown straight into The Plot In You was both genius and evil, with the two bands mostly sharing a fanbase, it’s happy days for those who don’t have to fear lower back pain. With the energy that carried through the sets helping to keep movement high and the aches low. Frontman, Landon Tewers made sure the momentum didn’t dip for a second with “I need ya’ll on your worst behaviour” ahead of ‘Forgotten’ as a circle pit grew with every note. It was even enough to entice a wheelchair user to join the crowd surfers with a sea of them following for ‘Left Behind’. Although for their last song ‘FEEL NOTHING’ the tension had reached its max with raised arms and screamed lyrics replacing the moshing. It seemed like the pinnacle had been reached and everyone was just enjoying the last bit before the band headed off stage. (BO)
The Pretty Reckless – Apex Stage – 3.40pm
This was somehow just the third time that The Pretty Reckless graced the stage at Download, 15 years after their debut. This one felt like it was the set though. ‘Death By Rock and Roll’ opened the show and allowed Taylor Momsen and her band to build their way into the set. It was ‘Since You’re Gone’, from their debut album Going To Hell where it landed how big a show this would be. Momsen strutted, sauntered and skipped her way around the stage like it was her own. ‘For I Am Death’ was an unlikely highlight in musical terms, but Momsen taking her time walking around the barrier and just being a rock n’ roll goddess was peak Download. (DH)
Ice Nine Kills – Apex Stage – 5.05pm
For those with an affinity for metalcore, a flair for the dramatic and a love of all things horror, Ice Nine Kills are basically your Jesus and Download’s mainstage is the perfect place for them to showcase . Whether it be the murder of a dozen people via various methods, chainsaw or goring their necks for example, the melodic metalcore vibes of tracks like ‘Meat & Greet’ or the the bouncy alt-metal ‘The Laugh Track’, there’s something for even the most stoic of music fans. It is the theatrics that set this band far above their peers. There’s nothing like bringing out Creeper’s Hannah Greenwood for Scream’s ‘Twisting The Knife’ only to have her murdered on stage by Ghostface himself or having Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise murder the Download Dog and then swing a burning foetus around by the umbilical cord. Some bands get lost on the main stage, some thrive. INK are certainly the latter and are using their love of all things scary to enhance their music. Sometimes alternative music takes itself far too seriously – not here though. Here it’s all about embracing the chaos and having fun with it. (DH)
Ash – Avalanche Stage – 6pm
Sometimes at Download, and pretty much all festivals, there comes a time where the sun is shining, you’ve had a few beers and you just want a little sit down. This time arrived on Sunday afternoon and was soundtracked by Ash, a band that probably never thought they’d ever get chance to play Download. With over 30 years in the business, there just aren’t that many fresh opportunities, so when their set came about they went about making the most of it. With the bass pumped right up and the crowd ready for a good time they smashed through ‘Shining Light’, ‘Girl From Mars’ and closed on the bouncy ‘Burn Baby Burn’ but it was the cover of Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump in the Line’ that got everyone back into the festival spirit. A wonderful ‘cameo’ of sorts from a band that must be considered British music heritage at this point. (DH)
Bad Omens – Apex Stage – 7pm
From looking over the headliner-rivalling crowd that Bad Omens drew, you really get the sense that absence makes the heart grow fonder. After their last scheduled appearance at Download was cancelled, the anticipation for this set was through the metaphorical roof. Thanos-esque clips played over the screens and whilst they did add an element of theatrics they also seemed to somewhat replace the crowd work. With Noah Sebastian not being much of a talker it did feel like the set was slightly 2D, impeccable musical performance and high-level effects but no personality. Similar to watching your anonymous bands like Sleep Token or President. With that said, the skills of the boys on stage was otherworldly, a live performance that sounded like a recording. Playing a whopper of a setlist including ‘Just Pretend’, ‘THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND’ and ‘Specter’ alongside a few of their earlier tracks like ‘Glass Houses’ and ‘Limits’. There was a little something for everyone who enjoys a more polished set. (BO)
Creeper – Dogtooth Stage – 8.30pm
Here we are again, Creeper headlining the Dogtooth stage three years on from their last appearance here and for their second set of the weekend. Surely we’re getting something non-Sanguivore?! Well, as the band’s intro audio plays and they once again launch into ‘Mistress of Death’, prospects aren’t looking good. Then as ‘Blood Magick (It’s A Ritual)’ followed it became clear that the Sanguivore tour is live and well. With an extra half an hour to play with here, the band were able to drop in some ‘deeper’ Sanguivore cuts like ‘The Crimson Bride’ which was nice, with highlight of their two sets being the festival debut of ‘More Than Death’. This was a beautiful moment that clearly meant a lot to frontman Will Gould as he dedicated the track to his girlfriend. He was delightfully backed on the keys by Hannah Greenwood in a moment that had the whole tent singing along, feeling like the rest of the festival wasn’t even happening. While we’re still awaiting a crumb of pre-Sanguivore goodness, Creeper once again proved to be a perfect festival band. Singalongs, pits, crowd participation, everything you need to keep the energy pumping before the closing band of the weekend. (DH)
Linkin Park – Apex Stage – 9.25pm
Linkin Park were always a safe headliner. With Hybrid Theory and Meteora in their back pockets you just knew they were going to put on a show. The loss of Chester Bennington and hiring of Emily Armstrong to front the band created many a discourse. All of which can now be put to bed. Linkin Park have now released a well-received album, headlined Wembley Stadium and closed Download Festival and they’re on some form right now. This set felt as cathartic as it did euphoric.
Iconic moments oozed out of the set, whether it be the piano intro to ‘Breaking The Habit’, Emily (criminally) being the first female vocalist to headline Download festival and encouraging a girls only mosh pit section, ‘Numb’ having the ‘Encore’ intro or the fact that the set had to be stopped because of the sheer panic of…losing a shoe. What stopped this from being an ‘all timer’ in terms of Download headline performances? Purely the fact that it felt like almost time a song ended it took minutes to get to the next one, with nothing happening between songs aside from general chit-chat amongst the attendees. (DH)