So, why am I writing this one so far before Download?
Generally because I can, I am not going to promote this at all, I am just going to write up my initial thoughts on the line up, the new layouts that has been shown and some other tiny things I have noticed.
So shall we start with the line up?
Why have the attempted to keep it the same as the 2020 festival? Seriously why? Every other festival going on right across europe has added a day, has changed the line up and has done all kinds of wondrous things to make up for missing out on two years of music. It is also still possible that in Europe they might get cancelled, since the UK government has decided to drop all covid restrictions and health and safety advice, we no longer hear what is really going on in the rest of the world about Covid, unless something big happens. Like China's mas lockdown again. But I digress, the line up is what it is.
Friday Kiss. This is going to upset a lot of Kiss fans, I am not a Kiss fan, I think they should have retired and stayed retired the second time. I've seen them twice and neither time have they impressed me.
Also half of them have passed 70 while the other half are knocking on the door.
Saturday Iron Maiden. I like Maiden, I have zero issues with them they gap their gigs so they don't get too worn out and so on. But they are also getting on. Only Bruce isn't old enough to draw a government pension and Nico is closing in on 70's. Still love them and am very much looking forward to Fear of the Dark with the East Midlands Choir.
Sunday. Biffy Clyro. Not my bag, but they have a following. Under them are Korn and Volbeat, Korn maybe passed the point of drawing the big crowds they did in the 00's and Volbeat while headlining in Europe probably not as big in the UK. So I do understand this booking. Do I agree with it... Maybe not but I am not booking it.
Now you might be sitting here thinking why are you going if you think like this. Well There are another 112 bands playing(It was a very quick rough count on the poster) and I want to see about 31 of them. Plus a few I just want to check out and add to the list of bands to review.
With 3 bands dropping out due to reasons!?
Distillers... Cancelled everything...
Pretty Reckless... Canceled Festival Tour, not own tour blaming Logistics
(I think they wanted more money or a better slot)
Code Orange... Nope that one I don't know why that happened or where they were on the poster this was just what I was told be someone so I take this one with a pinch of salt.
(though Napalm Death has been slotted in)
I wanted to see them 3. Distillers have been replaced with Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.... WHY! Seriously they were originally 3rd band on in the 2020 festival. The Headlined the Pilot which was fine they were available short notice the whole pilot was thrown together in 21 days! I wanted to see Frank Carter. I saw them at the Pilot. I Was very very very disappointed. An now they are replacing The Distillers a band I was very much looking forward to especially as they were against Kiss.
Personally I would have just pushed Airbourne up a level. Seriously they could have headlined the second stage.
Okay why am I doing this... Easy because post Download I write my review and we sit and talk about how we couldn't see X because the tent was crammed or we missed Y because beer or Z was playing but the sound was terrible. An I just wanted to do a bit of a "If I had to do it would I do it like" blog.
Also the things I am looking forward too, the worries of the new camp site, the way it is being pushed so hard at the moment both Day, Weekend and Camping, which is making me think that maybe people just aren't ready to go back yet. The new layout while interesting has some massive spaces. This is a thing we will not workout till we get there though. So here comes the break down of the above.
Firstly new layout.
East Car Park looks like it is the old Blue Campsite. That is fine, but when you see where the camp sites actually are that is a long walk from one side to the other. Are all campers going to be in the West Car Park? If so that is a small car park. Also the camp sites themselves. Do not look very big. The Village is looking awesome but there is a lot of open space between campsites and so on. If I am right, and I have checked with old Maps, the Purple Campsite is where the old Yellow Campsite was. So Quiet will also be where it always is. That means that Yellow, Blue, Black are all in the old West Car Park. That ground was horrible when we were parking on it, so I don't want to imagine what it will be like for tents. (Pack your air beds people)
This in turn leads me back to numbers and the pushing of Day Tickets. If the campsite is smaller then you have to make it up with people coming in every day. They have also reduced the RIP Camping size.
I am saying all this but there is still he possibility to rapidly change it at the drop of a hat I would guess on the influx in ticket sales. I would hope that they accounted for the possibility. Also I wonder if they are running on the 2020 plans with the 2021 plans to now come in 2023? Though they could have done the 2021 plans now!
What comes next? Clash's clashing bands is always a risk and until the time table is released I am unsure what this will be like, for the last few years (Not including Pilot) at least one headliner has ended up being the only band playing this reduces the clashing as the 2nd stage finish and the main stage starts, while the tents can still be seen to keep going but not all the tents. This year we are guessing that it is likely Maiden will be the only band on, but it is possible that it could be kiss in which case To The Bar to get wrecked on Trooper.
Also Beer choice, we could do with more. Last few years it has just been Carlsberg Pilsner. Not all of us like Pilsner. his year we will be getting Trooper, I personally am a big fan of Trooper as are the rest of our Group and I don't know why Live Nation don't just do a deal to have it at every Download because it is far nicer than the Download Dog swill.
Any way all worries aside it should be awesome there are so many bands playing that it is going to be a very constant wandering from stage to stage. An while i have sat here and typed out my worries my hopes and the things i am looking forward too. Trooper on tap for one. Seeing everyone again and as this is my 18th Download..... Missed the first due to health, Missed 2020 due to lock down, was at the pilot. An next year should be 20th Download.
Which by then hopefully these last few years will be behind us and we will all once again be ready to rock. Also 20th Download. That needs celebrating.
