I've been going to donington for nearly a decade now, and although I've missed a couple on recent years I absolutely adore this festival which proves time and time again to be an amazing and truly inspiring event. With the venues history and size its like mecca for metal heads and fans of heavy, alternative music. In recent years the direction has broadened to incorporate more rock and alternative than in previous years and the result is a diverse line up rammed with so many bands you'll never be short of something to watch!
(10) Corrosion Of Conformity
My first time seeing this band and they had one of the best sounds, everything was crisp, guitar tones where niche and the performance tight. Especially enjoyed bassist Mike Dean's groove and energy while playing.
(9) Madball
Having recently enjoyed their debut "
Set It Off" I had no reason not to check them out, and they rocked a great set for a smaller crowd who were really into it. Especially liked frontman Freddy Cricien's attitude on stage.
(8) Lamb Of God
Tight, solid performance with decent sound from a band that delivered the aggression and Metal I was in the mood for. Good set, included some new songs which sounded decent.
(7) Slipknot
Disappointed the weather held me back from going down the front where the action is. Even though my hunger for this band is still strong I found myself enjoying it from a distance despite being cold and wet. They still put on a great show.
(6) Dolomite Minor
Visiting the forth stage in between bands is a must! I've discovered many gems doing this and Dolomite is one of them! This duo rocked some serious oldskool Rock / Metal grooves on Sabbath like tones, playing them over and over to great effect.
(5) Evil Scarecrow
Was blown away by how fun this band were at Bloodstock. There was big anticipation in a rammed tent for these guys who's reputation is growing. The show and music was spot on and very entertaining. It felt like they were ready for a bigger crowd, maybe second stage next year.
(4) Suicidal Tendencies
Absolute legends, I hastily made my way from Shikari to find myself in a wild and energetic crowd that were living up every song in the tent, crowd surfing, moshing and general chaos ensued seeing out the festival in unforgettable style.
(3) Marilyn Manson
At 46 it was obvious that his performance wouldn't be quite the spectacle it once was but given my recent found love for his music this would only be fantastic. His persona was a little strange, he seemed fascinated with Ice-T who was watching but it just added to the mystique and turned out to be one hell of a show.
(2) Body Count
Never thought id see this band. Seeing them on the bill was like a wet dream and I made sure I was there at the killing floor to watch an absolute legend perform with a band I've been listening to since I found Gangster Rap and Metal. The set was explosive, the band came out looking mean and ready for war. They rocked a hard set of classics, Ice-T hardly looked his age and gave a lot of energy, their bassist shocked me as he bare handed ripped the strings of his bass during their exit from the stage. Amazing.
(1) Enter Shikari
I wasn't anticipating much more than an enjoyable show. Got a spot right behind the barrier center stage and found myself getting totally into their performance. A few songs in I made my way to the pit and moshed the night away to a fantastic set that had me in high spirits. The mud, the weather wouldn't stop us! It was all about the music and reminded me that this is what download festival is all about, and why I will keep going.
