Download 2023

[JSmurphy]

“Every year we need three headliners and that isn’t easy but there are enough quality bands out there,” he said. “There are plenty of acts that haven’t headlined Download but could: Green Day, Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic! At The Disco, Royal Blood, Red Hot Chili Peppers or possibly Foo Fighters. We took the plunge a few years ago and had Muse headline, so it’s about widening the net.”

“Then there are the bands that are coming through now. Ghost, Architects, Parkway Drive all have good slots at Download this year but they’ve definitely got the opportunity of taking that next step to headline status. I’d like to see that happen as well. Then you’ve got a band like Enter Shikari who headlined the Download Pilot in 2021, there’s no question that they have the making of a proper Download headliner.”

[2loor2iller]

16 minutes ago, JSmurphy said:

“Every year we need three headliners and that isn’t easy but there are enough quality bands out there,” he said. “There are plenty of acts that haven’t headlined Download but could: Green Day, Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic! At The Disco, Royal Blood, Red Hot Chili Peppers or possibly Foo Fighters. We took the plunge a few years ago and had Muse headline, so it’s about widening the net.”

“Then there are the bands that are coming through now. Ghost, Architects, Parkway Drive all have good slots at Download this year but they’ve definitely got the opportunity of taking that next step to headline status. I’d like to see that happen as well. Then you’ve got a band like Enter Shikari who headlined the Download Pilot in 2021, there’s no question that they have the making of a proper Download headliner.”

Funny that he mentions all those acts but yet time and time again they don’t headline. Maybe there could be some reluctance from some of them to not want to headline what is largely advertised as a metal festival, but I refuse to believe that’s the case for all of them and think he chooses to book the same safe stuff time and time again by choice.

Tbh, the likes of Panic!, FOB, maybe even Paramore have possibly moved too far away from even being ‘rock’ bands these days to be considered Download worthy. Obviously all got some stuff in their back catalogue that would send the crowd wild, but also a lot of newer material that strays pretty far that may not go down so well. 

[Galactus]

Panic! At the Disco? Steady on.

[Galactus]

On 11/8/2022 at 3:25 PM, BenG92 said:

Halestorm are nailed on and there's a decent chance that means Alter Bridge are showing up as well. That might be enough to swing a few classic rockers. NOFX (not classic rock but very crusty) also need to say goodbye to England somehow, fingers crossed it's here.

At the end of the day, they can only book who they can book. Leppard and Crue are at Lytham. Ozzy can barely stand. Quo can't announced yet due to a tour. Black Stone Cherry are on their own tour that year with The Darkness who just played. Thunder and Whitesnake BOTH have vocalists out of action due to injury/illness. Slash might be busy with GNR if rumours are true. Scorpions are divas and won't get booked any year. Dream Theatre just toured here this year and rarely play. Twisted Sister are done. Shinedown and Airbourne just played.

Did I miss anyone? I really am not sure what exactly the classic rock crowd was expecting with all of the above in mind. 

Agree. Sorry but this is what Download need to move away from (I mean they haven't exactly done it quite as subtle as I thought with next years bands) but the 2023 lineup is exactly the direction it needs to go in.

Edited November 9, 2022 by Galactus

[lexiins]

[lexiins]

21 hours ago, dip said:

New Andy Copping interview just dropped - https://www.nme.com/news/music/download-festival-boss-gender-balanced-festival-line-ups-interview-3345935

They did get something wrong though, the said stranger things used enter sandman when it was master of puppets 😅

[Metalhead_Moz_]

On 11/8/2022 at 8:48 AM, Red Day said:

Didn’t get much of a buzz from the announcement and to be honest, I haven’t heard of a lot of what’s been announced, particularly the smaller font bands. As an older attendee, it’s good to see younger folks on here buzzing for it. You people are the future of the festival, not the likes of me. 

Yeah man, kinda the same. Im near 40 so been around the block a few times but by no means a dinosaur. I know some of the bands by name but not really content. Good to see new blood though. BMTH is an odd one but i get it. The early stuff i didn't like as just screechy noise and the new stuff is radio 1 pop so no idea what that will be like. 

[Muppetmark]

12 minutes ago, Metalhead_Moz_ said:

Yeah man, kinda the same. Im near 40 so been around the block a few times but by no means a dinosaur. I know some of the bands by name but not really content. Good to see new blood though. BMTH is an odd one but i get it. The early stuff i didn't like as just screechy noise and the new stuff is radio 1 pop so no idea what that will be like. 

give posthuman: survival horror a listen. It's their most recent album and much more suited for a download set.

[JSmurphy]

2 hours ago, lexiins said:

Papa Roach have to be playing, surely?

[Spiral_Low]

4 hours ago, JSmurphy said:

Papa Roach have to be playing, surely?

One of those with UK tour dates coming up. As with many others expect they will be added later. I think we are gonna get a big final announcement as multiple likely bands seem to have dates between Jan and March. Maybe an announcement just before xmas too, to boost sales?

[Nice to Michu]

1 hour ago, Spiral_Low said:

One of those with UK tour dates coming up. As with many others expect they will be added later. I think we are gonna get a big final announcement as multiple likely bands seem to have dates between Jan and March. Maybe an announcement just before xmas too, to boost sales?

Regarding sales apparently they may sell out by Christmas.

[justanothername]

Highly doubt that there will be an announcement until next year.

[beetchez]

Next announcement predictions?

 Papa Roach, Halestorm, Hollywood Undead, Jinjer, Don Broco, While She Sleeps, Bad Omens, Electric Callboy, PUP, Poppy, Billy Talent, Phem, Charlotte Sands, Starcrawler, Pierce The Veil, Sleeping With Sirens, Nothing More, Delain, Babymetal

 

No particular reasoning. 🤷‍♂️

[Spiral_Low]

1 hour ago, Swansea93 said:

Regarding sales apparently they may sell out by Christmas.

Interesting where did you see that?

1 hour ago, justanothername said:

Highly doubt that there will be an announcement until next year.

I guess if it's selling as well as above then no!

1 hour ago, beetchez said:

Next announcement predictions?

 Papa Roach, Halestorm, Hollywood Undead, Jinjer, Don Broco, While She Sleeps, Bad Omens, Electric Callboy, PUP, Poppy, Billy Talent, Phem, Charlotte Sands, Starcrawler, Pierce The Veil, Sleeping With Sirens, Nothing More, Delain, Babymetal

 

No particular reasoning. 🤷‍♂️

Dunno about next announcement per day but by final line up I expect: Papa Roach, Halestorm, Jinjer, Testament, Babymetal, Lamb Of God, Amon Amarth or Gojira (whichever one isn't at Bloodstock) Alien Weaponry (unless they do Bloodstock), Venom Prison, Arch Enemy.

[Andre91]

I’ve had a go at padding the lineup out a bit (I’ve asterisked the TBAs). 
 

APEX: Metallica / Alter Bridge* / Halestorm* / Clutch* / Testament* / Static-X* / Bloodywood

OPUS: Pendulum / Alexisonfire / Electric Callboy*

 

APEX: Bring Me The Horizon / Architects / Lamb of God* / Babymetal* / Motionless In White / Fever 333 / Nova Twins 

OPUS: Evanescence / Papa Roach* / Asking Alexandria 

AVALANCHE: Simple Plan / Stand Atlantic / nothing, nowhere

DOGTOOTH: Carpenter Brut* / Crosses* / Monuments 
 

APEX: Metallica / Bullet For My Valentine* / Within Temptation / The Pretty Reckless* / Avatar* / Bad Wolves* / Municipal Waste 

OPUS: Placebo / The Distillers / Hollywood Undead* 

AVALANCHE: Neck Deep* / The Blackout / Touché Amoré

DOGTOOTH: Ville Valo / Bloodbath* / Alcest*

APEX: Slipknot / Parkway Drive / Disturbed / Behemoth / Jinjer* / Spiritbox* / Vended*

OPUS: Ghost / Meshuggah* / Arch Enemy*

AVALANCHE: I Prevail / Stray From The Path / Terror 

DOGTOOTH: Suicide Silence* / Obituary* / Ingested 

[Pottsy2913]

12 hours ago, Andre91 said:

I’ve had a go at padding the lineup out a bit (I’ve asterisked the TBAs). 
 

APEX: Metallica / Alter Bridge* / Halestorm* / Clutch* / Testament* / Static-X* / Bloodywood

OPUS: Pendulum / Alexisonfire / Electric Callboy*

 

APEX: Bring Me The Horizon / Architects / Lamb of God* / Babymetal* / Motionless In White / Fever 333 / Nova Twins 

OPUS: Evanescence / Papa Roach* / Asking Alexandria 

AVALANCHE: Simple Plan / Stand Atlantic / nothing, nowhere

DOGTOOTH: Carpenter Brut* / Crosses* / Monuments 
 

APEX: Metallica / Bullet For My Valentine* / Within Temptation / The Pretty Reckless* / Avatar* / Bad Wolves* / Municipal Waste 

OPUS: Placebo / The Distillers / Hollywood Undead* 

AVALANCHE: Neck Deep* / The Blackout / Touché Amoré

DOGTOOTH: Ville Valo / Bloodbath* / Alcest*

APEX: Slipknot / Parkway Drive / Disturbed / Behemoth / Jinjer* / Spiritbox* / Vended*

OPUS: Ghost / Meshuggah* / Arch Enemy*

AVALANCHE: I Prevail / Stray From The Path / Terror 

DOGTOOTH: Suicide Silence* / Obituary* / Ingested 

Think that's a really realistic lineup tbh, and one I'd be well happy with! I do wonder if Electric Callboy might get early main stage? They've blown up massively over the past year and a bit

[JSmurphy]

Gojira are around this weekend so hopefully they appear.

[49Lawson]

If people wanted it for their predictions and what not, Clutch (Wed 7), Gojira (Thurs 8), Behemoth (Fri 9) and Pantera (Sat 10) all been added to Sweden Rock that weekend.

I know we all but had already but I feel like that rules Pantera out fully. Feel it would be a struggle to get from Sweden to Donnington in one day for a slot that’s 3rd down on the main stage 

[BenG92]

3 hours ago, 49Lawson said:

If people wanted it for their predictions and what not, Clutch (Wed 7), Gojira (Thurs 8), Behemoth (Fri 9) and Pantera (Sat 10) all been added to Sweden Rock that weekend.

I know we all but had already but I feel like that rules Pantera out fully. Feel it would be a struggle to get from Sweden to Donnington in one day for a slot that’s 3rd down on the main stage 

Ghost are doing it for their 2nd stage head slot, Sweden's only over the road. Ruling Pantera out because the ITK guy who dropped like a dozen bands says they've pulled out to do their own stuff here. 

[lexiins]

19 hours ago, Swansea93 said:

Regarding sales apparently they may sell out by Christmas.

Where have you read that, or what is the source? 

[kaip]

I'm doing this festival 

[Metalhead_Moz_]

On 11/10/2022 at 12:48 PM, Muppetmark said:

give posthuman: survival horror a listen. It's their most recent album and much more suited for a download set.

Cool I’ll give it a go. Need to check them out properly really. 

[Metalhead_Moz_]

So my wish list to really get my interest hyped… not taking anything into consideration about realistic chances… 

Spiritbox, Electric Callboy. Machine Head. Make them suffer. Zebrahead. Sleeping with sirens. Ghost kid. We came as romans. And then I’d also enjoy some Limp , Korn or Papa Roach for some fun. 

[49Lawson]

On 11/11/2022 at 7:44 PM, kaip said:

I'm doing this festival 

Would love Florence Black to appear on the line up, got some great songs!

[Aech2ElectricBoogaloo]

Andy Copping still stuck ten years in the past, Brendon Urie has about five fans left.