Download Festival 2024

Well June came and it was once again time for Download Festival. For us this involves traveling down with a caravan on the Wednesday and as we all hoped to spend a long week in a sunny field having a few drinks and having fun.

Well arriving at Donnington park was a little less traumatic than last years complete gridlock and as wee got near the race track we ended up with our own personal police escort. We like to think they were making sure we got to the campervan field in one peice, in reality they were just going our way. Then Security check done ccaravan all set up, all wristbands got. then the trip by car to the press/Guest boxoffice with the Photographer for Primordial Radio. 4 arguments with 4 different security guards withing 20 yards all saying we were not allowed to drive here later all parked up mates wristbands got. back to caravan to start drinking.

Now came nightmare 1 for people in the campervan field, Time to go the Village. back to top of field to catch the happy freedom bus which dropped us off in guest parking....No Signs on were to go 10 min later mmain entrance and them trying to take our open cans of walking cidar off us, nope not happening. walked though a campsite into the village. was a little disapointed in it this year seemed less there but still had a good evening.

Thursday was more of a help the rest of the people we were with who were just arriving out and generally chill.

Right before I start on the weekend fun Ill address the elephant in the room....YES it did rain....YES it was muddy. Was it as bad as other years NO but what didnt help was less straw was put down than previosly so this seemed to make matters worse and on the Sunday you had ground that was the consistancy of thick porrage at the top of the hill and pure liquid mud at the bottom.

As for the weeken of music.

Friday

As there was not alot I really wanted to watch I wandered to the Opus Stage were a Japanese band called Hanabie were given the honour to kick things off and have to say it was well worth it they were good. Have not heard of them untill that day but will definatly keep an eye out for them in the future

Then afer a coffee and some food another band on the Opus Stage Scene Queen and once again I was pleasently supprised, so far Friday was turning out to be a good day for music. Never heard or seen them before but enjoyed every minute of it

Now Ill be totally honest that was me done for the day I wasn't reaally looking to see anything on the Friday so havd a good mooch around the shops bought my obigatury download Tshirt and found the Rotisary Chicken place. late evening wandered back to caravan for a sit dow have a few beers and listen to Queens of the Stone Age.

Now this is were Friday went downhill for me Ive seen them a few times before but for me it missed the mark by along way there seemed to be to much (as we put it) Twiggly Diggly Guitar Solos going on for my liking. but thats just me. I love a good guitar solo but sometimes it goes to far.

So drunk we get fall asleep wake up at 5am.

Now Saturday was going to be fun to kick off things off we go to the main stage and Bambie Thug, so much fun was had but as most of us were thinking you must be cold in that outfit. For just a singer and 2 dancers she wipped the crowd up and definatly got the crowd going which is impressive for a Saturday after a Friday night party.

Then it was Wargasm, Ive seen this band a few times and they are getting better each time definatly deserved a Saturday slot on the mainstage, hopefully next time will be alot higher up the bill, but once again the old cold me just wants to shout put a coat on its cold.

Then no music for a bit of to the ferris wheel for our anual get together Primordial Radio Photo.

Now things fell apart for me and I ended up only catching a bit of Baby Metal and Slaughter to Prevail.

Now it was time for The Offspring now over the years I have allways missed them so this year it was a case of dont care Im watching this even if the stage catches fire(which it didnt). Hve to say it was epic, I enjoyed every single minute had the normal sing along. and generally had fun.

Now for the headliner Fall out Boy, not my cup of Tea but thought why not OMG we had so much fun we had our own little stagger pits going on(yes stagger pits we are old and crippled with knee pain) sang along danced drank vanilla coke(Honest possible JD) then at the end staggard back to the caravan to look over photos and do a bit of general drinking.

Sunday started off good but by the end of the day my knee was so bad even painkillers and alcahol blanked didnt work so ended up back at the caravan but before all that.

Apex Stage and Lord of the Lost, Never heard of them had no idea what to expect but I was impressed. Sunday morning open unfortunatly had to start with no one in the feild they were still letting us in due to the ground conditions, but they still played their hearts out and were good

Then after it was off to Alien Weaponry who once again gave it there all and manage to create a sound that some 4 or 5 peice bands cant do

Then for some more fun and frollics with Royal Republic the band who can make people smile and sing allong and play metallica songes better than metallica

Then it was off back to the main stage to catch Bowling for Soup even though Chris was taken ill the still came out and had fun for me his presence was missed on stage but the boys still did good, I never have walked away for a Soup gig without a grin from ear to ear and this day was no difference.

I stayed for a bit of Sum 41and what I heard was good the shot off to see Corey Taylor who did a good mix of Stone Sour and Slipknot he was on form and he seemed to be enjoying himself on stage.

Unfortunatly this is were everything went bad a pit opened up behind me a person slipped in the huge amopunts of mud and accedently took my knee out, not blaming anyone but with the combination of that and the mud started to cause alot of pain and an injury that is still going on 2 weeks later.

Anyway highlight of the weekend was for me Heilung been waiting for ages to see them and I got to see them in a wet feild in mud and it was glourious.

Now for the bad bits some some of the Security there was a sevier lack of understanding some I dont think spoke much english. Showers in the campervan field were always cold and the taoilets were not cleaned as often as other years also the Elsan point in the campervan field was overflowing monday morning which caused half of the femail toilets to be unusable and u couild not use the taps, but all in all it was an great weekend away.

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