2000 Trees Set-Up Diary - Day Two (the one where we took buggy's to the top of the site)

Yesterday the following proposition was made: “Hayley have you got your camera? Want to come on a ride to the top of the site to take photos?”

 Errr. Yes.

After waking up and getting my daily dose of Wi-Fi to connect with civilization (overrated, I much prefer it here) I cracked on with finishing the artwork that the rain cleaned off yesterday afternoon.

Once that and lunch was taken care of I got myself a site map and snuck off to explore this incredible site and see how everything was coming along. 

Surrounding Fields 

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

In the morning it was suggested that I check out the farm houses gardens, so that’s where I started. Upcote Farm might be home to 2000 Trees but there are other (legendary) people who call this home all year round and they have clearly worked hard to make it one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

After I had my fill of the garden’s I explored the surrounding fields and ended up back at the entrance to the festival site. I took the opportunity to say hello to all of the teams working hard (whilst I clearly was not) to make this site the incredible place that all of the guests will see from Thursday.

First up on my journey was the Main Stage which has come on leaps and bounds since the day

before. As I passed it looked as if a lighting rig was being hoisted into place and The Tree, that I thought looked massive just 24 hours ago now seemed to pale in comparison (but you wait until the ceremonial light-turning-on event that I have demanded).

Main Stage

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

I wandered into the VIP bar area next and found a team raking the VIP garden in the blazing sunshine. Ten of the shiniest gold stars to those guys because it looked like hard work in the best of circumstances but when the sun is this bright and wonderful, well I can’t even imagine. Like troopers they had the place looking lush (word used appropriately).

VIP Bar

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

From the VIP bar I wondered over to Neu Stage, just over the way from that Main Stage. The tent itself is up and looking amazing but the team were busy…building up their strength we’ll say so that they could crack on reinforcing the tent pegs with gaffer tape.

I must ask how much gaffer tape we’ve gone through so far. I imagine it’s ridiculous.  

Neu Stage

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

Neu Stage Team

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

  

The Cave and The Axiom Stages are both up and raring to go but crew were milling about putting up signage so that you’ll all know exactly where you need to be to catch all of the bands on this incredible line up. It’s a good job too. They’re the same colour and roughly the same size. Without signage we would all have to distinguish between them by some other visual standard - and that seems like it will end rather inappropriately.

The Cave 

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

Axiom

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

After being pointed in the right direction (at this point my sense of direction was shot) I hopped over there to check it out before all of the bells and whistles are put up (by bells and whistles I mean hammocks and what not, YEAH HAMMOCKS) .

Before arriving here, it was the concept of the Forest Sessions that really intrigued me so I am beaming with happiness when I say that this area is everything I wanted it to be and more. Honestly, it’s like something out of a fairy-tale, with the teeniest of stages set in amongst thick woods. I cannot wait to see this place in its full glory and I’ll be sure to check in with it today to see how it’s cracking on.

Forest Sessions

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

I came back to The Barn thinking that my big exploration was over. There were so many times on my 2-hour trek that I had to stop and absorb what I was seeing. The wildlife alone is sensational, peacocks, sheep, butterfly’s, dragon-fly’s you name it I saw it on my journey.

Leaping at the chance to help out Sarah from Artist Liaison, I spent the next few hours organising trader vouchers and making sure that the bands would be looked after when they arrive on site from Thursday.

But just as I finished off packing those envelopes with food vouchers and wristbands, Andy skipped over and made the wonderful proposition I mentioned earlier.

We drove all the way up to the highest point of the area and looked over the entire festival site. The headliners will be brought up to this spot for a chance to relax before they explode on to their respective stages. It’s easy to see why. It literally doesn’t get better than this.

In a day and age where it’s easy to be ashamed of one’s home country and to be bogged down by the woes of the world all it takes is a view like this one to remind you. Take out all the unnecessary and all you are left with is pure, unaltered, beauty.  

The Whole Damn Place

Upcote Farm, Withington

3/07/2016

Well, it’s altered a little. The amazing 2000 Trees crew have rocked up and turned it into the best music event of the year, obviously.  

My sheer amazement of this place well and truly continued into my second day here. The team have continued to be the hardest working, happiest, friendliest group of people I have ever met and the surroundings just keep on throwing hidden gems my way.

We drove the buggy’s back to The Barn and a Beer Pong tournament quickly broke out. I could tell you all about it but it was so tense I think it might distract from the happy-go-lucky vibe that we’ve been enjoying otherwise. Pretty sure I’m going to live tweet you all of the action from tomorrow’s rematch anyway.

So here goes day three. Surely it can’t keep on getting better.

PS – Mum, the blog’s finished, you can stop reading now. Right now.

PPS – Guys, serious question. Does vodka make me a better writer? Tweet me your opinions.

2000 Trees Set-Up Diary - Day One (the one where Hayley just can't believe she's here)

Everybody loves a weekend right? Except people who work in retail (ahem). They wouldn’t even notice it wasn’t a week day if it wasn’t for the sudden influx of humans in the shop. But despite my daytime employment situation, I too am a fan of the weekend. This weekend, however, is something else altogether.

Yesterday morning, I arrived at Upcote Farm, Withington for the first day of set-up at the glorious 2000 Trees Festival where I will be spending the next eight days and I could not be happier about it if I tried.

After less than 24 hours here I can safely say we’re on course for one of the most memorable experience of my life.

I got here at about 10am and immediately marvelled at the surroundings. Based in the Cotswold Hills, 2000 Trees has the advantage of an actually breath taking view from all angles without even having to put up a single defining feature.

In all the excitement of arriving on site I drove quite randomly looking for Andy, one of the festival’s dedicated organisers. I pulled over once I found the first human I came across, explained to him that I was looking for Andy and was delighted to find out that this was, in fact, Andy. I’m telling you this place is magical.

 

After a quick chat I drove up to The Barn, met a few more members of the family that is this crew

and jumped straight into applying some 2000 Trees vinyl decals to a set of monitor covers. Prepare yourselves for a barrage of pictures of these up on the stage during sets next weekend.

Once that job was jobbed we hopped into a vehicle and drove down to the tree. I, much like you, had no idea what that was other than a strong suspicion that it might be a tree. It transpires that it’s a beautifully large tree, encompassed by a picket fence, in front of which will be the main stage.

We hung out there for the rest of the morning, decorating the tree with fairy lights and re-painting the picket fence. This was pretty lovely in itself, painting is incredibly therapeutic for me and I’m really hoping for an emotional lights ceremony later in the week. If that’s not happening, I’ll strongly suggest it.

But from where we stood we watched the perimeter fence go up and the main stage itself begin construction. Ever since I found out I was coming here I have been excited to see that happen and it’s just as outstanding as I thought it was. To see something that will be so full of life in its bare-bones is really special.

Breaking for lunch we were thoroughly spoilt. It was a great opportunity to meet more of the team, who I will work really hard to introduce to you as I move through the week because I’ve known them for less than a day and already feel quite blessed.

I phoned my mum and wished her a Happy Birthday!

The trial-run that was Download Festival worked in my favour and I managed to get my tent up with ease this time, owed in no small part to the much softer ground. Believe it or not, there was a time at Download Festival 2016 when the ground was not only dry but hard.

After all of the excitement, and the settling of anxious nerves which were completely unnecessary, a nap was in order. The rain has been off and on all day so I snoozed to the pattering of the threatening drops on my tent. It’s easy to drift away when you feel truly content and oddly at home.

My ten-minute nap window came and went and I headed straight back to the barn to paint some

artwork that will (when it’s finished today) be put up at the bar. The rain washed the paint clean off of three of them, but we’ll go ahead and brush right past that.

Besides, the rain meant that the most glorious rainbow stretched over the site. You just don’t get this shit in London.

The whole crew were served a delicious Thai Green Curry and that brings me to now. I’m sitting in The Barn with a can of cider and a Kit Kat, managing to write this only because a new friend sat with me and typed notes whilst I told him what I had done with my day forming a skeleton for this diary that I would not have been able to get my head around otherwise.

Honestly, I can’t believe that I am here. I feel truly honoured, and so incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to help set up this festival, to contribute to this event that means so much to so many people, and to meet all of these incredible people.

I have never felt more at home, and more determined to make myself useful! I’ll just point out that this is day one. O-N-E. This week is going to kick all other week’s ass.

5 REASONS WE'RE EXCITED FOR 2000 TREES - #3

Now that we have officially landed at the site of 2000 Trees Festival 2016 it is safe to say that were 100% correct to be excited about the week ahead. This place is amazing. This team is sensational. The list of reasons to be excited truly is never ending.

But in the interests of adhering to the countdown target we set ourselves:

#3 - FANCY DRESS.

In honour of the festival’s tenth birthday (something we will be honouring in our own way over the course of next weekend) the Fancy Dress theme is What you wanted to be when you were 10.

I feel like this is going to end in certain hilarity. I cannot wait to see the hordes of disappointed people dressed as various wild animals. I will ask every single one of them, in turn, at what age it was that they discovered it was impossible to switch species as you progressed through life. I for one still believe.

It’s also worth anticipating that this will inevitably lead to a lot of men in uniform, although I’m not sure if it’s permissible to find that interesting given that we’re talking about childhood dreams.

Anyway, I for one find the theme perfectly fitting because when I was ten I wanted to be a writer and preferably one that attends the coolest music events on the calendar.

Oh. Would you look at that.

Ladies and gents, prepare for some epic pictures evidence. 

5 REASONS WE'RE EXCITED FOR 2000 TREES FESTIVAL - #4

So I think we’ve made it perfectly clear that we are pretty darn excited for eating more good food then we have ever eaten before at 2000 Trees Festival next weekend. But believe it or not we don’t plan on spending the entire time stuffing our faces (it’s pretty tempting though).

After all of that glorious festival food we’ll need something to wash it all down with. Seen as it’s a festival, it’s probably best that something has a percentage.

#4 - Booze.

First of all, Fireball will be the official shot of 2000 Trees Festival. Yeah you read that right, this festival has an official shot. The smooth liqueur with a natural cinnamon flavour and pure Canadian whisky will be available at all of the festival’s bars, and we’ve heard that this stuff is gloriously deadly.

I’d say that we’re off to an amazing start but for the lager devotees among you, you have nothing to fear.

Cotswold Lager will be on tap throughout the festival and both Pistonhead and Pistonhead Full amber will be sold in cans at the Forest bar.

Just the fact that 2000 Trees has a ‘Forest’ Bar is enough to make me cry with excitement. But if you think that sounds wonderful you wait until you hear about the most exciting booze concept I have ever heard of.

The Rumbrella.

Yeah. That’s right. 2000 Trees Festival will have it’s own dedicated Rum Bar and, if you wanted to find me, that’s where I’ll be.

An all new addition to the festival, The Rumbrella will be serving a full selection of rum varieties as well as some other specially selected spirits. So far we know that El Ritual will be served and Idle Saint Mint Moonshine.

Would you really be able to live with yourself if you missed out on all of that?  

  

5 REASONS WE'RE EXCITED FOR 2000 TREES FESTIVAL - #5

So far this summer we have been delighted to bring you coverage from both Slam Dunk South and Download Festival. We have had the time of our lives and seen some amazing bands that have blown us away. But, we’re not finished yet. Three is the magic number after all.

We are extremely proud to say that on Saturday morning we will be throwing on our wellies, rolling up our sleeves and driving to Upcote Farm in Gloucester, Cheltenham to give a helping hand setting up 2000 Trees Festival.

It is a huge honour to have the chance to do this and we can’t wait to give you all a sneak peek into what it really takes to set up such a momentous music event such as 2000 Trees.

There are an unlimited amount of reasons to get excited for 2000 Trees, especially since it’s bound to be extra spectacular on this, it’s tenth anniversary year!

But we’ve mulled it over and managed (with difficulty) to put together the top five reasons why we can’t wait.

#5 - Food

Food is a contentious issue in Louder Now HQ purely because I’ve been on a diet (successfully I might add) since September. It’s not awfully rock ‘n’ roll of me but a lot of planning and effort went into making sure that I was as good as I could possibly be both at Slam Dunk and Download.

It has become apparent that this will not be possible at 2000 Trees.

So far we have been teased with this mouth-watering selection:

Smokin’ Hot Tamales: We’ve heard rumours that these guys have completely sold out of Tamales before and I cannot see that happen. Will be heading for Smokin’ hot Tamales just as soon as we can for that Authentic Mexican goodness!

BangWok: Street food and festivals go hand in hand and Thai Street food is the stuff that dreams of made of. Chicken and Tofu are on the menu so they’ll be seeing a lot of us considering they cater to our incredibly varied dietary requirements. We’re just too cool.

Chicken Shack: Chicken marinated in buttermilk for 24hours before being deep fried? Just the sound of it is enough to make you crave it but wait until you see the pictures. Oh my word. I want one of the chicken sandwiches as soon as physically possible.

The Cheese Truck: This is the main attraction as far as I’m concerned (food wise of course). When I first saw this it was the deal breaker diet-wise. Grilled cheese toasties are one of the main things I miss and it’s incredibly likely I’m going to be eating them for breakfast, lunch and dinner on at least one day.

Since I originally wrote this I’ve been scrolling through pictures of the goodies that The Cheese Truck has to offer and I’ve just seen spinach involved. I could not be more excited about this situation if I tried.

There are links to these guys included above and I’ll be sharing much more over on our Instagram and Twitter (follow us if you haven’t already!)

Get prepared for food Instagram posts over the course of the coming fortnight. It’s gonna get messy (seriously I should consider packing a bib.)

      

Download Festival 2016 - Sunday

It was really sad to be waking up on the last day of Download Festival 2016. I was only consoled by the still very distant prospect of my bathroom, my bedroom and my cat.

Somebody pointed out to me recently that it’s worth forking out for a hot shower on the last day of a festival so that you don’t start wishing the whole thing to be over because you know the luxury that awaits you. Unfortunately, this wasn’t pointed out to me until after Download so by this point I’m really starting to feel it.

On the plus side, those huge PVC ponchos are dynamite for covering up how little attention that you’ve paid to yourself for a week. Silver linings.

The Sunday came with early celebrations because it was the first and only day of the festival that we managed to actually see a band before 3PM. Hurrah!!

Amon Amarth

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

The celebration was even bigger because that band happened to be the one and only (and never has that catchphrase been more apt) Amon Amarth.

I’ve heard that Amon Amarth put on a sterling performance that’s not to be missed but when we walked down the hill towards the Lemmy Stage and caught site of the two giant dragons on it, I immediately got very excited.

Here’s an attempt to summarise this band (don’t have high hopes, this is the hardest of tasks):

Amon Amarth are a Death Metal band from Tumba, Sweden who were formed 24 years ago (coincidentally, the year I was born, just in case you were wondering).

Having taken their name from the sindarin name of Mount Doom, a volcano in J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle Earth the quartet tends to base their songs on Norse and Viking mythology.

Amon Amarth

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

Live, that all translates into the most incredible production you have ever seen. Those dragons weren’t just background scenery. Oh no. Those bad boys breathed smoke and doubled as platforms that the band members casually climbed up on to from time to time.

But that was just the beginning. By far the most dramatic thing I saw at Download Festival was frontman Olavi Mikkonen drag a giant hammer to centre stage before victoriously lifting it above his head and then smashing it to the floor, at which point a shit ton of fireworks went off and he looked like the hero we have all been waiting for.

Once that spectacle was over we skipped back over to the Maverick stage where we were lucky enough to catch The Dirty Youth. Not a band we had planned to see, I’m chalking it up to fate that we did because they were amazing.

Danni Monroe - The Dirty Youth

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

Formed in 2007 The Dirty Youth have chalked up an impressive four appearances at Download Festival, and the experience really showed. Pop punk with a metal spine and electronic embellishments they brought heaps of energy and the chance to really dance.

I have a lot of time for electronic rock music, and vocalist Dani Monroe brings everything out of the genre that could possible by brought. With dance moves on point at absolutely no detriment to her vocals, she was really inspiring. An absolute must see again.

All in all it was a deeply impressive morning and I was so pleased that my friends had suggested such amazing bands to check out. After all, that’s what festivals are all about. So we moved into the afternoon with the next suggestion. I had been assured that it was absolutely necessary for me to see Attila. So that’s what I did. We didn’t last long.

Chris Linck - Atilla

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

Ultimately Attila were incredibly good at what they do. With a reckless attitude they assaulted their set with all of the sass that I expected, sunglasses and all. It would have been impossible to not be impressed with the power behind every track we saw them play. It was a full force type of set.

Kalan Blehm - Atilla

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

But for me, the crowd were the best part and it is true that for most of the set all cameras were pointed their way as opposed to the stage. There was a might mosh pit, crowd-surfing and middle fingers in the air. Not quite the carnage of Neck Deep the day before, but somewhere close, and at only midday that’s a triumph.

Next on our list was Halestorm (another Lauren Golding suggestion) but unfortunately logistics made it impossible, bringing my missed band total up to four for the weekend. We’ll have to revisit that as soon as possible.

Instead we went to collapse our tent, which, quite honestly, I had been panicking about since we got our Download tickets. After a lot of swearing, a moment of near-tears and shouts of uncontrollable abuse, that sucker was in it’s bag and we were headed back to the arena from the car park to see Don Broco.

Simon Delaney - Don Broco

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

Most of my previous swearing had come from the idea of missing this band, and that’s because it wouldn’t have been the first time. I’ve only seen Don Broco once before (a thousand years ago) and have been dying to catch them again, but every time the opportunity arose I just couldn’t make it work. This was my chance.

Don Broco are the suavest men in British rock right now and their Download set was full of surprises. Do not let that well-dressed charisma fool you. These guys are rock through-and-through and can pull off a wall of death as good as any metal act on that bill.

The sun shined bright on the Encore stage for one of the few times that weekend, paving the way for banging dance moves and singing along as if it was summer or something. Don Broco are the ultimate festival band, it really doesn’t matter what festival it is.

Rob Damiani - Don Broco

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

The only thing that disappointed me that there were only two songs in the set list from the 2012 album Priorities. Having said that Fancy Dress and Priorities are incredible tracks and in a nine track set-list, which even included a snippet of Rage Against The Machine, I just can’t complain in good conscience.

The reality of the situation began to set in. We had just two bands left before Download Festival 2016 was officially over. Luckily, those two bands were the most perfect to close this legendary weekend. The first was Nightwish.

There’s no easy way to put this but, I got Nightwish completely wrong. One glance and I thought I had those guys completely figured out but I could not have been more wrong.

Nightwish pride themselves on being storytellers first and foremost. The fact that they happen to achieve that through the use of multiple instruments and in the most spectacular of ways is second to the fact.

Another band with a history of line-up changes the absurdly talented Floor Jansen now runs the show and she does an incredible job of it. Her vocals switch from being the things that lullabies are made of to the most hair-raising metal-queen yelling you have ever heard. Her hair whipping skills are also wildly impressive.

Floor Jansen - Nightwish

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

But by far my favourite thing about Nightwish was watching Troy Donockley on the big screen. Every time the camera panned towards him, Donockley was grasping a completely new instrument and I honestly don’t even understand where he was getting them all from.

As humorous as I found it then, ultimately it’s crazy impressive. Many of the musicians at Download Festival this weekend could only dream of being able to play half of the instruments that he can: Uileann pipes, tin whistle, guitar, keyboards, bass, pump organ, bouzouki, cittern, bodhran, mandola, harmonium… The list of the tools he uses to tell these stories is amazing.

And that brings us to the main event. After Mr Dickinson landed his Boeing 747, Ed Force One, in East Midlands Airport on Sunday afternoon the Kings of this festival were ready to headline the whole affair. Iron Maiden were ready.

Iron Maiden

Download Festival, Donnington

12/06/2016

It is only right that the award for most extravagant stage production goes directly to Iron Maiden. Ed took various connotations, my absolute favourite was a giant Ed head and shoulders that emerged from the back and made these musical legends look teeny tiny (pictured).

To carry on the theme that Nightwish kickstarted, Maiden did what they do best and told a narrative of stories. We learnt all about the Mayan Civilisation as well as the fundamental issues of the world. We also learnt how to dance like a monkey. All of the important lessons were delivered.

Bruce Dickinson is a performer in everything that title encompasses. Several costume changes, extravagant displays of almost dance (NB he is a British man) and a fight with a stilt-walker culminating in a heart being literally ripped out of a chest – that is how you nail a festival headline slot.      

Tears of a Clown was emotionally dedicated to another legend, Robin Williams, keeping that special moment feeling at peak momentum. Hearing the 100,000 people seeing Fear of the Dark sent tingles down the spine.

The set was 2 hours long but only 15 songs were played. Another sign of a time long past but not tonight they reaffirmed what these thousands of Iron Maiden t-shirt wearing people already knew. It’s nowhere near forgotten. 

After a remarkable weekend it was well and truly time to take myself off home for a well deserved nap and a much needed shower but it wasn’t without a very poignant feeling of sadness.

Download Festival will always have a place in my heart as the festival to end all festivals. It is a legendary place, the spiritual home of rock music and means so much to so many people that to have the opportunity to experience it again in all of it’s glory is incredible special to me.

As all good festival experiences should be, this was made up of seeing bands that I adore, bands that have been strongly recommended to me and bands that I have never heard of before but happily fell upon. If you can tick all three of those boxes at the end of a festival weekend then, my friend, you did a fantastic job.

Six long years had been and gone since the last time I was at Download (see picture evidence for proof of how long a period of time this actually is). So much has changed in that time, more than I could have ever imagined and I find that remarkable.

I will not leave it that long to be back at Donnington. Just try and stop me.

Download Festival 2016 - Saturday

After all of that we had ourselves a well-deserved lie in which was both wonderful and catastrophic in almost equal measures. Sorry Beartooth and Atreyu (three bands notched on the missed tally so far.)

But once we were sufficiently recovered we were ready to face the main arena once more and we had it on good authority that our first band of the day were something  pretty special.

Lauren Golding has been harping on about Dead! for months now and the second she knew we would be at Download she insisted that we see them. Never one to turn down a trusted recommendation I was front and centre to see the young prog-rockers on the Dogtooth Stage (which was gratifyingly slight and also a tent, hurrah for shelter!)

Alex Mountford - Dead!

Download Festival, Donnington

11/06/2016

Their dramatic entrance to the stage caught my attention but it was retained by the sheer aggression

that Dead! attacked this set with. Vocalist Alex Mountford is one of the most dynamic performers on the scene today, and looks like a frontman with an extensive history on stage.

New track You’re So Cheap is the perfect way to display everything this band are capable of: gritty with a splash of beauty and a hint of allure. They have a distinctive glam sound reminiscent of a past scene, but when it’s this brash and addictive then there is plenty of room for it today.

Moral of that story is that if Lauren ever tells you to go to a show…then you go.

Kevin Thrasher - Escape The Fate

Download Festival, Donnington

11/06/2016

If there’s one thing that Download Festival has in abundance its nostalgia including for the more recent rock history. With that in mind it was only right we skipped across the arena to catch Escape The Fact on the Maverick Stage.

When we arrived the Vegas emo-metal-core (just go with it) outfit were already in full swing playing to a packed out tent full of the most loyal of fans. These guys have stuck with Escape The Fate through a wild history, not to mention numerous line-up changes. To date, only one original member of the band remains, drummer Robert Ortiz.

That being the case the current line-up has done a damn fine job keeping the ETF fire alive and it shows because the fans turned up with flawlessly executed hair and make-up to lose their minds for a 5-song set list. That never ceases to amaze.

All of those fans matched the band’s impressive energy and showed Download what crowd participation really looks like shouting out the one, two and three of the fearless One For the Money. But that was nothing compared to the extraordinary tempo of closing track This War Is Ours which was potentially the best song intro I heard all festival.

Juliette Lewis - Juliette and the Licks

Download Festival, Donnington

11/06/2016

But Escape The Fate weren’t the only band billed with an interesting past. One of the most exciting

parts of Download was to see Juliette and the Licks on the line-up. Having broken up in 2009 this band were one of the few that I had accepted I might never see and since their reformation last year I have been dying for my chance.

Enigmatic frontwoman, Juliette Lewis, took to the stage in an apt red, white and blue cat suit embellished with stars and stripes for a naturally American rock set in a sea of British acts.

The set list did not disappoint with all the key players in attendance, Smash and Grab, Hot Kiss and Killer were the tracks I was waiting for but an incredible few bars of Rolling on a River at high speed was absolutely amazing.  

Lewis is very talented but whipping her hair all over the stage, dancing with the stage security, harmonising with the crowd, she proved that she is a born frontwoman. Sure, she might be wild, but that’s what makes this band so exciting and ultimately enthralling. I am begging for a new album soon please!

I think it’s clear that Saturday afternoons just don’t get much better than that. Sure, it was still raining but what’s one more damp day? Besides, checking out more bands playing tents then we had on the Friday gave us some great relief from the elements (Dear Download, I feel the Encore Stage should be a tent. Thanks.)

Neck Deep

Download Festival, Donnington

11/06/2016

It was in one of those very tents that we then went to see, for the first time, a band that have had the most remarkable for few years. It was time for our daily dose of pop-punk, today from Wrexham’s finest, Neck Deep.

We listened to Neck Deep play live at Maida Vale for Radio One’s Rock All Dayer (which was very much appreciated by us by the way) on the day we drove up to Download and decided that our spot in the audience was non-negotiable. Another act with a huge, dedicated and incredibly loving fan base, Neck Deep are a sure-fire sign that pop-punk is undeniably back.

Not all light-and-fluff, Neck Deep tore up the Maverick Tent with their edgy pop-punk (more emphasis on the punk). They exploded into our lives with Citizens of Earth, also the opener of last year’s album Life’s Not Out to Get You, which called for much jumping up and down and head banging from every body crammed into the place.  

It’s a pretty momentous title to hold but Neck Deep claimed the first real crowd surfers that we saw at Download, which says it all really. That crowd lost the plot altogether, all inhibitions evaporated and anything was on the cards. To all extents and purposes it was glorious carnage, until I got mud in my hair. I won’t lie, I was pissed about that.

When they launched into December both band and crowd alike gave it 100%. This track is pretty, unforgettable (for literally days) and live they step up the tempo to make it just as hardcore as the rest of their performance. Bravo Neck Deep, overly impressive.

Hopefully you understand that, whilst we were appreciated of the shelter that all of these tents were offering us, we had already planned to see these bands. The fact that there was a roof involved was just a happy coincidence. That was until Pennywise happened. So anyway…

So here’s the thing about Download Festival, the thing that makes it, above and beyond, the best major summer music festival in the UK (come at me, bro). Download has a history of the most legendary, rock ‘n’ roll hall of fame level headliners. Saturday June 11^th will forever be known as the day that I saw Black Sabbath.

I don’t mean to excessively embarrass her but I cannot explain to you how much I loved my colleague for her first sentence upon seeing Ozzy Osborne in the flesh. I quote: “Oh, is Ozzy the vocalist? Why am I picturing him with a guitar?”

Ozzy Osbourne - Black Sabbath

Download Festival, Donnington

11/06/2016

Ridiculousness aside, Black Sabbath was everything I wanted them to be and so much more. This set

was what millions of people across the world dream to see, made so much more special by its extraordinary setting.

As the masters and creators of metal, the set list could have been almost anything but War Pigs was a sensational, and uncomfortably relevant, high point. I’m sure all 100,000 people in attendance will agree with me.

It would be futile to tell you how good Black Sabbath are, they are one of a small group of bonefide rock music legends and they prove it every time they take to the stage. What did surprise me however, is just how endearingly British Ozzy Osborne is. Of all of the things that I have seen and heard in my life, I will forever remember hearing Ozzy Osborne say the sentence: “Why does it always have to pissing rain?”

With names like Ozzy Osborne and Tony Iommi taking over the stage it would be easy to hide in their shadow. But for session drummer Tommy Clufetos that clearly was not something he could consider. At one point, Ozzy exclaimed: “Back in a bit…” and promptly wondered off stage (at a surprisingly brisk pace) leaving Clufetos to deliver a flawless drum solo to the applause of the huge crowd.

As the final notes of Paranoid rang out across the festival it was pretty clear that something momentous had happened, even if it wasn’t for the last time. Can you really be mad at Black Sabbath for changing their mind on that score? When it’s this good, it has to last for as long as physically possible.

And that was Saturday! Filled up with bands that I was seeing for the first time, which is novel. All attempts at being presentable were well and truly abandoned by this point so all that was left for us to do was pass out. That’s after we realised that we had just one day left at Download.