Donington’s hallowed turf is calling. The stages are set, the campsites are cleared, and the burger vans are frying for the first full-scale Download Festival in three years. Come rain or shine, these handful of days in June promise one of the most essential UK rock gatherings of our lifetime, with tens of thousands of like minds finally able to come together without restriction, raising horns, chugging beers, and cathartically laying to rest the stifling silence of the pandemic period as we celebrate the very best that heavy music has to offer.
Whether you’ve already got your camping gear packed, or are still toying with the idea of going along, you probably don’t need us to tell you why you should get a good spot for the latest leg of Iron Maiden’s globe-trotting Legacy Of The Beast run, that Biffy Clyro are still one of the greatest Brit-rock bands of their generation, or how big a deal it will be to catch what’s apparently KISS’ final-ever UK show. Instead, we’re shining the spotlight on 20 of the hottest up-and-comers, from sunshine pop-punk specialists Meet Me @ The Altar to skull-caving brutalists Heriot, who’ll be keeping Download in business for years to come.
We’ll see you in the pit...