While we are still recovering from our festival season bangover, Download has wasted no time in announcing their first headliner for the 2016 bash…
Download Festival have announced their first headliner for next year… And it’s the mighty Iron Maiden!
Making their return to Donington Park are heavy metal royalty in the form of Iron Maiden, who will be topping the bill and closing the festival on the Sunday night (June 12). YES!
Flying into the festival in style, the band will arrive in their massive Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet Ed Force One at the nearby East Midlands Airport. Piloted by Bruce Dickinson, the frontman will fly in the entire band, crew and stage production in from their massive Book Of Souls World Tour. As you do.
Bruce Dickinson says,“Download is a very special place for us. Not just because it’s always great to play on home turf but because there’s a truly unique vibe there, it’s the very heart of England and of Metal, so a fitting place for Iron Maiden! The crowd is always fiercely passionate and the whole band feeds off that famous Donington energy. We aim to deliver a really memorable show for our fans to close the 2016 Festival. Although this is our sixth time headlining at Castle Donington, it’s the first time we’ve been able to land Ed Force One right on the doorstep of the festival site!”
“We haven’t decided on the set list as yet and won’t until we start rehearsing but we really look forward to playing a number of new songs live, especially as the recording was so much live. However, as it’s been a while since we saw you all, I am sure we will include plenty of older fan favourites too. I think the fans will be delighted by what we have in mind. We are also in the middle of creating the new show and rest assured we are working hard to bring you all something spectacular, something with a lot of heart!!! You certainly deserve it for your patience.”
Download Festival is set to take place between June 10 – 12 next year, with tickets going on general sale at 9am on October 23. Head over to the Kerrang! Ticket Store to pick yourself up a pair or three.
Keep your eyes on Kerrang.com for more announcements in the coming days, and pick up the new issue of Kerrang! (out Wednesday) for brand-new, exclusive interviews with all three Download headliners. You’re not going to want to miss this.
Hopefully we might hear some of these epic Iron Maiden songs next summer:
