Download Festival: Same old bands?

Every year theres always complainers, haters gonna hate, right? But just how often have some of these bands played more than a couple of times? Here are ten repeat offenders, the first three may have not necessarily played the most but certainly the most complained about, but may surprise you!

• 10. Iron Maiden (4)

This surprised me the most, I’d always seen Donington as the Irons back yard but Maiden have only played Download four times! Headlining each show of course, including the inaugural year, if you include Monsters of Rock theres actually only another two appearances to add!

• 9. Black Sabbath / Ozzy Osbourne (4)

It wasn’t much of a surprise to me that Sabbath would be lower down on the list, but if you include Ozzy’s solo slots and Monsters of Rock and Ozzfest, he still racks up an impressive nine total appearances at Donington and the only artist to have performed at all three major rock festivals there!

• 8. Metallica (4)

As much as they moan, Metallica have actually only played Download four times! Each having been quite special though, 2003 was a secret set on the second stage, 2006 Master of Puppets was broadcast in full (not performed!), 2004 Lars was ill and 2012, which was actually the last time ‘Tallica played, they performed the black album in reverse! “oh yeh, family”. Monsters of Rocks adds another four slots at Donington.

• 7. Dillinger Escape Plan (5)

I didn’t expect to see DEP here, but they rack up a nice five slots that included a main stage openers, second and three time third stage headliners!

• 6. Enter Shikari (6)

I had no idea Shikari had played so often! Download was pivotal in breaking the band back in 2005 with their Red Bull slot, which saw them return the following year playing before Korns second stage headliner. This year will be the bands third headline slot.

• 5. Stone Sour (6)

More than I’d realised, five main stage slots and a second stage headline!

• 4. Slipknot (6)

Wait, what? The Knot have only been here, including this year, six times!? Well, the impressive thing is all shows have been main stage and this year they will equal Maiden and Ozzy with four headline performances!

• 3. Killswitch Engage (7)

This doesn’t surprise me actually, KSE are always playing but get no hate for it, they are pretty standard awesome. However with seven appearances the band are yet to headline any stage…

• 2. Korn/Jonathan Davies (7+2)

Again, this band are always there, and it’s no problem as we love them, whilst they’ve headlined the second stage (with Joe Jordison), and JDs headlined the third stage, we’ve still yet to see a main stage headline from them. Not forgetting also their show without JD as he nearly died, this takes his total appearances to a mighty eight!

• 1. Skindred (7/9)

And the BAND with the most appearances at Download is Skindred! Though equal in years of appearance to Korn and KSE, twice the band have performed acoustic sets at Jager which tips them to nine total slots, plus a slot at Ozzfest 2002. Benji also adds another full set with Dubwar in 2015 making TEN full slots plus the appearance with the legendary Korn set without JD for him!

HOWEVER…

• COREY TAYLOR (13)

THIRTEEN fucking appearances at download, thirteen!! Six with Slipknot, six with Stone Sour and a solo acoustic set and of course the Korn set without JD! Love or hate the guy, it’s undeniable he is a master performer. Corey loves Download having performed 12 out of the 18 editions, deservedly getting this special award here from Metal Hammer!

 

Conclusion; Iron Maiden, Metallica, Black Sabbath and Slipknot have each headlined four times, quit your whining! There’s three other stages to go see great bands 🙂