Download Festival 2019 is off and rolling and Britain’s largest rock and Metal Festival has delivered, as usual, a stellar bill for 2019.
This year’s headliners are Def Leppard, Slipknot and Tool but the major talking point so far has not been the bands, but the weather with Download becoming the main headline of several national dailies due to rainfall and mud of “biblical” proportions.
Britain has been hit by severe rain all week, turning the site into a mudbath, while festival-goers at the Isle Of Wight festival braved a tornado.
The unexpected weather was so tempestuous at the festival that a cyclone could be seen swirling ominously in the sky, but fortunately only a lasted a few minutes before tailing off. Former Download headliner Biffy Clyro are one of the three bill-toppers at Isle Of Wight this year.
The forecast is not good for the weekend with numerous Met Office rain warnings, environment agency flood alerts and warnings being issued. Some parts of Lincolnshire have seen two to three times their average June rainfall totals in just 72 hours.
However, forecasts say the widespread heavy rain will go away during the weekend and will be replacedwith a showery set up, but also some sunshine.
If Iron Maiden were playing Download this year, ‘Flood Brothers’ would definitely be this year’s theme tune but we’ll go with this instead from Trivium, who play the Main Stage tomorrow, Saturday, at 5.00pm.
However, Metallers are made of stern stuff and are not about to let something as trivial as a little bit of torrential rain stop the party. Mamie Cunningham said in Twitter: “Download is not about the weather… we are having the best time”, while Lynch Natasha Geez embodied the true spirit of our music, saying:
“…your all a bunch of snowflakes!!!
“Its rain its mud!!!! Aint gonna kill ya….get some beer down your neck!!!!
“Think of the bands we are going to see!!!!”
Picture from Severe Weather Warnings 2019 @Weather2019
And if you need any further proof that the weather is not going to win this weekend, have a look at what happend when Black Sabbath played in a massive downpour in 2016 right here.
Iron Maiden followed that performance on the Sunday with the weather threatening to disrupt proceedings and they were utterly triumphant, as you can see right here.
Picture from Severe Weather Warnings 2019 @Weather2019
Nothing will stop this party and if you’re heading to Download, visit Motley Brew, Heavy Metal tean and coffee purveyors extraordinaire. Owner Phil Andre has experiences severe difficulties due to the weather and needs cheering up.
You’ll find the Motley Brew area next to the Zippo tent where Phil will be sure to cheer you up with a warming beverage and, if you would like, a therapeutic massage too. Phil’s stand will look pretty much like this. Please tell him we sent you.
Picture from Severe Weather Warnings 2019 @Weather2019
MetalTakl’s intrepid reporting team are armed and ready and at Donington Park now, so we’ll be bringing you extensive, exclusive coverage from Download from now, right through to Sunday night.
The first band are Last In Line, who we saw in London on Wednesday night and you can check out what happend in Islington right here.
Keep checking back because we’ll be bringing all the Download action to you live on these very pages throughout the weekend.
DOWNLOAD 2019 STAGE TIMES
Friday 14th June
Main Stage
Def Leppard – 9.10pm
Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – 7pm
Whitesnake – 5.20pm
Clutch – 4.05pm
Blackberry Smoke – 2.55pm
Tesla – 1.55pm
Last In Line – 1pm
Zippo Encore Stage
Rob Zombie – 8.55pm
Eagles Of Death Metal – 7.35pm
Opeth – 6.15pm
Deadland Ritual – 5pm Delain – 3.50pm
Kvelertak – 2.50pm
Skid Row – 1.50pm
Goodbye June – 1pm
The Avalanche Stage hosted by Kerrang! Radio
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes – 8.35pm
Reel Big Fish – 7.15pm
The Interrupters – 6pm
Zebrahead – 4.55pm
Man With A Mission – 3.50pm
Icon For Hire – 2.50pm
Sumo Cyco – 1.50pm
PENGSHUi – 1pm
The Dogtooth Stage
At The Gates – 10.10pm
Ne Obliviscaris – 9.10pm
Jinjer – 8.15pm
Twelve Foot Ninja – 7.20pm
Vega – 6.30pm
Lost Society – 5.40pm
Skynd – 4.50pm
Conjurer – 4pm
Nova Twins – 3.10pm
Those Damn Crows – 2.20pm
GroundCulture – 1.30pm
Saturday 15th June
Main Stage
Slipknot – 9.10pm
Die Antwoord – 6.40pm
Trivium – 5pm
Skindred – 3.35pm
Behemoth – 2.20pm
Power Trip – 1.10pm
Royal Republic – 12pm
Alien Weaponry – 11am
Zippo Encore Stage
Halestorm – 7.45pm
Stone Temple Pilots – 6.20pm
Three Days Grace – 5.10pm
Brothers Osborne – 4pm
Epica – 2.55pm
Animals As Leaders – 1.50pm
Elvana – 12.45pm
Bad Wolves – 11.50am
The Inspector Cluzo – 11am
The Avalanche Stage hosted by Kerrang! Radio
Simple Creatures – 8.40pm
The Wonder Years – 7.25pm
nothing,nowhere. – 6.10pm
Trash Boat – 5.05pm
Roam – 4pm
Palisades – 2.55pm
The Beaches – 1.55pm
Hot Milk – 12.55pm
Yours Truly – 11.55am
Parting Gift – 11am
The Dogtooth Stage
Carcass – 7.40pm
Batushka – 6.35pm
Intervals – 5.35pm
The Hu – 4.35pm
Riding The Low – 3.35pm
Lovebites – 2.40pm
Queen Zee – 1.45pm
Underside – 12.50pm
Cloud – 11.55am
Vambo – 11am
Sunday 16th June
Main Stage
Tool – 9.25pm
The Smashing Pumpkins – 7.10pm
Lamb Of God – 5.20pm
Amon Amarth – 3.50pm
Godsmack – 2.30pm
Underoath – 1.10pm
I Prevail – 12pm
Cane Hill – 11am
Zippo Encore Stage
Slayer – 8.45pm
Dream Theater – 7pm
Anthrax – 5.35pm
Beartooth – 4.20pm
State Champs – 3.10pm
Starset – 2.05pm
Badflower – 1pm
Dinosaur Pile-Up – 12pm
Like A Storm – 11am
The Avalanche Stage hosted by Kerrang! Radio
Enter Shikari – 8.20pm
Fever 333 – 7.10pm
Palaye Royale – 6pm
The Amity Affliction – 5pm
Our Last Night – 4pm
Black Peaks – 3pm
Heart Of A Coward – 2pm
Allusinlove – 1pm
Black Futures – 12pm
RedHook – 11am
The Dogtooth Stage
Municipal Waste – 7.50pm
Whitechapel – 6.50pm
coldrain – 5.50pm
Alcest – 4.50pm
Toska – 4pm
Crystal Lake – 3.10pm
Kim Jennett – 2.20pm
Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics – 1.30pm
Blurred Vision – 12.40pm
Wolf Jaw – 11.50am
Lost In Stereo – 11am
Download takes place at Donington Park, which is just off the M1 and right next to East Midlands Airport on Friday 14th to Sunday 16th June 2019.
