The much-feted Spitting Glass kicked things off on Sunday morning at Download XXIII, the Dogtooth tent quickly filling despite the band only having released one song so far. But the outfit more than fulfilled their promise and look like being future headliners.
Download XXIII – Sunday, 14 June 2026
Words: Paul Monkhouse
Photography: Matt Pratt
With Mould, Zero 9.36 and Wayside all putting in compelling sets, the theme seemed to shift unknowingly to beating the odds as several bands proved their standing and place in music.
The first of these was Mammoth, as Wolfgang Van Halen showed once again just how good an artist he really is and has far exceeded all expectations, despite his having grown up in one of the biggest shadows in rock.
Certainly, the band were on fire, and to see them tear into numbers like Another Celebration At The End Of The World and Don’t Back Down is proof positive that they are set on a stellar course. You can certainly feel that Eddie is looking down at his son, immensely proud of the man and musician he has become.
Whilst this was going on, RØRY showed the Apex crowd that age is most definitely just a number, and her set left everyone in no doubt that no matter how relatively late you start a career in an industry that is obsessed with youth, you can still make a huge impact, and this artist has a lot more to say and is only just getting started.
Later that day, Dogstar and The Pretty Reckless both displayed that they are so much more than their film star band members and put in vital sets where the focus was the music.
Rather than being a hobby for Keanu Reeves and Taylor Momsen, respectively, these are full-blooded performances approached from different angles, with Reeves again staying in the background and Momsen dominating the stage.
It suits their personalities perfectly, and Dogstar’s brand of alternative rock and The Pretty Reckless’s grungy hard rock show teeth and great writing, any scepticism blown away with years of hard work under their belts, new converts to the cause brought into the fold.
Sisters Jyl and Jules Wyld also saw their outfit The Pretty Wild gain a legion of fresh recruits, their move from pop covers to forming the hard-rocking band one that has reaped huge rewards as they unleashed their own vision of modern Metal, the twin voices alternately melodic and feral.
Former touring partners Bloodywood return to the Apex stage and proceed to kick up a righteous riot, their heavy-duty mix of Metal, rap and traditional Indian music like a punch to the solar plexus as they unite the crowd.
From Raj Against the Machine to Rage Against the Machine, long-term supporter of the Delhi crew, Tom Morello plays another highlight of the weekend, his set the very epitome of incendiary.
Accompanied highly impressively by son Roman on guitar, there are few artists as politically savvy in the world, and he wields his guitar as a weapon in the same way that Woody Guthrie stated that his instrument kills fascists.
With new single Soldier In The Army Of Love opening the set in titanic style, a run through of material from his career hit all the high notes and covers of The Ghost Of Tom Joad and Power To The People could not have been more apt.
As always, Killing In The Name Of proved to be the anthem that everyone wanted and needed, every word sung from the heart and its message seemingly catching some sort of eternal zeitgeist. The world seemingly needs artists like Morello more than ever.
Further great sets from the likes of Magnolia Park, Social Distortion, Ankor, Dinosaur Pile-Up and Ash spanned the old and the new with Mastodon and Spineshank effortlessly winning crowds.
An earlier secret set by Welsh rabble rousers Skindred was a fitting celebration of their chart-topping You Got This album, Benji Webbe and crew embracing the intimacy of the moment to share the success with an overspilling Dogtooth tent packed with family, friends and fans.
Bad Omens made their own memories too with their constantly developing take on fascinating melodic Metalcore and proved to be the perfect band to play just before the welcome and emotional return of Linkin Park to Donington.
Playing to a field where a sea of faces stretched to the horizon, the Californian sextet owned Download from the very first notes of The Emptiness Machine onwards, and the connection between the band and fans was arguably the strongest bond of the weekend.
Ingrained in the collective consciousness, Crawling, Somewhere I Belong, One Step Closer and What I’ve Done became something that transcended the music itself and instead were sung from the soul of thousands upon thousands of people.
The newer material stands up well, shoulder to shoulder with the old, and Emily Armstrong yet again proved herself to be the perfect fit in a band that so many hold sacred.
By the time In The End had turned a vast number into weeping and hugging messes, their crown was well and truly secure, and this carrying on from their and Chester’s legacy looked firmly into the future.
Of all the triumphs over the weekend, this was surely the most satisfying. Here’s to 2027.
