Download XXI is fast approaching. As Rock fiends and Metal heads, we are aching for another year of field-contained chaos. Most of the acts have now been announced, as well as an abundance of after-hours heavy slamming indulgences—not to mention the food. Music aside, the pre-show hours spent gorging on our favourite festival food van fancies nursing that ‘worth it’ hangover just hits the right spot.
Though—as always—there are too many fantastic acts to even fathom catching all of them, below is a short guide to each day. Please be aware that there is still time for the organisers to unleash more surprises. As those who have previously attended Download know, the released line-up is just a guideline for what is to come.
Friday 14th June sees Hard Rock legends Queens Of The Stone Age headline the mighty Apex stage. The touring titans will have Royal Blood, Black Stone Cherry, Polyphia, The Struts, Those Damn Crows and The Blue Stones in their support. The Opus stage will host Bad Omens, Mr Bungle, Scene Queen, Soft Play, All Them Witches, Holocene and Hanabie.
Pop-rock icons Busted will take over the Avalanche stage alongside Wheatus, Bayside, Vukovi, Escape The Fate, Dream State, Aviva, TX2, and Storm. For the Dogtooth, we have Biohazard, Health, Make Them Suffer, Urge, and Zulu, amongst others.
Saturday, June 15th, makes a statement, with American Rock alumni Fall Out Boy headlining after The Offspring, Enter Shikari, Babymetal, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, The Hunna, Wargasm, and Bambie Thug.
For their first UK appearance in twenty years, Pantera will take the Opus Stage. While She Sleeps, Tom Morello, Slaughter To Prevail, Florence Black, Karnivool, Bleed From Within, and Heriot will also join. The Avalanche and Dogtooth stage will see acts Billy Talent, Holding Absence, Silverstein, Hotwax, Fear Factor, Dying Fetus, Alpha Wolf, Gel, Knife Bride, Guilt Trip, Celestial Sanctuary, and more.
To round off the weekend, we have the iconic Avenged Sevenfold headlining on Sunday, the 16th. But not before Limpbizkit, Sum 41 (playing their final UK festival), Bowling For Soup, Kerry King, Creeper, Code Orange, and Lord Of The Lost. Machine Head, Corey Taylor, Electric Ballboy, Thy Art Is Murder, Zebrahead, Royal Republic, 331, Alien Weaponry, and Kelsey Karter & The Heroines will storm the Opus Stage, along with cover band favourites Elvana.
The Avalanche stage will feature The Used, Counterparts, Hoobastank, Atreyu, Of Mice & Men, Tigercub, Pinkshift, Noisy, Cemetery Sun, and Delilah Bon. Finally, the Dogtooth Stage will round off the weekend with The Black Dahlia Murder, Erra, Fit For A King, Shadow Of Intent, Imminence, Brand Of Sacrifice, Crystal Lake, Missio, Underside, and Until I Wake.
With more acts being released and Download festival tending to give us way more than we bargained for right up to that sweet, sweet open gate entry, we are certain the lists will only grow.
Tickets can be found here: https://downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets/ 
