Download festival review: Guns N’ Roses flop, Letlive thrive as metal’s biggest fest enters the future
The UK's largest rock and metal festival, Download, showcased a shift towards diversity and new acts this year, with Guns N' Roses disappointing and Letlive delivering a standout performance.
Not long ago, Download was criticized for overlooking new talent and relying on 80s giants. Recent editions have emphasized first-time headliners and representation. This year, Linkin Park, co-fronted by Emily Armstrong, became the first band with a female singer to top the bill in 23 years.
On Friday, Swiss deathcore upstarts Paleface Swiss dominated the second stage, with frontman Marc Zellweger angry about only one free hot meal allowed. German party-starters Electric Callboy drew a huge crowd, and hip-hop legends Cypress Hill played classics. Limp Bizkit dedicated their set to late bassist Sam Rivers and friend Dougie Miller, turning it into karaoke with lyrics on screen.
Saturday saw British-Iranian trio Lowen enchant the fourth stage with Middle Eastern prog metal. Frontwoman Nina Saeidi used piercing vocals and ritualistic dress. British sludge-metallers Conjurer played material about singer/guitarist Dani Nightingale's experiences as a neurodivergent non-binary person. Trivium were explosive on the main stage, but Guns N' Roses flopped – Axl Rose's voice lacked rasp, and he barely interacted with the sparse audience. They finished 40 minutes early.
Sunday began with Unpeople's loudest performance. Mammoth, led by Wolfgang Van Halen, delivered a restrained show. Indian metal band Bloodywood were the best main-stage act of the weekend, but US rock band Letlive stole the festival from the third stage. Singer Jason Aalon Butler led an incendiary, interactive rally, then tore apart the drum riser and climbed scaffolding. Linkin Park, though still missing Chester Bennington, performed with energy, ending a comparatively diverse festival triumphantly.
