Making their Download debut despite a career spanning three decades, Sweden’s most successful rock group EUROPE are confirmed, to bring hits such as ‘The Final Countdown’ and ‘Rock The Night’ to the Donington masses.
Ahead of their second album release, Pennsylvanian quartet HALESTORM, led by the enigmatic Lzzy Hale, will make their second appearance at Download, along with Greek heavy metallers FIREWIND (who last played in 2008).
Norwegian “deathpunk” act TURBONEGRO will be back, alongside platinum selling Roadrunner signings THEORY OF A DEADMAN and their upcoming tour mates STELLAR REVIVAL, long standing Brit punk band ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE, the mixed bag of sound that is Bristol’s TURBOWOLF, acclaimed Cambridge rockers MALLORY KNOX, the Radio 1 championed prog metallers THE SAFETY FIRE, American deathcore act EMMURE and infectious hard rockers BROKEN.
They join The Prodigy, Metallica and Black Sabbath for the greatest weekend in the rock calendar on 8-10June 2012.
One of metal’s modern heroes, Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor is confirmed for his first solo acoustic performance at Download. Following the release of his acclaimed book Seven Deadly Sins, and a one off address at the Oxford Union, Corey has emerged as one of rock’s most engaging ambassadors.
Hardcore punk/Celtic folk band Dropkick Murphys also join the bill. The critically-acclaimed band’s set will mix old and new songs to inspire fist pumping madness in the moshpit. And proving that loud, gritty and ranting punk rock is very much alive, Cancer Bats are confirmed for their third appearance at the mighty Download Festival.
London-based metalcore group Rise To Remain, fronted by son of legendary Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson, are also confirmed, joined by multi-million selling UK heavy metallers Saxon who are welcomedback for their fifth appearance at ‘the spiritual home of rock’.
Other exciting additions to the 10th anniversary line-up include Glaswegian rockers Gun, best known for their cover of Cameo’s ‘Word Up!’, Heaven’s Basement with their extreme energy live show and James Cleaver Quintet with their mix of soulful punk rock and post-hardcore.
Irish trio Kopek, who have been out on tour with Papa Roach and Stone Temple Pilots also join the bill, as well as classic rockers The Quireboys, probably best known for their hit album ‘A Bit of What You Fancy’ which reached Number Two in the UK charts. They’re joined by critically acclaimed UK metallers Sylosis, shock-rockers Butcher Babies, London metallers The Defiled, American metal-rockers Fozzy and former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach – returning to Donington for his first solo performance, although he was a surprise guest during Guns ‘N’ Roses’ headline performance at Download 2006.
Chicago’s Soil will be flying in for their fourth appearance at Download, joined by Red, White & Blues featuring lead guitarist from Skin, Myke Gray, and US metallers Upon A Burning Body, mixing brutal breakdowns with catchy two steps and heavy blast beats.
Last but certainly not least, hardcore mob While She Sleeps are added to the bill, as well as post-hardcore group We Are The Ocean, fresh from the recording with legendary producer Pete Miles, 18 year old classic rockers The Treatment and the hotly tipped Marmozets.
With a spectacular line up including headliners The Prodigy (Friday 8 June), Metallica (Saturday 9 June) and Black Sabbath (Sunday 10 June), plus an array of exciting acts such as Slash, Biffy Clyro, Steel Panther, Soundgarden, Lamb of God and You Me At Six, this year’s event at Donington Park is set to blow the top right off the roof!
Download promoter Andy Copping says “This year’s Download is going from strength to strength and the line up is shaping up nicely. We’ve had a phenomenal reaction to weekend tickets, and have decided to go on sale with day tickets early. Happy days!”
A further 60 + acts will be announced between now and June, and organisers continue to hit a home run by confirming American metalcore band KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, the multi-million selling SHINEDOWN, last year’s biggest rock newcomers BLACK VEIL BRIDES, DIY punk masters NOFX, epic progressive metallers OPETH and symphonic Scandinavians NIGHTWISH for thisyear’s Download.
Weekend with camping tickets are also available to purchase along with limited RIP packages – go to www.downloadfestival.co.uk for all ticket options.
This year’s Download will also see the debut of the RIP METAL HOTEL,thefirst of its kind indoor ‘pop up’ hotel located on the festival site, a mere hop skip and a jump to the main arena. Each room will have two beds, thermostatic climate control, an en-suite wet room with toilet, basin and shower, storage space, a flat screen TV, and secure card entry. Not only that, all rooms will be serviced with with quality linen, towels and toiletries by dedicated Metal Hotel personnel, as well as offering continental breakfast, providing a truly luxury experience to coincide with the festival’s 10th anniversary celebrations. Rooms will be available from the Download website.
This will be the third time that Five Finger Death Punch have featured at the event, having made main-stage appearances in 2009 and 2010; For Reckless Love, meanwhile, this will be outing number two, following on from their Download debut in 2010.
5FDP NOW stand as one of America’s most high profile rock acts, with their first two albums now certified Gold in their home country, and latest release, ‘AmericanCapitalist’, well on the way to following suit (300,000 units and rising fast!)
The band have a new single/video released through the Spinefarm label on February 20th; titled ‘Remember Everything’ and drawn from the ‘American Capitalist’ album, the song is already a big hit at US radio, following on from the incredible out-of-the-box success of previous single, ‘Under And Over It’ – the video for which has now clocked up over 3 million hits on YouTube!
March 20th will also see the release of the new single/video from Reckless Love; titled ‘On The Radio’ and taken from the band’s second studio album, ‘Animal Attraction’, out now, the single features the previously unreleasedbonus track, ‘Push’.
Reckless Love will headline The Garage in London on February 2nd (an HMV ‘Next Big Thing’ Event in conjunction with Spinefarm Records), and the following month they head out on tour with much-touted US rockers Black Veil Brides, starting in Wolverhampton on March 24th.
Soundgarden, one of the forefathers of the renowned Seattle alternative rock scene in the 90s, reunited last year following a 14-year hiatus, and is set to release a brand new album later in the year. Download takes place 8-10 June and is headlined by The Prodigy, Metallica and Black Sabbath.
Soundgarden – Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd – along with their contemporaries Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Nirvana, were all pivotal in the creation of a brand new sound in alternative rock during the 90s which centered on Seattle. ‘Grunge’ became a worldwide phenomenon, not only impacting musically but on wider culture and fashion too. 1991’s album Badmotorfinger produced the singles ‘Jesus Christ Pose’ and ‘Rusty Cage’ whilst its follow up, 1994’s Superunknown, which reached No.1 on the US Billboard Chart and No. 4 on the UK Album Chart featured the singles ‘Black Hole Sun’ ‘Fell On Black Days’ and ‘Spoonman’. Soundgarden have sold over 21 million albums worldwide.
"We are beyond psyched to play Download 2012. It will be a huge year for the band and what better way to celebrate than bring it all to our UK family at Download. See you there!" – Matt Cameron, Soundgarden
A further 13 acts have been announced to play Download to ensure the festival’s 10th anniversary is its biggest and best weekend yet! Scottish rockers BIFFY CLYRO bring their incendiary live show to Donington for the 5th time in their career, whilst TENACIOUS D – Jack Black and Kyle Gass’ comedy-tinged rock act – and London Electronic / Dubstep duo CHASE & STATUS LIVE will both make their Download debut, the latter as special guests to The Prodigy. They will be joined by the biggest names in contemporary metal – LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and MACHINE HEAD – who all return to Download for more ferocious action on the stage and in the mosh pits.
Thrash icons ANTHRAX, who celebrated their 30th anniversary last year, return to Donington for this year’s Download, as well as YOU ME AT SIX, the UK rockers who have gone from strength to strength with most recent album Sinners Never Sleep reaching No. 3 in the UK charts.
Famed for their Guinness World Record Attempt for ‘Largest Circle Pit’ at Download 2009, DEVILDRIVER will play the festival for the third time in support of new album Beast, along with American metalcore act AUGUST BURNS RED and the highly creative and eclectic DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT. Download 2012 will also see the reformation of UK rockers LITTLE ANGELS and Californian hard rock band UGLY KID JOE.
Weekend tickets for Download 2012 are now on sale from www.downloadfestival.co.uk<http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/> – subject to availability. Weekend ticket prices for Download 2012 will remain the same as the prices for Download 2011 until midday Monday 30th January 2012 when all ticket types will go off sale. All tickets will go back on sale at 5pm Monday 30th January 2012 with Weekend tickets increased to 2012 prices. Festival organisers encourage fans to take advantage of this offer while it lasts.
After notching up over 25 million record sales and selling out venues across the world, the masters of synth punk, The Prodigy are back doing what they do best and bringing their mind-blowing set to Donington for 2012. Expect plenty of classics from their incredible catalogue alongside some new tracks fresh from the studio. This will be the third time the band has played Download and the first time they’ll play the main stage. The Prodigy will join headliners Metallica (Saturday 9 June) and Black Sabbath (Sunday 10 June) for one of the biggest Download Festivals EVER.
Andy Copping, VP of Promotions at Live Nation said, “We’re very excited to welcome The Prodigy back to Donington, it’s great to have them here for the third time and this time headlining the main stage. The crowdsalways go mental when The Prodigy are in town. The band never fail to impress, and it’s going to be one hell of a weekend.”
Weekend tickets for Download 2012 go on general sale 9am Friday 18th November 2011 from www.downloadfestival.co.uk – subject to availability. Weekend ticket prices for Download 2012 will remain the same as the prices for Download 2011 until midday Monday 30th January 2012 when all ticket types will go off sale. All tickets will go back on sale at 5pm Monday 30th January 2012 withWeekend tickets increased to 2012 prices. Festival organisers encourage fans to take advantage of this offer while it lasts.
Answering the prayers of millions of music fans worldwide who have been anticipating their highly speculated comeback, the legendary rock band’s appearance at next year’s Download Festival – which takes place at 8-10 June 2012 at Donington Park, less than an hour’s drive from the birthplace of Black Sabbath – will mark the 10th anniversary of the festival, which launched in the summer of 2003. It will also be Black Sabbath’s only UK festival appearance next year.
Black Sabbath certainly need no introduction, no explanation. Widely regarded as creators of heavy metal, the hugely influential band from Aston, Birmingham, have sold in excess of 70 million records worldwide and are responsible for all time classic rock anthems such as ‘Paranoid’, ‘War Pigs’ and ‘Iron Man’ – which won a Grammy in 2000. The band was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and theU.S. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
Andy Copping, VP of Promotions at Live Nation said, “The reunion of the original line up of Black Sabbath has been one of the most talked about stories of the year. I am thrilled that the band will return to Donington Park next year to help us mark 10 years of the Download Festival.”
Weekend tickets for Download 2012 go on general sale 9am Friday 18th November 2011 from www.downloadfestival.co.uk – subject to availability. Weekend ticket prices for Download 2012 will remain the same as the prices for Download 2011 until midday Monday 30th January 2012 when all ticket types will go off sale. All tickets will go back on sale at 5pm Monday 30th January 2012 withWeekend tickets increased to 2012 prices. Festival organisers encourage fans to take advantage of this offer while it lasts.
Co-founder and drummer Lars Ulrich says “Six years is way toooo long to be away from the hallowed grounds of Donington Park. We are beyond psyched and feel privileged to come back once again to soak up the energy and vibe of the most legendary of festival sites.”
The multi million selling, Grammy award winning act will visit Donington for the EIGHTH time in their career, having played both Monsters of Rock and Download Festivals – including their first Monsters of Rock festival in 1985 up through their most recent Download appearance in 2006, where they headlined.
"The Black Album" was #1 in over 25 countries and spawned an incredible five hits: ‘Enter Sandman’, ‘Sad But True’, ‘Wherever I May Roam’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘The Unforgiven’. The album has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. Metallica is one of the most successful acts in music history, selling over 100 million albums.
Andy Copping, VP of Promotions at Live Nation commented, “I am absolutely bowled over that Metallica will be playing ‘The Black Album’ at the 10th anniversary of Download. The album is up there as one of the greatest albums of all time, everyone knows the songs. The Download festival has come a long way since we first started in 2003 and to have Metallica back to help us celebrate this milestone is just fantastic.”
Download 2012 takes place at Donington Park from 8-10 June and this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. Weekend with camping tickets go on sale 9am Friday 18 Novemberfromwww.downloadfestival.co.uk
Vodafone customers can buy tickets 48 hours before they go on general sale: 9am, Wednesday 16 November at vodafone.co.uk/vip
Download RIP ticket packages are on sale now and can be purchased via www.livenationexperience.co.uk or by phoning 0207 009 3484.
Back by popular demand for the third year running, the Jäger Rock Truck presents its very own acoustic stage in a converted ex-military 25 tonne beast of a truck with a line up not to be missed. Over the course of the weekend, acts including American pop-punk band Bowling For Soup, Brit hard-rockers SKIN, London’s own Slaves to Gravity, fiery four-piece Obsessive Compulsive, Aussie-rockers Verses and fresh from their UK tour, Heaven’s Basement will all take to the stage to warm up the crowds at Download.
They’re joined by critically acclaimed Hyro Da Hero, Swedish rockers Royal Republic, Irish five-piece Million $ Reload, Glam rockers The Morning After, Maiden United with a fantastic acoustic tribute to the legendary Iron Maiden, funk-rocker Dan Reed, rock five-piece The Dirty Youth, critically-acclaimed Voodoo Johnson and the fantastic Red, White & Blues. Crowds can also enjoy an Ice Cold Jäger shot from the amazing Jäger Ice truck, which with its sub zero bar is a great way to cool down after rocking out to some superb music.
Further additions to the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage have also been announced, including dubstep four-piece Modestep, straight from their UK tour Don Broco, grunge-metal heads Kill 21, London rockers Fighting Wolves, Sweden’s H.E.A.T and electro rap/rock band You And What Army.
Additionally, organisers are pleased to announce the return of Download FM, powered by the award-winning Rock Radio for the third year running. Rock Radio proved in 2009 & 2010, that they know how to put on a good show with Download FM; the radio station on an RSL (restricted service licence) that broadcasts to the hundreds of thousands of music fans descending on Donington for the legendary festival, listening worldwide to the service online and through apps.
This year Rock Jocks, Tom Russell, Paul Anthony, Father Ted, Moose, Phil McCracken, Rachel Houghton and special guests will be presenting on Download FM along with Rock Radio network shows during the festival, with interviews from many of the bands on this year’s impressive line-up.
Following on from last year’s successful competition to host your own show on Download FM, another festival goer will get the chance, this June, to take control of the mic and present their very own radio show with full details being made available on Download’s official site very soon.
Brand Manager for Rock Radio, Ciaran O’Toole said, “The whole team at Rock Radio are busy gearing up for our third year broadcasting on Download FM. Getting the chance to work with the fantastic team at Live Nation and deliver some top class, quality radio to Download’s festival goers, is a real honour & the station will add to the overall festival experience with all the latest news & information wrapped around the music of the acts playing live at the festival.
“With two years’ experience under our belts, we are extremely well placed to broadcast Download FM for 2011, from one of the best Rock Music festivals in the world. Rock Radio is proud to power Download FM.”
Once at Download, customers can also stay in touch at the Vodafone VIP phone recharge zone and use an exclusive VIP viewing platform – where they could get the chance to see one of their favourite acts perform. Vodafone VIP is a reward scheme where all Vodafone UK customers whether Pay as you go, Pay monthly or a business can get access to exclusive customer offers for Download and other top festivals this summer. It’s Vodafone’s way of saying thank you. To join in visit vodafone.co.uk/vip
Weekend tickets for Download (at 2010 prices) are on sale now from www.downloadfestival.co.uk. RIP Packages also available, and a limited amount of day tickets.
FRIDAY 10 JUNE / SATURDAY 11 JUNE / SUNDAY 12 JUNE
New kids on the block VersaEmerge, tipped to be the next Paramore (whom they share a label with) will be making their Download Festival debut, hot off the heels from the Alternative Presstour in America where they share the bill with Black Veil Brides, who are also playing this year’s Download.
Gossip Girl and Hollywood actress Taylor Momsen will be bringing her rock outfit The Pretty Reckless to Download, following a Top Ten album in the UK charts (for 2010’s Light Me Up). Multi million selling US rockers Puddle Of Mudd, will return to the UK for the first time since 2002 to play Download for the very first time in their 19 year career, which hasseen hit singles such as ‘Blurry’ and ‘She Hates Me’.
Roadrunner signings Times Of Grace, featuring Killswitch Engage guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel, and formerKillswitch vocalist Jesse Leach will perform, along with West Yorkshire heavy metal outfit Evile, who are now writing their third album following North American dates with the likes of Kreator, Overkill and Voivod.
Having already played the Download Festival, plus toured with metal legends such as Slipknot, Slayer and Megadeth, Suicide Silence are to hit Download once again to showcase the new material currently being written for their third full length album, with UK hardcorepunk rockers Your Demise also returning to the fray to raise hell with this year’s Download crowds.
Weekend tickets for Download (at 2010 prices) are on sale now from
http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/2011/tickets/
Guest Area passes are once again available, allowing you unlimited access to the general guest area over the 3 days of the festival. Located only a short distance from the main stage fans can get away and relax with undercover facilities, toilet trailers, privatecash bars, dining options and “random occurrences” unseen in the general arena!
