Download Festival 2025 Wednesday

After starting my festival season off with a visit to Slam Dunk, it was time for my annual pilgrimage to Download Festival. This would be my 16th Download. It’s become an addiction. I can’t miss a year. In fact, the only one I've missed, since my first Download in 2008, was the 2021 Pilot edition.

And so, at 7:15 am on a bright but hazy Wednesday morning in June, my friends and I set off from our meeting point to head for the hallowed grounds of Donington. We reached the back of the queue on the main road at 7:30. I’m sure the locals hate the Wednesday of Download as we hit them right at rush hour, and block one of the main through routes to the airport, so everyone is diverted! We sat in the queue for about 20 minutes, listening to the panic on the walkie-talkies of the people trying to organise the traffic, before we heard over the airwaves that RIP Camping would eventually be opening at 8am.

The excitement began to rise when we turned left into the Park Farm driveway. As we reached the front of the queue the sniffer dogs did their thing. Our dog seemed more interested in the other dogs going back into the van to get their snacks than sniffing around our vehicles! Trust me to get the one who likes snacks!

And that was it. We were in. We were home. However, there was another bonus in store…our spot ended up being at the end of a row that was as close to all the facilities as possible and in an exceptionally sociable area for people walking past.

I'm not someone who talks to random people unless I’m at Download, and then I’ll talk to anyone. This started early, as we said hello to the people around us while putting up our tents. I had a new tent this year, and I can’t recommend it enough. It was a super-cheap buy on Amazon from the brand OutSunny. It’s supposed to be a 4-person Dome tent, although it’s comfortable for one person, or two if you need somewhere to sleep and not do anything else.

The other bonus of this tent is that it’s the easiest thing to set up in the world, so I was set up and ready to go by 9:00. By 9:30, everyone was set up, and we trundled off to get our wristbands and goodie bags. Due to our location, it was a 30-second walk, and there was no queue, so we were able to get our packs and wristbands and return to our setup quickly.

This year's goodie bag were stuffed with the usual T-shirt, programme and lanyard with timings (including the revelation of one of the secret bands, Malevolence, on Sunday), as well as a large shoe bag that was big enough to fit wellies in, a pack of cards, and a small pin badge. In the past we’ve had a Gnome or a Download Dog. It's always a nice little bonus

By 9:45 it was time to crack open the first cider of the week. Time doesn’t seem to exist on Wednesday and Thursday at Download. You sit around and chat, wander around the site, take in the atmosphere, and, if you're so inclined, enjoy a drink.

After a couple of drinks, we wandered up to the main village area. We bought some stuff at the official merchandise stand, where, once again, there was very little queuing due to the time we were there.

Back to the campsite and the cider, and things got a little messy from there as we indulged in random chats with our neighbours and started having Space Hopper races!

Wednesday evening is also always pub night. Park Farm features a pub and Courtyard Stage for additional music on the first two days. We managed to get there in time to see the final three bands.

First up was Grove Street (5). They were solid, with plenty of melody, and there were screaming vocals mixed in with the occasional clean vocals. Nothing spectacular, but I’ve seen a lot worse. Nothing could prepare us for what was about to happen, though…

The second band on were Lowen (3). I am still unsure what I watched, but it has lingered with me ever since.

I’ll start with the pre-gig setup. The band was warming up, sound-checking and all sounded like standard Doom Metal. Decent enough for a Wednesday at Download. However, as this was happening, two conference pull-up roller banners were also being unfurled, and a small table was being brought out and placed next to the singer's microphone stand, with pieces being gradually added to it.

Firstly, two separate tablecloths, then a sort of trinket box, a decanter, and what looked from afar like a gun, but turned out to be a strangely shaped dagger in a casing. There were several other small objects and then a large book. Murmurs were going round about what on earth we were about to see…

…and then arrived a woman dressed head to toe in a Persian outfit to do the microphone check, where she made the most incredible wailing sound. We thought were in for something special, and we were. Just not in the way we hoped.

She launched into her first, beautifully sung wail before the music kicked in. What then followed was someone who continued to make noise, wailing without any discernible lyrics, while the band played Doom metal behind it. I'm sure that, individually, everyone on that stage was excellent at what they were doing, but every song continued in the same vein

It was genuinely the longest half an hour I have ever had at a gig, and I sat through Tool play what felt like one continuous song for 2 hours in 2019. Maybe it sounds better recorded than it translates in a live environment, but I’m not even remotely tempted to find out!

Thankfully, the evening was saved by TailGunner (8). Formed in 2018, but not officially launched as a band until 2022, they are the brainchild of bassist Tom Hewson. He and lead singer Chris Cairns are full of energy and are fans of the likes of Priest and Sabbath, but with a more ’80s Maiden sound. Drummer Eddie Marriotti was playing one of his first gigs with the band, but it wasn’t noticeable as he ripped through the set with consummate ease.

But it was the guitarists who shone. Zack Salvini is exceptional. His solos were magnificent, and each time he stepped forward to the front, you knew you were in for something special. Rhea Thompson stole the show. With bundles of energy, she got involved with the crowd, and set the tone for an explosive set.

Tailgunner have signed up to play some shows with Steel Panther, and that, combined with their infectious energy, is only going to improve their future. An excellent end to Wednesday!