Tag: Download Festival

Download 2024: A limited number of day tickets are on sale now

Queens Of The Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy will headline this year’s event

The post Download 2024: A limited number of day tickets are on sale now appeared first on NME.

NME

Download Festival has released a limited number of day tickets for this year – find all the details below.

The 2024 edition of the event is due to take place at Donington Park between June 14-16, with Queens Of The Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy all set to headline.

Other acts on the line-up include Royal Blood, The Offspring, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari, Machine Head, Pantera, Bad Omens, Corey Taylor, While She Sleeps, Slayer’s Kerry King, Creeper and Soft Play.

General weekend tickets went on sale last year. Now, organisers have put a limited amount of day tickets online for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You can buy yours here, along with any remaining weekend passes.

Standard day tickets are priced at £124.00 for adults and £58.00 for children. General weekend/camping passes cost £300 for adults and £113 for children. Under 16s must be accompanied by an 18+ ticketholder.

See the announcement post below.

The latest wave of artists for Download 2024 was revealed last month, with more names to be added to the line-up in the coming weeks.

During an interview with NME last December, QOTSA frontman Josh Homme reflected on the band’s decision to step up and headline the festival this summer.

“Is it just going to be same-old-same-old?” said Homme. “You always have to give it your all and changing it every night is what we’re about, so it’s always going to be something different. I don’t think there’s any reason to trip out.”

He added: “And if you see someone with a sign that says, ‘Do this goddamn tune’ then it feels nice to just be able to react in the moment. We come bearing gifts, and we want to give everything away.”

You can revisit the full video interview for NME‘s ‘In Conversation’ series above.

Queens Of The Stone Age released their eighth and latest studio album, ‘In Times New Roman’, last June.

Last year’s edition of Download Festival saw Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon and Metallica take to the stage, with the latter playing two completely different sets across two nights.

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Want to get into Glastonbury and the UK’s biggest festivals for free? Oxfam are looking for volunteers

Roles are also available at Reading & Leeds, Download and other events

The post Want to get into Glastonbury and the UK’s biggest festivals for free? Oxfam are looking for volunteers appeared first on NME.

NME

Oxfam is offering people the chance to get into Glastonbury Festival for free through its volunteering scheme.

The charity, which is an official partner of the Worthy Farm event, is looking for 8,500 volunteers for its biggest summer of festivals yet in 2024.

In addition to Glastonbury, volunteers are needed for various other major UK festivals such as Reading & Leeds, Latitude, Isle Of Wight and Boardmasters.

Participants will be given free entry to the site in exchange for stewarding shifts among other roles, including checking tickets and wristbands at the gates, and supporting accessible viewing platforms by the stages.

Oxfam volunteers are required to complete three eight-hour shifts during the festival period, which will give them time to enjoy the live performances and take in the atmosphere when not working.

They’ll also have access to a secure camping area in the Oxfam campsite and be given a free meal voucher per shift, free phone charging, and free tea and coffee.

Applications open this Thursday (February 1), with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll be able to sign up here.

Yusuf/Cat Stevens performs live at Glastonbury 2023. CREDIT: NME

Last year, the participating volunteers gave over 206,000 hours of their time over the summer and helped raise £1.5million to support Oxfam’s poverty-fighting work.

Michael Lever, Head Of Festivals And Events, said: “We are so excited to welcome more volunteers than ever this year to join Oxfam at some of the UK’s best festivals across the summer.

“We have been providing volunteer stewards at the UK’s biggest and best festivals for over 30 years now, after first taking our volunteers to Glastonbury in 1993. We’ve come a long way since then and people can now join us at 15 festivals across the UK and by doing so raise money for Oxfam.”

Lever continued: “We’ve built a friendly and passionate community of volunteers and many of them have been coming back year after year with some attending over 100 festivals with Oxfam.

“We’ll also continue to have volunteers to support our campaigning and last year we provided an opportunity for tens of thousands of people to sign our Climate Justice campaign and join in Oxfam’s collective activism.”

The crowd for The 1975 at Reading 2023. Credit: Andy Ford

Desmond Fitzgerald, who has volunteered for 19 years at 104 festivals, added: “Once you do it once or twice, you really appreciate all of the benefits and the fun that you can have.

“After the festival when I go back into my own community, it makes me feel more empowered to be able to help people. We call ourselves the Oxfamily – everybody’s welcome, everybody’s included.”

By volunteering at two or more festivals in one season, volunteers are awarded priority status for the following year and can sign up before applications open to the general public.

This gives applicants a better chance at securing a role at their event of choice or more popular festivals such as Glastonbury. All volunteers receive training and develop skills such as communication and organisation.

The full list of festivals for 2024 also includes Bearded Theory, Download, 2000Trees, WOMAD, Wilderness, Boomtown Fair, ArcTanGent, Beautiful Days and Shambala.

Meanwhile, Glastonbury recently shared details of this year’s Emerging Talent Competition – which gives new and unsigned artists the chance to perform on one of its main stages.

Glastonbury 2024 is set to take place between June 26-30. The first two batches of tickets went on sale in November, but have now sold out. A resale is expected to be held in the spring.

No acts have been announced as of yet. In late 2023, it was reported that Madonna, Dua Lipa and Coldplay would be topping the bill next summer. Emily Eavis, however, subsequently said the rumours about the confirmed headliners were “untrue”.

In October, Eavis revealed that the Legends Slot on Sunday afternoon would be occupied by a female artist in 2024. She also hinted once again that there could be two female headliners.

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Download Festival 2024: Busted, Wheatus, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari among 22 new names on line-up

The festival will return to Donington Park for its 21st edition from June 14-16, 2024

The post Download Festival 2024: Busted, Wheatus, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari among 22 new names on line-up appeared first on NME.

NME

Busted, Wheatus, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari and more are among the names who have been added to the line-up of Download Festival 2024.

Other acts announced to play the festival – which will return to Donington Park for its 21st edition from June 14-16, 2024 – include Electric Callboy, Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes, The Struts, Of Mice & Men, Black Stone Cherry, Mr Bungle, The Hunna, Escape The Fate, AViVA, HEALTH, Cemetery Sun, Asinhell, Ne Obliviscaris, Zebrahead, Guilt Trip, Ithaca, Code Orange and Royal Republic.

Speaking about performing at Download in a press release, Busted shared: “We are honoured and privileged to be at Download Festival this year. To be on a bill with so many acts that have inspired us and continue to make us want to be a better band is a real moment in our career. We have had the most amazing 12 months of being Busted, and now we have this to add to the list. We are gonna go all out…Get ready to jump up and down and lose your minds with us. Busted at Download! Wicked. Let’s ‘ave it!”

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. The festival has also revealed the day splits, sharing which acts are playing when. Check it out down below.

Download Festival 2024 poster and day splits. Credit: PRESS

The 22 acts will join the likes of the previously announced headliners Queens Of The Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy as well as Royal Blood, The Offspring, Machine Head, Pantera, Bad Omens, Corey Taylor, While She Sleeps, Sum 41, Billy Talent, The Used, Babymetal, Bowling For Soup, Heilung, Polyphia, Thy Art Is Murder, The Black Dahlia Murder, Biohazard, and Fear Factory.

In an interview with NME, Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme and Dean Fertita reflected on their decision to step up and headline the 2024 edition of the festival, saying they see “no reason to trip out” over the set.

“Is it just going to be same-old-same-old?’ began Homme. “You always have to give it your all and changing it every night is what we’re about, so it’s always going to be something different. I don’t think there’s any reason to trip out.”

Fertita agreed, adding: “I think the reason that the shows have been so good is because there’s a relaxation to the approach. We’ll decide five minutes before going on to play something that we haven’t played in 20 years.”

“And if you see someone with a sign that says, ‘Do this god damn tune’ then it feels nice to just be able to react in the moment,” Homme chimed in. “We come bearing gifts, and we want to give everything away. It’s nice to play Donington, but it’s just as nice to play Bournemouth too. That’s not to cheapen either – they’re both as good as it can get. These aren’t real problems.”

The festival also announced Liquid Death, a sustainable canned water company, as their first ever headline partner. Liquid Death partnered with the festival last year to eliminate single-use plastic, and will appear again this year.

Download’s Andy Copping said of this year’s edition: “After our unbelievable 20th anniversary celebrations last year, we couldn’t be more excited about what DLXXI has in store. This year we have two brand new headliners in the form of Queens Of The Stone Age and Fall Out Boy, as well as the mighty Avenged Sevenfold and a whole host of huge names that make every second of Download Festival memorable.

“I can’t wait to join the fans there – it is our home. With first time headliners and our first headline partner with Liquid Death we are embracing the evolution of Download Festival. We have the best and friendliest community together and we can’t wait to celebrate the next 20 years of Download with you all.”

Last year’s edition saw Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon and Metallica take to the stage, with the latter playing two completely different sets for two nights.

 

The post Download Festival 2024: Busted, Wheatus, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari among 22 new names on line-up appeared first on NME.

Download Festival 2024: Busted, Wheatus, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari among 22 new names on line-up

The festival will return to Donington Park for its 21st edition from June 14-16, 2024

The post Download Festival 2024: Busted, Wheatus, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari among 22 new names on line-up appeared first on NME.

NME

Busted, Wheatus, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari and more are among the names who have been added to the line-up of Download Festival 2024.

Other acts announced to play the festival – which will return to Donington Park for its 21st edition from June 14-16, 2024 – include Electric Callboy, Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes, The Struts, Of Mice & Men, Black Stone Cherry, Mr Bungle, The Hunna, Escape The Fate, AViVA, HEALTH, Cemetery Sun, Asinhell, Ne Obliviscaris, Zebrahead, Guilt Trip, Ithaca, Code Orange and Royal Republic.

Speaking about performing at Download in a press release, Busted shared: “We are honoured and privileged to be at Download Festival this year. To be on a bill with so many acts that have inspired us and continue to make us want to be a better band is a real moment in our career. We have had the most amazing 12 months of being Busted, and now we have this to add to the list. We are gonna go all out…Get ready to jump up and down and lose your minds with us. Busted at Download! Wicked. Let’s ‘ave it!”

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. The festival has also revealed the day splits, sharing which acts are playing when. Check it out down below.

Download Festival 2024 poster and day splits. Credit: PRESS

The 22 acts will join the likes of the previously announced headliners Queens Of The Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy as well as Royal Blood, The Offspring, Machine Head, Pantera, Bad Omens, Corey Taylor, While She Sleeps, Sum 41, Billy Talent, The Used, Babymetal, Bowling For Soup, Heilung, Polyphia, Thy Art Is Murder, The Black Dahlia Murder, Biohazard, and Fear Factory.

In an interview with NME, Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme and Dean Fertita reflected on their decision to step up and headline the 2024 edition of the festival, saying they see “no reason to trip out” over the set.

“Is it just going to be same-old-same-old?’ began Homme. “You always have to give it your all and changing it every night is what we’re about, so it’s always going to be something different. I don’t think there’s any reason to trip out.”

Fertita agreed, adding: “I think the reason that the shows have been so good is because there’s a relaxation to the approach. We’ll decide five minutes before going on to play something that we haven’t played in 20 years.”

“And if you see someone with a sign that says, ‘Do this god damn tune’ then it feels nice to just be able to react in the moment,” Homme chimed in. “We come bearing gifts, and we want to give everything away. It’s nice to play Donington, but it’s just as nice to play Bournemouth too. That’s not to cheapen either – they’re both as good as it can get. These aren’t real problems.”

The festival also announced Liquid Death, a sustainable canned water company, as their first ever headline partner. Liquid Death partnered with the festival last year to eliminate single-use plastic, and will appear again this year.

Download’s Andy Copping said of this year’s edition: “After our unbelievable 20th anniversary celebrations last year, we couldn’t be more excited about what DLXXI has in store. This year we have two brand new headliners in the form of Queens Of The Stone Age and Fall Out Boy, as well as the mighty Avenged Sevenfold and a whole host of huge names that make every second of Download Festival memorable.

“I can’t wait to join the fans there – it is our home. With first time headliners and our first headline partner with Liquid Death we are embracing the evolution of Download Festival. We have the best and friendliest community together and we can’t wait to celebrate the next 20 years of Download with you all.”

Last year’s edition saw Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon and Metallica take to the stage, with the latter playing two completely different sets for two nights.

 

The post Download Festival 2024: Busted, Wheatus, Tom Morello, Enter Shikari among 22 new names on line-up appeared first on NME.

Queens Of The Stone Age on stepping up to headline Download 2024: “There’s no reason to trip out”

“We’ll decide five minutes before going on to play something that we haven’t played in 20 years”

The post Queens Of The Stone Age on stepping up to headline Download 2024: “There’s no reason to trip out” appeared first on NME.

NME

Queens Of The Stone Age have reflected on their decision to step up and headline the 2024 edition of Download Festival, saying they see “no reason to trip out” over the set.

The conversation arose in a recent interview with NME, in which frontman Josh Homme and keyboardist and guitarist Dean Fertita spoke about their upcoming set at the Donington festival.

When asked by Andrew Trendell about how they are coping with any pressure of headlining the iconic UK rock festival, the two revealed that the band are feeling confident with their upcoming set, as one of their strengths is their ability to mix up their performances, night after night.

“Is it just going to be same-old-same-old?’ bean Homme. “You always have to give it your all and changing it every night is what we’re about, so it’s always going to be something different. I don’t think there’s any reason to trip out.”

Fertita agreed, adding: “I think the reason that the shows have been so good is because there’s a relaxation to the approach. We’ll decide five minutes before going on to play something that we haven’t played in 20 years.”

“And if you see someone with a sign that says, ‘Do this god damn tune’ then it feels nice to just be able to react in the moment,” Homme chimed in. “We come bearing gifts, and we want to give everything away. It’s nice to play Donington, but it’s just as nice to play Bournemouth too. That’s not to cheapen either – they’re both as good as it can get. These aren’t real problems.”

The two also reflected on the response they received with their latest album ‘In Times New Roman’, and subsequent ‘The End Is Nero’ world tour.

“After being away for so long, we didn’t know what we were coming back to. To see that we haven’t lost anyone, it feels like our people are still with us. That’s been a really inspiring thing and makes us really enjoy playing,” explained Fertita.

Homme shared a similar sentiment, adding that his energy was centred on getting the album completed, rather than worrying about the response it would get.

“Honestly, the five years were so intense that I forgot to remember that it was going to be perceived in some way. Completing the record was just difficult enough, where it was more of a sigh of relief when it was done than anything else,” he said. “It wasn’t until it had been done for a few months when I realised that people were going to receive it and I had no idea what that means. I tend to stay away from the NMEs and whoever elses of the world because it’s not really my job to focus on how it’s perceived.”

Josh Homme of the band Queens Of The Stone Age performs. CREDIT: Harmony Gerber/Getty Images

Download festival will return to Donington Park for its 21st edition from June 14-16, 2024, and Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy are also set to headline.

Other acts set to perform include Royal Bloo/d, The Offspring, Machine Head, Pantera, Bad Omens, Corey Taylor, While She Sleeps, Sum 41, Billy Talent, The Used, Babymetal, Bowling For Soup, Heilung, Polyphia, Thy Art Is Murder, The Black Dahlia Murder, Biohazard, and Fear Factory. Visit here to buy tickets.

Elsewhere in the interview with NME, Homme opened up about the possibility of joining forces with Iggy Pop again in the future, following their work on 2016’s ‘Post Pop Depression’.

“Well, I would do that in a second,” Homme said, while Fertita added: “Oh my god, if there was ever the opportunity to do it, it would be amazing. But there are no plans.”

The frontman also reflected on the tribute show that was held for Taylor Hawkins in 2022 and on his friendship with Dave Grohl.

“Being able to sing ‘Let’s Dance’ with Nile Rodgers at Wembley for my friend… Taylor would have loved that gig so much. It’s such a wonderful thing that perhaps only Dave [Grohl] could do as a send-off like that,” Homme explained. “[He was asking] ‘Is this a good way to say ‘I love you’?’ In the years past, I haven’t always known how to say ‘I love you’ to the people that I care about, you know?”

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Limp Bizkit added to Download 2024 line-up

It marks the nu metal icons’ first performance at Donington Park in 11 years

The post Limp Bizkit added to Download 2024 line-up appeared first on NME.

NME

Limp Bizkit will be performing at next year’s Download Festival.

Following the nu metal band’s huge show at Gunnersbury Park this summer, the band will be returning to the UK for their first performance at Donington Park in Leicestershire since 2013.

“Known for their high-energy performances and ground-breaking fusion of rock, hip-hop, and metal, Limp Bizkit are set to bring their infectious sound and electrifying stage presence to the hallowed grounds of Download Festival,” the festival commented, per Metal Hammer.

“Returning to the festival after ten years with their string of hits spanning nearly two decades, Limp Bizkit are set to show audiences why they’ve rightly cemented their place as one of the most influential and enduring acts in the rock genre.”

Limp Bizkit join a line-up featuring headliners Queens Of The Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy. 

Other acts playing include  Royal Blood, The Offspring, Machine Head, Pantera, Bad Omens, Corey Taylor, While She Sleeps, Sum 41, Billy Talent, The Used, Babymetal, Bowling For Soup, Heilung, Polyphia, Thy Art Is Murder, The Black Dahlia Murder, Biohazard, and Fear Factory. The festival will be taking place from June 14-16.

Download logo. Credit: Shane Antony Sinclair/Getty

Download’s Andy Copping said of this year’s edition: “After our unbelievable 20th anniversary celebrations last year, we couldn’t be more excited about what DLXXI has in store. This year we have two brand new headliners in the form of Queens Of The Stone Age and Fall Out Boy, as well as the mighty Avenged Sevenfold and a whole host of huge names that make every second of Download Festival memorable.

“I can’t wait to join the fans there – it is our home. With first time headliners and our first headline partner with Liquid Death we are embracing the evolution of Download Festival. We have the best and friendliest community together and we can’t wait to celebrate the next 20 years of Download with you all.”

Last year’s edition saw Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon and Metallica take to the stage, with the latter playing two completely different sets for two nights.

Copping recently revealed that the upcoming 2024 edition was the “hardest year” to secure a line-up – with the team having to approach “21 bands” to find headliners.

“Myself and the team, we dug in really hard…We would list all the bands that we should go for and, yeah, it was 21 different acts that we approached. Normally, you’d be looking five, six, seven and you’d find your three from that.”

“This year has been really, really tough to lock bands down and that’s just been the way that it goes – everything goes in cycles,” he added. “For 2024 it was a little bit light.”

The post Limp Bizkit added to Download 2024 line-up appeared first on NME.

Limp Bizkit added to Download 2024 line-up

It marks the nu metal icons’ first performance at Donington Park in 11 years

The post Limp Bizkit added to Download 2024 line-up appeared first on NME.

NME

Limp Bizkit will be performing at next year’s Download Festival.

Following the nu metal band’s huge show at Gunnersbury Park this summer, the band will be returning to the UK for their first performance at Donington Park in Leicestershire since 2013.

“Known for their high-energy performances and ground-breaking fusion of rock, hip-hop, and metal, Limp Bizkit are set to bring their infectious sound and electrifying stage presence to the hallowed grounds of Download Festival,” the festival commented, per Metal Hammer.

“Returning to the festival after ten years with their string of hits spanning nearly two decades, Limp Bizkit are set to show audiences why they’ve rightly cemented their place as one of the most influential and enduring acts in the rock genre.”

Limp Bizkit join a line-up featuring headliners Queens Of The Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy. 

Other acts playing include  Royal Blood, The Offspring, Machine Head, Pantera, Bad Omens, Corey Taylor, While She Sleeps, Sum 41, Billy Talent, The Used, Babymetal, Bowling For Soup, Heilung, Polyphia, Thy Art Is Murder, The Black Dahlia Murder, Biohazard, and Fear Factory. The festival will be taking place from June 14-16.

Download logo. Credit: Shane Antony Sinclair/Getty

Download’s Andy Copping said of this year’s edition: “After our unbelievable 20th anniversary celebrations last year, we couldn’t be more excited about what DLXXI has in store. This year we have two brand new headliners in the form of Queens Of The Stone Age and Fall Out Boy, as well as the mighty Avenged Sevenfold and a whole host of huge names that make every second of Download Festival memorable.

“I can’t wait to join the fans there – it is our home. With first time headliners and our first headline partner with Liquid Death we are embracing the evolution of Download Festival. We have the best and friendliest community together and we can’t wait to celebrate the next 20 years of Download with you all.”

Last year’s edition saw Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon and Metallica take to the stage, with the latter playing two completely different sets for two nights.

Copping recently revealed that the upcoming 2024 edition was the “hardest year” to secure a line-up – with the team having to approach “21 bands” to find headliners.

“Myself and the team, we dug in really hard…We would list all the bands that we should go for and, yeah, it was 21 different acts that we approached. Normally, you’d be looking five, six, seven and you’d find your three from that.”

“This year has been really, really tough to lock bands down and that’s just been the way that it goes – everything goes in cycles,” he added. “For 2024 it was a little bit light.”

The post Limp Bizkit added to Download 2024 line-up appeared first on NME.

Download boss approached “21 bands” to headline 2024 festival in “hardest year” for line-up

He also stressed the importance of helping artists climb up the bill

The post Download boss approached “21 bands” to headline 2024 festival in “hardest year” for line-up appeared first on NME.

NME

Andy Copping, the boss for Download Festival, has revealed that the upcoming 2024 edition was the “hardest year” to secure a line-up – with the team having to approach “21 bands” to find headliners.

The promoter was speaking to Planet Rock about the struggle, shortly before the official line-up for the festival was announced on Tuesday night (November 7) – with Queens Of The Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy set to headline next year’s instalment.

80 other acts were also announced for the 2024 edition, including Slipknot legend Corey Taylor, Pantera, Machine Head, The Offspring, Sum 41 and Royal Blood.

However, speaking to the outlet, Copping revealed that the team had found it “really tough” locking in these artists compared to previous years.

“I don’t mind admitting, this year for 2024 we approached 21 different headliners for Download,” he said. “It’s been probably the hardest year – I’ve said that in previous years before when it’s been hard to put the bill together – but this year has been particularly hard.”

According to the festival boss, he has seen that other festivals across Europe have “have been feeling the same” and also “struggling to lock the bands in.”

“Myself and the team, we dug in really hard…We would list all the bands that we should go for and, yeah, it was 21 different acts that we approached. Normally, you’d be looking five, six, seven and you’d find your three from that.”

Festival goers cheering in the crowd during day 2 of Download Festival 2019. CREDIT: Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty

“This year has been really, really tough to lock bands down and that’s just been the way that it goes – everything goes in cycles,” he added. “For 2024 it was a little bit light.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Copping revealed that he is “proud” with the artists the team have secured for next year – adding that the edition will have a “wide-ranging spectrum of bands across all the stages”.

Reflecting on the headliners booked for 2024, he also recalled the importance of letting bands climb up the bills at festivals.

“I’ve been bleating on for years the fact that festival promoters like ourselves at Download, we’ve got to bring the new acts through,” Copping said. “The fact that Bring Me The Horizon played one of the small stages back in 2006, and they’ve worked their way up there (in 2023).”

“It’s us as an industry that has to do it. It’s not just the festival promoters – the media, the labels and the fans have got to get behind acts and not be dismissive when an act headlines at a festival.

“They need to get behind it because these are going to be the bands for the future and hopefully (they will) encourage other bands to come through and hopefully be a headline band of the future.”

Andy Copping announces the line-up for Download Festival 2024 at the launch party on November 07, 2023. CREDIT: Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images Kevin Nixon/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Next year’s instalment of Download will be the 21st edition of the rock festival and is set to be held at Donington Park between June 14-16, 2024. General tickets will be on sale from 9pm tonight (November 9) and will be available here.

Ahead of the line-up being revealed, Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz spoke to NME about the band stepping up to the headlining slot for the first time.

“So many of the bands who have headlined Download before have been such a big influence on us,” he explained. “We grew up watching videos of Metallica playing Donington and most of our band was informed by that era of the band.”

He continued: “Headlining a festival for the first time is always a new thing though. We’re not stressed about it, but we want to honour the festival and honour the bands that have played before us.”

The post Download boss approached “21 bands” to headline 2024 festival in “hardest year” for line-up appeared first on NME.

Download boss approached “21 bands” to headline 2024 festival in “hardest year” for line-up

He also stressed the importance of helping artists climb up the bill

The post Download boss approached “21 bands” to headline 2024 festival in “hardest year” for line-up appeared first on NME.

NME

Andy Copping, the boss for Download Festival, has revealed that the upcoming 2024 edition was the “hardest year” to secure a line-up – with the team having to approach “21 bands” to find headliners.

The promoter was speaking to Planet Rock about the struggle, shortly before the official line-up for the festival was announced on Tuesday night (November 7) – with Queens Of The Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy set to headline next year’s instalment.

80 other acts were also announced for the 2024 edition, including Slipknot legend Corey Taylor, Pantera, Machine Head, The Offspring, Sum 41 and Royal Blood.

However, speaking to the outlet, Copping revealed that the team had found it “really tough” locking in these artists compared to previous years.

“I don’t mind admitting, this year for 2024 we approached 21 different headliners for Download,” he said. “It’s been probably the hardest year – I’ve said that in previous years before when it’s been hard to put the bill together – but this year has been particularly hard.”

According to the festival boss, he has seen that other festivals across Europe have “have been feeling the same” and also “struggling to lock the bands in.”

“Myself and the team, we dug in really hard…We would list all the bands that we should go for and, yeah, it was 21 different acts that we approached. Normally, you’d be looking five, six, seven and you’d find your three from that.”

Festival goers cheering in the crowd during day 2 of Download Festival 2019. CREDIT: Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty

“This year has been really, really tough to lock bands down and that’s just been the way that it goes – everything goes in cycles,” he added. “For 2024 it was a little bit light.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Copping revealed that he is “proud” with the artists the team have secured for next year – adding that the edition will have a “wide-ranging spectrum of bands across all the stages”.

Reflecting on the headliners booked for 2024, he also recalled the importance of letting bands climb up the bills at festivals.

“I’ve been bleating on for years the fact that festival promoters like ourselves at Download, we’ve got to bring the new acts through,” Copping said. “The fact that Bring Me The Horizon played one of the small stages back in 2006, and they’ve worked their way up there (in 2023).”

“It’s us as an industry that has to do it. It’s not just the festival promoters – the media, the labels and the fans have got to get behind acts and not be dismissive when an act headlines at a festival.

“They need to get behind it because these are going to be the bands for the future and hopefully (they will) encourage other bands to come through and hopefully be a headline band of the future.”

Andy Copping announces the line-up for Download Festival 2024 at the launch party on November 07, 2023. CREDIT: Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images Kevin Nixon/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Next year’s instalment of Download will be the 21st edition of the rock festival and is set to be held at Donington Park between June 14-16, 2024. General tickets will be on sale from 9pm tonight (November 9) and will be available here.

Ahead of the line-up being revealed, Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz spoke to NME about the band stepping up to the headlining slot for the first time.

“So many of the bands who have headlined Download before have been such a big influence on us,” he explained. “We grew up watching videos of Metallica playing Donington and most of our band was informed by that era of the band.”

He continued: “Headlining a festival for the first time is always a new thing though. We’re not stressed about it, but we want to honour the festival and honour the bands that have played before us.”

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Here’s when the first Download Festival 2024 line-up is coming

Next year’s instalment will run between June 14 and 16

The post Here’s when the first Download Festival 2024 line-up is coming appeared first on NME.

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Organisers of Download Festival have revealed when the first line-up for the 2024 edition will be announced.

The update on the forthcoming edition of the iconic rock and metal festival was made on X/Twitter yesterday (October 24), with organisers sharing that the long-awaited line-up with be shared at the start of next month.

According to the update, the first list of artists announced as playing at the UK festival – held in Donnington Park – will be announced on Tuesday, November 7.

Although rock and metal fans will have to wait two weeks before they know which acts will be gracing the stage next summer, Early Bird tickets are available now and offered at a cheaper price than regular tickets. Fans have the chance to grab these Early Bird tickets up until midnight the day before the announcement (November 6).

According to the organisers, however, ticket sales for the 21st edition of the festival are already “10,000 ahead of this time last year, so the event is sure to sell out”. Find tickets here.

This year’s instalment of Download Fest saw headline performances from Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon and Metallica – with the latter playing two sets, with no songs repeated.

With their headline set, Bring Me The Horizon used their performance to share news of their next studio album ‘NeX GEn’, which is set to arrive in the coming weeks, and Metallica subsequently donated £40,000 to a homeless charity based near the festival site.

Other acts who appeared at the four-night special edition included The Distillers, Ghost, Placebo, Alexisonfire, Disturbed, Pendulum and more.

In other festival news, earlier this week it was reported that the first wave of acts had been announced for HellFest 2024 in France – with Foo Fighters, Queens Of The Stone Age, Royal Blood and Megadeth topping the bill.

Taking place from June 27-30, The Offspring, Dropkick Murphys, Babymetal, Nova Twins, The Interrupters and many more were also confirmed, however, organisers confirmed this was just the start.

“We still have over 160 bands to announce by the end of the year,” HellFest said in a social media statement. “Be patient. You won’t be disappointed!”

The post Here’s when the first Download Festival 2024 line-up is coming appeared first on NME.

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