The sun rose over Donington Park as Download XXII launched into its first full day of music on Friday, setting the tone for a weekend of genre-spanning mayhem. From shredding solos to surprise mash-ups and festival debuts, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as tens of thousands descended on the hallowed grounds of rock and metal. With a diverse lineup blending legacy acts, emerging voices and some curveball bookings, Friday proved that Download isn’t just celebrating its 22nd year — it’s redefining its future.
Apex Stage Arena - Download Festival XXII - Friday
17:00: Myles Kennedy Channels Heart and Soul on the Opus Stage
Myles Kennedy brought a masterclass in melodic rock to Download XXII’s Opus Stage, delivering a set that was as emotionally stirring as it was technically flawless. Backed by bass, drums, and dual guitars, Kennedy opened with soaring intensity, reminding everyone why he’s regarded as one of modern rock’s finest vocalists.
The performance was a careful balance of power and intimacy. Songs ranged from roaring rock anthems (where his voice soared confidently over tight grooves) to stripped-back passages that allowed Kennedy’s tenor to shine in clear, haunting tones. Between tracks, his down-to-earth banter and warm engagement with the crowd created a communal atmosphere — almost like a living-room session amplified for thousands.
A highlight came mid-set when he brought the tempo down for a poignantly delivered ballad; Kennedy’s emotional vulnerability in that moment earned a hushed reverence. It was a stark contrast to his more bombastic moments, but that juxtaposition only deepened the emotional impact.
Myles Kennedy’s Opus stage set was a refined and heartfelt reminder that rock isn’t just about volume — it’s about sincerity. With voice, presence, and songwriting on full display, he turned a festival side-stage into a moment of genuine connection.
Myles Kennedy @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
17:30: Jimmy Eat World Bring Emotive Firepower to the Apex
Arizona alt-rock titans Jimmy Eat World delivered a triumphant and emotionally charged set, proving once again why they remain one of the genre’s most enduring live acts.
Kicking off with the thunderous Pain, the band wasted no time setting the tone with a potent blend of heavy guitars and cathartic singalongs. Tracks like Just Tonight… and My Best Theory showcased the band’s knack for balancing anthemic hooks with introspective grit, while Something Loud pulsed with raw urgency.
Digging into deeper cuts like Get It Faster and the soaring Futures, the quartet impressed with tight musicianship and unrelenting energy. The emotive heart of the set came in moments like Let It Happen and All the Way (Stay), showing off Jim Adkins’ ability to connect with thousands through sincerity and soaring melodies.
By the time Bleed American and the timeless anthem The Middle brought the set to its euphoric close, the crowd was a mass of smiles, sweat, and unity. In a festival full of heavy riffs and roaring breakdowns, Jimmy Eat World carved their space through emotional resonance and stadium-sized choruses — and left Donington wanting more.
Jimmy Eat World @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
18:00: Svalbard Deliver Cathartic Fury on Dogtooth
Svalbard tore into their Dogtooth stage set with unrelenting force, delivering a performance as emotionally raw as it was sonically devastating. Opening with a barrage of blistering riffs and thunderous drumming, the Bristol quartet wasted no time in asserting themselves as one of the weekend’s most vital and confrontational acts.
Frontwoman Serena Cherry was magnetic throughout — switching between anguished screams and melodic clarity with ease, while also delivering powerful messages between songs about mental health, inequality, and resilience. Tracks like Eternal Spirits and Faking It hit especially hard, their mix of blackened post-metal, hardcore aggression and shimmering post-rock lifting the band well above genre confines.
Despite their intensity, there was also something deeply human about the performance — a sense of shared catharsis between band and crowd. For a moment amid Download’s chaos, Svalbard gave Donington something transcendent: noise with purpose, and rage with heart.
Svalbard @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
18:15: Opeth Conjure Atmospheric Mastery on the Opus
At a festival largely known for its sonic brute force, Opeth’s set at Download XXII felt like a darkly enchanting ritual. As the sun dipped behind the clouds and the mood across Donington Park turned brooding, the Swedish prog-metal titans took to the stage with an air of quiet authority — and promptly transported the crowd somewhere otherworldly.
Opening with the sprawling, meditative S1, Opeth signalled early that this would be a set of patient build-ups, haunting textures, and ferocious payoffs. That promise was fulfilled in full by Master’s Apprentices, which unleashed a tidal wave of crushing riffs and guttural roars from frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, balanced by passages of eerie calm that showcased the band’s mastery of dynamics.
In My Time of Need brought a moment of almost mournful beauty, its clean vocals and melancholic guitar lines resonating deeply with a crowd unusually hushed for a festival environment. And just as the set neared its close, the 10-minute epic Ghost Of Perdition reminded everyone why Opeth are peerless in their ability to merge death metal intensity with progressive sophistication.
This wasn’t a set designed to whip up circle pits — it was a set that invited introspection, awe, and the occasional neck-breaking headbang. At Download XXII, Opeth proved that heaviness isn’t just about volume — it’s about atmosphere, complexity, and command.
Opeth @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
18:50: VOLA Bring Cinematic Prog Power to Dogtooth
Danish prog-metal visionaries VOLA delivered one of Download XXII’s most captivating early sets — a masterclass in atmosphere, precision, and sheer sonic weight.
Opening with their signature blend of down-tuned grooves and ethereal synthscapes, the band immediately pulled the crowd into their world. Straight Lines and Head Mounted Sideways hit with the force of a sledgehammer, but were layered with an icy, cinematic beauty that set them apart from the weekend’s heavier offerings.
Frontman Asger Mygind’s vocals soared cleanly above the chaos, providing a delicate counterpoint to the crushing low end and glitchy electronics that underpin VOLA’s sound. It’s rare to find a band that balances technical wizardry with genuine emotional heft, but VOLA pulled it off with ease.
Tracks from Witness and Applause Of A Distant Crowd translated impeccably live, their intricate arrangements brought to life with startling clarity. The crowd — many clearly discovering VOLA for the first time — stood spellbound, nodding along to the polyrhythmic pulses and cascading melodies.
While not the loudest or wildest set of the day, VOLA’s performance was a standout for its immersive artistry and controlled intensity — a reminder that power doesn’t always have to shout. For those who like their metal smart, cinematic, and spine-tinglingly precise, VOLA were unmissable.
Vola @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
19:00: Weezer Ride the Nostalgia Wave on the Apex
At a festival known for riffs and roars, Weezer brought a wave of feel-good fuzz and Gen X giddiness to Download XXII, reminding Donington Park that geek rock can still hit like a hammer.
Opening with the chugging swagger of Hash Pipe and crowd favourite My Name Is Jonas, Rivers Cuomo and co. wasted no time dipping into their deep discography. Perfect Situation and Surf Wax America brought the sunshine, while Undone – The Sweater Song turned the arena into a giant, nostalgic singalong.
Weezer @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
Island in the Sun unsurprisingly drew the loudest cheers (and swaying arms), but it was deeper cuts like Why Bother?, You Gave Your Love To Me Softly, and the rarely-aired Across The Sea that showcased the band’s underrated emotional range.
Ever the sly showman, Cuomo updated Beverly Hills with a cheeky “Donington Park” lyric switch, drawing laughs and lighters from the crowd, before closing with Buddy Holly — a track that still feels as punchy and peculiar as it did in 1994.
There was no pyro, no pits, and no posturing — just perfect power-pop melodies, crunchy guitars, and 90s charm by the bucketload. Weezer at Download? Say it ain’t so? Nah, say it again — and bring them back.
Apex Stage for Weezer - Download Festival XXII - Friday
19:55: McFly Cause Pop-Rock Pandemonium On The Avalanche Stage
Pop-rock charm met mosh pit mayhem as McFly made their unexpected but utterly triumphant return to Download Festival for its 22nd edition — and they didn’t just survive, they thrived.
Kicking off with Where Did All the Guitars Go?, the band leaned hard into their heavier side, teasing doubters with thundering riffs and tongue-in-cheek swagger. Land Of The Bees kept the energy buzzing before Star Girl took a wild detour into Killing In The Name territory — a Rage Against The Machine cover that whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
When Danny’s acoustic failed during Obviously, they simply cranked it up electric — no sweat. Then came the chaos: a medley of party anthems (Livin’ On A Prayer, YMCA, Twist And Shout and more) turned the Donington crowd into a karaoke mosh.
Dougie’s call for a wall of death before All About You was as absurd as it was hilarious — and yes, it happened. Somehow the ballad still sounded sweet. By the time they closed with 5 Colours In Her Hair — mashed up mid-song with Metallica’s Master Of Puppets — McFly had proven exactly why they belonged on this stage.
Unexpected, unhinged, and utterly fun, McFly’s Avalanche Stage takeover set was the surprise crossover hit of the weekend — pop-punk mischief meets metal mayhem, and it worked.
McFly @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
20:50: Green Day Ignite The Apex Stage with Punk Fire and Fan Love
Green Day brought punk rock heart, rebellious spirit, and a stack of hits to Download 2025, delivering a blistering, career-spanning set that proved just how essential they still are.
Opening with a defiant American Idiot (“Not a part of the Elon agenda,” Billie Joe Armstrong quipped with a smirk), the trio launched into a tight, high-energy barrage of classics. Holiday and Boulevard Of Broken Dreams had the crowd in full voice early on, while Know Your Enemy offered one lucky fan the chance to sing (and scream) centre stage.
Green Day @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
The band’s new material stood tall: One Eyed Bastard and Bobby Sox slotted seamlessly alongside fan favourites like Longview and Hitchin’ A Ride, and the surprise tour debut of J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) sent hardcore fans into rapture.
There was heart in the chaos too — 21 Guns swayed under the weight of lighters and phone torches, while Wake Me Up When September Ends delivered its usual emotional punch. The sprawling Jesus Of Suburbia closed the main set with theatrical flair, before the trio returned for a tender, crowd-wide singalong of Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).
Tight, charismatic, and endlessly anthemic, Green Day’s Download Festival debut was a reminder: few bands make rebellion sound this fun — or this big.
Green Day @ Download Festival XXII - Friday
Photography by Simon Reed / Musical Pictures.
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