Rockshot Ready To Rock At Download Festival XXI!

by | Jun 10, 2024

This weekend will see 80,000 fans flock to the hallowed grounds of Donington Park for Liquid Death Presents Download Festival XXI! Rockshot Magazine will have a team on site and will bring you all the action and here’s a taste of what you can expect.

Fall Out Boy @ The O2

Patrick Stump & Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)
Patrick Stump & Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Heading In A New Direction
This year’s festival sees two acts being given the opportunity to headline the Apex Stage for the first time. Queens Of The Stone Age and Fall Out Boy both had huge UK Arena tours last year and take top billing alongside Download veterans Avenged Sevenfold. This is a welcome change for many, who have criticised the festival in the past for booking the same headliners.

Queens of the Stone Age @ Wembley Arena

Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age @ Wembley Arena (Kalpesh Patel)
Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age @ Wembley Arena (Kalpesh Patel)

An Epic Undercard
All three days are packed with heavy hitters. From some of the UK’s best such as Royal Blood, Enter Shikari, Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes to the finest international acts like Black Stone Cherry, The Offspring and Limp Bizkit it really is a stacked lineup. There will be some special moments as Pantera play their first UK show in 20 years, a last UK festival appearance for pop punk icons Sum 41, and Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor plays a solo set.

Stone Sour @ Brixton Academy

Corey Taylor of Stone Sour (Kalpesh Patel)
Corey Taylor of Stone Sour (Kalpesh Patel)

Rising Talent
Two of Wales’s finest have big slots as Those Damn Crows will take to the Main Stage. Their recent UK tours have been a total sell-out, the venues keep getting bigger and now they play the biggest stage of them all. Holding Absence are obviously highly thought of too, sandwiched in between Silverstein and Billy Talent on Download’s Opus Stage.

Those Damn Crows @ Manchester Academy

Those Damn Crows @ Manchester Academy (Joe Jones)
Those Damn Crows @ Manchester Academy (Joe Jones)

Left Field Bookings
Let’s start with Busted! Probably not a name many would have expected to see on a Download lineup, but they were a gateway band for many. Headlining the Avalanche Stage on Friday, we fully expect it to be bursting to capacity.

Busted @ AO Arena

Busted @ AO Arena (Joe Jones)
Busted @ AO Arena (Joe Jones)

Other surprising bookings include Ireland’s Eurovision entry Bambi Thug, the EMO pop-punk of Charlotte Sands and London Rap trio Frozemode proving the festival is looking at a more diverse range of artists.

Bambie Thug @ Mighty Hoopla 2024

Bambie Thug @ Mighty Hoopla 2024 (Kalpesh Patel)
Bambie Thug @ Mighty Hoopla 2024 (Kalpesh Patel)

A Special Surprise …
Festival booker Andy Copping recently teased a secret act will be playing this year. The rumour mill is in full force, with the likes of Slipknot, Green Day, Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance and Biffy Clyro amongst the names speculated by fans. We don’t have any inside information, but we spot a gap on the Dogtooth Stage on Sunday between 3pm-4pm. We’ll be there, just in case…

The Churnups @ Glastonbury Festival 2023

The Churnups (Foo Fighters) @ Glastonbury Festival 2023 (Kalpesh Patel)
The Churnups (Foo Fighters) @ Glastonbury Festival 2023 (Kalpesh Patel)

District X
For those camping, District X will provide you virtually non-stop entertainment. From exercise class Rockfit in the morning, chilli and hot dog eating contests during the day, late-night DJ sets, club nights, and surprise acoustic sets, you will be more than entertained. You can even catch England and Scotland’s Euro 2024 fixtures live on a big screen!

We hope all our readers have an amazing time at Download Festival, and we’ll try and bring those of you who aren’t there as close to all the action as possible.

Liquid Death Presents Download Festival takes place this weekend. For Tickets, Set Times and more information, please visit www.downloadfestival.co.uk

Fall Out Boy Headfirst Slide In Stardust At The O2

Jordan Pundik of New Found Glory @ O2 Academy Birmingham (Nick Allan)

New Found Glory Never Miss, Only Hit At O2 Academy Birmingham

There’s something about a New Found Glory show that feels like coming home. No matter how many years have passed or how much life has changed, when those opening chords hit, you’re right back where it all started — shouting lyrics with your friends, sweaty, smiling, and completely lost in the moment.

Remember Monday @ Latitude Festival 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Remember Monday Return With New Single ‘More Than Ever’ Ahead Of Headline UK Tour

Country-pop trio Remember Monday continue their breakout year with the release of their new single More Than Ever, co-written with GRAMMY® winner and chart-topping artist Cian Ducrot. The track arrives just as the band kick off their highly anticipated What The Hell Just Happened? UK and Ireland headline tour, which culminates at London’s iconic O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

Davina Michelle (Press)

Davina Michelle Launches Empowering New Era With ‘What A Woman’

Dutch pop sensation Davina Michelle has released her brand-new single What A Woman, an empowering anthem that celebrates the strength, intelligence, and individuality of women everywhere. The track arrives alongside a striking new music video, introducing a bold new chapter for one of the Netherlands’ most successful modern pop artists.

Ash @ Scala (Kalpesh Patel)

Ash Share Video for ‘Ad Astra’ Featuring Graham Coxon

Northern Irish alt-rock stalwarts Ash have shared the video for their latest single Ad Astra, featuring Blur’s Graham Coxon, taken from their brand-new album of the same name — out now on Fierce Panda Records.

Karin Ann (Press)

Karin Ann Teams Up With Suki Waterhouse For Heart-Stirring New Single ‘i was never yours’

Slovak singer-songwriter Karin Ann has unveiled her stunning new single, i was never yours, marking an evolution in sound and storytelling for the rapidly rising artist. The track — co-written with Suki Waterhouse and Harrison Whitford (Phoebe Bridgers) and produced by Benjamin Lazar Davis (Maya Hawke) — finds Karin blending folk, country, and indie rock into a sound that feels both intimate and cinematic.

Amy Macdonald (Olivia Rose)

Amy Macdonald Shares Empowering New Single ‘I’m Done (Games That You Play)’

Amy Macdonald continues her remarkable run as one of the UK’s most enduring singer-songwriters with the release of her...
Blair Davie (Press)

Blair Davie Unveil Deeply Personal New EP ‘First And Last’

Scottish singer-songwriter Blair Davie has released their highly anticipated new EP, First And Last, via Giant Music —...
Joyce Manor (Dan Monick)

Joyce Manor Announce New Album ‘I Used To Go To This Bar’ Alongside Lead Single ‘Well, Whatever It Was’

California punk favourites Joyce Manor have announced details of their upcoming album I Used To Go To This Bar, due for release on 30th January 2026 via Epitaph Records. The band have also shared the lead single Well, Whatever It Was, accompanied by a chaotic and comedic Lance Bangs–directed music video that riffs on The Great British Bake Off, featuring cameos from comedians and musicians playing UK rock icons.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing