Rockshot Ready To Rock At Download Festival XXI!

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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

Metallica Double Up For A No Repeat Weekend At London Stadium

It’s the first weekend in July and The Metal has taken over Westfield Stratford. Friday evening shoppers mingle with sweaty black clad rockers, because Metallica have brought their No Repeat Weekend M72 tour to this corner of East London. Now into it’s fourth year, the final weekend of this tour will see the metal giants play two completely different sets over Friday and Sunday night at London Stadium — an immense treat for the diehards, and introducing some deeper cuts for the casuals, providing something for everyone.

Sydney Rose @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Sydney Rose Builds On Breakthrough Success With Intimate New Single ‘Track Team’

Rising singer-songwriter Sydney Rose has returned with her latest single, Track Team, continuing the remarkable momentum that has transformed the Georgia-born, Nashville-based artist into one of alternative pop’s fastest-rising new voices.

Duran Duran @ BST Hyde Park 2026 (Sienna Lorraine Gray)

Duran Duran Crown A Sun-Soaked Day Of Pop Royalty At BST Hyde Park 2026

It was yet another warm, sunny London day, the start of the country’s next heatwave, as thousands descended on Hyde Park for the final day of the second BST Hyde Park weekend of 2026. There was another event looming over the evening too: England’s World Cup Round of 16 clash with Mexico, kicking off at the decidedly unsociable hour of 1am. Football could wait though. Sunday belonged to disco legends, glam-pop icons and one of Britain’s most enduring bands as Duran Duran headlined a day that effortlessly balanced nostalgia with timeless musicianship.

The Script Celebrate Friendship And Forgiveness On New Single ‘The Crowd Was Singing Wonderwall’

The Script have shared the latest preview of their forthcoming album The User’s Guide To Being Human with the release of the uplifting new single The Crowd Was Singing Wonderwall. Arriving ahead of the band’s eagerly anticipated new album on 14th August, the track follows the anthemic lead single Man In The Arena and continues to showcase a record that promises to balance heartfelt storytelling with the arena-sized choruses that have become synonymous with The Script throughout their career.

Ferris & Sylvester Share Heartfelt New Single ‘Tiny Little Love’ Ahead Of New Album ‘It’s A Joy To Be Alive’

British Americana duo Ferris & Sylvester have unveiled their deeply moving new single Tiny Little Love, the latest preview of their forthcoming album It’s A Joy To Be Alive, due for release on 14th August.

J KEYS Turns Up The Heat With Infectious New Dance Anthem ‘Red Flag’

Essex artist, producer and DJ J KEYS continues his upward trajectory with the release of his latest single, Red Flag, a high-energy club anthem that blends underground house influences with irresistible pop appeal.

Willie J Healey Announces New EP ‘143’ And Shares Warm-Hearted New Single ‘Ditch’

Oxford songwriter Willie J Healey has announced the release of his new EP 143, arriving on 4th September, alongside the release of its effortlessly charming lead single Ditch. The five-track collection follows the success of 2023’s acclaimed Bunny and arrives ahead of a run of UK festival appearances and intimate headline dates this autumn, further cementing Healey’s reputation as one of Britain’s most distinctive and quietly brilliant songwriters.

TV Priest Return With Ambitious New Album ‘Cartoons’ And Share Stirring Single ‘Love Song (A Good Kind Of Weapon)’

London post-punk innovators TV Priest have announced their long-awaited third studio album, Cartoons, due for release on 6th November. Alongside the announcement, the band have unveiled the record’s lead single, Love Song (A Good Kind Of Weapon), a striking and unexpectedly tender statement that signals a bold new direction for one of Britain’s most adventurous alternative bands.