After Friday’s celebrations had finally subsided, Saturday arrived with heavier riffs, glorious sunshine, bigger crowds and one of the most diverse days Download Festival XXIII had to offer. From early-morning punk rock and breakout British talent to black metal spectacle, metalcore mastery and one of rock’s most iconic names closing the night, Donington once again proved why no two Download days ever feel the same.
11:00: The Wildhearts Kick Off Saturday with Classic British Chaos on the Opus Stage
Saturday began with a dose of irreverent British rock’n’roll as The Wildhearts brought their trademark energy to the Opus Stage. Despite the early start, a sizeable crowd gathered to welcome Ginger and company as they launched into Failure Is The Mother Of Success before tearing through fan favourites including Suckerpunch, Maintain Radio Silence and Mazel Tov Cocktail.
The band’s mix of punk attitude, hard rock hooks and self-deprecating humour immediately set the tone for the day, culminating in a joyous singalong for I Wanna Go Where The People Go that echoed across Donington.
12:05: South Arcade Continue Their Meteoric Rise on the Apex Stage
One of the UK’s fastest-rising alternative acts, South Arcade drew an impressive crowd to the Apex Stage for what felt like a genuine breakthrough Download performance.
Opening with HOW 2 GET AWAY WITH MURDER, the Oxford quartet showcased the infectious blend of pop, rock and Y2K nostalgia that has propelled them into the spotlight. Tracks including FEAR OF HEIGHTS, Supermodels, DANGER and SUPERMAN generated huge responses, while the extended outro of Drive Myself Home allowed singer Harmony Cavelle to fully connect with the audience.
By the time stone cold summer closed proceedings, South Arcade had firmly established themselves as one of the weekend’s most exciting emerging names.
13:15: LANDMVRKS Unleash Relentless Energy on the Apex Stage
French metalcore favourites LANDMVRKS delivered one of Saturday’s most explosive early performances, turning the Apex Stage into a sea of movement from the opening notes of Creature.
The Marseille outfit powered through a relentless set featuring Death, Blistering, Sulfer, Lost In A Wave and Self-Made Black Hole, with vocalist Florent Salfati commanding every inch of the stage. Their combination of crushing breakdowns, melodic hooks and boundless energy ensured that circle pits erupted throughout the arena.
As the crowd swelled ahead of the afternoon’s biggest names, LANDMVRKS demonstrated exactly why their ascent continues to accelerate.
14:30: Black Veil Brides Deliver Arena-Worthy Anthems on the Apex Stage
Black Veil Brides brought a touch of theatrical grandeur next to the Apex Stage as thousands gathered for one of the day’s most anticipated performances.
Opening with Knives And Pens, Andy Biersack and company balanced material from across their career, including Bleeders, Hallelujah, Vindicate and Faithless. Long-time favourites The Legacy, Fallen Angels and Rebel Love Song prompted huge singalongs, while the emotional closer In The End united the crowd in one of Saturday afternoon’s defining moments.
Equal parts spectacle and substance, Black Veil Brides delivered exactly the sort of performance their devoted fanbase had hoped for.
15:50: As Everything Unfolds Showcase Modern Metal’s Bright Future on the Opus Stage
Hertfordshire’s As Everything Unfolds continued their Download ascent with a confident and commanding performance on the Opus Stage.
Frontwoman Charlie Rolfe captivated the growing crowd throughout a set that blended soaring melodies with crushing heaviness. SET IN FLOW, WHAT YOU WANTED, POINT OF VIEW and GASOLINE all landed with conviction, while Ultraviolet and On The Inside highlighted the band’s ability to balance vulnerability and power.
Their appearance served as another reminder that British alternative music remains in exceptionally safe hands.
17:00: Bush Bring Nineties Rock Nostalgia to the Apex Stage
Bush delivered a crowd-pleasing masterclass in alternative rock as Gavin Rossdale led fans through a set packed with enduring favourites.
Opening with the unmistakable riff of Machinehead, the band mixed classics such as Everything Zen and Little Things with newer material including The Land Of Milk And Honey, More Than Machines and I Beat Loneliness. One of the standout moments arrived during Flowers On A Grave, when Rossdale ventured into the audience, further blurring the line between performer and crowd.
Three decades into their career, Bush remain remarkably effective festival performers.
17:20: Trivium Celebrate Two Decades of Metal Dominance on the Apex Stage
Fresh from celebrating twenty years of Ascendancy, Trivium reminded Download why they remain one of modern metal’s most reliable live forces.
Matt Heafy and company delivered a hit-packed set featuring Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr, A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation, Down From The Sky, Until The World Goes Cold and The Heart From Your Hate. Throughout the performance, the Apex Stage became a constant swirl of circle pits and raised fists.
Closing with the unstoppable In Waves, Trivium left little doubt that they continue to operate at the very top of the genre.
18:10: Behemoth Bring Fire, Ceremony and Darkness to the Opus Stage
As daylight began to fade, Behemoth transformed the Opus Stage into a cathedral of blackened spectacle.
The Polish extremists delivered a visually stunning set built around towering imagery, ritualistic presentation and crushing heaviness. Tracks including Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer, Thy Becoming Eternal, Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel and Bartzabel resonated across the arena, while The Shit Ov God and Chant For Eschaton 2000 showcased the band’s continued ability to blend theatre and aggression.
It was a performance that felt uniquely suited to the Download stage.
19:45: Architects Turn the Opus Stage into Saturday’s Defining Battleground
While Guns N’ Roses occupied the Apex Stage, thousands flocked to witness Architects headline the Opus Stage in what became one of the most talked-about performances of the entire weekend.
Sam Carter and company approached the set with headline intensity from the opening pairing of Elegy and Whiplash. Doomsday, Black Lungs and Gravedigger generated enormous reactions, but the performance became notable for repeated pauses during Blackhole and Impermanence as the band responded to crowd safety concerns.
Rather than disrupting momentum, the interruptions highlighted the connection between band and audience. Once the situation was resolved, Architects delivered a breathtaking second half featuring deep fake, Curse, Broken Mirror, Brain Dead — joined by LANDMVRKS vocalist Florent Salfati — before closing with Seeing Red and Animals.
The performance carried all the drama, danger and exhilarating release of a true headline show, reinforcing Architects‘ place among Britain’s most important heavy bands.
19:35: Guns N’ Roses Deliver Moments of Brilliance on the Apex Stage
Saturday’s headliners arrived carrying the weight of expectation that only a band of Guns N’ Roses’ stature can generate.
Opening with Welcome To The Jungle, the legendary group immediately transported Donington back to the golden era of stadium rock. Across an expansive set stretching deep into the night, the core trio of Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan alongside their extended band worked through a catalogue few bands can rival. It’s So Easy, Mr. Brownstone, You Could Be Mine and Rocket Queen sat alongside epics including Estranged, Civil War and Coma.
The band also dug deep into their influences, delivering their legendary covers of Wings’ Live And Let Die, Bob Dylan’s Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, Black Sabbath’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and a surprise rendition of Wichita Lineman. Meanwhile, Sweet Child O’ Mine, November Rain, Nightrain and the closing Paradise City ensured the biggest singalongs of the day.
The performance occasionally fluctuated between flashes of brilliance and moments of looseness, yet when Guns N’ Roses lock into gear, few bands in rock history can match their scale, legacy or ability to captivate a festival audience.
With Saturday drawing to a close, Download Festival XXIII had showcased every side of heavy music’s broad church. From rising stars and modern metal heroes to enduring legends, Donington once again delivered a day packed with unforgettable images, unforgettable performances and countless stories still being told long after the amplifiers fell silent.
Photography of Download Festival XXIII on 13th June 2026 by Neil Lupin / neillupin.com. Photos of Guns N’ Roses at BST Hyde Park 2023 by Kalpesh Patel.
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