Download Festival –LIVE REVIEW by Carina Lawrence / Dark Art Conspiracy

Download Festival 2024 marked the 7th one I have been to. Still, for the first time, I arrived on Wednesday the 12th of June, two days before the arena and main music started, as I usually would arrive very early on the first day of the arena opening. It was nice to experience the other festival activities on Wednesday and Thursday, the 13th of June, such as chilli eating contests, axe and paddle bushcraft demonstrations and some bands playing in the Doghouse. I especially enjoyed seeing Bleed Again from Brighton, a local band I am very familiar with and was proud to see them crushing it, headlining the Takeover Stage with a good turnout. There was also lots of comedy, including on Thursday with Andrew O’Neill’s History Of Heavy Metal sketch, which was a highlight pre-main festival, which was entertaining and took you through the milestones of metal with Andrew playing the heavy hitters on guitar and adding some funny quips in the mix to a packed tent. The two days before the arena opened was also lovely weather, perfect for sitting around in camp, enjoying a few drinks, and enjoying the atmosphere; it’s just a shame that the weather took a turn for the worst on Friday, 14th June, just in time for the main event!