Sunday 14/06/09 Download Festival 2009, Day Three @ Donington Park, Derby

The sun is still shining for the final day of this festival and even the milky white Goths are starting to look like they’ve been on tanning beds. Dubbed 'soft rock' Sunday, its a day to kick back and relax. Black Stone Cherry allow for just that with a chunky southern rock sound just made for kicking back with a pint.

Equally it could only be on a day like today that Journey could perform. With possibly the warmest response for any band this weekend, the massive sing-a-long to the likes of 'Someday Love Will Find You' proves that this band mean a lot more to people than just a Family Guy joke. Inevitably though it is 'Don't Stop Believing' that finishes off their set in a fine style, ending probably the most surprisingly enjoyable act of the weekend.

Now for something a bit more technical. Dream Theatre perhaps don't get the respect in the UK that they do the US. Yet considering that every musician in the band seems to be a virtuoso I'm at a loss to work out why. Rolling through 'Pull Me Under' and 'Constant Motion', the usually quite jarring musical transgressions within these songs seem to iron out nicely live – even if they do go on for a while. For the record, this is definitely a band to check out live in future if technical rock is your thing.

Then comes arguably the highlight of the day. ZZ Top are living legends and it's far beyond me to work out why they aren't headlining. Nether-the-less this chunky afternoon slot allows for the audience to get off their heels, sit back and take in some of the best tunes in all of rock. The top boys may not be the most lively on the stage. Yet after 40 years on the road its commendable they're still on the road at all. So to see 'Sharp Dressed Man', 'La Grange' and 'Legs' (played on customised fluffy guitars) is a treat not wasted on this crowd. A final cover of 'Jail House Rock' rounds up a gig that will remain in the minds of many – as long as they've not had too much to drink by this point anyway.

All this slow rock is good but as the weekend draws to a close its time to rock things up a bit. And Papa Roach offer a surprisingly good go of it. These stalwarts are another band who have defied the nu-metal label and gone on to have a solid yet slightly poppy rock career. She loves me not and getting away with murder represent the better end of this career and is performed with convictions. And if new material Hollywood Whores, apparently directed at “Shitney Spears” and talentless celebs is as predictable a song subject as an Iraq war protest song, its made better by the heavy semi-classics 'Dead cell' and 'Last resort'. Not the band you'd plan for the penultimate act of the festival, but still not a bad all the same.

And for the finale, the choice of Trivium for one final rock out seemed logical. Next to Metallica, whose absence this weekend is strangely missing, this band are more than adequate second best. Brutally heavy and insanely catchy, Matt Heafy and co prove why they are still some of metal's brightest stars. Exhilarating in their performance and gracious to an audience who they make clear they feel in debt to, it’s the relationship between audience and band, both of whom are clearly excited about seeing the other, that makes this a special appearance. In terms of material its a good blend from all four albums, with even difficult third album 'The Crusade' throwing up some good songs. 'We Are The fire' for example transfers rather better to several thousand people than it did in  its moronic music video. Still the best material of night is all from Ascendancy. Rain is gripping while show stoppers Gun shot to the head of trepidation and 'Pull harder on the strings of your martyr' bring proceedings nicely to a close. By far the most fitting end to this festival, especially with reports that Def Leppard simply failed to pull it out the bag.

There are Those who consider Download only to be for black clad metal heads. I'd argue there's something for everyone. And with the range of bands here I'd also argue this was the place to be this summer over the likes of Reading and Leeds.   

Day three in photos: