Friday 13/06/08 Day One, Download Festival @ Donington Park, Leicestershire

So the weather is warm as Gigwise arrive at Download. With press passes tightly secured around our wrists, we head off to catch some rays/bands. The beers are flowing nicely so we’re well lubricated to check out some of the great bands on show.

We head over to the press tent to speak to Rise Against. They moonwalk for us, and we chill and hang out and scream ‘Moon Rock’ about a million times utilising the rock hand gesture like it’s going out of fashion. We joke that they should call their new album ‘Moon Rock’ (yeah blame Gigwise if that happens). They’re fucking cool bastards actually! Around the same time, Lemmy from Motorhead is doing a press conference (that guy is more metal than an iron bar being crushed into your skull) so Rise Against get a wee bit starstruck. We manage to catch a few minutes with Madina Lake about the same time, who tell us about their three album plan. When it comes to photo time, bassist Matthew dons a pipe and some sarcastic dude in another band, shouts “Nice prop dude!” For some reason, Gigwise finds this hilarious.

Afterwards, we catch a glimmer of about 1000 Kiss fans milling around, face painted up to death. There’s a nice photo op going on which we cash in on. Over on Turborg, Fall of Troy are amazing – we love a bit of Prog! They’re loud and raucous and cool as fuck. Well, we’re thrashing our balls out anyway. We find out that Kid Rock has cancelled his performance; he’s apparently in Nottinghamshire hospital attached to an intravenous drip (yeah, right).

It’s back to the press tent after that to grab Chuck from Simple Plan for a chat. He wants to spread rumours about Kid Rock’s no-show, whilst telling us about the band’s plan for world domination (“writing catchy songs that won’t get out of your head. And touring all around the world”) and what he thinks of bottling bands at festivals (“it’s kind of retarded”).

When we get back to the Turborg stage, Rival Schools are on. They play a couple of new songs, which pleases the crowd muchly, and obviously the rather wonderful ‘Used for Glue’. Without enough time to queue for the toilet (yeah, 30 minutes at last count – you best not be desperate or nowt), Rise Against hit the second stage. They rock the fuck out – obviously. No moon walking though, unfortunately.

Last band on the Turborg tonight is Simple Plan who, from our last visitation at the Astoria, should be awesome. Unfortunately their lead guitarist has left the building and gone home for ‘personal reasons’ so they’re pretty rubbish. The crowd goes a bit mad at the beginning of the set, even though lead singer, Pierre Bouvier asks the crowd if they’re having a good time in Birmingham (we’re in Castle Donington love!). He later shouts at some girl in the audience sat on a guy’s shoulders, “What’s that you want to have sex with me? Let’s do it up here onstage later.” (lovely!). They play both old (‘I’d Do Anything’) and new songs (‘Your Love is a Lie’ and ‘When I’m Gone’) but can’t leave the stage quick enough after the old school acoustic ‘Perfect’. It’s quite obvious by the end that something has punctured their balloon.

Over on the main stage, Kiss are kicking up a storm with a massive light display. We find ourselves giggling on the way home from the realisation that Black Dahlia Murder just ransacked Kid Rock’s dressing room, screaming “Kid Rock ruined my life!”. The poor guy is escorted off the premises by security but we love him just that little bit more. Kudos to you Brian! Bed time for us then…

All the action from Day One: