One of the essential stops on the GROAT calendar, Download Festival has released its enormous second wave of artists to add to its most progressive, modern bill to date, headlined by Queens of the Stone Age, Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold.
We've picked out our favourite names so far on this monstrous line-up, taking it day by day across the three-day bonanza in Donington, from huge names to previous guests on the podcast.
Friday
The Dogtooth Stage is the place to be on the opening day of Download, heaped with friends of the podcast including Scowl, Zulu and Frozemode - who play one of the earliest slots at the festival. With industrial noise-botherers HEALTH also playing, it's the perfect way to ease into the festival before heading to the main stage to catch Royal Blood. The Brighton rockers have already subbed at Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds, so it's only right that they cement their status as the UK's breakout rock act of the past decade with a crowning slot at Download, before QOTSA close proceedings with a riff-tastic headline slot that's been years in the making.
Saturday
The middle day of Download is packed full of mainstays from the UK scene, with Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes returning to the main stage after headlining the 2021 pilot event off the back of their bold new album Dark Rainbow. Gel keep the hardcore vibes strong on the Dogtooth Stage, whilst friends of the podcast Heriot open the Opus stage; a well-deserved slot. While She Sleeps return to Donington off the back of a career-best show at Alexandra Palace, bringing their titanic metalcore straight after Tom Morello, in what's a rare solo appearance from the Rage Against The Machine guitarist.
Sunday
Closing out Download is the phenomenal triple-header of Avenged Sevenfold, Limp Bizkit and Sum 41, with the Canadian pop-punks to take the festival stage in the UK for one final time as they embark on their farewell tour. Electric Callboy return for the second year running with their comedy take on techno-metal, whilst friends of the podcast Tigercub appear on the Avalanche Stage. Code Orange are also another main stage highlight, bringing their genre-pushing hardcore to a humongous audience on the final day of the festival.
Download Festival 2024 tickets are on sale now.
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