Download Festival 2013 on Friday
Download festival, Friday 14th June
Kevin Gaughan and Peter Coombs report
Scroll down for reviews of Papa Roach, Korn, Slipknot and Gogol Bordello.
Slideshow
13:00 Emperor Chung – Pepsi Max Stage
Having entered the colossal Download arena at mid-day on the Friday, I managed to have a quick look around to get my bearings and beer tokens before heading to the big blue marquee of the Pepsi Max stage in time for one of my local favourites, Emperor Chung.
A five piece from Nottingham/Derby named after something to do with a penguin, they entertained the capacity crowd with their melodic indie rock sounds with notable vocals and quality lyrics.
It was raining at this time, but even so, I was impressed to see the huge marquee full to capacity for one of the first acts of the day. There would have been over a thousand people in the marquee at this time.
Emperor Chung went down well with the crowd, finishing a quality set, although not setting the world on fire, with a healthy applause from the appreciative audience.
It was Emperor Chung’s debut Download performance, they were very lucky to have had the chance to play the biggest marquee, as most up and coming bands played in the smaller Red Bull marquee throughout the weekend.
I would imagine Emperor Chung would have been quite chuffed to have played to such a huge Download crowd.
Click here to see them perform at the festival.
14:45 Uriah Heep – Zippo Encore Stage
It was time to see one of my old favourites from the 80s – Uriah Heep. Playing on the second main stage outside, which was unfortunate due to the rain, this meant that, unlike Emperor Chung’s performance, Uriah Heep played to a smaller crowd than they would have liked.
Having formed in London in 1969, this band are known for their progressive /art rock/heavy metal sound with a strong keyboard presence and impressive vocals and harmonies, they have always been a highly respected, quality band, but never really making it into the limelight, always happy fizzing away in the background, enjoying what they do.
When I look forward to seeing a band that have been around this long, I usually end up getting disappointed watching a static, ageing, pot-bellied singer standing on the spot with his counterparts looking like they’re just going through the motions.
With Uriah Heep, I’m very pleased to report that they were the complete opposite. All members of the band had obviously looked after themselves and it felt as though I was watching a band that were maturing very nicely onto a new level.
With Mick Box, lead guitar, performing the entertaining show-off antics you’d expect from a lead guitarist and Bernie Shaw, a confident and charismatic front man, with the hallmark sustained signature vocals that set Heep apart from the crowd, this was one impressive performance from a nicely maturing band.
Having released their 23rd studio album in 2011, it feels like this band are STILL going from strength to strength.
An impressive performance from one of my old favourites.
Click here to see them perform at the festival.
18:15 Blood Command – Red Bull Stage
While taking in the sights of the soggy outdoor Jagermeister stage and the Red Bull Stage I noticed people marching into the Red Bull Stage with a matter of urgency – so I decided to march in myself.
I found Blood Command on full throttle.
Blood Command are a Norwegian hardcore quintet currently on their second UK tour. As they played the Red Bull Stage was rapidly filling up.
With Silje Tombre (female) on lead semi screamo vocals, looking a little angelic for this kind of affair and insisting on wrapping the microphone coil around her neck, she did a remarkable job of working the crowd into a frenzy.
Singing in English, with plenty of slower rock/hardcore melodies being churned out by the young guitarists, their music was good, balls gripping stuff, enough to entice the early evening crowd into a state of enthusiastic mosh.
Good stuff.
Click here to see them perform at the festival.
Peter Coombs writes:
Papa Roach
Undoubtedly one of the frontiers of nu-metal, Papa Roach kick my weekend off with a bang. The music was tight and the set well planned, with a good range of old and new. Fronted by Jacoby Shaddix – a truly natural front man, with unstoppable energy and vigour for his music; he recognises his fans, young and old, thanking them for the support as they celebrate their twentieth anniversary.
After a bath in the mud (with ample time to check his hair after), Shaddix and the boys get the crowds voices bellowing as they play Scars, emphasising Papa Roach’s success with the crowd almost drowning out the band.
An obvious closing song choice; Last Resort, finished an amazing, energetic, early daytime slot on the Main Stage; very entertaining!
Korn
Korn has always been one of my favourite bands, and when they play live it never fails to impress. This particular set came with the added excitement of ‘Head’ returning to play bass. Opening the set with Blind, their authoritative ownership of the stage was immediately established, followed by a rare performance of Twist – exampling Jonny D’s outrageously unique (and pure genius) vocal styling.
Two Skrillex combo’s thrown in from the new album get the ground moving, yet it’s the old school Shoots and Ladders bagpipe intro (harking right back to 1995) that gets the crowd really excited. Got the Life followed by Freak on a Leash shake the earth’s core and finish off an incredible set, reminding us why we all love Korn. Drummer Ray Luzier had a visibly meaningful moment to conclude their performance as the entire crowd sang him Happy Birthday.
Gogol Bordello
Perhaps an odd choice of band for some (there is always one each year), Gogol Bordello filled the stage with their eight colourful, emphatic and crazily talented musicians, in front of their crowd, huge and excited by the Gypsy Punk madness.
Tight and passionate, Eugene Hutz hammers his acoustic while vocally holding every song with undeniable talent and once Start Wearing Purple reached our ears, the entire crowd got their groove on. (It’s always amazing how us long haired, pierced and tattoo covered folk love a good boogie.)
Click here to see them perform at the festival.
Slipknot
After four years of heart-breaking silence – due to the passing of former bass player #2 Paul Gray – Slipknot made a triumphant return to Headline the first night of Download 2013. They remain, as always, a strong, passionate outfit, and now with Donnie Steele (one of the forming members) returning to stand in on the bass, they enter the stage to Billie Jo Spear’s song Get Behind Me Satan and Push. Then it begins, and oh my does it begin; Disasterpiece followed by Liberate kicked off their set with vigour, followed by the anthemic Wait and Bleed, the first chance for the crowd to attempt to overpower Corey’s vocals.
Unfortunately the set was stopped as early as the fifth song (and again later), due to the security barrier giving way to the vicious metal hordes. Corey took this in his stride and chatted to the crowd, emphasised the importance of our safety and helping security as they scrambled to repair the damage.
This, however, had no negative affect on the set what-so-ever; the band continued to impress, unstoppable energy pulses through every song and despite the masks, the Iowa boys somehow seem emotionally closer and fervently embrace the 90 thousand strong crowds more than any other performer. When Corey invited us all to sing in memory of Paul, he begins “I push my fingers into my…” and the emotional mass sing Duality in its entirety in adoration for their fallen idol.
After announcing that Slipknot will “be seeing all of you again…much sooner than you think”, the band close the main part of their set with Spit It Out, during which the crowd were ordered to “sit the f**k down” before launching into a 90,000 strong mosh pit; Incredible!
The instrumental 742617000027 plays as the band reappeared on stage for their encore, consisting of (sic), People = Shit and Surfacing. What a way to end day one… absolutely outstanding!
Click here, here or here to see them perform at the festival.