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The Ultimate Download Festival 2007 Thread
Use this thread to discuss anything to do with the festival
I'll be updating it regularly to reflect the additions to the lineup, as well as news about the festival, providing a guide to the festival itself, festival survival guide and tips for getting the most out of the weekend, with weather forecasts nearer the time.
D minus 1 Day and counting!
:: Download 2007 ::
Venue - Donington Park, Leicestershire
Dates - 8th, 9th, 10th June (Campsite opens Wed 6th June 12pm and closes Monday 12pm)
Weekend ticket price (inc. camping) - £145
Weekend arena ticket - £125 (All tickets subject to booking fees)
Pre-booked car parking - £6
Organiser - LiveNation
:: Lineup ::
Currently confirmed: (Running order subject to change!)
FRIDAY
Main Stage
My ChemicalToilet Romance
Velvet Revolver
Wolfmother
Dragonforce
Megadeth
Hinder
Buckcherry
Zico Chain
The Dimebag Darrel Stage
Korn
Enter Shikari
Paramore
Porcupine Tree
Saosin
From autumn to Ashes
Turbonegro
Ill Nino
ANJ (Myspace)
Tuborg Stage
Suicidal Tendencies
Hayseed Dixie
Yourcodenameis:Milo
Job For A Cowboy
The Hedrons
Sanctity
I was a Cub Scout (Myspace page)
This Et Al
Cynic
Drive By Argument
SATURDAY
Main Stage
Linkin Park
Marilyn Manson
Slayer
Machine Head
Bowling For Soup
30 Seconds to Mars
Aiden
Shadows Fall
HELLYEAH
Turisas
The Dimebag Darrel Stage
Mötley Crüe
Satellite Party
Biffy Clyro
My Vitriol
My Dying Bride
Gallows
Anathema
As I Lay Dying
Bring me the Horizon
Bloodsimple
After Forever
Elliot Minor
Cat The Dog (Myspace link)
Tuborg Stage
Head Automatica
Necro
The Answer
Silverstein
Lez Zeppelin
Architects
Priestess
Panic Cell (Myspace link)
Beyond all Reason (Myspace Page)
My Alamo (Myspace link)
Damone
Army Of Freshman
Malpractice (Band Website)
SUNDAY
Main Stage
Iron Maiden
Evanescence
Killswitch Engage
Stone Sour
Lamb of God
Mastodon
Papa Roach
Chimaira
Reuben
Parikrama
The Dimebag Darrel Stage
Billy Talent
Dream Theatre
Dimmu Borgir
Within Temptation
Napalm Death
Orange Goblin
Devil Driver
Unearth
Cancer Bats
Eyelash (Band Website)
Tuborg Stage
Reel Big Fish
Fastway
Cult of Luna
Lauren Harris
Fair To Midland
Kids in Glass Houses
Between the Trees
Flood Of Red
Hardcore Superstar
Lights.Action!
In This Moment
Voodoo Six (Myspace link)
Lost Alone
Bands confirmed but not assigned to stages/days
The Higher
Currently confirmed: (Running order subject to change!)
FRIDAY
Main Stage
My Chemical
Velvet Revolver
Wolfmother
Dragonforce
Megadeth
Hinder
Buckcherry
Zico Chain
The Dimebag Darrel Stage
Korn
Enter Shikari
Paramore
Porcupine Tree
Saosin
From autumn to Ashes
Turbonegro
Ill Nino
ANJ (Myspace)
Tuborg Stage
Suicidal Tendencies
Hayseed Dixie
Yourcodenameis:Milo
Job For A Cowboy
The Hedrons
Sanctity
I was a Cub Scout (Myspace page)
This Et Al
Cynic
Drive By Argument
SATURDAY
Main Stage
Linkin Park
Marilyn Manson
Slayer
Machine Head
Bowling For Soup
30 Seconds to Mars
Aiden
Shadows Fall
HELLYEAH
Turisas
The Dimebag Darrel Stage
Mötley Crüe
Satellite Party
Biffy Clyro
My Vitriol
My Dying Bride
Gallows
Anathema
As I Lay Dying
Bring me the Horizon
Bloodsimple
After Forever
Elliot Minor
Cat The Dog (Myspace link)
Tuborg Stage
Head Automatica
Necro
The Answer
Silverstein
Lez Zeppelin
Architects
Priestess
Panic Cell (Myspace link)
Beyond all Reason (Myspace Page)
My Alamo (Myspace link)
Damone
Army Of Freshman
Malpractice (Band Website)
SUNDAY
Main Stage
Iron Maiden
Evanescence
Killswitch Engage
Stone Sour
Lamb of God
Mastodon
Papa Roach
Chimaira
Reuben
Parikrama
The Dimebag Darrel Stage
Billy Talent
Dream Theatre
Dimmu Borgir
Within Temptation
Napalm Death
Orange Goblin
Devil Driver
Unearth
Cancer Bats
Eyelash (Band Website)
Tuborg Stage
Reel Big Fish
Fastway
Cult of Luna
Lauren Harris
Fair To Midland
Kids in Glass Houses
Between the Trees
Flood Of Red
Hardcore Superstar
Lights.Action!
In This Moment
Voodoo Six (Myspace link)
Lost Alone
Bands confirmed but not assigned to stages/days
The Higher
Latest Additions
Silverstein, My Alamo, Fastway, Cat The Dog, Damone, Voodoo Six, Priestess, In This Moment, Fair To Midland, As I Lay Dying, Flood Of Red, Army Of Freshman, Lost Alone, Eliot Minor, Cynic, Panic Cell and Architects
:
seful websites:: www.downloadfestival.co.uk
http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/download/2007/
Scroll to see replies
Mad Vlad's guide to Download Festival
Foreword On Planning
Planning is best done in advance, not at the last minute. With about a week to go, you should really be getting stuff together right about now. This guide will help you plan for the weekend so that when you’re there, you don’t have to worry about x, y and z and can just get on with having a rocking good time.
Packing
Ahh… the art of packing. Being able to cram as much crap as you can into bags as possible.
Yes, packing all your stuff is time consuming but rewarding if you do it in a logical way.
Firstly, you’ll need a good bag. I’d recommend a 50 litre rucksack. It should be enough for all your clothes, food and camping equipment. As a matter of fact, I managed with a 35 litre rucksack last year quite well. We’ll return to this in a moment, as first, I want you to consider what you’re going to bring.
What to bring
You’ll need the bare essentials ONLY. I can’t stress this enough – bringing half your wardrobe isn’t necessary or practical.
You’ll need the following:
Tickets – Don’t be a dimwit and forget your tickets!
Tent – Possibly one of the most important things you’ll be taking. It’ll be your home for the 3-5 days you’re at Download. There are some very key aspects you need to consider when getting a tent. How many people you’re going to need it to house? Is it waterproof? How simple is it going to be to erect and dismantle? How heavy is it? Is it good quality?
How many people is it going to need to house: This is obvious. You’re not going to be able to comfortably house 6 people in a 2 man tent. Personally, I prefer to use a tent that is 1 man bigger than you need it to be. The benefits are 3-fold: It means that you can store all your stuff in there comfortably AND be able to use it to sleep in, avoid awkward moments where you’ve accidentally rolled over and started hugging your mate in your sleep, and there’s room for 1 extra person, should someone take your fancy during the weekend.
Is it waterproof: with the weather looking a little disappointing this year, it would be wise to make sure you don’t get a lemon of a tent like my housemate did last year.
How simple is it to erect and dismantle: If it’s pissing it down with rain, or baking hot, the last thing you want to be doing is arsing about trying to put pole Q into eyelet 4b. You don’t need the Ritz of tents, you just need something practical and simple. A lot of tents these days have colour coded poles and stuff, meaning it’s possibly to erect even if the English instructions have been destroyed and you’re just left with “Le grille” French instructions. Similarly, you need something that is going to be easy to dismantle as well.
Top tip here is to get the tent out when you’re at home and practice putting it up and taking it down again. Repeat this until it becomes really easy and you can put it up from memory. You’ll realise how helpful this is on the day.
How heavy is it: You don’t want to be lugging around a 3 tonne monster tent in the pouring rain/baking heat. It’s an added burden you don’t need. You only need a light, practical tent.
Quality: A good tent will last you for years and years to come – that’s a lot of Downloads! Even though the organisers are operating a scheme to recycle tents that have been left at the site, I’d certainly urge you to get a good quality tent that you can just reuse – it makes future visits to Download (or other festivals) less expensive. If you do leave your tent at the festival, please co-operate with the organisers and hand it in at one of the designated drop off points on site. More info on this can be found HERE
That’s the tent covered.
Other items you’ll need:
Sleeping Bag – It doesn’t have to be one fit for Mount Everest, just a decent sleeping bag that does what it says on the tin. If you’re cold, sleep in some (dry) clothes.
Clothes – Decide what you’re going to wear each day and stick with it - 1 T-shirt per day and 2 pairs of trousers max and a pair of shorts. (Tip) Jeans are kack when they get wet. I’d advise on a couple of pairs of zip off combats, or some army surplus stuff. Reasonably cheap and giving you the flexibility for all weathers.
Socks
Pants
Hoodie/Coat – Regardless of the weather, it gets bloody freezing at night. I made this mistake in 2005 and just bought hot weather clothes and absolutely froze my arse off at night. I had to take a trip to the Market and get myself a hoodie. Come on… I was young, foolish and a festival virgin.
A cagoule may be a wise addition to make standing out in the rain a little more pleasant.
Sturdy footwear – You’re going to be on your feet for a sizeable part of the weekend. Wear something sensible like a good pair of walking boots or some broken in army boots. I’ve found that skate shoes are usually good if it’s dry, so, providing that it doesn’t rain too much, consider this for just lounging about the campsite.
Mini-bag – This is a bag to take into the arena to keep your valuables safe and maybe carry a bottle of water or 2. It doesn’t have to be a suitcase; literally just big enough to carry a coat, phone and stuff.
Bog roll – Bring a roll. It’s not normally provided for. Personally, I prefer to constipate myself than have to make use of the facilities there. There is always a Pringles tube if you’re really desperate… (!)
Baby wipes – Vitally important. Unless you fancy queuing in the morning for a shower, baby wipes are going to be the only real source of cleanliness over the weekend. Compact and effective.
Deoderant – You’re going to stink badly enough as it is, don’t add to it with the sweet smell of BO. Remember, though – you can’t take aerosols into the arena with you, so if you do want some deodorant you can take everywhere with you if you think you’re whiffing a bit, get a roll-on.
Food – I usually survive the festival eating nothing but Biscuits, Pringles and Haribo. I did it for 2005, last year I bought a burger at the local van (£5!!!!11111) and bought some bread, butter and crisps from the on-site shoppe and had some crisp sandwiches.
Some people choose to get tinned stuff they can eat cold. The trick here is to get stuff that is simple, full of carbohydrates and energy that will keep you going, that is compact and easy to prepare. Obviously, don’t bring stuff that needs refrigerating (my friends last year, bless them, brought meat products :>.<: kinda forgetting the lack of refrigerator!)
Remember, there is food on site, but it’s expensive. There is, also, a couple of supermarkets within 20 mins walk of Download, including a Tesco. If you run out of food, don’t give in and get a nasty burger or summat, go and get some proper food from the supermarket. It’s really not that much of a mission!
Drink – “Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink”. Water is a very useful commodity, without it, you’ll end up in hospital. Make sure you drink plenty of water over the weekend, particularly when the weather’s warm. I’d recommend taking 2 or 3 2litre bottles of water to Download. There are water stations around the site where you can refill your bottle for free.
Alcohol – Always good, however there’s a bit of guidance on it. No glass is allowed. Therefore, if you’re bringing beer, get it in cans. If you’re bringing spirits (which I strongly advise as it’s less bulky than a crate of beer) decant these into plastic bottles BEFORE you set off. I’ve seen poor buggers get stopped at the gate and told, decant, drink or dump because they’ve brought their vodka in a glass bottle.
Remember, drink responsibly – it’s better to get a bit tipsy and have a good time than to get totally wrecked and not remember what will be a great weekend.
http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
Bin Bags – Good for putting dirty/soggy clothes in. Also, good for keeping your campsite tidy! *puts on eco hat* Do your bit for the environment and clean up after yourself by disposing of your rubbish correctly and recycling as much as possible. Download won the award for the least environmentally friendly festival last year IIRC – a recycled wooden spoon if there ever was one. The organisers are spending a lot of money to make it different this year. Help them along a bit.
Sun cream – Less so this year if the forecast is correct, but still, if the sun does come out, don’t risk it, slap some sun cream on. Even if it’s kinda overcast, you might still want to put some on because UV levels are high at this time of year. Burnt skin is not only painful, but also risky in terms of cancer. I wore factor 25 all weekend last year and came back looking like I was half caste, and that was AFTER I’d had a shower to take all the dust off!
Hat – I wear hats at Download for 2 reasons. My hair looks a mess and to keep the sun off my ears. There’ll no doubt be an added reason this year, to keep your head dry. Hats are good.
Medication – If you have any prescription meds, remember to take them with you. Also, it’s a good idea to bring along a little first aid kit containing, Paracetamol, Alka Seltzer, Savlon spray, plasters and scissors. If you’re asthmatic, make sure you bring your inhalers and keep your blue one on you. Make people around you aware of what medication you’re taking and always tell people of any allergies you have. Information like this can be invaluable if you suddenly get taken ill and need medical assistance.
Pence – This one’s important, because you might want to buy stuff while you’re at the festival.
[Edit] Condoms - Ooh... now that I think about it... Bring a couple, whether you're out for fun or not, male or female. You never know when you might meet someone... It'd be wise to come prepared. Remember Kids! STAY SAFE!
What not to Bring
Bazookas, machine guns, machetes.
Seriously though… Anything glass, weapons (including knives) – a small penknife may even be confiscated. Laser pens, semtex.
Drugs are also another contentious issue… security use dogs on the gate to detect drugs. It would be wise not to bring them. Drugs, no matter how “soft”, are illegal.
I think that covers everything there, so back to packing!
Pack in a logical order. Don’t make the classic mistake of packing your tickets at the bottom of your bag. It makes you look a pillock, as well as annoying everyone around you for holding the line up at the gate!
Fold you clothes and only pack what you need. The kitchen sink isn’t going to work in the middle of a field! Be sensible. You can take a couple of luxuries if you want, but don’t go overboard.
Getting there…
Donington Park is served by a number of major trunk routes by road and by rail. I would suggest you have a look at the Download festival website http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/info/ for more info on getting to Donington.
On arrival…
It’ll be busy. Simple as. 75,000 people converging on a field doesn’t happen without planning and co-ordination. Expect to be standing around not moving anywhere initially. Always follow the instructions of the stewards, even when they tell you to do something retarded… they’re doing it for a reason and that reason usually becomes apparent when you turn the corner, or when an emergency service vehicle whizzes past as to the reason why you were told to do it.
Arrive as early as possible. The doors open at 12pm on Wednesday. You pay for the privilege of arriving this early, why not take advantage of it? It gets busier towards Thursday evening and Friday morning is pushing it a bit. You run the risk of missing bands. Besides, the atmosphere is fantastic! Soak it up and enjoy Wednesday and Thursday meeting new people and having a laugh!
Setting up camp…
Get your tent set up as soon as you can, help out people having problems. I’ve made some ****ing awesome friends doing this. The sooner you set up camp, the sooner you can explore the site and relax.
Some golden rules with setting up camp, though:
Don’t camp at the bottom of a hill. Rainwater goes downhill…
Don’t camp next to the loos (The memories of seeing the poo truck spray human waste all over someone’s tent was just too hilarious in 2005) They smell really bad and it’s not something you want to wake up to. Mmm… vitamin S.
Yes. The loos are terrible. Grin and bear it, remember: Everyone’s in the same boat. (Except those lucky RIP pass holders… *grr*)
Keep guy ropes as close to your tent as you can, they’re a classic tripping hazard.
Try and organise you and your friends’ tents in such a way that you’re in a circle. Arranging tents like this is beneficial for allowing everyone to focus on a central camp area, and also to prevent any crime.
You’ll also find that fold up chairs and stools are excellent luxuries to bring; cheap too at £5-10 a pop.
Getting around the site:
Once you’ve set up camp, why not have a look around? It would be wise to know where your nearest toilet block, water point and security hut are. In addition, have a look around the market and locate the welfare tents and other important places are. I’d recommend doing this fairly early on. It’s not difficult to find your way round Download. Unlike festivals like Glastonbury, it’s largely open plan, whereas Glasto is all secluded in trees and hedgerows. Investing in a lanyard and map is probably wise too. It tells you the times the bands are playing as well as showing you where things are in glorious Technicolor. (That’s if they’re doing it this year… ^o))
Once again, follow the instructions of the stewards at all times.
“The One Way System”
To get to the Dimebag Darrell stage, there is a bottleneck. You will need to follow the one way system to get in and out of this stage. Always follow the signs and instructions of security. This is in place for everyone’s safety as irritating and inconvenient as it can be.
What’s on?
Around the site, in the village or the market in the campsite, there’s loads of stuff to do. You can find a full listing of what’s happening this year again on the Download website, at: http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/news/
Take advantage of everything that’s going on, it’s a good laugh and you’ll find that you’ll probably meet loads of cool new people.
Talk to your neighbours, they might be organising something fun and you might be invited. Go out of your way to make the weekend as memorable as possible.
What to do:
If you’re lost, ill, injured, or just in difficulty there is support available. Security are probably your first port of call. Every campsite this year will have a security point in the centre. They will be pretty obvious as they have tall watchtowers. Security will be able to put you in the right direction or get help for you.
On site, there are first aid points and welfare points where you can go if you’re not feeling well. Or if you’re not having a great time and need someone to talk to, the Samaritans are also on site to lend an ear.
A note about security:
Security are there to help and ensure everyone has a good time, safely. Yes, they can be irritating when they spoil your fun, but they’ll only do it for a good reason. If you’ve got a complaint about security personnel, everyone has a numbered jacket/t-shirt so get the guard’s number and visit the command tent/Portakabin.
Packing up:
After the weekend, you’ll be looking at the daunting task of packing your stuff back up. Use the same methodical method of packing as you employed when packing your stuff to COME to Download. Theoretically, you should have more room coming back as you’ll have no booze, food etc to carry.
Don’t leave stuff behind. It’s wasteful and leaves a terrible mess. Leave your campsite how you found it, but clearing up any rubbish and stuff that you may have lying around. Even if you just leave your rubbish in a black bag, at least you’ve cleaned up and got it ready for collection. There will be designated points for depositing rubbish dotted around the campsites.
Hopefully, this has been helpful to you. Any additions that you think need to be made, let me know.
Have a ****ing good Download everyone. :bang: :bang: :bang:
Foreword On Planning
Planning is best done in advance, not at the last minute. With about a week to go, you should really be getting stuff together right about now. This guide will help you plan for the weekend so that when you’re there, you don’t have to worry about x, y and z and can just get on with having a rocking good time.
Packing
Ahh… the art of packing. Being able to cram as much crap as you can into bags as possible.
Yes, packing all your stuff is time consuming but rewarding if you do it in a logical way.
Firstly, you’ll need a good bag. I’d recommend a 50 litre rucksack. It should be enough for all your clothes, food and camping equipment. As a matter of fact, I managed with a 35 litre rucksack last year quite well. We’ll return to this in a moment, as first, I want you to consider what you’re going to bring.
What to bring
You’ll need the bare essentials ONLY. I can’t stress this enough – bringing half your wardrobe isn’t necessary or practical.
You’ll need the following:
Tickets – Don’t be a dimwit and forget your tickets!
Tent – Possibly one of the most important things you’ll be taking. It’ll be your home for the 3-5 days you’re at Download. There are some very key aspects you need to consider when getting a tent. How many people you’re going to need it to house? Is it waterproof? How simple is it going to be to erect and dismantle? How heavy is it? Is it good quality?
How many people is it going to need to house: This is obvious. You’re not going to be able to comfortably house 6 people in a 2 man tent. Personally, I prefer to use a tent that is 1 man bigger than you need it to be. The benefits are 3-fold: It means that you can store all your stuff in there comfortably AND be able to use it to sleep in, avoid awkward moments where you’ve accidentally rolled over and started hugging your mate in your sleep, and there’s room for 1 extra person, should someone take your fancy during the weekend.
Is it waterproof: with the weather looking a little disappointing this year, it would be wise to make sure you don’t get a lemon of a tent like my housemate did last year.
How simple is it to erect and dismantle: If it’s pissing it down with rain, or baking hot, the last thing you want to be doing is arsing about trying to put pole Q into eyelet 4b. You don’t need the Ritz of tents, you just need something practical and simple. A lot of tents these days have colour coded poles and stuff, meaning it’s possibly to erect even if the English instructions have been destroyed and you’re just left with “Le grille” French instructions. Similarly, you need something that is going to be easy to dismantle as well.
Top tip here is to get the tent out when you’re at home and practice putting it up and taking it down again. Repeat this until it becomes really easy and you can put it up from memory. You’ll realise how helpful this is on the day.
How heavy is it: You don’t want to be lugging around a 3 tonne monster tent in the pouring rain/baking heat. It’s an added burden you don’t need. You only need a light, practical tent.
Quality: A good tent will last you for years and years to come – that’s a lot of Downloads! Even though the organisers are operating a scheme to recycle tents that have been left at the site, I’d certainly urge you to get a good quality tent that you can just reuse – it makes future visits to Download (or other festivals) less expensive. If you do leave your tent at the festival, please co-operate with the organisers and hand it in at one of the designated drop off points on site. More info on this can be found HERE
That’s the tent covered.
Other items you’ll need:
Sleeping Bag – It doesn’t have to be one fit for Mount Everest, just a decent sleeping bag that does what it says on the tin. If you’re cold, sleep in some (dry) clothes.
Clothes – Decide what you’re going to wear each day and stick with it - 1 T-shirt per day and 2 pairs of trousers max and a pair of shorts. (Tip) Jeans are kack when they get wet. I’d advise on a couple of pairs of zip off combats, or some army surplus stuff. Reasonably cheap and giving you the flexibility for all weathers.
Socks
Pants
Hoodie/Coat – Regardless of the weather, it gets bloody freezing at night. I made this mistake in 2005 and just bought hot weather clothes and absolutely froze my arse off at night. I had to take a trip to the Market and get myself a hoodie. Come on… I was young, foolish and a festival virgin.
A cagoule may be a wise addition to make standing out in the rain a little more pleasant.
Sturdy footwear – You’re going to be on your feet for a sizeable part of the weekend. Wear something sensible like a good pair of walking boots or some broken in army boots. I’ve found that skate shoes are usually good if it’s dry, so, providing that it doesn’t rain too much, consider this for just lounging about the campsite.
Mini-bag – This is a bag to take into the arena to keep your valuables safe and maybe carry a bottle of water or 2. It doesn’t have to be a suitcase; literally just big enough to carry a coat, phone and stuff.
Bog roll – Bring a roll. It’s not normally provided for. Personally, I prefer to constipate myself than have to make use of the facilities there. There is always a Pringles tube if you’re really desperate… (!)
Baby wipes – Vitally important. Unless you fancy queuing in the morning for a shower, baby wipes are going to be the only real source of cleanliness over the weekend. Compact and effective.
Deoderant – You’re going to stink badly enough as it is, don’t add to it with the sweet smell of BO. Remember, though – you can’t take aerosols into the arena with you, so if you do want some deodorant you can take everywhere with you if you think you’re whiffing a bit, get a roll-on.
Food – I usually survive the festival eating nothing but Biscuits, Pringles and Haribo. I did it for 2005, last year I bought a burger at the local van (£5!!!!11111) and bought some bread, butter and crisps from the on-site shoppe and had some crisp sandwiches.
Some people choose to get tinned stuff they can eat cold. The trick here is to get stuff that is simple, full of carbohydrates and energy that will keep you going, that is compact and easy to prepare. Obviously, don’t bring stuff that needs refrigerating (my friends last year, bless them, brought meat products :>.<: kinda forgetting the lack of refrigerator!)
Remember, there is food on site, but it’s expensive. There is, also, a couple of supermarkets within 20 mins walk of Download, including a Tesco. If you run out of food, don’t give in and get a nasty burger or summat, go and get some proper food from the supermarket. It’s really not that much of a mission!
Drink – “Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink”. Water is a very useful commodity, without it, you’ll end up in hospital. Make sure you drink plenty of water over the weekend, particularly when the weather’s warm. I’d recommend taking 2 or 3 2litre bottles of water to Download. There are water stations around the site where you can refill your bottle for free.
Alcohol – Always good, however there’s a bit of guidance on it. No glass is allowed. Therefore, if you’re bringing beer, get it in cans. If you’re bringing spirits (which I strongly advise as it’s less bulky than a crate of beer) decant these into plastic bottles BEFORE you set off. I’ve seen poor buggers get stopped at the gate and told, decant, drink or dump because they’ve brought their vodka in a glass bottle.
Remember, drink responsibly – it’s better to get a bit tipsy and have a good time than to get totally wrecked and not remember what will be a great weekend.
http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
Bin Bags – Good for putting dirty/soggy clothes in. Also, good for keeping your campsite tidy! *puts on eco hat* Do your bit for the environment and clean up after yourself by disposing of your rubbish correctly and recycling as much as possible. Download won the award for the least environmentally friendly festival last year IIRC – a recycled wooden spoon if there ever was one. The organisers are spending a lot of money to make it different this year. Help them along a bit.
Sun cream – Less so this year if the forecast is correct, but still, if the sun does come out, don’t risk it, slap some sun cream on. Even if it’s kinda overcast, you might still want to put some on because UV levels are high at this time of year. Burnt skin is not only painful, but also risky in terms of cancer. I wore factor 25 all weekend last year and came back looking like I was half caste, and that was AFTER I’d had a shower to take all the dust off!
Hat – I wear hats at Download for 2 reasons. My hair looks a mess and to keep the sun off my ears. There’ll no doubt be an added reason this year, to keep your head dry. Hats are good.
Medication – If you have any prescription meds, remember to take them with you. Also, it’s a good idea to bring along a little first aid kit containing, Paracetamol, Alka Seltzer, Savlon spray, plasters and scissors. If you’re asthmatic, make sure you bring your inhalers and keep your blue one on you. Make people around you aware of what medication you’re taking and always tell people of any allergies you have. Information like this can be invaluable if you suddenly get taken ill and need medical assistance.
Pence – This one’s important, because you might want to buy stuff while you’re at the festival.
[Edit] Condoms - Ooh... now that I think about it... Bring a couple, whether you're out for fun or not, male or female. You never know when you might meet someone... It'd be wise to come prepared. Remember Kids! STAY SAFE!
What not to Bring
Bazookas, machine guns, machetes.
Seriously though… Anything glass, weapons (including knives) – a small penknife may even be confiscated. Laser pens, semtex.
Drugs are also another contentious issue… security use dogs on the gate to detect drugs. It would be wise not to bring them. Drugs, no matter how “soft”, are illegal.
I think that covers everything there, so back to packing!
Pack in a logical order. Don’t make the classic mistake of packing your tickets at the bottom of your bag. It makes you look a pillock, as well as annoying everyone around you for holding the line up at the gate!
Fold you clothes and only pack what you need. The kitchen sink isn’t going to work in the middle of a field! Be sensible. You can take a couple of luxuries if you want, but don’t go overboard.
Getting there…
Donington Park is served by a number of major trunk routes by road and by rail. I would suggest you have a look at the Download festival website http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/info/ for more info on getting to Donington.
On arrival…
It’ll be busy. Simple as. 75,000 people converging on a field doesn’t happen without planning and co-ordination. Expect to be standing around not moving anywhere initially. Always follow the instructions of the stewards, even when they tell you to do something retarded… they’re doing it for a reason and that reason usually becomes apparent when you turn the corner, or when an emergency service vehicle whizzes past as to the reason why you were told to do it.
Arrive as early as possible. The doors open at 12pm on Wednesday. You pay for the privilege of arriving this early, why not take advantage of it? It gets busier towards Thursday evening and Friday morning is pushing it a bit. You run the risk of missing bands. Besides, the atmosphere is fantastic! Soak it up and enjoy Wednesday and Thursday meeting new people and having a laugh!
Setting up camp…
Get your tent set up as soon as you can, help out people having problems. I’ve made some ****ing awesome friends doing this.
The sooner you set up camp, the sooner you can explore the site and relax.Some golden rules with setting up camp, though:
Don’t camp at the bottom of a hill. Rainwater goes downhill…
Don’t camp next to the loos (The memories of seeing the poo truck spray human waste all over someone’s tent was just too hilarious in 2005) They smell really bad and it’s not something you want to wake up to. Mmm… vitamin S.
Yes. The loos are terrible. Grin and bear it, remember: Everyone’s in the same boat.
(Except those lucky RIP pass holders… *grr*)Keep guy ropes as close to your tent as you can, they’re a classic tripping hazard.
Try and organise you and your friends’ tents in such a way that you’re in a circle. Arranging tents like this is beneficial for allowing everyone to focus on a central camp area, and also to prevent any crime.
You’ll also find that fold up chairs and stools are excellent luxuries to bring; cheap too at £5-10 a pop.
Getting around the site:
Once you’ve set up camp, why not have a look around? It would be wise to know where your nearest toilet block, water point and security hut are. In addition, have a look around the market and locate the welfare tents and other important places are. I’d recommend doing this fairly early on. It’s not difficult to find your way round Download. Unlike festivals like Glastonbury, it’s largely open plan, whereas Glasto is all secluded in trees and hedgerows. Investing in a lanyard and map is probably wise too. It tells you the times the bands are playing as well as showing you where things are in glorious Technicolor. (That’s if they’re doing it this year… ^o))
Once again, follow the instructions of the stewards at all times.
“The One Way System”
To get to the Dimebag Darrell stage, there is a bottleneck. You will need to follow the one way system to get in and out of this stage. Always follow the signs and instructions of security. This is in place for everyone’s safety as irritating and inconvenient as it can be.
What’s on?
Around the site, in the village or the market in the campsite, there’s loads of stuff to do. You can find a full listing of what’s happening this year again on the Download website, at: http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/news/
Take advantage of everything that’s going on, it’s a good laugh and you’ll find that you’ll probably meet loads of cool new people.
Talk to your neighbours, they might be organising something fun and you might be invited. Go out of your way to make the weekend as memorable as possible.
What to do:
If you’re lost, ill, injured, or just in difficulty there is support available. Security are probably your first port of call. Every campsite this year will have a security point in the centre. They will be pretty obvious as they have tall watchtowers. Security will be able to put you in the right direction or get help for you.
On site, there are first aid points and welfare points where you can go if you’re not feeling well. Or if you’re not having a great time and need someone to talk to, the Samaritans are also on site to lend an ear.
A note about security:
Security are there to help and ensure everyone has a good time, safely. Yes, they can be irritating when they spoil your fun, but they’ll only do it for a good reason. If you’ve got a complaint about security personnel, everyone has a numbered jacket/t-shirt so get the guard’s number and visit the command tent/Portakabin.
Packing up:
After the weekend, you’ll be looking at the daunting task of packing your stuff back up. Use the same methodical method of packing as you employed when packing your stuff to COME to Download. Theoretically, you should have more room coming back as you’ll have no booze, food etc to carry.
Don’t leave stuff behind. It’s wasteful and leaves a terrible mess. Leave your campsite how you found it, but clearing up any rubbish and stuff that you may have lying around. Even if you just leave your rubbish in a black bag, at least you’ve cleaned up and got it ready for collection. There will be designated points for depositing rubbish dotted around the campsites.
Hopefully, this has been helpful to you. Any additions that you think need to be made, let me know.
Have a ****ing good Download everyone. :bang: :bang: :bang:
:: Latest News and Weather ::
Metcheck.com provides an event forecast for Download. You can track it, Here
Festival Map's been released. Quite similar to last year in most respects. http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/map/Download_07_Map.html
FYI, I'll probably be in Y3 like last year. Come search for me and my cronies if you like. We'll have a white flag up with (i think) "Nutter's Asylum" on it. Failing that, I've got my Pirate Flag
Metcheck.com provides an event forecast for Download. You can track it, Here
Festival Map's been released. Quite similar to last year in most respects. http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/map/Download_07_Map.html
FYI, I'll probably be in Y3 like last year. Come search for me and my cronies if you like. We'll have a white flag up with (i think) "Nutter's Asylum" on it. Failing that, I've got my Pirate Flag
[Reserved for Postive Comment]
This is THE definitive thread! 
When did Marilyn Manson and the bands not placed on days/stages sign up for it?! i heard nothing about that.
Rage Against The Machine for Download!!!!
Rage Against The Machine for Download!!!!
Oh yeah, i see it now. If slayer of all people were under my chemical romance i could see half the folk boycotting the festival
I might be going this year, but only because a mates band is apparently playing there this year, so might get my lazy ass there to see that, and a few others.
But MCR & Linkin Park makes me think otherwise..
Price is a Bit Steep, because it's only worth going there for the whole weekend
Anyway.. Yeh.
But MCR & Linkin Park makes me think otherwise..
Price is a Bit Steep, because it's only worth going there for the whole weekend
Anyway.. Yeh.
SmilerNuts
Oh yeah, i see it now. If slayer of all people were under my chemical romance i could see half the folk boycotting the festival
I doubt it.
Remember, it's only one band... there's 2 other stages which will offer suitable alternatives and besides - there's so much else to do as well as watching the bands. Don't let it get to you.
Tool were hardly magnificent last year - there were many other bands that deserved the friday night headline slot more than they did. Friday's got a bit of a heritage of crap headliners in all fairness - Feeder '05, Tool last year, now MCR. The rest of the festival will rock - if not for the music, the atmosphere, the people, and the random shouting of TIMMAYYYYY
Trexx
Was disappointed to see My Chemical Romance headlining...
Marilyn Manson...might be something to see
Last year Prodigy pwned everything...
Yeah last year was great and it started raining after the last day which was awesome.
Marilyn Manson...might be something to see
Last year Prodigy pwned everything...
Yeah last year was great and it started raining after the last day which was awesome.
Indeed. Prodigy - arguably the 2nd best band I've ever seen live... EVER. They were first till I saw Muse, but they come a very VERY close second in my book.
Speaking of weather - my long term forecast is predicting scorching temps to start with, cooling off with rain saturday.
It's been dry for IIRC, 4 years running now... I'm predicting rain!Mad Vlad
Speaking of weather - my long term forecast is predicting scorching temps to start with, cooling off with rain saturday. It's been dry for IIRC, 4 years running now... I'm predicting rain!
That's more or less how it was last year.
It was scorching Friday, Saturday and Sunday and begin raining on Monday.
My t-shirt had a lot of holes in it, like fishnet...friends called me a pokadot turk at the end of the day...
And all the goths in their bondage outfits wearing factor 50
They had to throw water at us in the Snickers tent when the Prodigy was playing, ah I was so close to Keith...
A riot started in the normal camping area (I was in Media)
I've still got my VIP wrist bands, ah memories.
If people do go, should assign a place to meet up...
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