Donington Park, Derby

 

The Download Festival has received the following awards:
2003 – “Event of the Year” - Kerrang! Awards
2004 – “Best Event or Performance Site” - BT Digital Music Awards
2004 – “The Best Festival” - UK Festival Awards
2005 – “Best Official Website” - BT Digital Music Awards
2007 – “Best Music Community” - BT Digital Music Awards
2007 – “Top Festival” - Billboard Touring Awards
2008 – “Best Music Community” - BT Digital Music Awards

 

Download Festival 2009 Ticket Information
Weekend Tickets - £135
Car Park –  £10 advance / £20 on day
Camping – £25
Campervans - £40
Lockers – £11
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRIS CORNELL first played at the first ever Download Festival in 2003 with Audioslave. Since Audioslave split up in 2007, Cornell has gone on to enjoy a successful solo career with great albums such as ‘Euphoria Morning’ and his latest ‘Scream’, which features R’n’ B producer Timbaland. Chris Cornell is probably best known for being the front man for seminal ‘grunge’ act Soundgarden, or for penning the theme to Casino Royale, which won him his second Grammy.

Phil Anselmo is no stranger to Donington, having played there in 1994 with Pantera. He now returns with current band DOWN, following a secret performance opening the main stage at Download 2006. Their last album ‘Out From Under’ cemented their position as one of America’s premier hard rock acts, and have a dedicated and loyal fanbase that follow them around the world.

PAPA ROACH came to prominence through the nu-metal scene that swept the US and UK during the 1990s, their first big song ‘Last Resort’ hitting rock clubs across the land. Fronted by Jacoby Shaddix, their albums ‘Infest’ and ‘Lovehatetragedy’ both went in the UK Top 10, with fifth studio album ‘Metamorphosis’ due out this month.

British rockers SKIN have not been seen since their last live show at London’s now defunct Astoria in 1998. After their debut album ‘Skin’ in 1994 went straight into the Top 10, they hit the road with international rock acts such as Bon Jovi, Helloween and Whitesnake. Download 2009 marks their first live appearance for over 10 years.

Creating hugely memorable songs such as ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, ‘When You Love A Woman’ and ‘Any Way You Want It’, California power balladeers JOURNEY have achieved a great number of things since forming in 1973, not least having the top selling catalogue track in iTunes history (for ‘Don’t Stop Believing’). Credited with contributing to the success of MTV when it first started broadcasting, their musical style has paved the way for many imitators.

Californian hard rockers TESLA have sold over 16 million albums to date in the US. Forming in 1984 and immediately hooking support slots with Dave Lee Roth, Def Leppard and Poison, they have since had 10 album releases (including live and covers). Taking a break in 1994 they reformed in 2000 and finally embarked on their first world tour in 2007, which included dates in Europe.

Southern rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY wowed the Download crowd last year with their fresh approach to blues rock. Signed to Roadrunner Records, their influences range from Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains and they have certainly made a strong impression on rock fans in the UK.

Another act from the South, CLUTCH first played Download in 2006, their varied musical style giving them a certain edge when seen live. Tour slots with Deftones, System of a Down and Corrosion of Conformity has honed their live performance, and with six albums and 12 years already under their belt this is bound to be a special show.

Italian goth-rockers LACUNA COIL return to Download for the third time, although for their stunning front woman Christina Scabbia, this is her fourth time, having guest appeared at last year’s festival with Apocalyptica. Their 2006 release ‘Karmacode’ went into the Billboard Top 200 at number 28, and release their fifth studio album ‘Spellbound’ later this Spring.

Brighton’s ARCHITECTS return a second time having played Download 2007, bringing with them the sounds of their critically acclaimed new album ‘Hollow Crown’, which was rated across the board in the UK rock press. Their metal / hardcore dynamics have already won them legions of fans.

KARMA TO BURN are back together having been off the scene since 2002 to play Download for the first time. Fusing desert rock and psychedelia, the West Virginians sound has been compared to Kyuss and The Obsessed.

PARKWAY DRIVE, an Australian metalcore band, formed in 2003 and over the last six years have dedicated themselves to relentless touring with the likes of Hatebreed, Anti-Flag, Unearth and Despised Icon to name a few. They recorded their debut album with the help of Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam D.

 

Hot off the back of their 42-date US tour supporting AC/DC, THE ANSWER return to Download for the third time, in support of their brand new album Everyday Demons. Having already supported the likes of The Rolling Stones and Whitesnake in addition to AC/DC, Northern Ireland’s hottest new blues rockers will have no problem playing to the Download crowd.
 
Brit-rockers FIGHTSTAR come back to Download for the third time. Recently added onto the Radio 1 A-List, the post-hardcore outfit fronted by Charlie Simpson are about to release their third album ‘be human’ through their management imprint label Search and Destroy.
 
Sheffield noiseniks BRING ME THE HORIZON also return for the third time, and will be looking to replicate their typically boisterous pit action at this year’s Download. Their latest album Suicide Season, released last year, received 5 K’s from Kerrang! Magazine and the band were also part of Kerrang!’s Relentless Energy Drink Tour earlier this year. Lock up your daughters!
 
STONE GODS return for the second time having wowed the crowds at last year’s Download Festival. The band truly broke through last year with album Silver Spoons and Broken Bones and will be looking forward to joining The Answer and Black Stone Cherry at this year’s Download, having toured with both bands.
 
Multi million selling US rock act STAIND make their Download debut this year, following the release of their sixth studio album last year. Over the last ten years they have sold more than 12 million albums worldwide and earned their place as one of the most successful rock bands of the new millennium.
 
Des Moines metal exports FACECAGE will visit Donington for the first time at this year’s Download Festival, to promote their as yet unnamed fourth studio album, which like their third, will be produced by Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, who co-founded the Great Big Mouth label with them. Fans will have to turn up on the day to see if Corey joins them on stage for a number or two!
 
Techno pop-rockers GO:AUDIO return for the second time having played on the third stage at Download last year. Building their fanbase through MySpace and touring with acts such as Kids in Glass Houses and Hellogoodbye, they are due to release their first album later this year.
 
Florida rockers SHINEDOWN make their Download debut this year. They have sold 6 million records worldwide to date and are currently signed to Atlantic Records. Their third album The Sound Of Madness was released in June 2008 and they went on to support Disturbed later that year.
 
LA industrial metal quartet STATIC-X will be looking forward to playing their first Download Festival, particularly after their scheduled appearance at Download 2004 was cancelled due to transport problems! Their sixth studio album Cult of Static was recently released in the UK, which features Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine and was produced by John Travis (Kid Rock, Buckcherry).
 
South East Londoners AUGER BANE are set to perform their first Download Festival, with big rock songs taken from their two EP’s ‘Scream Sessions’ and ‘House Of The Scorpion’ and album Wings Of Fallen Rock. A new album is in the making.
 
Danish rockers VOLBEAT also make their Download debut following a successful show at London’s Islington Academy last month. Their fusion of metal and rockabilly has given them three albums to date, and various music awards in Denmark.
 
Joining the nu-metal fraternity at this year’s Download is SEVENDUST, straight from Atlanta. Seven albums on, the band is due to start work on their eighth album due out next year. Having enjoyed commercial success in America, they have worked with the likes of Deftones and toured with acts such as Korn, Staind and Machine Head.