Download Festival, the world’s premier rock event has announced Def Leppard, Slipknot, and Tool as its 2019 headliners, plus a handful of the world’s most exciting bands in rock, pop punk, hardcore and metal. The three-day festival takes place on 14 – 16 June 2019 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets are on sale now.
Classic rock powerhouse Def Leppard make their spectacular return to headline the Main Stage, playing the seminal album Hysteria in full and more, in what will be their only UK appearance of 2019. The forerunners of the new wave British heavy metal movement have sold over 100 million records and will rip through a full-throttle stadium-sized show, built on a foundation of classics like Pour Some Sugar On Me, Animals, Rock Of Ages, and countless more.
Masked metallers Slipknot will also headline, where they stand as one of the most defining acts of the last two decades. The sheer power of Slipknot has been proven with their pivotal appearances at the festival going down as things of legend. With a back catalogue of rock club classics Duality, Spit It Out, Before I Forget and Psychosocial, Slipknot’s elite status and enduring relevance makes them one of the most exciting acts in the world today.
An appearance thirteen years in the making, Download is pleased to announce that Tool will be making their grand return to headline the festival. The Grammy award winning, multi-platinum, prog-metal titans are set to take fans on a grandiose career spanning journey from classic albums Undertow, Lateralus, and 10,000 Days.
Living guitar god Slash will be teaming up with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators to whip the crowd into a frenzy with the axeman’s signature riffs and one of the best vocalists in the world. Fresh off the release of their third album Living The Dream, rock fans will be doing the same when witnessing the dream line up hit the stage. Hit makers Whitesnake will take to the stage with the legendary David Coverdale on vocals.
Horror rock legend Rob Zombie will turn Download into his trademark twisted carnival with stompladen classics and new tracks. Trivium are coming back to take Download by the horns with their stomach-lurching, roaring metal as one of the genres most prolific and consistent acts. Swedish death metallers Amon Amarth known for their Viking lyrics make their return to Download.
Carcass are the vital, visceral death metal driving force that should be on every metal head’s bucket list. Revered Dutch symphonic metal outfit Delain are ready to slay, led by the world-class frontwoman Charlotte Wessels. Known for their unique take on hip-hop as well as their South African zef style, Die Antwoord are a welcome addition to Download. Also added are punk rock covers supergroup Me First And The Gimme Gimmes featuring members of NOFX, Foo Fighters, Lagwagon, and Swingin’ Utters delivering their trademark rapid-fire interpretations.
Treasured names in progressive metal, Opeth will deliver a set laden with classics and tracks from 2016 acclaimed album Sorceress. New-school thrashers Power Trip will make their debut Download appearance with their flourishing, authentic metal. They’ll be joined by Californian ska-punk heroes and fun-bringers Reel Big Fish. Download Festival favourites Skindred never fail to raise the roof with their ragga metal. The
unmatched energy and exuberance of frontman Benji Webbe is sure to see the return of the Newport Helicopter originating at Download 2011. The hotly-tipped sci-fi, conceptual rockers Starset also join the line up with their ambitious gigantic rock set for stadiums in the future. And Tesla will serve up classic hard rock anthems in mammoth portions. Queensland metalcore veterans The Amity Affliction have climbed the ranks with their syrupy hooks amongst melodic metalcore and ferocious breakdowns. Post hardcore pioneers Underoath will bring light and shade to Donington, as the trailblazers make their first appearance back at the festival since 2005.
Download Festival’s Andy Copping said:
“We’re incredibly excited to announce three legends as Download 2019 headliners. It’s not quite been 10,000 Days since we have been able to indulge in one of our favourite alt-rock bands, but after thirteen years I am thrilled to announce Tool are finally making their long-awaited return to Download. Renowned for being one of the best live bands on the planet due to their one-of-a-kind performances, Slipknot are an incredible addition to the main stage. Last but not least, I am honoured to welcome true rock ‘n’ roll legends Def Leppard to Download who bring with them a UK exclusive chance to see Hysteria played in full.”
Download Festival is the home of rock music and takes place on the sacred grounds of Donington Park, which have been associated with rock since the eighties. The festival attracts icons of rock and metal to its main stage, plus some of the best and hottest new acts in the world.
The event has recently announced a further 23 acts including Slayer with their last ever UK show, The Smashing Pumpkins, Dream Theater, Lamb of God, Eagles Of Death
Metal, and more.
Metal royalty Slayer will be making their final UK appearance at Download 2019 after 37 years of mayhem. Their impact on musical culture cannot be overstated and fans should prepare for yet another legendary performance which will include a barrage of classics as they make one last celebratory sweep of Donington. The Smashing Pumpkins will make their first appearance at Download Festival next year. The altrock and grunge legends have stunned crowds worldwide on their 30th anniversary tour and are as
ageless and seminal as ever. Loud, quiet, dreamy, stirring and everything in-between – The Smashing Pumpkins debut Download performance is not one to be missed. Prog-metal titans Dream Theater have been at the top of the game for 33 years. Having inspired countless bands along their storied career, their performance will be no less grandiose as they return to Download after a 10 year absence. They will be joined by the groove-laden modern metal heavyweights Lamb of God, as well as Eagles Of Death Metal, who invite fans to revel in all their rock’ n roll glory on their second ever Download appearance.
The prodigally powerful Maori-metal trio Alien Weaponry have carved their own sound somewhere between Sepultura and Silverchair and are in good company with the heavy-metal powerhouse Anthrax who will give fans a performance to remember. Brooding rockers Badflower are hotlytipped after the success of their poignant, powerful single Ghost, and joining them are industrial noise-punks Black Futures who have been making seismic waves and will take the crowd on a trip of a lifetime. Atlanta southern rockers Blackberry Smoke will be on hand to serve up a truck load of raucous
country-infused good times. Detroit post-hardcore band I Prevail have proven that they are the real deal and will whip the crowd into a frenzy, and so too will Los Angeles natives The Interrupters.
Ukrainian tech metallers Jinjer, led by their incredibly powerful frontwoman Tatiana Shmaylyuk, are also added to the line up and will bring their all-powerful live performance to Download. Man With A Mission are jumping on board with their pulse-racing hooks, riffs and giant wolf heads in tow, and are joined by fellow genre-melder nothing,nowhere. who has taken the world by storm with his hybrid emo-rap, pushing both genres forward as the most exciting force in the ever-growing scene. Our Last Night whose rapid rise to success shows no sign of slowing down are also added to
the bill, as too are Riding The Low who are making the pilgrimage from Burton-on-Trent featuring Paddy Considine on vocals.
Swedish sensations Royal Republic will also join the Download 2019 line up alongside pop-punk frontrunners State Champs who are fresh off the back of the release of their third album Living Proof. Rising Nepalese metal disruptors Underside will turn up the volume and are in good company with the well-oiled deathcore machine Whitechapel who will steam roll in to lay waste to the fields of Donington. Australian up-and-comers Yours Truly will be flying in with a freight of huge choruses with them, and last but not least Floridian party starters Zebrahead are bringing the fun with no shortage of anthems
For further information, please visit www.downloadfestival.co.uk