Here Lies Affliction Plays Secret Gig in the Car Park at Download Festival 2010

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Anyone who thought Unearth on Friday afernoon (or any of the bands from the boardies tent on Thursday night) were the opening band of the 2010 Download Festival can think again. Harrow hardcore-metal five piece Here Lies Affliction got the jump on everyone (including the Download security for awhile) by playing a gig in the East Car Park of Donnington Park to around 100 very loud HLA fans on Thursday afternoon.

Unfortunately for both the band and their fans, the generator powering HLA’s equipment was a bit temperamental and took a few minutes to sort out. As a result, the band only got to play one song before the security descended to stop the show. Nevertheless, Here Lies Affliction can officially say they opened the Download Festival 2010, as well as thrilling their growing fan base with a brave, bold move which will no doubt increase the bands growing profile even further.

Rumours had been spreading that the band were going to do something at Download and the secret show was announced on Tuesday via a secret Facebook group, members of which had to be invited by the band themselves. The band holed themselves up in their van for nearly 5 hours in the Download Car Park with all their gear set up to avoid the security patrols with a couple of narrow escapes. “They came right up to the van and peered in but luckily couldn’t see anything” remarked singer Kyle Dempsey afterwards.

Though the security stopped the show, everyone was good natured and after alot of HLA chants and the crowd dispersing, the whole thing concluded with the security blasting a copy of the Here Lies Affliction E.P. out of their truck’s CD Player. Despite the lack of playing time for Here Lies Affliction, everyone was happy.

Here Lies Affliction’s latest E.P. Catharsis is available now at bigcartel.hla.com.

Here Lies Affliction play Sludgefest at the Tap’N’Tin in Chatham, Kent, this Sunday (20th of June) and will be performing with Malefice in Milton Keynes amongst many other upcoming shows.