Ah Download 2012, one of the truly great years in the festival’s history. With stunning headline performances from Metallica and Black Sabbath among numerous other fantastic performances it was one of the best weekends at Donington Park since Download began back in 2003.
Directly under Friday headliners The Prodigy and the unusual (but successful) choice of Chase N Status, Donington favourites Machine Head performed on the main stage with a set that was somewhat unusual for them. This was as a result of their Bloodstock headline performance to come later in the year (something that was only announced after the gates had opened on the Download campsite for 2012) so Donington was treated to a Machine Head set consisting of newer material only – not that there was anything wrong with that! Amongst the hour of headbang worthy classics like Imperium and Aesthetics of Hate there was a great rendition of Beautiful Mourning from The Blackening, which can be enjoyed on the video below:
The gates of Donington open for this year’s Download Festival in 13 days time from now on the 11th of June with the bands kicking off on the 13th – 15th. There’s no Machine Head this year, but there is an awful lot of other good acts. Avenged Sevenfold will headline the Friday night, Linkin Park (performing their worldwide smash hit album Hybrid Theory) the Saturday night, and Bostonian classic rock legends Aerosmith will close proceedings on the Sunday will over a hundred bands appearing on five stages across the weekend. Those who’ve yet to get their tickets can do so at www.downloadfestival.co.uk.
