It’s now less than two weeks until the hallowed gates at Donington Park open for the 2018 Download Festival (at least for the campsite), and here at Rock Sins’ the build up continues! Having already covered day one of the festival with our preview of the Friday of Download 2018, as well as what you can expect at the wrestling with WWE NXT, it’s now time to focus on “Middle Saturday”. Of course, Middle Saturday is headlined this year by none other than Guns N’Roses, which is where our team of Jamie, Ali, Simon and Connor will get started on the bands to see on Download 2018’s second day….
Guns N’ Roses (Main Stage)
Not in this lifetime, huh? It seems almost fantasy to be typing that Guns ’n’ Roses are back at Download, it would seem the bottling incidents that nearly brought their last set in 2006 to a grinding halt are behind them. Not only that but his time, the iconic line-up including the beloved Slash and Duff McKagan arrive triumphant after a sell-out reunion tour that everyone hoped would park up in Donington eventually. Providing everyone can board the ‘Nightrain’ in an orderly fashion and no ‘November Rain’ brings the locomotive to a halt – welcome GnR back to the Donington jungle, we got fun and games… and mud. (AC)
Babymetal (Zippo Encore stage)
After taking the world by storm, Babymetal made their Download debut in 2016 and look to be coming back bigger and better. Armed with new material and warming the crowd up for Parkway Drive, Babymetal will be looking once again to the fox gods as they bring their colourful J pop inspired shenanigans to the masses. This one is not to be missed. SC
Parkway Drive (Zippo Encore Stage)
This could be a performance for the ages. Parkway Drive are showing all the signs of a band who could be the one to take that big next step up to arena level, and one day to future Download Festival main stage headliners. With the songs from their latest album Reverence set to give them their biggest mainstream appeal to date, whilst still packing the heaviness, there’s a recipe here for what could be the triumph of the weekend. Now snap your necks to this! JG
Black Stone Cherry (Main Stage)
As if April’s ‘The Family Tree’ wasn’t enough to keep pulses racing and beers flowing, Black Stone Cherry are back a decade after their first Donington appearance armed with a plethora of good old rock and roll. It may well be ‘Cheaper To Drink Alone’ but bring along your Mary Jane with whom you’ve got a thing going on, it’s bound to be a southern fried Saturday night for these sub-headliners… and if you spill any extortionately priced drinks, just ‘Blame It On The Boom Boom’. (AC)
Powerflo (Zippo Encore Stage)
Supergroups can often be a tricky thing, more often the sum of their parts rather than a whole. But when you mix former and current members of Fear Factory, Cypress Hill and Biohazard, Powerflo were never going to be anything less than amazing. This will be their debut UK show, so you know they will bring you something special. SC
Rolo Tomassi (Dogtooth Stage)
Having released one of the most heralded albums of the year so far in the form of Time Will Die And Love Will Bury it, Sheffield genre melders Rolo Tomassi are one of the most unique bands on the whole Download line up. Having taken their first steps on the hallowed Donington turf a decade ago, Eva and the guys have come such a long way in those ten years, remaining one of the most creative forces in UK heavy music throughout virtually all of that time. It seems almost criminal that they are playing Download’s smallest stage, but that could make the performance all the more special. JG
Bury Tomorrow (Zippo Encore Stage)
Bury Tomorrow are Download veterans at this point, having played the festival a number of times. Once again returning to the Zipp Encore Stage and with forthcoming new album ‘Black Flame’ on the horizon, they will be looking to once again lay waste to the Donington crowd. Bury Tomorrow are coming, and they wont be messing around. Get the pits ready. SC
Sleep Token (Dogtooth Stage)
Having released their second EP and making their live debut last year, Sleep Token have been worshipping and spreading the name of their ancient deity, ‘Sleep’ throughout the UK. Their live show is as intimidating as it is mesmerising, and their music as beautiful as it is unsettling. Be sure to check this cult out on the Dogtooth stage for their next Ritual. CM
Asking Alexandria (Zippo Encore Stage)
Oh. My. God. Asking Alexandria return for their third taste of Donington following last year’s self-titled storming album. Their reunion with original vocalist Danny Worsnop is proving to be a roaring success and their second stage slot on Saturday is a solid gold welcome home banner. Feel free to ‘Stand Up And Scream’ or get yourself some much needed ‘Closure’ after a few tempestuous years, the British lads are stepping ‘Into The Fire’ this year and they’re all the better for it. (AC)
Thunder (Main Stage)
Having retired back at Sonisphere Knebworth a few years back, Thunder could have only have dreamed that in 2018 they’d be third from the top on the main stage at Download. But that is exactly where Danny, Luke and the rest of Thunder find themselves and it is great to see. They are a fantastic band, tailor made for occasions such as this. Given some kindness from mother nature, songs like Love Walked In and I Love You More Than Rock N’ Roll in the late afternoon Sunshine would be a glorious sight to enjoy. JG
Thy Art is Murder (Dogtooth Stage)
Your Saturday night Dogtooth headliners are Thy Art is Murder. One of the most brutal bands around, who will be looking to make their mark once again. They are a force of nature live, especially now that they are once again reunited with CJ McMahon. Jam a few hundred maniacs in a tent with them and watch the place go off. SC
Monster Truck (Main Stage)
Rolling back to the Download stage are Canadian rock and roll miscreants Monster Truck. If you’ve been ‘Sittin’ Heavy’ on their face-smashing 2016 album, Saturday afternoon’s set will give you a blow-by-blow account of a band who are just as comfortable on the ice hockey rink as they are on stage. Taking a well deserved slot on the Main Stage with their catalogue of contagious hooks, grab a beer and let ‘The Enforcer’ take you on a trip laced with whiskey – these guys won’t tell you how to live. (AC)
Other bands to catch: Corrosion Of Conformity, The Bottom Line, Malevolence, Plini.
Tickets for Download Festival 2018 are still on sale and can be obtained (both for the full weekend and for individual days) right here. Stay tuned to Rock Sins for loads more build up to Download 2018 including in-depth previews of the final day of the festival, and interviews and features with some of the bands who will be playing.
