Download is one of the UK?s biggest and most hallowed music festivals and has been running almost yearly since 2003. It attracts many bands: classic rock gods, new exciting hardcore and alternative outfits and of course the most metal of monsters. Thousands of fans from across the world come together every year to revel in a humongous weekend of music, mosh pits and on occasion, muddy wellies.
2013 was no exception: with masked nu-metallers Slipknot, heavy metal giants Iron Maiden and the wonderfully bizarre industrial metal group Rammstein at the headlining helm, tickets sold quickly and everybody readied their tents and band t-shirts in heavy anticipation of a great weekend. With a crowd of 90,000 and 152 bands performing, it really was a colossal festival, full of things to do and see.
The bands, as expected, put on amazing shows and were the biggest aspect of this reviewer?s weekend. However, every festival goer will know that the experience is made up of more than the music. This lifestyle review will focus on Download itself as a festival and all the highs and the few lows involved with the other aspects of festival life, such as food, facilities, shopping and atmosphere.
Camping
Chilling out and playing cards in the tent to avoid the rain
Finding space and putting up the tents was fairly miserable because we were caught in a heavy downpour for about an hour, however after this everything went smoothly. Having a tent with a porch was very useful for muddy gear (it did rain occasionally over the weekend) and a four-man was nicely spacious, though a two-man would have done the job almost as well. It?s difficult to get all your friends in the same spot, so although a group of us were in White camp we also met up with people camping in Blue and Brown.
The colour system was fairly useful, the only issue was that occasionally the signs were not completely clear. However there was a good staff presence, for example an information booth in our camping area, so all queries could be answered. We didn?t have any trouble from those camping around us, except for some rowdy drunken sing-a-longs in the early hours that were more amusing than annoying, and everybody respected one another?s space. Also, camping right next to a food stand was a good idea, not just for hunger pangs, but also as a way to find our tents.
Food & Drink
Drinking ?1 tea at Tea and Toast
As to be expected from a festival, the food was pricey but included a good variety to suit most tastes. Fast food stands were the easiest to find and some, for example Gourmet Burger, were (relatively) cheap. I remember seeing at least five doughnut stands, all very tempting! Some catered solely to vegetarians and vegans and many others had suitable options. Some of the more unusual options included a very popular ostrich burger stand and Strumpets with Crumpets, which offered hot drinks and delicious cakes and was staffed by ladies in burlesque get-up. Tea and Toast had ?1 tea and the most divine eggy bread and toasties.
Water and other bottled drinks were ?2 on average, but could be found cheaper. Alcohol was costly; the main provider was Tubourg, but Iron Maiden?s new lager Trooper was also on offer for ?5 a bottle with a coaster and cup thrown in. I managed to avoid spending lots of money by bringing food. We had two very tasty barbeque lunches on Friday and Saturday that kept us going all day. Also, there was a good supermarket and smaller shops that provided bits and pieces.
Facilities
As Download put it on their website, ?there will be toilets, showers and water available to all, but that?s pretty much it.? There were a fair amount of portaloos, but once or twice queues meant a half hour wait. The best time for toilet cleanliness is during mid-morning, but late at night is definitely best for the lack of queues, although don?t leave it until the early hours, they?re usually disgusting by then. The water stands were useful for filling up bottles and brushing teeth. I didn?t actually spot any showering facilities but I survived nicely on baby wipes and dry shampoo without having to queue ages for a shower. Another useful facility was the phone charging booths. I used one that cost ?5 for one hour and ?8 for two hours which was expensive but there?s nothing so reassuring as a charged phone. Although I recommend bringing in a spare phone or battery. There were also lockers available for valuables that had charging options, though I just kept necessary valuables with me and had no trouble.
Shopping
Proudly sporting my new hat
First and foremost, official merchandise was in hot demand. I got a Download t-shirt for ?20 and, after deliberating over two t-shirt designs, a great Queens of the Stone Age hoodie for ?45. The official stuff is expensive but in my opinion worth it as a reminder of the festival experience.?The village, located between the campsite and arena, had a decent assortment of shops and some bargains to boot if you had a good rummage around. A lot of clothes sellers had similar items, for example novelty hats, printed leggings, band t-shirts, humour t-shirts, face paints, piercings, jewellery, cheap sunglasses and fancy dress. Most prices were similar but shopping around could lead to finding a good offer. I spotted a rack of colourful ponchos, military gear, a lot of spiked helmets, and in one place a spiky bra!
Some of the brands on sale included Iron Fist, Distubia, Hell Bunny and Voodoo Vixen; Impericon had their own stand, but unfortunately Drop Dead were not selling this year. Festival clothing isn?t always the best value, but if you are looking for particular brands having a browse on the Internet beforehand can be useful. Also, I got a lovely skirt for ?5 from a bargain rack and a hat for ?1, very happy with those finds!
Layout
The layout of Download does take some getting used to, particularly after camping only five minutes away from the arena at Sonisphere 2011. Between the campsite areas and music arena is the village, an area dedicated to food vans and shops, and also the Donnington park racetrack. The average walker will get to the arena within 20-30 minutes via the racetrack, so planning when to leave in order to watch a band is vitally important. On the first day it felt a bit daunting, the sheer size of a festival being made up of over 90,000 people, but soon enough even I, having a terrible sense of direction, was confident with finding my way. There were security people, signs, maps and information booths on hand for any problems, and also sometimes following the crowd proved useful. There was a fair amount of slow zombie style walking between bands and especially when getting back to camp at the end of the night, but this is par for the course with giant festivals.
Atmosphere
A few people might still be surprised to hear this but metal-heads are, on the whole, very friendly people and this was reflected in Download 2013?s welcoming atmosphere. I experienced no hassle, not even in the biggest crowds whilst on my own, and even in mosh pits people would look after each other. The festival community do so, no matter who?s involved, because they want everybody to share a good experience. Wherever the eye roamed I could see people with face paint, vibrant hair, masks and wacky costumes having fun, lazing on the grass or going crazy for their favourite bands.
Download was a blast. Just look at this happy camper!
The festival atmosphere is often described as magical, and this reviewer?s experience is no exception. As well as the music, the camaraderie and buzzing excitement in the air really made Download 2013 worth attending. Of course, there will always be people who don?t mind ruining somebody else?s time, for example, there were more than a few bottles flying around at high speeds during the 45 minute wait before Rammstein came on and I was hit a few times by crowd surfers (though some people need to crowd surf out for health reasons) but these people are everywhere in life and the small risks were well worth taking for an otherwise excellent weekend.
So there you have it, if you want a fun, friendly festival experience whilst enjoying the music look no further than Download.
Source: http://forgetoday.com/lifestyle/download-2013-metal-mayhem-and-good-old-british-rain/
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