Download Reveal Line-Up For Pilot Event

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Following the news that Download Festival 2021 has been resurrected for a three-day camping government pilot, the festival have now revealed the line-up.

The capacity will be significantly reduced – down from the festivals usual 111,000 to just 10,000 – but organisers say “moshing will be allowed”.

The bill is set to showcase the best and the brightest of British rock music across two stages. Headlining the festival will be Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Enter Shikari, and Bullet For My Valentine.

Download booker Andy Copping said “We’re incredibly excited to safely welcome back fans to Donington Park and honoured to play a vital part in the return of live music to the UK. Putting together a line-up of 40 outstanding bands including headliners like Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Enter Shikari and Bullet For My Valentine, is something the Download brand is uniquely able to do and made possible by a thriving UK rock scene and deep pool of in-demand talent. With moshing back on the cards, this is going to be a true celebration of festival spirit and something special to be a part of.”

Joining Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes on the Friday, will be Neck Deep, Sleep Token, Boston Manor, Holding Absence, Hot Milk, Malevolence, and Death Blooms.

Saturday will see Enter Shikari joined by Creeper, While She Sleeps, Stone Broken, Twin Atlantic, YONAKA, Those Damn Crows, A, Vukovi, Tigercub, Wargasm, The Hara, Bleed From Within, As Everything Unfolds, Conjurer, and Lotus Eater.

The final day at the festival will see Bullet For My Valentine, with Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Skindred, The Wildhearts, Trash Boat, Massive Wagons, Elvana, Jamie Lenman, Lonely The Brave, Higher Power, Loathe, Chubby And The Gang, Employed To Serve, Cassyette, Saint Agnes, and Static Dress.

Woah… What a line-up!

“We’re beyond honoured to be part of this historic music event to kick start the live music industry and bringing back live music to people lives” Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck says. “The world has been quiet for too long, time to bring the noise!”

“After 18 months trapped inside, we cannot wait to be back in our favourite element; playing music beneath an open sky.” Enter Shikari frontman Rou Reynolds adds. “It’s also fitting, as we have a long history with Download… 2021 being the 15th anniversary of our first time there – which also happened to be our first ever festival show! We’re incredibly proud to be headlining an event that helps to get live music back on its feet in the UK.”

It follows a number of smaller-scale pilot events, including a 5,000 people gig at Sefton Park that saw Blossoms play to an audience with no social distancing or mask-wearing, the 4,500 capacity Brit Awards at The O2 Arena where the audience could mingle without masks, 17 days of the World Snooker Championships which saw around 10,000 attend across the event, a 22,000 spectator reduced-capacity football at Wembley Stadium, and 6,000 revellers who packed into a nightclub in Liverpool over two days without masks.

Among the 58,000 people who took part in the smaller-scale pilot events, only 15 cases of Covid-19 emerged. But the exercise is not complete and other events are being monitored, with a final report due soon.

The Download pilot is set to take place at the festivals usual Donington Park in Derbyshire, from the 18th-20th June. All attendees must be aged over 16 and be willing to stay for the whole weekend, with no day tickets going on sale. Tickets will go on sale here from Tuesday (June 1st) for all existing Download ticketholders. General sale will then take place from June 3rd.

Attendees will have to provide a negative lateral flow COVID test result to enter the festival, although once inside no social distancing or mask-wearing will be required, and you’ll finally be able to mosh again. Attendees will also be asked to take a PCR test before and after the event to gather further evidence on the safety of major outdoor events for the future. Festival-goers will be expected to camp on-site throughout the duration of the festival and day tickets will not be available.

Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn said, “Following the huge success of our Sefton Park event, we are delighted to contribute to Phase II of the Government’s Events Research Programme with the creation of the first three-day camping festival which will be the Download Pilot at Donington Park.”

“This massive next step will help us understand and study the safe return of large-scale festivals with no social distancing or face masks over a full weekend… the return of the full festival experience we have all been waiting for and a much needed return to work for musicians, backstage crew, caterers and many more that form part of the UK’s exemplary live music industry.”