✍️DOWNLOAD 2025: MUD, MUSIC, AND MOMENTS THAT MADE HISTORY - PART 1

Download isn’t just a festival. It’s a pilgrimage. Every June, thousands of rock and metal fans descend on Donington Park, armed with tents, waterproofs, an open can and enough energy to power the main stage. It’s more than just watching bands – it’s a rite of passage, a reunion of strangers who instantly become family.

From the campsite madness and singalongs to the storm-soaked crowd chants, there’s a magic in the air that no other festival can replicate. Download is chaos, catharsis, and community all rolled into one glorious long weekend.

And 2025 proved once again why Donington is hallowed ground!

Photo Credit: Matt Higgs

Before we even talk about the music, a word on the unsung heroes: Download’s access services.

As a worker with a disability, I'm usually faced with challenges. What I found instead was the gold standard. Hot water, maintained showers, and a team who actually cared. Staff were helpful and clued-up, security were easily the friendliest faces on site, and the whole operation made what could have been difficult into something effortless. That level of respect and support shaped my entire weekend.

THE HEADLINERS

Green Day

Tradition came first: Bohemian Rhapsody bellowed by thousands before Green Day’s rabbit mascot bounded out to the imperial march. And then? Pure euphoria. American Idiot sent the field into an explosive throwback to 2004. A fan in horror makeup and a cheerleader outfit was hauled onstage for Know Your Enemy, nerves melting into swagger under Billie Joe Armstrong’s wing.

But the moment that defined the night came with Wake Me Up When September Ends. As Billie Joe sang, “Here comes the rain again,” the heavens obliged. Rain lashed down, but Donington sang louder, ponchos flapping, smiles unbroken. By the end, I was drenched, tear-streaked, and grinning so hard it hurt my cheeks.

Photo Credit: Todd Owyoung

Sleep Token

The question on everyone’s lips: could Sleep Token really headline Download?

Fans crammed the field early, chatter buzzing, when a rainbow suddenly stretched across the main stage – an omen if ever there was one.

Then came the shock reveal: their brand-new stage production, fresh from Rock am Ring. A towering, castle-like set complete with waterfall, flown platforms, and cinematic screens. Their new masks – intricate, unnerving, with ritualistic “death mask” vibes – sealed the transformation.

The opener, Look To Windward, rained confetti while eerie chimes rolled over the field. It was hypnotic, otherworldly, and at times overwhelming. From my friend’s shoulders, I fought back tears as I watched them not only meet the moment but own it. Download doubters silenced. Sleep Token ascended.

Photo Credit: Adam Ross WIlliams

Korn

If Sleep Token were fighting to prove themselves, Korn were here to collect what was long overdue.

“We’ve been playing this festival since it was called Donington,” Jonathan Davis grinned. “We’ve waited 30 fucking years for this moment – we love you!” No pyro, no gimmicks – just a storm of lights, down-tuned fury, and a setlist spanning nu metal’s finest moments. Every groove hit like a hammer, every lyric bellowed back with venom.

The finale? A colossal Freak on a Leash singalong, streamers exploding as Korn cemented their place in the Download pantheon alongside Metallica, Sabbath, and Guns N’ Roses. It was a victory lap three decades in the making.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

BEYOND THE HEADLINERS

Download isn’t just about the giants on the main stage – it’s the depth of the lineup that makes it special. 2025 was no different, with the undercard bringing some of the most memorable moments of the whole weekend.

The surprise of the festival? Vengaboys. Yep, you read that right. It sounded ridiculous on paper, but the second they hit the stage the field turned into one massive party. Inflatable bananas flying through the air and actual circle pits to We Like to Party. It was madness, hilarious, and exactly the kind of curveball that only Download could pull off.

On the heavier end, Don Broco did what they always do best – pure chaos. Few bands can turn mayhem into something so polished, but Broco have mastered it. Boston Manor brought a completely different vibe – raw and gritty. Their set felt like an outpouring, with tracks like Foxglove cutting deep. They’ve gone from underground heroes to a band that commands a festival crowd with ease, and you could feel just how much it meant both to them and the fans screaming every word back.

Then there was Kim Dracula, who pushed things into uncharted territory. Part metal, part industrial, part nightmare carnival. One minute you’re headbanging, the next you’re questioning what you’ve just witnessed. It felt like looking straight into metal’s future, messy, genre-blending, and absolutely fascinating. Currents reminded everyone why metalcore still hits like nothing else. Crushing riffs, breakdowns that ripped through the field, and that emotional weight they carry so well. The Death We Seek in particular just floored the crowd – heavy but cathartic, the kind of song you scream out with everything you’ve got.

Nothing More blurred the line between concert and theatre, with Jonny Hawkins throwing himself into every second. He’s less a frontman and more of a prophet on stage – climbing, screaming, preaching, demanding your full attention. The band’s technical side was razor sharp too, which made the chaos feel even bigger.

And then there was Rise Against. Rain pouring, voices hoarse from a long weekend, but when those opening chords hit, the field lit up. Savior, Prayer of the Refugee, Ready to Fall – all delivered with the same fire as they did years ago. Their set proved that political punk still matters, still connects, and still has the power to unite thousands of strangers into one voice.

That’s the magic of Download – beyond the headliners, you get moments that feel unique, weird, and unforgettable. Whether it was partying with Vengaboys, screaming your lungs out with Rise Against, or discovering what the future of metal might sound like with Kim Dracula, 2025’s undercard showed once again that Download is about discovery just as much as it is about spectacle.

Fuel for the Pit

If music is the heartbeat of Download, food is the fuel that keeps us moving through the mud – and 2025’s lineup of eats was just as unforgettable as the bands. Redhead’s Mac & Cheese was creamy and comforting, exactly what you crave after being in a rain-soaked pit, while Woodward’s Farm Burger Shack stacked their burgers so high and dripping with flavour you needed both hands (and zero regrets) to tackle them. Big Mouth Gyozas quickly became an obsession; perfectly crisp on the outside and bursting with flavour inside, I could have eaten them all day, every day. And then there was Eat Greek, dishing up a wrap so thick and loaded it felt like a workout just to hold – but every bite was worth it.

Photo Credit: Andrew Whitton

Download 2025 wasn’t just another weekend lost to the mud – it was proof, once again, of why Donington Park remains sacred ground. Every rain-soaked singalong, every stranger-turned-friend, every stomp through the mire was a reminder that this festival is more than music. It’s a gathering of tribes, a celebration of resilience, and a release of everything we carry with us.

As the final notes faded and the campsite fires burned low, the field may have emptied, but the spirit lingered. The memories—of ponchos whipping in the wind, of voices raised to the skies, of a community bound by noise and love—are what keep us coming back.

Because Download isn’t just where legends play. It’s where legends are made—in the mud, in the chaos, and in every moment we’ll never forget.

You can still get tickets at www.downloadfestival.co.uk

Check out my gallery of Defences' set at Download 2025