Download Festival 2008: Day 2

+ Madina Lake, Biffy Clyro, Johnny Truant, Ash, Incubus, Testament

Donington, Derbyshire - 14 Jun 2008

by Louise Howells

Day 2 at the annual rockfest

"Back to the Gibson tent then for a lesson in the meaning of ‘Thrash Metal’, Testament’s larger than life frontman Chuck Billy is a sight to behold, seeming bigger now than ever."

Day two and it’s Madina Lake’s turn to suffer the curse of ‘not heavy enough for Download’. Ignoring this as well as a scourge of technical difficulties the Leone brothers plus buddies battle on valiantly, their attitude reflected by Nathan’s choice of headgear – a Karate Kid style bandana .He obviously came looking for a fight. A Nine Inch Nails cover and the explosion of confetti cannons did their bit to turn the tide of a battle Madina Lake eventually won.

A long awaited injection of class is finally introduced the Main Stage as Biffy Clyro effortlessly enthral the audience their epic swaying melodic rock. They clearly have no shortage of fans in the audience as it seems the whole of Download join Simon Neil for the “whoah whoahs” of ‘Love Has A Diameter’, but it also looks like the Ayrshire trio have won over a few new fans too.

Over in the Gibson tent Johnny Truant are proving that a UK band really can pull a crowd. This is a band who have come on leaps and bounds since they last played Download in 2006, this time showcasing a new bassist Alan Booth, who seems inexplicably capable of lowering himself to the deepest rock pose of the weekend, as well as their new album ‘No Tears for the Creatures’ which hopefully looks set to propel them to a level worthy of all the years of conscientious effort and hard work.

Elsewhere it seems an impossible feat to make it to the Tuborg stage against the tide of people leaving the area as Ash deliver their pop-rock contribution. Possibly as they attempt to catch some of Incubus’s Brandon Boyd as he struts across the Main Stage, not quite stripped down to bare skin – yet.

Back to the Gibson tent then for a lesson in the meaning of ‘Thrash Metal’, Testament’s larger than life frontman Chuck Billy is a sight to behold, seeming bigger now than ever. Yet incredibly he moves across the stage whipping his hair and the crowd into a mosh pit frenzy. And after everything this band have suffered in recent years it’s good to see them back on form. The screeching guitars, the blast beats, the operatic scales combined with the most brutal of growls, the likes of ‘Souls Of Black’ transport us back 15 years or more and, if only for a moment, everyone wishes it really was 2002 again.
Lovesoxxx said on June 23rd 2008 [report abuse]

How was the pollen count?

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