What a day! Australia’s first ever Download Festival in Melbourne was a complete success. Acts were on time, the sound was incredible, security and staff were friendly and respectful, the food was great, there was free water and the toilets were clean and well maintained throughout the festival. Organisers did a fantastic job creating an easily navigated layout inside Flemington Racecourse and to top it off the festival was led by a killer mix of international and local bands that poured their hearts and souls onto the stage. Here’s hoping it all happens again next year!
Insane experimental hardcore outfit Ocean Grove was the first act to kick off my Download experience. As usual the band wore some of their iconic funky attire matched with top notch facial expressions and a bucket load of some seriously good tunes. Their set started just after the gates opened but there was nothing short of a crowd as masses of fans rocked their hearts out in the pouring rain. Tracks such as Thunderdome and Intimate Alien set off a frenzy of moshtastic maniacs in the pit and even from the back you could feel its power. Ocean Grove played a high energy and flawless set, they encouraged the crowd to get involved as much as possible and during popular tracks Lights On Kind Lover and The Wrong Way you could tell the band were just as pumped to be there as we were.
American metalcore band Of Mice & Men definitely came prepared because they rocked the bloody roof off the Black Stage. The whole band launched into their set with so much energy and power it was hard to look away, and even though I hadn’t planned to stay and watch I ended up getting sucked into their performance and found myself staying right to the end. Of Mice & Men had so many dedicated fans that even through multiple member changes have stuck with the band through thick and thin. Playing tracks such as Unbreakable from their most recent album ‘Defy’ as well as an insane cover of Pink Floyd’s single Money, the band played in perfect harmony with every beat and note perfectly alined. The unclean vocals coming from the pair (Vocalist Aaron) and (Rhythm Guitarist Alan) were also incredible, especially during their single The Depths from 2011 album ‘The Flood’.
Trophy Eyes were next at The Avalanche Stage where front man John was tearing it up. The sound at this stage wasn’t the best because it was under a marquee but the boys pushed past it and played an incredible set. Trophy Eye’s were super appreciative of the crowd that had made it out to see them and between every song they made sure we knew that. Playing tracks such as Hurt, Breathe You In and Heavens Sent kept the energy at an all time high but the biggest applause of all was definitely saved for their most popular single Chlorine. As the band joined forces and leapt around the stage the multicoloured smoke canyons let off their last explosion at the front of the stage.
The band I was most excited to see was metalcore outfit from Atlanta Georgia Issues. I had seen them once before as a full band back in 2014 when unclean vocalist Michael and their DJ Ty Acord both toured with the group. Although I felt there was something lacking from their performance with the absence of these members I still thoroughly enjoyed their set. Kicking off with single COMA from their most recent album ‘Headspace’ got the party started, but the mosh certainly broke out during single Blue Wall. Throwing us back to 2014, Issues played tracks Loose Your Flames, Mad At Myself and Stingray Affliction and the whole crowd sung along. Vocalist Tyler showcased just what makes him so special with his incredible voice and vocal range and bassist Skyler got up close and personal with the crowd by leaping down into the photo pit and rocking out. Every member played just as well as I remembered and it was definitely nice to see some of their tracks from ‘Headspace’ performed live especially highlight singles such as The Realest and Yung & Dum.
After Issues set finished I managed to catch the last 15 minutes of Neck Deep back at The Avalanche stage and I’m glad I made the trip. Neck Deep are so sweet and magical when they are performing and I stoked one of the songs I got to hear was December. All five members were leaping around the stage like crazy for the 3-4 songs I was there to see. Their high energy and catchy tunes backed by their dedicated fan base made for one killer set.
Like them or love them or love to hate them Falling In Reverse and their frontman Ronnie Radke are a force to be reckoned with. Gracing the Dogtooth stage just after 5pm the turnout of flocking punters was insane. With not a minute to waste the band kicked off their set rolling though high energy singles such as I’m Not A Vampire and Rolling Stone. Throughout their set Radke stormed from one side of the stage to the other like a maniac, leaping around the stage and shaking with passion. Falling In Reverse don’t have anything particularly special about there music but somehow they make you feel like you’re under a spell when you watch them and you can’t do anything but dance it out. Despite having to find a fill in guitarist in a matter of weeks for Download Festival, you couldn’t tell and they didn’t slip up at all. With sweeping guitar solos, extravagant vocals, rapping and an addictive vibe it was obvious as to why Falling In Reverse had so many fans and why so many people had made their way to see them.
The Story So Far was next on my list and I love everything about them. From their catchy tunes, to their laid back attitude, their performances are always make me have a boogie. TSSF have more of a relaxed vibe then most of the other acts at on the lineup so it was nice to chill out for a second. Playing killer tracks such as Empty Space, Nerve and All Wrong it was impossible not to sing along as vocalist Parker’s voice boomed throughout the crowd. Beautiful and effortless, the rest of the band played like they could do it in their sleep it was mesmerising. The last track I heard was my personal favourite Things I Can’t Change which had me leaving their set on an absolute high.
“Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous” taking over the Red Stage was the legend Madden brothers as Good Charlotte and what a bloody rush of nostalgia their set was. It was every 14 year olds dream to hear tracks like The Anthem played live and their performance did not disappoint. Gathering one of the biggest crowds of the day the uproar of applause after every song was incredible and the positive responses continued right through to the end. With so many great tracks to sing along to such as Boys & Girls, Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous and Little Things, Good Charlotte pulled on the heart strings of many while putting on a high energy throwback performance.
Limp Bizkit is another band people love, hate or love to hate but nobody can deny Limp Bizkit and their power to make you rock out. From the minute frontman Fred Durst and guitarist Wes Borland kicked off silly single Hot Dogs the crowd roared with middle fingers to the sky and the energy just kept sky rocketing from there. The mosh was a sea of crazy, lyric screaming fanatics and so was I during singles My Generation, Rollin’ and My Way. The way Limp Bizkit played and their interactions with the crowd were followed by a magnitude of support from everyone. Even though Durst said at the start of their set they weren’t allowed to play Break Stuff, it became clear he was only pulling the crowds leg when the signature notes rolled off the members fingers and the crowd went wild. Their setlist was perfect, their sound was incredible and their set came to a close with spy infused single Take A Look Around.
Returning down under for the first time since 2014, nu-metal outfit from California Korn performed their one and only Aussie show at Download as the overall festival headliner. Bringing their A-game to the stage, with multiple guitar amps lining the background, Korn ripped into single Rotting In Vein to a crowd of thousands already bopping their heads. Frontman Jonathan Davis sung like a angel from metal heaven, pushing his vocals to the max and soaring through each song with his classic sound. The whole band was so passionate, throwing their bodies and gorgeous long locks into the beat of the music while shredding their instruments like their life depended on it. The biggest response of all came when Korn performed hit singles Freak On A Leash and Coming Undone. There wasn’t a quiet person in the crowd, everybody was singing along and throwing themselves into the music with as much passion as the band. Sounding just like they do on recording backed by a catalogue of incredible songs from over 20 years, its clear since forming over 25 years ago that Korn are still one of the biggest nu-metal bands in the world.
