Download Festival

There are bands that spend years hitting the rock, honing their live craft to build up a following on the outskirts of Britain's rock scene, grinding away in clubs before anyone notices. And then there are bands like THE HOWLING. Thirty-five shows is all it took to get the nod from the UK’s most prestigious rock festival. Backstage, the adrenaline hadn't quite worn off frontman Mikey Lord and bassist Al Jones, as they took time out to speak to us at Bring The Noise UK.

Fresh from walking off stage at Download Festival, Return To Dust drummer London Hudson is still buzzing from the experience, almost laughing at the scale of what has just happened as he chats to Bring The Noise UK.

We catch up with Ginger Wildheart backstage at Download Festival, the spiritual home of British hard rock and heavy metal, where The Wildhearts have once again found themselves returning to the place where so much of their history has unfolded. 

Back at Donington, it was time for another packed weekend at Download Festival.

Find out who else will be performing at Download Festival in June!

The German techno act will headline the Avalanche Stage - read on for more details.

Our writer Eric Mackinnon reminisces on his Download experiences and looks ahead to next year's festival.

Find out who will be performing at Donington Park in 2026!

Eivør Pálsdóttir has a voice like an avalanche dressed in a spider web, and a gaze that doesn’t just meet yours but reaches out and grips you by both ears, with an anchor in your soul. We’re backstage at Download Festival, ahead of her much anticipated set to headline the Dogtooth stage. She’s just arrived - thirty minutes ago, to be precise - but already, the storm is stirring inside her.

We’re backstage at Download Festival, and under the warm glow of a glorious sun, spirits are high and riffs are even higher. For Eric Bass - Shinedown’s bassist, producer, and creative linchpin - festival sets are more than just a gig. They’re a proving ground.