AC/DC have been confirmed to headline the Kerrang!-sponsored Download festival, which is set to take place at Donington Park in Leicestershire between June 11 and 13.
The Aussie rock legends, who’ve been playing arena and stadium shows around the world since the release of their 15th studio album, Black Ice, in 2008, first headlined Donington in 1981, which was also the year Kerrang! hit newsagent’s shelves for the first time.
Also on this year’s bill are Welsh metallers Bullet For My Valentine, thrash legends Megadeth and Dave Grohl’s rock supergroup, Them Crooked Vultures.
“It’s going to be fantastic!” Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck tells Kerrang!. “Download is my favourite festival on the planet, mainly because it was the first festival we ever played right back before we had a record deal!”
Matt also went on to say how thrilled he is that the band have been asked to headline the second stage.
“We’ve been lucky enough to play every stage as we’ve grown and as the festival has grown,” he says. “But we’ve still got a way to go before we headline the main stage! But, headlining the second stage is a great opportunity for us to show that we’re back in business. It’s gonna be a pretty special day!”
Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine is equally thrilled to be returning to Donington.
“I can’t wait to play with AC/DC, one of my all-time favourite bands, and at Download, one of my all-time favourite festivals!” he tells K!
“I love to play for the English Megadeth Rattleheads,” he adds. “English fans are always so pumped and yet, still one of the most in-touch metal audiences in the world. Bring on the summer!”
Other bands set to make an appearance include recently reformed grungers Stone Temple Pilots, Motorhead, Deftones, Volbeat and classic rock revivalists Wolfmother.
“I really can’t wait!” says Wolfmother frontman Andrew Stockdale, whose band previously shared the main stage at Download with Velvet Revolver (who featured Stone Temple Pilots’ frontman Scott Weiland) and Megadeth in 2007.
“It’s going to be great!” he smiles. “Last time it was pretty intimidating, though – there were metal fans everywhere! So I said to the guitar tech ‘We’re doing the whole set with the Flying V!’ and we just went full-on metal! I think we got away with it! (laughs).”
Tickets for Download 2010 go on sale at 9AM this Friday (January 29) from www.downloadfestival.co.uk. Weekend tickets cost £145, optional extras are priced as follows: camping tickets (three days) £25, camping tickets (five days) £35, family camping (three days) £25, family camping (five days) £35, car park passes £15 advance or £20 on the day, campervans £40 and lockers £11.
Keep checking www.kerrang.com and Kerrang! magazine for further announcements over the coming weeks.
better without you biatch!! you all still bee