I must admit that I have never been to the Download Festival at Donington Park. Even though it is only in Leicestershire, and is not as far from my home as certain other rock events I have been to, this is one festival I would love to go to.
Even though I have been a fan of rock and metal music for years, many of my friends are more inclined towards indie and so have usually opted for more middle of the road events in the past. However, this year at Download the line up looks spectacular for rock fans everywhere.
Rage Against The Machine and the full line up of Aerosmith (so we are led to believe) are joining rock titans AC/DC in headlining this year’s event which takes place between Friday 11th and Sunday 13th June.
As if that wasn’t already enough, Dave Grohl’s side project Them Crooked Vultures, Deftones and Stone Temple Pilots will also be there along with Thirty Seconds To Mars and Billy Idol in the line-up.
I can’t see many other events coming close to this festival in 2010. Tickets are still available through links from the official Download website.
The band may have taken a break over the last year, with Dave Grohl providing the beats as a drummer for Them Crooked Vultures, Foo Fighter fans needn’t worry. The successful rockers are now ready to return with new material.
Grohl explained at the Independent Spirit Awards that the band’s 7th album in 16 years is already in the pipeline. This is great news for FF fans everywhere.
A number of demos are already underway and the new album is expected to be very loud!
Grohl admitted, “I think this could be our heaviest album yet.”
The album release date is yet to be announced but it is looking like it could be September at the moment. Watch this space for further details…
The New Zealand comedy duo first made an impression back in 2003 by receiving a nomination for the Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The BBC radio series then followed before they became an instant hit with viewers who enjoyed their unique blend of comedy and music performances on the HBO show.
We discussed the possibility of the Kiwi duo returning to the UK, where it all started for them, in a FOTC blog post published back in April last year - now the time has finally arrived with the announcement of a series of UK show dates to be held in May. The Flight of the Conchords will be performing live again with dates in Birmingham, Manchester, London and Glasgow.
Be sure to get your tickets when they go on sale tomorrow morning and see what all the fuss is about when it comes to their reputation for putting on excellent live shows.
The V Festival has always offered a strange commercial blend to its music line-ups over the years. While Leeds/Reading and T in the Park have largely (apart from this year at T, surprisingly enough) focused on a core of rock and indie acts, V has always been made up of a diverse mix of artists.
For once, this commercially-orientated festival seems to have more indie acts than T in the Park. Apart from Muse, Kasabian and Stereophonics, the artists at T include rappers Jay-Z, Dizzee Rascal and Eminem. At the V Festival it may still have pop artists like Cheryl Cole and Paolo Nutini, but it also boasts Kasabian and Stereophonics as well as Kings Of Leon, Paul Weller, Skunk Anansie, The Charlatans, Editors and Shed 7.
The event, taking place between the two sites in Chelmsford and Staffordshire between 21st and 22nd August is still devoid of hard rock acts, but for indie music this seems like a viable option…
That is unless you are going to see AC/DC, Them Crooked Vultures and Deftones at Download!
The rise in accessibility and cheaper prices of MP3s available online has led to the surge in sales and a downward trend for CDs. So, is this the end for this medium or will we always want a physical reminder of our purchase?
As many people still collect old vinyl records, I’m sure there are those who would argue it is always better to have something to show for your music purchase. Personally, I do agree with this view to some extent as I still like to have CDs in my collection. However, I still buy some MP3 purchases online, all the same.
The main advantages of buying MP3 files online is they are easily downloaded into your music playlists and can be accessed right away - you don’t have to wait for the CD top be delivered or have to go out and buy it.
In conclusion, I still think there is a place for CDs, especially when released by my favourite rock bands but, occasionally, when I just want to hear a certain track, I prefer to download it and have it instantly. Therefore, I try to get the best of both worlds.