Unsurprisingly, and as tradition at this point, the first few days of Download 2026 have been a bit of a Drownload. Not as bad as 2012 or similar years, but even the Aussie punks Dune Rats couldn’t banish the cold and rain of the last 48 hours. Thankfully, today is a lot nicer. A bit blustery and a wet, sure, but such a thing is fitting for today’s main stage opener.
Performing a glitter-coated take on metalcore that’s in the key of vajazzled genitalia and oral sex, Scene Queen are certainly obnoxious and outrageous, but such is the point. Clearly, for those with a penchant for sexually-charged, provocative music of this kind, this is the best Download opener possible. But for the rest, judging by the reaction of today’s set, which is about 50% of the audience, this is certainly a case of style over substance. But truth to be told, whilst it’s certainly debatable that Scene Queen’s lyricism far overshadows their talent in offering an interesting take on metalcore, this is a fitting opener to a day that’s topped by Limp Bizkit. Also, saying how your family have crossed the Atlantic just for this set and having the camera pan to them prior to launching into a song called ‘Mutual Masturbation’ might be the most Scene Queen thing possible.
The obnoxiousness doesn’t stop with Scene Queen, though. Playing before a packed Avalanche Stage and flanked by a digital backdrop of a waterfowl of their namesake holding a Glock, Silly Goose are a daft yet fun proposal. Peddling a take of energised nu-metal that’s obviously influenced by tonight’s headliners in Limp Bizkit, the outrageous waterfowl may commit every nu-metal sin in the book (silly moves, provocative lyrics, a sense that this was pulled from the mid-naughties), but what makes it work is how self-aware it all is. This is groove-influenced nu-metal that knows it’s daft, silly even, but totally owns it and embodies it with a snarl. And judging from the sheer size of this audience before them, this is clearly a sentiment shared by all those watching them with a smile. The nu-metal revival wave may be met with some chagrin, but it’s impossible not to be enamoured by this lot, and should today’s reaction be anything to go by, it probably won’t be long before people start heralding this band as the Limp Bizkit of the tsunami that is this new wave of nu-metal.
It’s conflictingly warm and pleasant in Birmingham tonight, for the return of cult metal phenom Dragged Into Sunlight and the room is filling up as Bristol death-metal outfit Plague Pit take the stage. Speaking of outfits, the visual disharmony between the band and the vocalist’s stage attire is confusing and distracting, as they run through thirty minutes or so of death metal by numbers. They do their best to evoke a sense of menace and gloom, but it is every bit as drab and uninspired as the singer’s leather gloves and biker jacket getup. A very dull and moribund affair overall, but people seem moderately enthused, so… job done?
Hawthorne Heights anniversary celebration of ‘If Only You Were Lonely’ was always going to be a special occasion, and the record’s biggest moments felt completely at home at Slam Dunk North. Vocalist JT Woodruff promised ‘non-stop emo bangers’, and they absolutely delivered on every front, opening straight into ‘This Is Who We Are’, met with a crowd that sang as one collective pretty much the entire time. Tracks like ‘Niki FM’ and ‘Ohio Is For Lovers’ were expectedly met with a surge in crowd energy front to back, serving as a time capsule back to the mid-2000s era of skinny jeans and the heavy stench of hairspray. The band also unveiled their newest track, ‘Like a Cardinal’, which Woodruff dedicated to the audience, saying, “Cardinals remind us of home, and you guys are our cardinals”, additionally noting how Slam Dunk has always been amongst their favourites across the festival circuit. Amidst a resurgence in the era of emo that Hawthorne Heights helped develop, this set was a solid reminder of the band’s enduring prominence among emo fans today. – ES.
Quietly making waves across the thriving South Wales underground, Cardiff slowcore act Heartpiece deliver a heartfelt, minimalist sound to their hometown’s most iconic venue. With their debut EP, Mirror World which dropped back in January, Heartpiece made their first mark on their scene, receiving support slots from heavy hitters as far apart as Split Chain and Horse Jumper Of Love.
While typically a four-piece, Heartpiece delivers an intimate solo set with just one voice and a guitar, transforming the full band’s huge sound into shoegaze-inspired indie. Although far from a polished set and without any of their usual bells and whistles, Heartpiece’s songs still hold up when stripped back to their barest components. Despite some slightly shaky moments, Heartpiece’s solo set manages to win over the sold-out crowd.
Opening with an acoustic and violin-led rendition of ‘Little Toy Soldiers’, Seb Lowe and Kate Couriel establish the tone for the evening immediately: intimate, direct and unconcerned with unnecessary spectacle. Couriel has become a familiar presence in Lowe’s live band, but she also has a budding solo career of her own, and performances like this make it easy to understand why. Her violin remains central throughout the set, adding texture and tension without ever competing for attention. If there was one aspect left wanting, it was to hear slightly more of her vocally. The chemistry between the pair is clear, but there are moments where pushing Couriel further forward in the mix would have elevated the dynamic even further. At one point, Lowe described himself as being “fucking shit at talking”, though artists like this rarely need to rely on stage banter. The songs carry enough weight on their own. Between every self-deprecating aside was another lyric saying exactly what needed to be said.
Those brave enough to meet the midday sun on a beautiful day in Hatfield are very much rewarded for the sun burn to come with a scorching set from the hottest quartet right now. unpeople ‘waste’ no time bringing the energy and high spirits to the day, playing their debut EP in full, two equally bangerific new tunes, ‘clouds’ (live debut) and ‘Kangareuben’ (definitely a nod to Lenman and co.). The already sweaty mob watching on sings every word they know back, setting the scene for an excellent day ahead of choruses and riffs all round.
Closing out with the stone-cold killer ‘the garden’, a circle pit ensues with dust swirling; guitarist Luke Caley is raised aloft a crowd member’s shoulders triumphantly. It has been said a lot, but if you haven’t caught unpeople live already, do it now! – AV.
