Download Festival 2009 Day 1 part 2

Welcome back to Rated's review of Download 2009. Last week we trailed off following Limp Bizkit's performance and the overwhelming reaction from the sunburnt crowds. Whether you love them or hate them, one has to admit we had to watch them, if only to shout names at Fred Durst! After having been caught amidst the unleashed frenzy from the fired up fans, our attention was drawn to the next act to take the mainstage - The kings of nu-metal, KoЯn!

This was our 3rd occasion to witness their powerful stage presence, bone crunching music and Jonathan Davis' downright stunning mic stand, designed by the twisted mind of H.R.Giger.

Korn have been around a long time, 1994 saw the release of their self titled album, which became an instant classic. Who could forget ‘Blind' ? This is a band who have stood the test of time. The current lineup is a shadow of its former self with guitarist, Brian ‘Head' Welsch leaving the band a few years ago, shortly followed by drummer Dave Silveria. Lesser bands would not have recovered from such a loss but Korn have defied all odds...its almost as if the departed band members were never there. New drummer Ray Luzier claims his throne, or stool, behind the skins and is simply jaw dropping. Frontman Jonathan Davis was Luzier's equal though, coasting through a range of songs spanning their entire catalogue, pleasing all present. The Bakersfield boys were on form once again providing us with defining tunes like ‘Blind' and ‘Freak On A Leash', and inciting an amazing reaction from the ecstatic crowd to ‘Ya'll Want A Single?' and opening number ‘Right Now'. They even managed to squeeze in Queen's, ‘We Will Rock You' with all 80,000 Downloaders singing along, what more could you ask for?

The end of Download 2009's 1st day was now ominously approaching and closing tonights ‘velvet' curtains were Faith No More, who hadn't performed since they called it a day back in 1998. Tonight saw their first comeback performance and you could feel the anticipation rising just as the sun dropped over the horizon. The reception from the all-ages crowd was ear-shattering as the band took their positions onstage inbetween large velvet drapes in true ‘classic' fashion, with vocalist Mike Patton strutting around in a matching suit.

A Senseless Rendition

Appropriately they opened with Peaches & Herb's, ‘Reunited', which set the tone for the rest of the evening. Very mellow, at least if felt that way. Highlights included ‘Midlife Crisis', ‘From Out Of Nowhere' and a cover of Lionel Richie's ‘Easy'. A senseless rendition of Lady Gaga's ‘Poker Face' gave us our lowest point, it was definitely tongue in cheek but nonetheless a cringeworthy moment for us all. This is a metal festival so strictly no Gaga, thank you very much.

There were brief moments between songs when the main stage fell silent, and you could hear the sound of stomping drums and slabs of riffage eminating from the Turborg stage. This was the distant tones of Swedish prog-deathmetallers, Meshuggah. Our only regret of the day was not seeing them instead of Faith No More. We found the hype surrounding their comeback was defintely greater than this set, however being able to say we've witnessed Faith No More live is good enough for us.

80,000 Satisified People

What we were left with was a sea of 80,000 satisified people trudging their way out of the arena in darkness, chanting and discussing the outcome of the day. Some were heading to their tents, others to their homes and the rest to carry the torch and lead the party on. We were obviously a part of the latter group, and obligingly followed the bee-line in search of the nearest beer stall.

The VIP Wigwams were an innovation to us, and seemed to cover a greater area than its past location. In fact, the entire festival setting had been relocated, and the thrill of low-flying planes over the mainstage was missing. The VIP area seemed to better engage the festival spirit this year, as opposed to the old building site, by creating the feeling of being inside one massive tent with multiple wigwam turrets. A cocktail bar, tea and coffee stands with chocolate brownies, plush sofas and bean bags, a beer bar, and a mini restaurant with a proper sit-down area had all been spaciously laid out within the tent compartments. This is where you find comfort within the discomforts that come with any festival, although there is still plenty of room for improvement when it comes to toilets and showers. Okay, a festival is a festival, and sewage stench is expected, along with other gross unmentionables, however, charging a pound per visit would definitely ensure these cubicles are kept a lot more clean and approachable. This is not comfort we are talking about, but simple hygiene. Soaring temperatures and plenty of organic matter are never a good mix, and whatever that mix cooks into, seems to happen way sooner in this heat.

Enjoying the Cool Night Breeze

But enough about nose-wrinkling stuff....with what tasted like watered-down Tuborg beer in hand, we wandered around, enjoying the cool night breeze and the diversity of the crowds around us. The effort some people make with their outfits is amazing, promoting their musical taste to all. We welcomed the opportunity to check out original t-shirts and tattoos, easily striking up conversations on similar tastes. Today had witnessed a magnificent line-up, and everyone was buzzing with excitement on this first night, more so because it was the first night and the weekend was still ahead. It was obvious after sundown how the sun had kissed everyone's skin, and together with alcohol and endorphins, a happy glow was evident on everyone's face.

Classic Rock Anthems