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Were you at Download? Tell us your highs and lows...

I just had to say I cant believe how many reveiws Im reading that say Faith No MOre's set was awesome!!! I have to say I amonst other Donie goers on our campsite thought they were lacking any sort of charisma and intimacy with the crowd...Let anlone the way they just went from one song to another... I have to say having seen FNM in their hayday I was gutted to see they had not at all aged well in terms of the music...Many others at Donie said " They are only headlining cause they can... not cause they should."
Dave Real

First time at Donnington for my daughter and I. She worked out the itinerary for the weekend and we got to see about 35 of the 120 bands.What an absolutly fantastic weekend we both had. All the performances we saw were top notch, with the exception of MM, so we took the oportunity to join the queue for the toilets and bar, before Slipknot, WOW...Slipknot awsome, saw this same set and stage layout at the Hammersmith Appolo last December and this was even better.Being a huge Sweet fan back in the 70's, I make no oppologies for this, I always enjoy Def Leppard's rendition of Action. They are the only band that can play this as well as, if not better than the original Fabo...Penulum, what another great performance and the crowd loved every minuite of it...Enter Shikari, should have been on the Second Stage realy, another band great to watch...Motley Crue, Seen the Girls girls girls video so many times and sadly walked the route in Los Angeles, it was just great to see it all live, what a performance, although for some reason the cameras were not working for this set... Toilets, not as bad as I had been led to believe. Although they were backing up by Sunday... Food, would it be too much to ask for someone to sell fresh fruit and salad that is not drenched in liquid rubbish? And what is that god awfull liquid they call cheese that they ladle all over the chips? Answers on a postcard. Food appauling...Drink, I'll save the worst to last. The public want what the public get, especially when there aint no choice. I cant believe that we can run an event as hige as this in England and server absolutly no English beer whatsoever. Cant wait for our next Download, fantastic...
Graham Dyke

Well, the fire were bad I seen ppl trying to burn tent with people possesion still in it, even at one point some people tried burning a tent while ppl were still in it. Security were very fast to extinguish the fires, but unfortunately there were more then (blue site was the worse) few idiot burning not only their tent other people tents, others climbing telegraph poles etc. space was a problem, it took them to long to open the all the overflow fields. But i do take back they were not semi-riots, as I don't know if there was any fighting etc. I have to agree with Chris there should have been more water points in the arena for what i remember there was only one (i could be wrong).@Del Duff you shoudl try Beautiful Days organized by the levellers that is a the friendliest festival i ever been too, download doesn't even compare. @Heather i am hope you are right that the family friend area is better for families but the rest of the camping site wasn't.Besides saying that all of this is ok because it is a festival is not a excuse, all i am saying that the organizers should take note, there is lessons to be learnt.
Daniel

This was my first experience of Download, camped for the weekend in the "pink" field, met some very nice fellow festival goers, didnt experience any thefts / tent burnings etc and had a wonderful time. Highlights for me was Slipknot and Thunder (so much energy) and sad to hear that they wont be playing download again. Food was outrageously expensive (£5 for a burger, £2 for a bottle of water)and the litter was horrendous, cant wait for next year!!
Darren

This was my 3rd Download, I prefer the old setting on the track, as did many other people. The walk from the carparks to the camp site, or from the camp site to the arena was far too long. I am suprised that Daniel would even consider bringing a 3 year old to the festival!! The camping facilities are like this at every festival and I actully found things much cleaner and safer than in previous years, there were no. More toilets and more shower facilities would have been good.The music was great, although the festival is loosing its Heavy Rock/Metal tradition and trying to fit in with the new trendy festival feel. I don't like electronic music like Pendulum and the Prodogy or Faith NO More..but as Simon wrote below, thats just a taste thing. The atmosphere was great and frendly, I have memories of ominous Hells Angles causing trouble at Reading in 1980 (and Whitesnake were even better then)..at Download it was all friendly fun..looking forwards to next year.
David

My main complaint was the walk from the car to the campsites. This meant i wasn't able to carry the food i brought with me. I found a space big enough for my tent (just) but this was my first time and i now know some of the tricks of festival going :D
Dan

Firstly, a great review of a perfect festival.It was a glorious time and as mentioned the only bad performance out of the 26 odd bands which I saw was Marilyn Manson. He was simply appalling.Can I just address what Daniel below me has written:1) The walk really isn't that long from the actual exit of the camp site area. It is a compromise due to a lack of space at Donington Park. The previous year's walk was about two-thirds of the size bigger and over gravel, at least this year was on tarmac.2) Water bottles were allowed into the arena area, they had to be a maximum of 500ml. Every day I walked through with my bottle in my hand not even being asked about it. Not to mention that there was a few water points where you could refill that bottle for free. (all be it there could be more of them).3) Semi-riots is bit of an exaggeration, a few idiotic people setting fire to their tents is nothing compared to the Sunday night had in Reading festival.4) This is festival camping, not a camping holiday where you get a 5m square pitch, it's about putting as many people into a field as possible. More people they get, the more money they can spend on better bands. Plus the is a perfectly nice Holiday Inn type hotel within walking distance of the festival if you ever think about bringing your child. :)
Chris

I had an amazing weekend! In response to Daniel's comment 1) You obviously never attended last years festival which was a much longer walk. In previous years the walk has been shorter but due to changes in the track layout it cannot be how as short as it used to. 2) Bottled water and soft drinks were allowed into the arena as well as food. 3) Try the likes of T in the park for something approaching a 'riot'. 4) No-one else seems to have a problem with the space. I'm sure people would rather have a smaller space to camp than miss out on the festival due to camping tickets selling out. If space really bothers you, pay a bit extra and go RIP! This is a festival, these things happen! Download isn't designed to be 3-year-old-friendly! And of all the festivals I've attended, Download is BY FAR the friendliest!
Del Duff

I had a fantastic weekend. The line up was great, there was not a band that I didnt like, even Manson (my mood was that good) - the walk to the arena was long and inside the arena was expensive but its what you expect at a festival and I might not like it but its corporate greed at its best when you have no other choice and have to pay £3.50 for a burger and £2 for a warm bottle of water. We camped in family as we took out 10 year old daughter with us - she had a great time and Im still scraping her off the ceiling now. Roll on next year
Heather

I immensely enjoyed the festival, although I was disappointed that Katy Perry wasn't one of the secret bands after all
Tweedy

Who took the GREAT photos?
Taylor

love the inability of reporters to actually report what happen and instead leaving what actually happen on the last night out of the public sight. obviously this will not be posted just like my previous message. I will be making a complaint to the bbc complaint department.
Daniel

Fantastic weekend. And ZZ Top = legendary!!!! Mosh on, Beki!!
Aaron G

Sweet review!! Faith no more were brill indeed! but I must say Limp Bizkit and Slipknot were the best bands there!!The sunday wasnt as good as the saturday or friday, def leppard were great though.
Emily K

Download was very good the line up was awesome but there were a few things wrong with it 1) Walking really long walk to arena specially if you were in the brown or the other fields. 2) No drinks allowed in the arena (it was so expensive to buy ANYTHING there) small bottle of water 2 pounds(even tough water from the tap is free i sure they would have negated us that), the smallest of food 4 pounds!! 3)The semi riots at the end of the festival 4) Not enough space to put your tent up (took them to long to open the other fields (pink and etc) way to long I am sure the way people were forced to camp is against the law. even with the other fields open surely legally there was still not enough space for 60000 people. First time there i left my 3 year old daughter at my parents in-law and i am glad i did now. The last night fires, thefts, burning of other people tents, general mess put me off ever bringing her, at least until she is older. I am surprised NOwhere on the internet even ´óÏó´«Ã½ hasn't talked about this.
Daniel

[Editor's note: If you were affected by any of the behaviour mentioned by Daniel, please email your experience to radio.derby@bbc.co.uk]

I adore the new site layout, such a good move for the organisers. A great weekend.
Natasha

Very good review. I agree with most of it although on a personal level I didn't like Faith No More. (Just a taste thing) Thunder was a joyous and sad occasion. How a band of such calibre who still command a stage like they did, never made it as big as deserved are now going to disapear. A sad day indeed.
Simon Stanton

What a great show... Line up was amazing and the new site works
Paul