Orange Country metallers Avenged Sevenfold, Californian rockers Linkin Park and classic rock Gods Aerosmith have been revealed as the three headliners for rock festival Download, set to take place on the weekend of the 13th of June next year.
Earlier this year Avenged Sevenfold achieved their first UK number on album with Hail To The King, which was also the first record made without the use of drumming from their late drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, who passed away in December of 2009. Their headline slot will also be their first at the Donington festival with new full time drummer Arin Ilejay, who was confirmed as their new member in May this year. It will be their first appearance at the festival since their 2011 appearance, where they played second headline to recently reformed alt metallers System of a Down.
Linkin Park are set to play the festival for the first time since they headlined main stage in 2011, joining a select group of artists to have headlined the festival four times, having previously had headline slots in addition to the 2011 set in 2004 and 2007. They have recently released a remix album Recharged with plans to release a new album during 2014. As a special treat for fans they will be playing their much loved debut album Hybrid Theory in full, something which is sure to please those who have stuck by them during their careers.
Closing the festival on the Sunday will be The Bad Boys from Boston themselves, legendary hard rockers Aerosmith. Despite the fact that they are all into their 60s now, Steven Tyler and co are showing no sign of slowing down having released their fifteenth studio album Music From Another Dimension! in November of last year. It marks the return to Download for the group as well, having previously closed the festival in 2010.
Acting as direct support to Avenged Sevenfold on the Friday will be shock rocker Rob Zombie, set to return to the festival having headlined the second stage in 2011, while pop rockers Fallout Boy will be the second headliner on the Saturday behind Linkin Park. Supporting Aerosmith on the Sunday will be fellow hard rockers Alter Bridge, who continue to go from strength to strength and will surely headline in years to come. With many more names to be announced in the coming months, it’s not a bad start to the biggest rock festival in the UK. Weekend tickets are still available starting from £185 for a weekend ticket, and more information can be found at the official Download festival here. http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/
