News
Iron Maiden have announced their new touring drummer
Following Nicko McBrain’s retirement from touring, Iron Maiden have revealed that “a name familiar to many of our fans” will be stepping in next year.
Navigation menu for Kerrang!
Features
Your Download TV Festival Programme
Here's everything that's happening across the weekend on Download TV
For the first time in its 17-year history, Download Festival is going virtual. We all know why, we all know it sucks, but Download have pulled together something mega for this weekend. Starting at midday on Friday and climaxing at 9pm on Sunday, there will be over 15 hours of live performances from the likes of KISS, Iron Maiden, System Of A Down, Deftones, Korn, BABYMETAL and Disturbed.
But that's not all, there's also yoga, cookalongs, playthroughs, make-up tutorials and even some air guitaring for good measure.
Download TV will be streamed across Facebook, Twitch, Twitter and YouTube across the weekend at the times below (please note, these are UK times). The streams won't be available again, if you snooze you lose – just like in real life.
Here's your guide to everything happening across the virtual Download Festival. It's a lot.
Friday
12:00 – 14:30
Doom Yoga
With the world going to hell all around us, it's important to switch off and destress... but to also keep it metal. DO.OM's yoga classes are led by doom, drone and ambient music, soundtracking your downward (or Download) dog with joyful heaviness.
Heavy Metal Truants
Each year the Heavy Metal Truants cycle from London to Download to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordorff Robbins, Childline and Save The Children. This year they've been doing it remotely, so let's see how they've managed it! You can also donate now.
Dinosaur Pile-Up
The Leeds-based alt.rockers share their favourite Download memories from across the years.
Download Trivia
Think you know all there is to know about the Donington weekender? Here's the first round of the epic Download quiz!
Black Futures
The anarchic electro-punks share an exclusive studio performance. You have been warned.
16:30 – 18:30
Grey Daze
Chester Bennington's pre-Linkin Park band premiere their new video for track B12, taken from upcoming album Amends.
Cookalong with BOSH
In need of some vegan grub? The plant-loving chefs shows you how to make some scrummy Download Dogs.
KISS Make-Up Tutorial
To get you warmed up for tonight's KISS headline set, make-up artist Gemma Stafford guides you through how to recreate that classic KISS look at home.
Download Rocks At Home
Can you see your face? Here's a compilation of the best entries from Download's Rocks At Home competition.
Download Trivia
It's the second round of the fiendish Download quiz. Can you get full marks?
Theory
They were scheduled for the main stage, but instead Theory are sharing a virtual jam session of their track World Keeps Spinning via Zoom.
Milk Teeth
Ever wanted to know how to play Milk Teeth's track Dilute? Well drummer Jack Kenny is hosting a playthrough!
Of Mice & Men Q&A
Join the guys from Of Mice & Men for a live Q&A session on the Download Instagram.
19:00 – 23:30
Join Download TV for four-and-a-half hours of live performances, interviews and special content from headliners KISS plus special guests Biffy Clyro and Deftones.
The full list of performances for Friday night are: KISS, Biffy Clyro, Deftones, Lacuna Coil, PUP, Motionless In White, Steel Panther, Wargasm, WWE NXT, Sleep Token, Airbourne, Wayward Sons, Fozzy, The Offspring, Black Veil Brides and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.
Saturday
12:00 – 14:30
Rockfit
Following from Doom Yoga yesterday, now's the time to get sweaty and energised with this rock'n'roll workout!
Cookalong with Nat's What I Reckon
The hilariously sweary Nat's What I Reckon shows you how to knock up one of his patented blackened vodka pasta. Delicious!
Stone Broken
Midland rockers share their favourite Download memories.
Milk Teeth
After Jack showed you how to play Dilute, guitarist Em Foster plays through Transparent.
Download Trivia
Yep, you've guessed it, it's round three of the epic Download quiz!
Killswitch Engage
Frontman Jesse Leach takes us inside his lockdown life and shares his quarantine diary with the Downloaders.
Employed To Serve
Woking metallers (and K! faves) Employed To Serve blast out and exclusive Lamb Of God cover. Very metal.
16:00 – 18:00
Holding Absence
Drummer Ashley Green guides you through how to play their latest single Gravity.
Download International
While it started in Donington, Download is a global phenomenon. Here we follow the festival around the world – from France to Japan!
Higher Power
The Leeds hardcore crew blast out a selection of tracks for us.
Sophie Lloyd
Killer guitarist and YouTuber Sophie Lloyd shreds through the Download 2020 line-up.
Download Trivia
Back again with round four of the weekend-long Download quiz!
Sepultura
Take part in a special guitar tutorial from Sepultura's Andreas Kisser.
Hank Von Hell
Join the former Turbonegro frontman for a chat all about his new album, Dead.
Amaranthe
An exclusive performance from the Swedish melodic death metallers.
Bury Tomorrow
British metalcore mob share their favourite Download memories.
Air Guitar
Everyone can air guitar, but now you can watch the pros do it as Air Guitar Champion Sven Spandex and his mates shred some oxygen from around the world.
Simon Wood
MasterChef winner and metal-loving dude Simon Wood shows us how to make the perfect smokey old fashioned in preparation for Saturday night.
19:00 – 23:30
Saturday night's alright for partying! And tonight headliners Iron Maiden will deliver over and hour of footage including live performances and interviews with drummer Nicko McBrain and manager Rod Smallwood.
The full list of performances for Saturday night are: Iron Maiden, Alter Bridge, Funeral For A Friend, Loathe, Poppy, Creeper, Mastodon, Holding Absence, The Wildhearts, Bush, Killswitch Engage, Those Damn Crows, The Pretty Reckless and Gojira.
Photo: Andy Gallagher
Sunday
11:30 – 13:30
Mind The Dog
Ease into that Sunday hangover with a calming mindfulness session from MUNE.
Nandi Bushell
10-year-old internet superstar and absolute legend Nandi Bushell jams System Of A Down's Toxicity ahead of their headline set.
Download Trivia
It's finally here! The final round of the Download quiz!
Circus Of Horrors
We hope you've got a strong stomach, as it's a special performance from Doghouse late-night favourites Circus Of Horrors.
Wage War
Wage War vocalist/guitarist Cody Quistad plays an acoustic rendition of Me Against Myself, from last years Pressure album.
Download Site Changes And Q&A
Download Festival director John Probyn takes us on a tour through all the changes we'll be seeing onsite in 2021, before heading over to Instagram Live for a fan Q&A.
14:00 – 15:30
Milk Teeth
Following on from their playthroughs, the punk trio perform a full track from their self-titled album .
Amy Valentine
Fashion blogger and pink-loving Instagrammer Amy Valentine shows how you can give your ageing band merch a new lease of life.
Twin Temple
The Satanic doo-wop duo share a performance from their show in Paris last year.
Simon Wood
After getting us drunk last night, Simon is back and showing us how to create the ultimate festival indulgence: a giant Yorkshire pudding wrap.
Cemetery Sun
California rockers Cemetery Sun perform Supernatural.
Rocktail Cocktail
Just because it's Sunday doesn't mean you can't enjoy a cocktail or two, courtesy of master mixologists and the Download regulars.
16:25 – 21:00
Sunday night headliners System Of A Down are no strangers to Download, and will be sharing some rare archive footage from their shows in 2005, 2011 and 2017, plus an exclusive interview with drummer John Dolmayan.
The full list of performances for Sunday night are: System Of A Down, BABYMETAL, The Darkness, Baroness, The Hara, Volbeat, Periphery, Bowling For Soup, Korn, Skillet, Wage War, Powerwolf, Disturbed and Alestorm.
And once the video action is over, tune in to BBC Radio 1 for the official Download TV afterparty with Daniel P. Carter.
