Download festival review – Guns N’ Roses flop and Letlive thrive as metal’s biggest fest enters the future

Download Festival, the UK's largest rock and metal event, is evolving beyond its traditional booking of established legends by incorporating new artists and increasing representation. This year, the festival featured Guns N' Roses and Limp Bizkit, with Linkin Park, now featuring Emily Armstrong as co-frontwoman, becoming the first band with a female singer to headline the event in its 23-year history. Early performances saw Swiss deathcore band Paleface Swiss and German group Electric Callboy drawing significant crowds. Hip-hop group Cypress Hill also performed, bridging the gap between classic and nu-metal influences. Limp Bizkit dedicated their set to the late Sam Rivers and friend Dougie Miller, engaging the audience with a karaoke-style performance that included hits interspersed with samples from artists like Soft Cell. The festival's shift towards newer acts and greater diversity was evident throughout the weekend, aiming to reflect the broader spectrum of heavy music genres and introduce a wider range of artists to its audience.