Green Day make their Download debut, Opeth and Windhand bring the heavy artillery and Dirty Honey deliver the old school rock and roll vibes.

DAY ONE

SiM open up the Apex stage with Get Up, Get Up. The Japanese rockers are clearly buzzing to be kicking thigns off proper. After an energetic set, SiM clearly want more time; “We are SiM, from Japan, we need more time, next time!” Quite. Meanwhile. The Scratch have a decent crowd on the Opus Stage. They set about getting everyone in the mood with the sun blazing.

Give the people what they want is the first line that unpeople sing. Plenty of fresh faced punters fill the Avalanche Stage for the up and coming band. Plenty of people know the words to their singles and their blend of grunge/pop punk/metal goes down a storm; impressive for the young quartet who haven’t yet released their first long player. When they finish with The Garden, Luke Caley ventures into the crowd to enhance their already solid connection with the crowd.

THE FIRST CELLO…

The first cello of the weekend is spotted on the Opus Stage as Starset bring their their electronic infused cosmic sound, complete with early pyro blasts. They’re a band that have plugged away for years and it’s good to see a huge crowd on hand for them at Download.

Ghost might not be on the bill; but fear not…Australia’s Battlesnake have the vestments you need. They also have plenty of keytar action and twin guitars. As far as festival bands go; they’re perfect. Madcap and tonnes of fun. The capacity crowd at the Dogtooth Stage can attest to that; someone clearly pulled the pin and let loose – expect Battlesnake to creep up bills everywhere.

Over on the Apex Stage, CKY mark their third appearance declaring that it’s pretty good to be out of their country at the moment before Flesh Into Gear. It isn’t the last time the plight of the United States will be referenced on day one of Download Festival.

DIRTY HONEY

“Let’s fucking go, Download,” screams lead singer of Dirty Honey before launching into Won’t Take Me Alive. Almost immediately, Marc LaBelle is down in the crowd. “Good evening y’all…we’re Dirty Honey,” he announces before before California Dreaming. A storming rendition of Don’t Put Out The Fire evokes the old spirit of Donington Monsters Of Rock and UK blues rockers like Thunder. LaBelle takes another trip to the crowd during The Wire; the reflected images of the crowd shining brightly in his sunglasses. When I’m Gone bagged a slot in the Minecraft Movie this year, which has exposed Dirty Honey to a wider audience. With this, plenty of people in the crowd are familiar with the track and they get a huge ovation. They round out their brilliant set with Rolling 7’s; an older cut that brings back that classic rock feeling.

Over on the Apex Stage, Rise Against step things up to deliver the first blockbuster set of the weekend. The dust being kicked up in the pit is testament to the glorious conditions. The Chi-town natives are here for a good time and spread their good vibes all over Download. A dedication to their friends in Boston Manor receives great applause. They deliver a great set befitting of the festival.

GETTING HEAVIER

Windhand have garnered a cult following over the past 15 years. An earth shaking low end and fuzzed up reverby guitars coupled with wonderfully esoteric vocals are bliss. Sonic markers are evident; Pentagram, Candlemass, Melvins and Sabbath all feature. In the true spirit of doom, the pace is slow, churning and rib shakingly resonant. It’s the kind of music you can just shut your eyes to and float off to another world too. Even when the pace of the riffs moves up a notch, the over feeling is that of monolithic sonic oppression. There are no circle pits here; just slow, communal, appreciative head nods.

If musicianship is high on your list of prerequisites then Opeth are the band for you. On the back of their finest album since the last one, Mikael Äkerfelt is ever the consummate pro. With that in mind, there is a delay in their taking the stage due to a sound problem that does not rectify itself. Problems aside, when Opeth get locked in, the Swedish masters deliver a masterclass in progressive death metal. “It’s Friday 13th and half my shit is working…ah well…it’s only rock and roll anyway,” says Mikael after §1. “We are a normcore band; we write songs about beer and the Royal Family. Sorry we’re late. It’s not my fault!” You can always rely on Mikael Äkerfelt to entertain on the mic.

Master’s Apprentices increases the heaviness as they forget the clear issues at hand. Luckily, the band are loud enough to drown out the annoying hum during quieter moments. When the thundering track reaches its conclusion, Äkerfelt asks about McFly. “Are they a fun band?” There is no malice in his words; he just enjoys the fact they seemingly reference Back To The Future. “We’ve tuned down our guitars now…for a nu metal moment; it sounds like absolute shit!” A glorious version of Ghost Of Perdition closes out Opeth’s ever so short set. Kudos to the band for cracking on despite the situation not being to their musical liking.

EUROPEAN GREATS

Throughout the day, there are turns from bands from all over the World. On the Dogtooth Stage, French blackgaze group Alcest get their chance. They may not be what you would consider a ‘Download’ band, but they have plenty of adoring fans. Their beautiful and soaring songs sound tight. The crowd lap up each passing song in mesmeric fashion; the post rock/black metal vibes along with the vocals make for a beguiling mix.

On the Opus Stage, Dutch symphonic metal giants Within Temptation bring the first overtly elaborate stage set to Download. Their pillared blocks coupled with dazzling screen visuals look splendid. As ever, they are clinical in their delivery and Sharon den Adel’s vocals are exceptional. Wireless is a mid set highlight and The Reckoning wows as the they head towards the end of the set. Smoke plumes burst as the Adel goads the crowd to clapping along. Our Solemn Hour opens with a hale of fire on the screens before the band shake the foundations with the track from The Heart Of Everything. Within Temptation are a band completely in their element headlining a big stage like this.

MCFLY

On the Avalanche Stage, England’s McFly have a gigantic crowd that spills past the confines of the tent. Clearly, having a band like McFly (akin to 2024’s Busted booking) is a hit. When they play Obviously, the crowd participation can be heard from afar. Dipping into heavy metal cliches of being sweary and raising middle fingers is a little on the nose, but you cannot deny their pull. They play the intro of Master Of Puppets before closing with Five Colours In Her Hair. Music is about fun; and McFly offered a brilliant bout of escapism.

POP/PUNK/ROCK ROYALTY

A year ago, we caught Weezer as they toured the UK with Smashing Pumpkins. What is great about Weezer is that you know what you are going to get. They have a backpack full of recognisable hits that come into their own in a festival setting. Undone-Sweater Song and the infectious Islands In The Sun back to back are delightful and Pork N Beans is always a highlight. Beverly Hills has a slight lyric change (Donington Park…that’s where I want to be…) – it is a cheap pop, but who is complaining? As far booking go, it is a masterstroke. Putting Weezer and Taking Back Sunday on before Green Day makes for a slice of pop punk paradise.

GREEN DAY

In true Green Day fashion, the legendary pop punk trio kick things off with a full rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody over the PA. 50 years on, the song is a generational, cultural touchstone. All ages are bounding around the crowd singing their favourite bits before people lose their shit Wayne’s World style to the heavy ending. Throw in The Ramones’ Blitzkreig Bop as Green Day’s ‘Punk Bunny’ cavorts around the stage and you have a crowd full coiled.

In the crowd is a person with a Donald Trump all over head mask on. It could be considered gaslighting, but you know you are in the right place when their ‘Fuck Trump’ sign becomes visible. It is fitting that the American president is still in the consciousness as it was another American president in the crosshairs two decades ago when Green Day released American Idiot. Opening with the title track and Holiday, both bristle with renewed political vigour as Billie Joe Armstrong shares his opinion of Mr Trump running a now fascist government. He doesn’t hold back, and the power with which the band play it with make the hairs stand up. Know Your Enemy completes an opening trio of songs with a spritely member of the audience helping the band out on the song.

WELCOME TO PARADISE

“It’s officially summer…and Friday 13th,” announces Armstrong before Revolution Radio and One Eyed Bastard. By now, all of Download Festival, and I mean ALL of Download, are fervent with excitement. The opening twenty minutes or so are blistering and the band haven’t even hit the ‘classics.’

The classics arrive in spades. Longview, into Welcome To Paradise, into Hitchin’ A Ride is massive. People in the pits end up sitting down rowing, just because, I guess! Armstrong asks for a ‘You Fat Bastard’ chant for Donald Trump during Hitchin’ A Ride. He doesn’t have to ask twice. The way Tre Cool keeps pace is excellent – he is a powerhouse behind the drums and a genuinely unsung hero of the bands sound. J.A.R. and Brain Stew continue a run of mid 90’s hits making up a little mini set of songs.

A FREE FOR ALL…

Minority is one of the finest songs in the Green Day songbook. It is a real call to arms. Download Festival produces incredible noise for the song, singing along with every line, and in particular, the chorus.

If Green Day wanted to turn up the temperature even more, not just through their pyro, you know they can. Basket Case is one of the most distinctive songs ever. It’s opening lines and guitar riff are iconic; how has it taken so long for Green Day to play the hallowed turf of Donington Park? Following it up with When I Come Around and a spine tingling Wake Me Up When September Ends sees the night drawing to a close.

JESUS OF SUBURBIA

Jesus Of Suburbia has been a centrepiece of Green Day shows for the past two decades. Initially it was placed at the front of a set, now it is an anthem fit for being the jewel in the crown of a set. The lengthy duration and multiple parts are still as epic all these years on.

The only way to truly top off an epic set like this is with one song; Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life). A song for so many occasions…and now a song for ending the first night of Download Festival in a huge singalong. It is a beautiful moment that is topped with a brilliant firework display, and a moment that writes Green Day into the history books of Download Festival’s most epic and immortal performances.

Check out our day two review, here.

Earlybird tickets for Download Festival 2026 are available now, here.

Download Festival: Website / Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / TikTok

Keep up with At The Barrier: Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / Spotify / YouTube