Download Festival is marking its 20th anniversary next year with four headline sets for the first time ever.
Announced today are headliners Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon and Metallica, who will deliver two no-repeat performances.
This year the festival will take place over four days on June 8-11, 2023 at Donington Park, Leicestershire. General tickets are on sale at 10am on Thursday, November 10.
Also joining the 2023 line-up are: Evanescence, Parkway Drive, Disturbed, Pendulum, Architects, Ghost, The Distillers, Placebo, Alexisonfire, Asking Alexandria, Motionless In White, I Prevail, The Blackout (reunion), Fever 333, Stray From The Path, Lorna Shore, Nova Twins, Municipal Waste and many more.
“The headliners and other acts announced today highlight the multi-generational appeal of the festival, which has seen over two million rock fans make the pilgrimage to Donington over the last 20 years,” said a statement from the Live Nation festival.
Metallica will be returning to Donington after over a decade away. The two performances (Thursday and Saturday) will contain absolutely no repeat songs.
Metallica said: “We are next-level honoured to once again come back and partake in the Download shenanigans on the hallowed grounds of Castle Donington, which has an unparalleled place in rock history. On top of that, to be able to share our double show format with two completely unique sets with no repeat songs for the first time ever in the UK is way fuckin’ cool. Bring it on!!”
Bring Me The Horizon will be headlining Download Festival for the first time after years of working their way up the line-up since first playing in 2006.
Bring Me The Horizon frontman Oli Sykes said: “Download Festival was one of the first festivals I ever attended as a punter. It was our first amazing festival experience to play as a band, and now the fact that we are headlining such a prestigious event blows my mind. We can’t wait to bring a whole new sound and show for the Download audience.”
The festival’s finale will come at the hands of Slipknot, who will be headlining Sunday night. The Iowa nine-piece recently charted at No.1 with The End, So Far.
Slipknot turntablist Sid Wilson said: “Download Festival! So many great memories, one of the most amazing crowds to play in front of, always an honour to share the bill with so many amazing bands, and of course, I’ll never miss the opportunity to play my homeland.”
