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Download Festival Review |
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| Nikki's Diary |
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Download Band Reviews Sunday 10 June 2007 |
Review &
photography by Nikki Brooks |
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Iron Maiden were the
final festival funboys but at least there were some women on the
bill this year (Evanescence, Within Temptation and Lez Zeppelin).
Maiden came up as the sun went down. They were playing their first
Download too and Brucie decided to have one of his memorable rants
because someone was throwing eggs at the stage. “To quote James
Bond, you’ve had your 6 now and you haven’t hit anything! If anyone
sees any more of these unprintable swearwords Sharon-wankers
… “ etc, etc. Good for him – it’s an old joke now - next please!
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As
already described in the Nikki’s Diary part of
this review, one-time drummer with Maiden
Clive Burr is badly
disabled with MS. I am sure, therefore, that Maiden will want to
lend their considerable monster weight of rock to campaigning for
better conditions for the disabled at festivals. Perhaps we could
get Monsters of Rock back at the Milton Keynes Bowl, Bruce? As you
can see from the picture, the disabled platform was a very long way
from the stage. Robert Hosie, who is the wheelchair bound friend I
drove to Download, is trying to help Clive get himself a more
comfortable custom-built wheelchair to make his life a bit easier.
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Maiden rocked the arena, which was packed solid. I ran to the stalls
(slowly due to exhaustion) as the strains of “Run to the Hills”
drifted across, so I could finally do some shopping before I got too
knackered from the whole weekend …
Dream Theater opened their set like a thunderstorm (including
static) with “As I Am” from “Train of Thought”. Unfortunately some
idiot on the sound desk had left the settings on those used for
Dimmu Borgir ie., everything louder than everything else and, while
I was trying to play the beginning of DT at Donnington (at last) to
my sister down my phone, she hung up because it was so bad. A far
cry from the crystal clear entire performance she heard of their
version of Dark Side of the Moon in October 2005 from Hammersmith.
Photography note – mostly on x 50 zoom. |
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When John Myung started the next song (“Panic Attack” from “Octavarium”)
he had the most distorted, farty bass sound I have ever heard from
his guitar and I felt so sorry for him. Luckily things started
improving from that moment and, by the time “Constant Motion” from
their new album “Systematic Chaos” began, the sound was much better.
Then they played another song “The Dark Eternal Night” from the new
album. |
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With "Endless Sacrifice" (“Train …” again) the band showed in the
mid-section that they could take the piss out of Dragonforce who, to
me, sound like DT on helium but with much less writing ability,
although they cite the band as an influence.
John Petrucci was shredding in excess of 200 beats per minute –
something he could do at least 10 years ago on his guitar
instruction video, “Rock Discipline” (I think he gets up to 230 in
that)! Lots of new fans today I think ... |
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I
have been following this band since 1992, which was when I first
heard their last song of the set, “Pull Me Under”. The band wound up
singer James La Brie by deliberately speeding up during one part of
the song, so he could hardly draw breath getting the words out … and
then they were gone with John Petrucci giving the audience (who were
definitely listening) the thumbs up. Dream Theater play Newport
Centre in November this year and yours truly will be down the front
taking pictures. I also plan on getting some interviews with
individual band members for Bristol Rocks. |
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Dimmu Borgir what can I say? I already described their atrocious
sound, which was so loud my eardrums wouldn’t take it, so I went for
a walk to get an ice cream. That aside, they looked great with their
goth make-up and black clothes. The “reversed” Baphomet backdrop was
very impressive, although the original has the single point of the
pentagram facing upwards. Yes, they are “black metallers”, which is
not something I personally am into but their songs were interesting,
from what I could hear through the god-awful sound … |
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Napalm Death were great! As the crowd was a bit thinner I
managed to get down the front and get a picture of the screen from
close up but still couldn’t see the stage. Barney & co did it their
way and provided a very punk-sounding, thrash metal set. This is not
actually my kind of music but the energy they give off live is worth
being part of. The singer was involved in the Dream Theater Ronnie
Scott’s Club supergroup gig back in 1995, captured live on the album
“A Change of Seasons” for new fans of DT. Well done to them. |
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Within Temptation cited technical difficulties as their reason
for coming on late and only playing a few songs and they were right.
The singer has a very feminine-sounding, soprano voice. The people
on the sound desk were having problems getting her vocals loud
enough and with sufficient ‘cut through’ to be heard live above the
chunky grind of band. I enjoyed what they did play and they are
coming back to the UK later this year for a tour when, they say, “We
will make it up to you”. No pictures as I was saving the 400 asa
film for Dream Theater. |
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Paradise Lost began their set while I was watching Lamb of God
at the main stage but I managed to leg it back in time to get some
pictures before they finished. Lovely gothy stuff and I have seen
them before. I like this band and the singer, Nick Holmes, is very
good. Their sound was happening and the light show was cool but made
it difficult to get a decent photograph. |
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Lamb of God I heard before I saw them. However, the main stage
wasn’t inside a huge marquee and the ears could handle it better and
the sound was pretty clear. Great band, enjoyed what I saw of them
but, as you can see from the picture, the disabled platform was a
very long way from the main stage. Only criticism would be that they
sounded a little contrived. Perhaps they are trying to be the “next
Pantera”? Photography note, had the zoom on x 70 for this shot!
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Orange Goblin was the first band I saw at the Dimebag stage on
Sunday and I was surprised to enjoy their performance. Went early to
get a seat and a good position for taking pictures of Dream Theater
from the disabled platform later on. Photo note: x 30 zoom on this
was not quite enough. Bad positioning for the disabled platform
because you couldn’t see the entire stage with the marquee support
towers in the way! |
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Download Band Reviews Friday 8 June 2007 |
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Suicidal Tendencies - I was impressed with their performance on
the Tuborg stage (another cd to buy) catching them on the way back
from Dimebag. I sadly missed Hayseed Dixie while staying too long at
the Korn Fest (ha ha) because it was so rammed I couldn’t get
through the crowd! Anyone who takes the piss out of AC/DC “inna
country style” has my vote and I had previously enjoyed their
playing and antics on a dvd - will definitely get one of their cds.
Korn - I braved the
walk to the Dimebag stage, when I finally found out where it was
(!), to see them for the first time. I managed to get onto the
already over-subscribed disabled platform with my carer’s wristband
and was rewarded for my effort. They rocked big time. Jonathan Davis
is a fine frontman and his bagpipe playing was very entertaining.
Great songs and well played too, yet another cd to get. The
highlight of Friday for me but I was also there to check out the
logistics for taking pictures of Dream Theater and other bands on
Sunday.
NIKKI'S DIARY by Nikki
Brooks
Having found out Dream Theater were going to play their first ever
festival in the UK at Download, I then got the chance of a half
price ticket if I could drive someone there who was disabled and in
a wheelchair. My arm twisted itself in response … |
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First comment:
the provisions for the disabled were disgraceful and I am not sure
they fell within the letter of the law … it was a VERY long way from
the designated camp site and car park to even the nearest stage (Tuborg)
and the main stage was even further. In fact, the person I drove to
the festival never made it to the Dimebag Stage, which was a long
walk for someone without disability, up hill and down dale! To get
into the event from the campsite he had to wheel himself up some
very steep slopes and got blisters on his hands, even through his
leather gloves, by the end of day 1. So Rock On Robert! |
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Gripes aside, I spent most of my time at the Dimebag stage
especially on Sunday (Dream Theater, Dimmu Borgir, Napalm Death,
Within Temptation, Paradise Lost, Orange Goblin), so at least I got
plenty of exercise to offset the long drive and sleeping in my car
for 2 nights out of 3. The second night was a proper bed in a hotel,
sheer bliss (I don’t do tents)! There will be a web page up in the
near future dedicated to making conditions better for the disabled
at Download and another to bring back Monsters of Rock! |
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Robert Hosie in his element watching Iron Maiden with new Scots
friends Jackie and Peter |
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Friday 8 June:
It was a long walk to the Dimebag stage and back again. Returned to
the campsite after seeing Korn via a couple of stalls selling lots
of goodies. Did “the campfire thing” with some people pitched next
to Robert’s tent and my car (at least we could park by the tent due
to wheelchair stripping and remaking problems). He had a 4 man tent
so he could park the chair under canvas on Friday and Sunday nights.
I drank most of my bottle of wine and had some munchies. I was
hoping to sleep ok with the wine, oh well …
The planes from East Midlands Airport woke me up about every 2 hours
or more … even in the car with added sound protection, so I should
have finished that bottle of wine. At least there was no
condensation to make the hay fever worse and I could lock the door
for a bit of security. I don’t do tents – did I mention that before?
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Woken up every 2 hours or so on Friday night by planes! |
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Saturday 9 June:
The only band I regret not seeing on Saturday was Marilyn Manson,
having seen several of the others before at least once.
Woke up with a stiff back after spending my first night ever in my
present car (I don’t do tents, now I’ve said it 3 times and a tent
will probably appear). Although it was quite comfortable with a
sleeping bag, 2 pillows and a fully reclinable seat, there wasn’t
much room for moving around …
We found out there were 2 “standing only” showers in the main
disabled campsite so you can imagine the queues. Decided to wait
until I got to the hotel, yuck! On the campsite itself (which was an
overspill) there were 3 toilets but only 2 were disabled access.
Left Donnington Park about midday as Robert is a well-known member
of the Iron Maiden Fan Club and was due at a “meet up” being held in
a pub near Derby Station at 1pm. We found the pub and met up with
his fan club mates and the organiser of the evening event, as Robert
was going to be on the door. I left him there after a while and
continued on to get more petrol, check in at our hotel and inspect
our rooms. Wow, bliss! A double bed and a bathroom with bath and
shower all for me (£50 a room Travelodge Nottingham Trowel
Services). I did the girly thing of long bath and hair wash,
followed by food, then got ready for the evening event. |
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I
have to mention the Donnington Sticky Dust: I washed my hair on
Thursday and by Friday night it was filthy and full of sticky dust
from the race track. I wore shades all the time I was walking around
but my hay fever suffering eyes still could not cope with the dust
and I ran out of eye drops by Monday morning! Be warned: take
sufficient medication (you silly tart), don’t forget the wet wipes
and wear a hat that you don't mind being seen in!
Saturday night was spent at the fan club “do” where they were
collecting money by selling huge pieces of cake and raffle tickets
to benefit Clive Burr – one time drummer with Maiden who now has
Multiple Sclerosis. Tribute band Maiden Scotland were superb
(Dave Brayley and Haggis take note – you should book this band for
the Fleece or Bierkeller) and had a dep bass player from another
band called Iron On Maiden. Fine bass player but his dodgy woman’s
wig (he didn’t have “a woman’s bottom m’lord”) spoilt the effect.
Robert got his hands on a signed drum skin at the end of the night
and was like “kiddy with new toy” … and his £100 bid went into the
Clive Burr fund. The club didn’t appear to have disabled access and
there was a long flight of stairs down that he had to negotiate on
his arse, while another kind fan club member carried his chair down
to the car. |
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Sunday 10 June:
This was the day I had made the journey for. Dream Theater at last -
after seeing them in October 2005 at Hammersmith, both nights,
although the first one was only on a photopass and I couldn’t see
the whole show.
I had breakfast (I took most of my own food not wanting to risk
festival belly) and another long bath, then packed up my gear and
met Robert in reception. Had to move the car across from elsewhere
in the car park as a woman working in reception on Saturday night
had taken the only remaining disabled car space. While we understand
that her car had previously been stolen, it was parked illegally.
Perhaps she should have been watching as Robert had to remake his
chair from storage in my boot (I don’t have a car that is converted
for disabled use as this trip was a one-off), while sitting on the
ground of the car park because his right leg is useless. Then he had
to go the long way round because the spaces between her 4x4, the van
next to it and the car the other side were insufficient for him to
wheel himself through. Sunday lunchtime was a case of stripping the
chair down again and putting it in my car boot in sections so we
could drive back to Download … apart from that the man is very
independent and we did our own things all day seeing bands we both
wanted to watch. |
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The
M1 Motorway:
our hotel was just before junction 26 northbound and the only one we
could get when trying to find accommodation at quite short notice
(almost 2 months before the event). Junction 23A doesn’t seem to
lead you to Donnington Park as it does coming from the south and I
think, on hindsight, we were supposed to exit at junction 24
southbound heading for East Midlands Airport. We ended up on a dual
carriageway (A42?) heading for Brum and it was several miles before
we could turn off to come back again. This was mortifying, after I
had successfully navigated us up the M5 from Bristol to Junction 7,
across country via the A422, A46 and A/M45 and onto the M1 at
Junction 18 – thus totally missing Brum and the M6! |
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I
got to the Tuborg stage and was up on the disabled platform (the
best positioning of the whole show) just into time to take pictures
of some Trackside Theatre passing by with black knights and horses.
The whole thing looked very Monty Python … |
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We
are the Knights of Ni!
I spent a little time in between bands admiring the scenery from the
Dimebag stage, a pleasant interlude! |
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Nice views from the Dimebag stage ...
While the strains of “Run To the Hills” were echoing around the
place I ran (yeah right!) to the stalls to do some shopping and then
back to the campsite, utterly knackered with my hair full of
Donnington Sticky Dust again and went to sleep in my car after a
brief "social" with Robert and others … |
Maiden come up as the sun goes down ... you can see how
far back the disabled platform was from the main stage! |
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Monday 11 June:
a stiff back again and I was so knackered, after lots of walking and
lifting the chair sections in and out of the car. Navigating back
via the A/M45, A46 and A422 was much more difficult and we took a
few wrong turnings. The road signs are very unclear north of
Stratford-on-Avon and it took us longer to get back to Bristol but
we got there in the end.
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