So, Download 2023 has come and gone, the bands have played (Metallica twice) and everyone has had a rocking great time. Right?
Well sorta.
While the weather has been the brightest Download has ever seen reports have been coming in from the newspapers, our reporter on the ground, and all over social media that Download feels pretty overcrowded this year.
Stories online indicate camping spaces are limited, and gazebos are being blamed for it, on the hottest weekend of the year. The traffic, normally challenging, is said to have been even worse than usual. One festival-goer shared, “My husband and brother-in-law didn’t get into the campground until 1.30 am after driving for over 12 hours. Ended up losing camping equipment in the dark”.
The fact is, running a festival on this scale is an almost impossible task. I’m sure the team behind Download put in a herculean effort to make everything work, and it kind of did— the bands played and people saw them after all. However, many fans are complaining on social media that traffic caused them to miss acts and wait in queues for hours on end. One such report claims, “Took me eight hours for what should of been a 2-hour journey yesterday to drop my son and his friend off”.
In response to these complaints, John Probyn, Festival Manager at Download stated, “We apologise for the delays for customers coming on site today. We have been working continuously since first reports this morning with the local authority and transport agencies to minimise these delays”.
Now, typically, Download is busy, though not always to this level. This isn’t a new thing. Long queues, loads of crowd control fencing and, let’s say, “proactive” security is the norm for the UK’s biggest metal festival. While I understand the need for these measures, it’s disheartening to feel more like a desperate refugee than a valued customer who has spent a hefty sum on a ticket.
I have a solution which could help alleviate this problem. It isn’t new to the festival industry. It isn’t even new to Download itself. Split the festival in two. Just think about it. Two festivals, each smaller and more manageable than the titan that is Download. Depending on where it is, we could call the additional festival Download North or Download South.
Before you hurl your beer at me in protest, just think about this from a geographical perspective. The UK is a diverse land, brimming with potential festival sites. Can you imagine the majestic landscapes of Northumberland hosting Download North, or the rolling hills of Somerset echoing with the sounds of Download South? By splitting the festival, we’d be bringing the music we love to more of the UK, spreading the metal vibes far and wide.
The idea would be to essentially copy the Reading and Leeds business model, and offer the same lineup on two different sites, on two different days. Yes, booking acts twice would be more expensive, but money could be saved by Andy Copping, Download organiser and head booker, going for ever-so-slightly smaller bands to headline. Lots of people are sick of the same seven or so bands dominating the top spot too and many would love someone slightly younger to get the chance to play last at Download.
There are other advantages too. Anyone who has ever driven from Devon or Kent to the Midlands can tell you, half of England is a bloody long way, especially in Festival Traffic. Our cousins in the north have it even worse: Aberdeen is an absolute trek from Donnington Park.
While this is just a half-baked idea I had while scrolling Facebook, I think it might have legs. Now, someone please send this article to Andy Copping.
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