The Metal/Punk/Rock Thread

[Merzbow]

[Egg Shen]

On 10/9/2019 at 11:58 PM, SuperBacon said:

 

From Autumn To Ashes-Too Bad You’re Beautiful. Often imitated, never bettered metalcore.

never really got into FATA, I saw them a few times though back in the day. I picked that album up cheap a while back and gave it a go and it just sounded horribly dated to me, same applies to the first Atreyu record. 

[Tommy!]

I'm camping at download next year, I've done days before but never camping. I've gone for quiet camping because people are probably cunts.

Any advice, tips or dos and don'ts?

[bigfoote]

From experience (many years camping at Download - rain and shine), there are on a few definite dos. Most important - don't get fucked before your tent is up. Seen far too many overdo it and fuck themselves up for the weekend. Bring your own loo roll/wet wipes, even if they are well stocked, chances are some feral animal has soaked/ripped/used as wallpaper.. Keep at least a pair of socks/undies bone dry for if you get soaked.

Different merch stalls have different merch - seems obvious but if you're looking for a smaller band, check the merch stall nearest their stage.

Use the locker service - it's worth it just for the USB charge port and keeping house keys etc safe.

Food tip - don't go to the first burger van you see. Portions and quality vary around the village and the arena. Everything from ostrich burgers, Argentine Steak BBQ, falafel through to footlongs and paella is there. Personal recommendation - Chihuahua burritos in the village are filling, and Motley Brew in the arena.is perfect for a cuppa and a biscuit.

Anything else, drop me a message and I'll help where I can.

 

[Rey_Piste]

26 minutes ago, Tommy! said:

I'm camping at download next year, I've done days before but never camping. I've gone for quiet camping because people are probably cunts.

Any advice, tips or dos and don'ts?

There are showers, get there before 7.30am before they get stinky. Otherwise baby wipes and deodorant are your friends. No glass bottles, but if you can't be arsed to decant a bottle of whiskey just roll your sleeping bag around it. Buy a good sleeping bag, if it's too hot for it then you can unzip it. A shit sleeping bag will leave you freezing.

If you're going solo a pop tent will do you, but get at least a 2 berth one, so you have room for your bags and shit. Take toilet roll and bin bags. The bin bags can be used as a poncho, emergency shoe covers and for putting damp clothes in. Also take extra pants and socks, there is every chance you will go through 2 pairs of each a day either through sweat or rain. Sometimes both in the same day.

Edited October 18, 2019 by Rey_Piste
Pants

[The Gaffer]

33 minutes ago, Tommy! said:

I'm camping at download next year, I've done days before but never camping. I've gone for quiet camping because people are probably cunts.

Any advice, tips or dos and don'ts?

There is a Co-Op in the campsite village that stays stocked all weekend. And it's a godsend. I don't live like an animal at a festival but I do have relatively simple tastes, because it's all about the bands for me. So their fresh sandwiches and packs of Carlsberg do me fine for the weekend, meaning I travel lighter. 

The security are generally very friendly and very helpful. If you have tea bags and a vessel of some description, they're handy for a kettle of hot water at any of those kiosks/command centers they have.

You don't need to buy the bar's drink at the bar. It's just a big tent covered in straw. So hang around there with your own cans if the weather's nice and you'll end up having a good time with people before long. Especially about an hour before big headline acts and straight after them, when there's a good buzz going. 

The Doghouse is generally either hair metal or Kerrang anthems. If either of those are your bag, it's as fun as any of the proper stages. It's always packed out after the arena closes for the night. Just really, really good fun. 

The village is just really nice in general. You'll have a great time!

Edited October 18, 2019 by Gay as FOOK

[WyattSheepMask]

36 minutes ago, Tommy! said:

I'm camping at download next year, I've done days before but never camping. I've gone for quiet camping because people are probably cunts.

Any advice, tips or dos and don'ts?

Thats the Map from the 2019 Festival, which had a bunch of changes from previous years so will most likely be the same for 2020, it looks like it's a good walk from Quite Camp to the Arena, so:

* if you're planning on staying at the Arena all day, take a bag with you (a draw-string Gym bag will do) with decent sized bottle of water and a rain jacket with you as well. The weather at Download can be glorious sunshine one minute to chucking it down the next due to it being England in June.

* Only take what you need with you. Don't be one of those people that turns up with a Large Suitcase full of clothes and Beer and nothing else. If you can't get everything into an average sized holdall, then you're taking too much.

* Clothes - A T-Shirt for each day, a change of pants & socks for each day, two pairs of Combat Shorts (w/ Button Pockets to protect your stuff from falling out if you decide to Moshing), couple of hoodies (wear one at night because it can get cold), A pair of Trainers that you won't be upset to throw away when you get home or a decent pair of walking boots 

* Take some Beers with you for when you're at Camp only - i.e. don't put your back out trying to carry the Beers, Wines & Spirits Ailse with you. Food - Tubes of Pringles, Jaffa Cakes, Cereal bars will see you through. Don't waste your time bringing disposable BBQ's, you're just bringing more stuff to carry.

* TAKE YOUR TENT HOME AT THE END - Don't be one of those cunts that leaves them just because you can;t be arsed to carry it. You brought it, so you can take it.

* As for Don't's - Just don't be a knob. I'm all for people having fun, but you'll know yourself what your drinking limit is before you pass into 'being a dickhead' territory (not suggesting that you are a dickhead, ofcourse)

Edited October 18, 2019 by WyattSheepMask

[Tommy!]

Thanks for the advice all.

Not really knowing what to expect I don't want to end up overstocked with stuff, being a mug and having stuff at risk of being nicked or trashed or being under prepared and spoiling shit.

I'll definitely be taking my tent home, I can't believe people leave them.

I've not been since AC DC headlined in 2011ish. It's the first year multi day headlines appeal to my taste and I've got the money. 

[The Gaffer]

Campsite distance at Download - and festivals in general - is an odd one. I understand that people have different thresholds of mobility and convenience but I've had a lot of good memories of spending 10-15 minutes going up through the race track with the missus. The walk doesn't bother me in the slightest. The drink on the way is a ritual at this point.

Oh yeah, and if you are so inclined it goes without saying that a hip flask tucked under your bellybutton with a baggy t-shirt over it isn't going to get much hassle. Always an easy place to get a bit of spirits into the arena, in my experience. 

Anyway, next up for me is the still incredibly free Siege of Limerick next Sunday. 

 

Best metal day on these shores. Just an amazing, amazing day out. Been going through a lot of Tribulation and I'm quite excited to see them now. They're a generous blend of traditional heavy metal, a more blackened influence, and that HIM-esque Eurovision pomp you get with a lot of these Scandinavian acts. Seeing them supporting Ghost a few weeks later in Dublin so the general gig/set up/crowd nerd in me is looking forward to how the two sets compare. 

[Egg Shen]

One tip for camping id recommend is to stay away from putting your tent on the edge of a busy footpath, you'll no doubt have people falling into your tent and and stepping on your all night...plus if it rains the edges of the paths get swamped. It sounds like an obvious thing to do but you see where some people pitch their tent and just think "why?!" 

[Accident Prone]

All the tips provided so far are pretty essential. I camped every year at Download between 2008 - 2013, so I'll offer these golden nuggets;

- Be friendly to your neighboring campers. Offer help, booze and have a chat. Not only does it make the camping experience more fun, it also helps to have allies keeping an eye on the area when you're gone.

- Buy a locker and store everything in there when you're not at camp. Keys, cards, phone, anything essential.

- Bring enough booze to last the first two days and all the hours you'll be at the camp in the weekend. I usually stuck to crates, and would pack about 3 crates for myself. That's enough for two days of full-on drinking, plus some free cans for being friendly with folk and those who maybe didn't pack enough.

- Obviously, if you're bringing that much booze, you can't carry it all yourself. If you, or anyone of your mates is driving, leave some in the car and only take the essentials with you as that initial walk up and queue is an absolute bastard. You can always go back to get the rest. 

- Don't have a car? Simply downgrade to two crates and plan to buy more in the village if you need to (it's very overpriced, so prepare your back balance). Or get one of these.

- Wet wipes. Mouth wash. Tooth brush. Antiperspirant. Ibuprofen. Hand sanitzer. Toilet roll.These are your comfort essentials. No one wants to be smelly, uncomfortable, hungover arse on a hot/rainy day.

- Travel-size first aid kit. Gorilla Tape. Cable ties. Travel-size Swiss army knife (if you have one). Bin bags. This may look like a serial killer packing for a fun weekend away, but these have saved my hind whilst camping more times than I can remember.

[WyattSheepMask]

Phil Anselmo & The Illegals (perming Vulgar Display of Power), Paradise Lost, Diamond Head and Life of Agony added to Bloodstock 2020

Edited October 23, 2019 by WyattSheepMask

[Egg Shen]

liking them additions.

[Egg Shen]

new Slam Dunk additions...

Punk Drublic is returning, thats what i was after. 

[cobra_gordo]

Sun cream at festivals is essential. June can go from mild sunshine to torrential rain to heatwave in the space of a day, don't get sunburnt to fuck.

Loving the addition of Your Demise on the Slam Dunk lineup, snuck in nicely.