Gigs and concerts

[SuperBacon]

11 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

Whatever happened to Fightstar? I saw them in the Jailhouse way way back when Charlie had only just left Busted so it was all pop fans and the odd metalhead looking up laugh.

I thought their first EP and two albums were great. Paint Your Target and Grand Unification Part 1 still come on Spotify and I still sing every word.

I remember them playing at Reading one year when I went and being very heavily booed and bottled which is ironic as they were probably "heavier" than most of the bands playing that weekend.

 

[wordsfromlee]

2 hours ago, Merzbow said:

Whatever happened to Fightstar? I saw them in the Jailhouse way way back when Charlie had only just left Busted so it was all pop fans and the odd metalhead looking up laugh.

They split up in 2010, did a ten year anniversary tour and Download in 2014, played a 20 year anniversary show at Wembley Arena in 2024.

[Egg Shen]

6 hours ago, Monkee said:

Not sure about Fightstar but Charlie is now President (apparently). They’re playing later today and have had the most impressive launch campaign I’ve seen in ages.

Yep, genius piece of marketing going on with that band. 

[Supremo]

“President,” played Download today and they sounded more like Fightstar than actual Fightstar.

[lanky316]

The daughter of a good friend ended up performing with Green Day briefly, it's been a bit surreal!

For what it's worth, I love that Download have been open to acts like McFly and Vengaboys turning up. They'll be good fun, put some smiles on faces and as mentioned before in the case of McFly are a gateway to getting into rockier stuff for a lot of people growing up. Anything that upsets the "True Metal" crowd is a bonus too. The rage when they book Babymetal to headline next year will be fantastic.

[CTXRussomark]

14 minutes ago, lanky316 said:

The daughter of a good friend ended up performing with Green Day briefly, it's been a bit surreal!

The cheerleader?  She was incredible! 

[WyattSheepMask]

14 hours ago, lanky316 said:

The daughter of a good friend ended up performing with Green Day briefly, it's been a bit surreal!

For what it's worth, I love that Download have been open to acts like McFly and Vengaboys turning up. They'll be good fun, put some smiles on faces and as mentioned before in the case of McFly are a gateway to getting into rockier stuff for a lot of people growing up. Anything that upsets the "True Metal" crowd is a bonus too. The rage when they book Babymetal to headline next year will be fantastic.

Awesome for your friends daughter, a moment she’ll never forget.

Im hopeful that the booking of these kinds of acts will lead to one of them booking Village People for a 20 minute ‘Just the Hits’ set. Stick em on in the middle of the afternoon sun and people would have a great time.

Would Babymetal be a controversial headline booking? I saw them play there in 2015 and they were over like rover. Granted that is 10 years ago now but I’d have thought they were at the least still popular. 
In still predicting Ghost and Linkin Park as locked in headliners for next year, third slot is still wide open though.

[cobra_gordo]

22 minutes ago, WyattSheepMask said:

Im hopeful that the booking of these kinds of acts will lead to one of them booking Village People for a 20 minute ‘Just the Hits’ set. Stick em on in the middle of the afternoon sun and people would have a great time.

As someone who unironically loves Village People sign me the fuck up for this please.

[mim731]

2 hours ago, WyattSheepMask said:

Im hopeful that the booking of these kinds of acts will lead to one of them booking Village People for a 20 minute ‘Just the Hits’ set. Stick em on in the middle of the afternoon sun and people would have a great time.

Chas and Dave went down a storm at Sonisphere one year, so why not! There's always room for a bit more fun at these sort of festivals. 

[CTXRussomark]

6 hours ago, WyattSheepMask said:

Would Babymetal be a controversial headline booking? I saw them play there in 2015 and they were over like rover. Granted that is 10 years ago now but I’d have thought they were at the least still popular. 

Probably controversial in terms of their size (they don't quite feel big enough to warrant the top slot) but not in terms of them as a band - they have been widely accepted by the Download crowd whenever they've appeared and I don't think most would question them getting a sub-headline (or 2nd stage headliner) slot.  They certainly wouldn't be as polarising as Sleep Token were this year though. 

Edited June 16, 2025 by CTXRussomark

[poetofthedeed]

RiotFest in Chicago have a nostalgia/cheese element every year, I went in 2023 and it was Corey Feldman, who then spent most of the day wandering around the site in a sequin jumpsuit. They've had the village people in the past and it's Hanson this year.

[WyattSheepMask]

The only thing I’ve seen about President at Download is a lot of comments from people who’ve clearly just learned the term “industry plant”. They haven’t learned how to use it correctly yet mind you

Edited June 16, 2025 by WyattSheepMask

[Just Some Guy]

7 hours ago, mim731 said:

Chas and Dave went down a storm at Sonisphere one year, so why not! There's always room for a bit more fun at these sort of festivals. 

Rebellion Festival (or a fore runner) put Chas & Dave on around 2010 and a few times after. Went down a storm with the punks & skins.

Bloody good they were too.

[Egg Shen]

Saw Deafheaven last night, just incredible. Special, special band.

[Just Some Guy]

This is my Saturday.  Always a good line up at NWC. Sadly I have to cut down on the booze as I have an early start Sunday.