Download 2023 Rundown

Hello again my loves! I'm not sure how or why I've gotten into the habit of posting these a year late, but here is my rundown of Download Festival 2023. This one is quite short as I only ventured out to see the headliners due to anxiety from the crowds, noise and trauma of my chest infection at Leeds the previous year. I also forgot to send the Rundown for day 4 for some reason, so I've written one just now from my memory. I will also be posting my Rundown of Leeds Fest 2023 which is more detailed, so look out for that - enjoy! x

Disclaimer: these are just silly messages that I send to my family for fun. They are incredibly cringey and I make no apologies for it. My opinions are completely subjective and I am in no way a music connoisseur, just someone who likes to dance and sing. Everyone on these lists are infinitely more talented than I am. If I don't like your favourite artists, please don't take offence xo

Day 1

Welcome to Alex’s Download 2023 rundown. Thank you for being my most loyal readers. A gentle reminder that this subscription cannot be cancelled. Today’s rundown is:

Metallica - 4/10

The only band I’ve seen today, spent the rest of the day either walking around or at the caravan reading. Similar to Iron Maiden last year, they’re quite disappointing. I’m sure for their fans it was an amazing set but, as someone who doesn’t like them, every song sounds exactly the same. It’s basically been a 2 hour rendition of 1 song… again, similar to Iron Maiden, he can’t really sing (he even said so himself). I don’t know if KISS last year raised my expectations too high, but I’m just really not enjoying it... (yes, I'm writing this as I'm watching the set). The guitar/drum skills are great but again, everything sounds the same and every song they do has a 5 minute instrumental section. I’m hungry and freezing cold and would much rather be back at the caravan. Hoping for a much better time tomorrow as it’s Bring Me The Horizon, whom I love.

Misc:

It’s hot and dusty again but I’m trying to be safe so as to avoid another chest infection, wish me luck! They've also decided, for whatever reason, to put the accessible camp the furthest away that they possibly could, despite the fact that it's meant to be... you know... accessible ??? This means it's incredibly difficult to actually get anywhere (especially for [boyfriend's dad]) and we end up breathing twice as much dust as anyone else because we have to walk so much further. I suspect I'll be spending most of this weekend in the caravan.

I have 0 connection to the internet except for when I’m next to the bathroom sink in the caravan which is highly frustrating, but better than nothing I guess.

I’ve bought a new top, pair of shorts and a Pikachu bucket hat.

Spent £10 on a small bowl of chilli and rice, it was good but I forgot how much of a bloody rip-off the food stalls are at festivals. An hour’s wage for something that barely filled me up? I don’t think so.

Day 2

(Part 1)

Dear loyal readers,

I’m very sorry to announce that today's rundown is running slightly behind schedule due to technical errors. My sincerest apologies for any disruption, disappointment or inconvenience that this may cause you. Please rest assured that it is on its way.

Yours sincerely,

Alex

CEO of Alex’s Festival Rundowns

Day 2

(Part 2)

Welcome back to Alex’s Download 2023 rundown! Again, I offer my sincerest apologies for the delay in getting this to you. Yesterday’s rundown is:

Bring Me The Horizon - 98/10

Wow wow wow. Just as amazing as last time, if not better as they had special guests AND did my favourite song (1x1 feat. The Nova Twins). They also brought out Amy Lee (lead singer of Evanescence) which had everyone shaking and screaming and shook to the core. I managed to find a very good spot next to the middle barrier, just in front of where the camera/sound people were. Not only that, it’ also happened to be where his wife ,and then the Nova Twins and Amy Lee, all stood just metres away from me! I shouted at the Nova Twins that I loved them and one of them smiled and waved at me and my soul left my body. I was going to ask for a picture after it was over because they walked past me again and were talking to fans but I got too nervous and physically couldn’t speak. The set was amazing, BMTH did a brilliant mix of their old and new stuff and they had massive fire pillars so hot that it made me sweat even from where I was standing (RIP to the front row). They have re-ignited my love for them, was absolutely brilliant.

-1 because Olly did come into the crowd again but didn’t come down far enough for me to earn my redemption and actually get to touch his hand this time (raging).

-1 because I was surrounded by miserable gits who barely sang, danced or even head-banged. The guy in front of me filmed the whole bloody thing so I spent the entire time trying to look around his phone and THEN he had the nerve, gall, gumption, audacity and BALLS to give me dirty looks when I was singing as if it’s not a goddamn metal festival.

Misc:

Again, I only ventured out the watch the headline act. It’s too hot and dusty this year to just be wandering around aimlessly for hours at a time ,so I spent most of the day either sunbathing or reading in the caravan. Great vibes, loving it. 

I hate porter-loos.

I don’t understand tents. The second the sun comes out it’s like laying in Satan’s sauna; you can barely bloody breathe it gets so hot and no amount of breeze will cool it down. However, the second the sun goes down, I’m laying there shaking like a traumatised chihuahua, fighting for my damn life against frostbite. Either keep the heat in or don’t; make up your mind please.

Apparently [my cousin] is here. I haven’t seen him but saw his post on Facebook about him coming. Will keep an eye out.

I haven’t really tanned but the freckles on my face are coming out which is nice, feeling like a little emo fairy.

Please stand by for tonight’s rundown, though it’ll probably be a short one as it’s Metallica headlining again tonight and I refuse to put myself through that once more, so will likely spend all day chilling out.

Day 3

Welcome back to Alex’s Download 2023 rundown! Today’s rundown is:

I spent all day in and around the caravan alone, reading, tanning, listening to music and it was absolute bliss. Didn’t have to socialise with anyone pretty much all day and [boyfriend] came back earlier than expected which was a lovely surprise. 10/10 day! I had a shower this morning so feeling lovely and clean and got most of the dust out of my hair (it’s been extremely curly today, don’t know if the dryness of the air has anything to do with it). I finished my book which was good, excited to read the rest of the series when I’m back home, and I’ve started playing Animal Crossing again which I haven’t done in months so that’s fun.

Day 4

Ghost - 9/10

Admittedly, I don't know very many of their songs, just the ones [boyfriend] plays in the car. However, the ones that I do know I like very much and they were absolute amazing live. Sounded exactly the same live as the studio recordings. The stage production was great too and I loved how campy it all is with the costumes, lore etc. Very fun set and would genuinely love to see them again. -1 because, by this point in the weekend, I was beyond ready to go home. Not their fault, but if they had played on one of the earlier days I likely would have been in a much better mood.

Slipknot - 8/10

- 2 as I think there was some sort of technical error because I could barely hear Corey (lead singer) and listening back to the videos I took, it sounds like they're all out of sync with each other and are chasing the beat and just made it feel a bit lack-luster. I was expecting more umph. However, I did girlypop dance to the whole set and had a great time. I desperately needed a wee half way through and, of course, they played my favourite of their songs (Custer) whilst I was on the toilet. However, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that porter-loos have amazing acoustics and I could hear them better in there than I could outside, so I stayed in there and danced to the whole song with the door open so [boyfriend] could dance with me (don't worry, nobody was waiting for the toilet). It was a great roundoff for the weekend but by the end, I was more than ready to go home for a proper shower and sleep.

This has been Alex's Download 2023 Rundown.

See you at Leeds Fest!