Ok, so it’s not exactly freedom. I’ve done this before and I do recall the pitfalls of freelancing; the uncertainty, the tax returns, the undignified begging to be paid... But after a few restrictive, desk-bound years I’m ready to do it all again, hence why I refer to it as freedom.
So back to Download - a rarity in that it’s a festival that it is actually about the music. After all, who wants to go to a festival where the vast majority are more concerned with simply being at a festival and their sartorial choices than the bands that are playing. (Reading anyone?! Sorry, but even The Gaslight Anthem couldn’t drag me to a festival which also boasts a dance stage…)
But not Download, where the masses still gather to worship the masters of metal at the sacred grounds of Donington and where the average age hovers somewhere around 35 and not 13. After the epic headliners of 2010 (AC/DC, Rage and Aerosmith) it’s proving a little difficult to come up with a line-up that generates quite as much excitement but there is plenty to look forward to, including Metallica playing the black album, the return of Ugly Kid Joe and the glorious news that Refused aren’t fucking dead after all.
Now I do have one little confession to make, I absolutely refuse to camp. I can survive on a diet of beer and rock music for three days straight, I’ll party with the best of them and I’m far from high maintenance, but when the sun goes down and the final act exits the main stage, I will be hopping into a taxi and heading straight back to my hotel.
Why? Because I’m 27 years old dammit and I’m buggered if I’m going to sleep on the floor in close proximity of hordes of drunken strangers and wash in a bucket. (Hmm… not sure if people actually do that, I really do have a limited knowledge of camping.) Trust me, after a good night’s sleep, a hot shower and a cooked breakfast, the next day is always more appealing.
So there you have it, my plans for the weekend! Now let’s just pray for the sunshine to hold out. I might have a beautiful pair of Hunters in the boot of my car but I feel the same way about mud as I do about camping. Best avoided unless absolutely necessary.
