Download Festival Update - More Bands!!!!!

MORE FANTASTIC BANDS CONFIRMED FOR DOWNLOAD 2006!

CHANNEL 4 CONFIRMED TO REPLAY DOWNLOAD 2005 EASTER WEEKEND!

Following the incredible line-up announcements so far for Download 2006, taking place at Donington Park on June 9,10,11, two more names big names are confirmed today, heading up a terrific batch of bands for this week’s latest Download Festival news.

Acclaimed Swedish metallers Opeth and Surrey-born rockers Hundred Reasons have been confirmed to play at Donington Park, along with Reuben, Flyleaf, Backyard Babies, This Is Menace, Manic, Lauren Harris, Billy Talent and Voodoo Six. These bands will join headliners Tool, Metallica and Guns N’ Roses over the weekend as well as many more bands which have already been confirmed over the last nine weeks.

Swedish death metal outfit Opeth are gearing up to join the fray at Download this year. Their ever-changing styles from traditional metal to progressive and acoustic instrumentation have endeared them to the British metal scene, 11 years after their debut album was released, and they will be keen to get the audience rocking out to their epic genre-breaking sound.

Amiable post-hardcore rockers Hundred Reasons return to Donington Park this year after a four-year gap from when they played Ozzfest in 2002. Bursting out of the British rock scene in 2001 with their widely applauded debut ‘Ideas Above Our Station’, the band have continued to keep hold of their loyal fan base and have just finished a successful UK tour.

Guitarist Larry Hibbert: "We’re excited to be playing alongside some of metal’s finest band at Download. Our set will be an oasis of rock in a desert of metal! See you at the front!"

Kerrang! Best British Newcomer award nominee Reuben will take to the Donington stage playing their rock metal that has earned them an enthusiastic fanbase. The trio’s metal fusion of Foo Fighters and Faith No More will leave a truly rocking impression.

Having toured with the likes of Staind and 3 Doors Down, heavy rockers Flyleaf are ready to bring their morose and hope-swollen sounds to the Download audience this year with their combination of screamo vocals with walls of hard rock instrumentation.

Swedish punks Backyard Babies have made a roaring comeback since reuniting nine years ago. Still as tight as they were two decades ago, their frantic fast-paced set is bound to be warmly received at Download this year.

The intense guitar-driven noise consortium, known as This Is Menace, have already labelled themselves ‘a fight club for your ears’. All of Donington Park will be waiting with bated breath to see them live up to this promise.

Manic’s alternative and ambient sounds will provide a more chilled out rock experience at Download this year. Already making waves in the UK, this LA quartet will be consolidating this with their experimental jamming in June.

After just finishing her first album, eldest daughter of Iron Maiden founder Steve Harris, Lauren Harris will appear at this year’s Download Festival.

Canadian spawned Billy Talent are to make their Download debut this year. Self-described as a ‘walking, talking Seinfeld episode’, their frantic and snappy punk rock has seen them become a firm favourite on the Vans Warped Tour in America.

Voodoo Six, who opened for Iron Maiden at Hammersmith last year, will make their first ever appearance at Download. Having already won over Maiden fans the band are sure to expect a warm welcome.

Festival veterans and new Download fans will also be able to re-live last year’s experience, as Channel 4 are set to show two programmes over the Easter Break from Download 2005. The first show is on 17 April at 1.10am and the second show is the following night at 1.05am.

DOWNLOAD 2006

TOOL (FRIDAY 9 JUNE)

METALLICA (SATURDAY 10 JUNE)

GUNS N’ ROSES (SUNDAY 11 JUNE)

DEFTONES, KORN, THE PRODIGY,FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, TRIVIUM, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS, COHEED & CAMBRIA, ALTER BRIDGE, LACUNA COIL, SOULFLY, ARCH ENEMY, STONE SOUR, DRAGON FORCE, ALICE IN CHAINS, 36 CRAZYFISTS, CRADLE OF FILTH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, ALEXISONFIRE, SECRET MACHINES, SIKTH, WITHIN TEMPTATION, KILLING JOKE, INME, CLUTCH, EIGHTEEN VISIONS, HATEBREED, GINGER & THE SONIC CIRCUS, FISHBONE, AIDEN, FIGHTSTAR, BLOODSIMPLE, SOILWORK, GODFORBID, BLEEDING THROUGH, FROM FIRST TO LAST, CATHEDRAL, SEVENDUST, ZEBRAHEAD, 10 YEARS, SKINDRED, THROWDOWN, DREDG, MY AWESOME COMPILATION, ENGERICA, BRING ME THE HORIZON, BLINDSIDE, STONEGARD, THE ZICO CHAIN, TO MY SURPRISE, EVERGREY, EXIT TEN, PROTEST THE HERO, GET CAPE WEAR CAPE FLY, OPETH, HUNDRED REASONS, REUBEN, FLYLEAF, BACKYARD BABIES, THIS IS MENACE, MANIC, LAUREN HARRIS, BILLY TALENT, VOODOO SIX.

Download 2006 continues its reputation as the ultimate all-round festival experience, offering an incomparable range of accommodation, 24hr on-site camping and entertainment, as well as a minimum of three stages and the SNICKERS® Bowl featuring around 100 bands across the weekend.

Tickets for this year’s three-day event are on sale now in a variety of packages, including, for the first time, lockers to secure your belongings:

TICKET PRICES:

Weekend Ticket - £115

Weekend Ticket + Camping + Parking - £135

Parking (in advance) - £5

Parking (on the day) - £10

Camper Vans - £35

Lockers - £5

Tickets are available from www.downloadfestival.co.uk or the credit card hotline 0870 400 0822. As the official website, www.downloadfestival.co.uk will contain all information about camping, accommodation and all the packages, as well as information on the transport facilities available. Camp-sites will open at midday on Wednesday 7 June through to Monday 12 June.

Get up-to-the-minute information and news by downloading the award-winning Download Dog at www.downloadfestival.co.uk/dog. Setting up home on your desktop and barking the latest news as soon as it happens, the Download Dog is an essential companion for any festival-goer.

‘EVENT OF THE YEAR’ – 2003 KERRANG! AWARDS

‘BEST THEMED FESTIVAL’ – 2004 UK FESTIVAL AWARDS

‘BEST LIVE GIG 2004’ – KERRANG! READERS

‘BEST OFFICIAL WEBSITE’ – 2005 UK FESTIVAL AWARDS

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