Newcastle metal band ready for sold-out Download Festival appearance
Rituals won The Kerrang! The Deal competition - meaning they will open the Avalanche Stage at the iconic festival
Last updated 1st Jun 2023
A Newcastle metal band say they want to give something back to the North East community - after winning a potentially life changing competition.
Rituals won Kerrang's The Deal Competition - which means they'll get to open the Avalanche stage at the sold out Download festival - on the same day legends Metallica take on the headline slot
They're hoping to give back to the region's music scene too - and have a pre-Download gig at The Grove, in Newcastle the weekend before - which is also sold out!
Singer Lewis tells us it's all thanks to the support from the local music scene - and musicians from other genres are helping the rest of the UK find out more about North East artists:
"I think Sam Fender has definitely been a massive help in part with that - because people have gone 'ah there's actually musicians from the North East who are pretty good.'
"So pretty much since lockdown, it's definitely felt like the North East is been a bit more on the map."
Ahead of their appearance at Download Festival on the 10th of June, Lewis adds they're keen to show off the region's musical talents to the rest of the country;
"We are so buzzing to be - not only doing it, and playing Download and have this opportunity for ourselves, but also it's an opportunity to represent the North East as well,
"Because - there's not many bands from the North East who get a chance, especially with the music we make as well, we understand it's niche for a lot of people.
"But, we're a band from the North East, we're able to go there as the only band from the North East - and actually fly that flag for ourselves and kind of represent everyone here - and all the people in bands who don't get the opportunity they should do."
READ MORE: Rituals to record EP and play Download Festival after winning The Deal
90 000 people are expected to descend on Donnington Park in the East Midlands over the 8th-11th June, with Rituals opening the Avalanche Stage on the Saturday.
Download festival organiser Andy Copping has revealed all Saturday day tickets, and full weekend tickets had sold out over a month before the festival, with the remaining day tickets expected to sell out as well, for the first time in the festival's 20 year history.
You can hear the full interview with the whole band on the MoshPet! Podcast.