Download Festival 2023 reveals District X line-up
Late night entertainment, live music, DJ sets, comedy, podcasts and more
Download Festival has revealed the line-up for the District X area at its 20th anniversary extravaganza next month.
Headlined by Metallica (Thursday and Saturday), Bring Me The Horizon (Saturday) and Slipknot (Sunday), Download Festival takes place from Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th June 2023. All tickets are completely sold out.
Away from the main arena, the fabled District X area is open for five days and nights and it’s home to late night entertainment, live music, DJ sets, comedy, podcasts, karaoke, and much more.
For those arriving on Wednesday, Get Your Rocks Off are hosting the official Download opening night party on Wednesday from 10pm at the Doghouse.
District X will boast some of the biggest UK rock and metal club nights including Voodoo, Face Down, Uprawr, Peep Show, Decade, Ultimate Power, Chop Suey, Fat Lip, Black Parade, Master Of Pop Hits, Girl Power Rock Club, Alternative Anthems and We Are Still Young across the five days.
There will also be DJ sets from Kerrang! Radio’s Alyx Holcombe, Daniel P Carter, The Blackout, Wargasm, Nova Twins X On Wednesdays We Wear Black, Zoe London, Matt Stocks, Nels Hylton, and Hang The DJs.
Live music highlights include the Boardie Takeover on Wednesday on The Doghouse stage plays host to, which will feature an array of underground and fast-rising artists.
The 900, the UK’s only Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater cover band, also play the Wednesday and there will be secret live shows and acoustic sets taking place in District X over the weekend.
Kerrang! Radio’s Sophie K and journalist Yasmine Summan will host the On Wednesdays We Wear Black podcast on Friday morning, and Matt Stocks hosts Life In The Stocks on the Sunday where he’ll be chatting to special guest Matthew Pritchard of Dirty Sanchez.
Journalist Morgan Richards and Sean Smith of The Blackout will also be bringing their hilarious energy to The Sidesplitter on Saturday morning to host Sappenin’.
The Sidesplitter on Wednesday evening will feature members of The Comedy Store and a performance from Kunt & The Gang. For karaoke fans, Famous First Words and Drag Emo Karaoke also take place on Wednesday.
For those with kids on site, Rock Kids will be making its debut on The Sidesplitter Stage on the final four days of the festival. The interactive shows are full of amazing performers, club DJ, Confetti drops, party dances, games, prizes with festival level production which all ages can enjoy.
Anyone looking to shake of the previous night’s excesses can also take part in morning fitness sessions at The Doghouse to a rocking soundtrack.
Elsewhere, Download Festival has announced onsite collaborations with Mary Wyatt, Download Lava (Lou’s Hot Sauce) and Parabellum, which you can check out onsite at the Download Megastore, along with the likes of Download garden gnomes and gaming chairs.
There’s also a chill out space where people can hang out with their friends, play arcade games and soak up the atmosphere.