Download Festival booker says Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon & Foo Fighters could all headline

There are a number of potential bands

Bring Me The Horizon's Oli Sykes, Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and Paramore's Hayley Williams

Author: Scott ColothanPublished 12th Jun 2018
Last updated 12th Jun 2018

Download Festival booker Andy Copping believes that Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon, Foo Fighters & Green Day are all potential headliners for the Donington Park extravaganza in the coming years.

Speaking in issue 8 of Planet Rock Magazine, Copping was asked if there’s a dream booking he’s kept chasing but hasn’t managed to secure yet.

He replied: “There’s a few actually: Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Van Halen… we’ve been unbelievably close on all those acts. In fact, Pearl Jam and Van Halen have both confirmed previously, but had to pull out for different reasons.

“And with Foo Fighters, we thought we had them and then Dave (Grohl) broke his leg (from falling off the stage at Gothenburg’s Ullevi Stadium in June 2015).

“If Led Zeppelin ever decide to reform, I’ll definitely be seeking them out!”

Download Festival 2018

Download Festival booker says Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon & Foo Fighters could all headline

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Cradle of Filth

In fact, Copping insists there’s a plethora of bands who could headline at Donington Park in the coming years.

Asked if he’s concerned about a lack of new headline-worthy acts coming through, he responded: “If I look at potential Download headliners that haven’t played already, there is still quite a number out there: Bon Jovi, Green Day, Pearl Jam, Van Halen and Foo Fighters and that’s before you get to the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon, Volbeat, Alter Bridge.

"When you actually dig deep into the well of bands you could choose from, there’s still a lot of options. Even with someone like Black Stone Cherry, who’re playing as special guests to Guns N’ Roses this year, who’s to say that they couldn’t be a potential headliner in three, four or five years? It’s something I’m aware of, but it’s not something I’m worried about.”

Download Festival 2018

Monster Truck

Pink Slips

Monster Truck

Whiskey Myers

Download Festival 2018

Bury Tomorrow

Thunder

Black Stone Cherry

Guns N' Roses

Parkway Drive

Elsewhere in the wide-ranging chat, Copping reflected on the one booking he’s proudest of in Download’s distinguished 15-year history.

“I’d have to say AC/DC in 2010. They hasn’t done a festival in nearly 10 years, and they weren’t looking to play festivals, but I convinced them to play.

“Yes, they brought their own stage, yes, they brought a whole load of demands, but it’s AC/DC, and I would do the same again.

“It was an important part of Download’s growth that we got a band like AC/DC and it was an incredible day: we had over 100,000 people in that year. I feel that was my biggest, most inspired and best booking.

You can see all our coverage from Download Festival 2018 right here.

Andy Copping and Festival Republic MD, Melvin Benn, with Download Dog

Download Festival