Enter Shikari to headline The Avalanche Stage at Download Festival 2019
Their first Donington performance in four years
Enter Shikari's Rou Reynolds
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 31st Jan 2019
The mighty Enter Shikari have been unveiled as the blockbuster headliners of The Avalanche Stage hosted by Kerrang! Radio at Download Festival 2019.
Rou Reynolds, Chris Batten, Rob Rolfe and Rory Clewlow will top The Avalanche Stage line-up on Sunday 16th June appearing on a bill that already boasts the likes of FEVER 333, Palaye Royale and The Amity Affliction.
It will be Enter Shikari’s first performance at Donington Park since they slayed it in June 2015.
Download Festival organisers kicked off this week by adding a whopping 43 bands to the line-up including Halestorm, Clutch, Stone Temple Pilots, Behemoth, Bad Wolves, PaDeadland Ritual, Last In Line, Skid Row, Municipal Waste, At The Gates, and Beartooth.
We also announced the launch of Kerrang! Radio’s talent search for a chance to open the Avalanche Stage at Download Festival!
Yes, your band could be opening up one of the major stages at the world's premiere rock festival, on the hallowed turf of Donington Park.
If you're going to return rock and metal to its rightful home of Donington Park, then it only seems right and proper to get the UK's biggest heavy metal act to kick things off. And kick off they did!
Enter Shikari to headline The Avalanche Stage at Download Festival 2019
2 of 40
Rammstein: Download Festival 2013
Does it get any more explosive than Teutonic titans Rammstein? Probably not, and so it be proved as Donington Park ignited in flames.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2003
If you're going to return rock and metal to its rightful home of Donington Park, then it only seems right and proper to get the UK's biggest heavy metal act to kick things off. And kick off they did!
Audioslave: Download Festival 2003
Proving that supergroups still remained a popular draw, this fusion of Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and the instrumental wing of Rage Against The Machine transcended their original bands to forge an identity wholly their own.
Download Festival 2003 poster
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2004
Promoting their second album, 'Meteora', Linkin Park brought their fusion of heavy metal and rap when they headlined the main stage on the opening night of Download 2004.
Metallica: Download Festival 2004
Having made "secret" mid-afternoon appearance on the second stage with no soundcheck the previous year, the behemoth that is Metallica took its rightful place at the head of the table. Despite Lars Ulrich being rushed to hospital minutes beforehand, Metallica ploughed on with their set with Slayer's Dave Lombardo, Slipknot's Joey Jordison and their drum technician, Flemming Larsen, filling in for Lars.
Download Festival 2004 poster
Feeder: Download Festival 2005
So overjoyed was he at Feeder's reception from the crowd, the band's singer-guitarist Grant Nicholls smashed his Fender Jazzmaster. We hate to think what he'd have done if it had gone badly.
Black Sabbath: Download Festival 2005
The origin of the species, Black Sabbath pretty much invented heavy metal with their eponymous debut album before refining it throughout the 70s. You can call this one a homecoming.
System Of A Down: Download Festival 2005
As one of the most important metal bands of the 90s and beyond, System Of A Down are genuine gamechangers and worthy headliners of this celebrated event.
Download Festival 2005 poster
Tool: Download Festival 2006
Promoting their fourth album, '10,000 Days', Tool displayed an effortless ability to take the main stage and own it.
Metallica: Download Festival 2006
Returning to Download for their second headline slot and third appearance overall, Metallica celebrated the 20th anniversary of 'Master Of Puppets' by the playing the album in full. Fortunately Lars was in good health this time around.
Guns N’Roses: Download Festival 2006
After threatening to walk off after bottles were thrown onstage, both band and audience settled in for some hard rocking, with Axl Rose declaring, "I'm actually having quite a good time now! I couldn't have said that an hour ago!"
Download Festival 2006 poster
My Chemical Romance: Download Festival 2007
At arguably the highest point of their career, My Chemical Romance brought 'The Black Parade' to Donington Park.
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2007
Riding high on the back of their third album, 'Minutes To Midnight', Linkin Park returned to Donington Park for their second Download headlining set.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2007
With the end in sight for their massive 'A Matter Of Life And Death' tour, Iron Maiden returned to the UK for the first time since the previous December for their second Download headliner.
Download Festival 2007 line-up poster
Kiss: Download Festival 2008
Playing an epic 20-song set, Kiss brought their spectacular live show to this side of the Atlantic. Though perhaps the less said about Gene Simmons' bass solo, the better.
The Offspring: Download Festival 2008
The only punk band to have headlined the Download festival, The Offspring brought the pogo the headbangers. There's probably a song title there…
Download Festival 2008 line-up poster
Faith No More: Download Festival 2009
Returning for their first live shows in 11 years, Faith No More served to confirm just how much they'd been missed.
Slipknot: Download Festival 2009
Slipknot's first headline appearance at Download would also be their last UK performance with bassist Paul Gray before his death in 2010. Their performance was later released as the live DVD, '(sic) nesses'.
Def Leppard: Download Festival 2009
Since emerging from Sheffield as part of the New Wave Of British Metal, Def Leppard have gone on to become one of the biggest bands on the planet. Worthy headliners, indeed…
Download Festival 2009 line-up poster
AC/DC: Download Festival 2010
The only band to have brought their own stage to the Download festival, AC/DC delivered their full stadium show to create one of the most memorable headline sets ever.
Rage Against The Machine: Download Festival 2010
Bringing the revolution to Download, Rage Against The Machine detonated in combustible and explosive style just six months after claiming the UK Christmas number one with 'Killing In The Name'.
Aerosmith: Download Festival 2010
Headlining a day of torrential rain, classic rock overlords Aerosmith brought a touch of glamour to the otherwise sodden environs of Download.
Download Festival 2010 line-up poster
Def Leppard: Download Festival 2011
Having clearly enjoyed themselves just two years earlier, the NWOBHM juggernaut that is Def Leppard returned for their second Download headliner.
System Of A Down: Download Festival 2011
SOAD returned for another round of headline action at the Download festival.
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2011
Slotted in between the release of 2010's 'A Thousand Suns' and 2012's 'Living Things' album, Linkin Park made their third headlining appearance at Download.
Download Festival 2011 line-up poster
The Prodigy: Download Festival 2012
Fusing heavy metal with techno, The Prodigy lit up the Download festival after a wet start forced the cancellation of some acts.
Metallica: Download Festival 2012
For their third Download headliner, the metal titans that are Metallica elected to play the whole of their 1991 eponymous album – in reverse order.
Black Sabbath: Download Festival 2012
Despite being treated for cancer, Tony Iommi played as strongly as ever as Black Sabbath went through some of their biggest career highlights including 'War Pigs', 'Children Of The Grave' and 'Paranoid'.
Download Festival 2012 line-up poster
Slipknot: Download Festival 2013
Iowa's masked metallers Slipknot embarked on the The Memorial World Tour in honour of their late bassist Paul Gray, who died in 2010. As the scene of Slipknot's last UK appearance with him, calling in at Download was only right and fitting.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2013
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first Donington headline slot at Monsters of Rock as part of their 'Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour', the metal institution that is Iron Maiden returned to this hallowed ground.
Rammstein: Download Festival 2013
Does it get any more explosive than Teutonic titans Rammstein? Probably not, and so it be proved as Donington Park ignited in flames.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2003
If you're going to return rock and metal to its rightful home of Donington Park, then it only seems right and proper to get the UK's biggest heavy metal act to kick things off. And kick off they did!
Audioslave: Download Festival 2003
Proving that supergroups still remained a popular draw, this fusion of Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and the instrumental wing of Rage Against The Machine transcended their original bands to forge an identity wholly their own.
Download Festival 2003 poster
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2004
Promoting their second album, 'Meteora', Linkin Park brought their fusion of heavy metal and rap when they headlined the main stage on the opening night of Download 2004.
Metallica: Download Festival 2004
Having made "secret" mid-afternoon appearance on the second stage with no soundcheck the previous year, the behemoth that is Metallica took its rightful place at the head of the table. Despite Lars Ulrich being rushed to hospital minutes beforehand, Metallica ploughed on with their set with Slayer's Dave Lombardo, Slipknot's Joey Jordison and their drum technician, Flemming Larsen, filling in for Lars.
Download Festival 2004 poster
Feeder: Download Festival 2005
So overjoyed was he at Feeder's reception from the crowd, the band's singer-guitarist Grant Nicholls smashed his Fender Jazzmaster. We hate to think what he'd have done if it had gone badly.
Black Sabbath: Download Festival 2005
The origin of the species, Black Sabbath pretty much invented heavy metal with their eponymous debut album before refining it throughout the 70s. You can call this one a homecoming.
System Of A Down: Download Festival 2005
As one of the most important metal bands of the 90s and beyond, System Of A Down are genuine gamechangers and worthy headliners of this celebrated event.
Download Festival 2005 poster
Tool: Download Festival 2006
Promoting their fourth album, '10,000 Days', Tool displayed an effortless ability to take the main stage and own it.
Metallica: Download Festival 2006
Returning to Download for their second headline slot and third appearance overall, Metallica celebrated the 20th anniversary of 'Master Of Puppets' by the playing the album in full. Fortunately Lars was in good health this time around.
Guns N’Roses: Download Festival 2006
After threatening to walk off after bottles were thrown onstage, both band and audience settled in for some hard rocking, with Axl Rose declaring, "I'm actually having quite a good time now! I couldn't have said that an hour ago!"
Download Festival 2006 poster
My Chemical Romance: Download Festival 2007
At arguably the highest point of their career, My Chemical Romance brought 'The Black Parade' to Donington Park.
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2007
Riding high on the back of their third album, 'Minutes To Midnight', Linkin Park returned to Donington Park for their second Download headlining set.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2007
With the end in sight for their massive 'A Matter Of Life And Death' tour, Iron Maiden returned to the UK for the first time since the previous December for their second Download headliner.
Download Festival 2007 line-up poster
Kiss: Download Festival 2008
Playing an epic 20-song set, Kiss brought their spectacular live show to this side of the Atlantic. Though perhaps the less said about Gene Simmons' bass solo, the better.
The Offspring: Download Festival 2008
The only punk band to have headlined the Download festival, The Offspring brought the pogo the headbangers. There's probably a song title there…
Download Festival 2008 line-up poster
Faith No More: Download Festival 2009
Returning for their first live shows in 11 years, Faith No More served to confirm just how much they'd been missed.
Slipknot: Download Festival 2009
Slipknot's first headline appearance at Download would also be their last UK performance with bassist Paul Gray before his death in 2010. Their performance was later released as the live DVD, '(sic) nesses'.
Def Leppard: Download Festival 2009
Since emerging from Sheffield as part of the New Wave Of British Metal, Def Leppard have gone on to become one of the biggest bands on the planet. Worthy headliners, indeed…
Download Festival 2009 line-up poster
AC/DC: Download Festival 2010
The only band to have brought their own stage to the Download festival, AC/DC delivered their full stadium show to create one of the most memorable headline sets ever.
Rage Against The Machine: Download Festival 2010
Bringing the revolution to Download, Rage Against The Machine detonated in combustible and explosive style just six months after claiming the UK Christmas number one with 'Killing In The Name'.
Aerosmith: Download Festival 2010
Headlining a day of torrential rain, classic rock overlords Aerosmith brought a touch of glamour to the otherwise sodden environs of Download.
Download Festival 2010 line-up poster
Def Leppard: Download Festival 2011
Having clearly enjoyed themselves just two years earlier, the NWOBHM juggernaut that is Def Leppard returned for their second Download headliner.
System Of A Down: Download Festival 2011
SOAD returned for another round of headline action at the Download festival.
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2011
Slotted in between the release of 2010's 'A Thousand Suns' and 2012's 'Living Things' album, Linkin Park made their third headlining appearance at Download.
Download Festival 2011 line-up poster
The Prodigy: Download Festival 2012
Fusing heavy metal with techno, The Prodigy lit up the Download festival after a wet start forced the cancellation of some acts.
Metallica: Download Festival 2012
For their third Download headliner, the metal titans that are Metallica elected to play the whole of their 1991 eponymous album – in reverse order.
Black Sabbath: Download Festival 2012
Despite being treated for cancer, Tony Iommi played as strongly as ever as Black Sabbath went through some of their biggest career highlights including 'War Pigs', 'Children Of The Grave' and 'Paranoid'.
Download Festival 2012 line-up poster
Slipknot: Download Festival 2013
Iowa's masked metallers Slipknot embarked on the The Memorial World Tour in honour of their late bassist Paul Gray, who died in 2010. As the scene of Slipknot's last UK appearance with him, calling in at Download was only right and fitting.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2013
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first Donington headline slot at Monsters of Rock as part of their 'Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour', the metal institution that is Iron Maiden returned to this hallowed ground.
Rammstein: Download Festival 2013
Does it get any more explosive than Teutonic titans Rammstein? Probably not, and so it be proved as Donington Park ignited in flames.
Download Festival takes place at Donington Park in Leicestershire from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th June 2019. Weekend and RIP tickets are on sale from Kerrang! Radio Tickets now.
The rock institution is headlined Def Leppard, Slipknot and Tool with bands including Whitesnake, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, Rob Zombie, Skindred, Slayer, Blackberry Smoke, Anthrax and Dream Theater also playing.
In a special treat for their fans, Enter Shikari will perform two sets per day at both Reading and Leeds - these will both be full sets of different material and on different stages.