Download Festival punters baffled by mysterious act PRESIDENT on 2025 line-up
Who is PRESIDENT?!
Last updated 19th Feb 2025
People attending this year’s Download Festival are baffled by a band / artist newly confirmed for the line-up, the mysterious PRESIDENT.
Less than four months before Donington Park opens its gates, Download Festival 2025 announced the second wave of acts on its bill at 4pm prompt on Tuesday (18th February).
Eminent artists among the 22-strong announcement included Shinedown, Myles Kennedy and Rise Against, however, nestled amongst the big names and fast-ascending rockers, there was also a completely unknown act called PRESIDENT.
A photograph of PRESIDENT on Download Festival’s website depicts a shadowy figure against a red neon-lit backdrop, while the artist description only adds to the befuddlement.
“Citizens, the time has come,” the artist description reads.
“No names. No past. No distractions. Only the mission ahead.
“At Download Festival, the inauguration begins. Not with words, but with action. Not with empty promises, but with undeniable force.
“There will be no campaign, no debate, no opposition. Only one truth: President has arrived.
“The oath will be taken. The people will decide. History will be made.”
Coinciding with the Download Festival announcement, a PRESIDENT Instagram account and official website also launched.
The PRESIDENT website encourages visitors to ‘Join the Campaign’ and sign up to a mailing list, and there’s a countdown to the turn of midnight on Friday 16th May 2025 – 28 days before Download Festival - against a backdrop of a room with red neon-lit PRESIDENT logos.
To date, the PRESIDENT Instagram account has posted six images, three of which feature the mysterious person in white gloves and a black suit.
Many fans are wondering whether PRESIDENT has links to enigmatic Download headliners Sleep Token, while others have speculated that it could be a secret set from a big band such as Ghost. It could, however, be a completely new artist that likes to have an air of mystery.
We’ll hopefully find out exactly who or what PRESIDENT is this summer.
Headlined by Green Day, Korn and Sleep Token, Download Festival takes place from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th June 2025. Tickets are on sale now RIGHT HERE.
Rock stars unmasked:
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Nameless Ghoul Aether unmasked
In May 2022, Yorkshire musician Chris Catalyst revealed he had been masquerading as the Nameless Ghoul Aetha on Ghost's tours. Following the final arena date of Ghost's European Imperatour at László Papp Budapest Sports Arena in Hungary, Catalyst shared a group photo backstage and wrote: "Amaaaazing tour with our wonderful Ghost family. I suppose that's that particular cat out of the bag. So great to be doing this again. Playing this fantastic music with these brilliant people makes me run out of superlatives." In June 2023, Catalyst confirmed he's no longer a touring member of Ghost.
Nameless Ghoul Fire unmasked
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John 5 unmasked
When he's performing live with Rob Zombie, guitarist John 5 wears makeup and masks onstage, including this Aliens-esque guise at Download Festival in 2014. The 52-year-old musician has recently been recruited as a touring member of Mötley Crüe and he's performing sans makeup on stage.
Richie Sambora unmasked
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Slipknot’s Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan unmasked
Slipknot percussionist #6 Shawn Crahan unveiled his new silver clown mask to the world when the Iowan masked metallers premiered fearsome single 'Unsainted' in May 2019. Outside of the day job banging things with Slipknot, the unmasked Shawn Crahan is an acclaimed film director and photographer.
Slipknot’s Mick Thomson unmasked
Slipknot guitarist #7 Mick Thomson's metallic hockey mask is so perfectly formidable it has remained relatively unchanged for years. On the right is an Mick Thomson without his mask traversing the streets of New York in 2019 ahead of Slipknot's appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Buckethead unmasked
The highly enigmatic guitarist, who wears a KFC bucket on his head, revealed his real identity on self-released 2013 album 'Pike 13'. It poignantly depicts a younger Buckethead – real name Brian Carroll – without his mask on and hugging his late dad.
Slipknot’s Jay Weinberg unmasked
Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg and his proper horrorshow burlap mask. On the right is the devilishly handsome Jay Weinberg without his mask. Weinberg joined Slipknot in 2014 replacing the departing Joey Jordison, who sadly passed away in 2021.
Slipknot’s Sid Wilson unmasked
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Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland unmasked and without makeup
Chameleon-like Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland is constantly coming up with brilliant new looks for the band's live shows. Fusing a mask with crudely painted make-up, this brilliantly disturbing guise is like a cross between Salvador Dali, The Joker and a demented aristocrat. Here is Wes Borland without his mask and makeup at a photoshoot in 2017.
Slipknot’s Corey Taylor unmasked
Slipknot singer #8 Corey Taylor's guise evolved into a sinister translucent mask in 2019. As the frontman of Stone Sour - and arguably the most famous member of Slipknot to boot - unless you've been living under a rock for the past two decades, you'll be well aware of what Corey Taylor looks like without his mask.
GWAR’s Blothar unmasked
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Slipknot’s Alessandro Venturella unmasked
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KISS’s Paul Stanley unmasked and without makeup
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Slipknot’s Jim Root unmasked
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Behemoth’s Nergal unmasked and without makeup
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Ex-Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn unmasked
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KISS’s Gene Simmons unmasked and without makeup
On stage and wearing his trademark makeup, Gene Simmons adopts The Demon persona.
KISS’s Eric Singer unmasked and without makeup
Following the death of the late-great Eric Carr in 1991, new drummer Eric Singer didn't adopt his The Fox persona; instead he resurrected original drummer Peter Criss' The Catman guise.
KISS’s Tommy Thayer unmasked and without makeup
Joining KISS permanently in 2002, Tommy Thayer jumped straight into Ace Frehley's platform heels and took on his The Spaceman makeup design.
Ghost Nameless Ghoul unmasked
In March 2017, a Swedish musician called Martin Persner shared a video claiming he was formerly a Nameless Ghoul in Ghost called Omega. He left the band in July 2016 after a seven-year stint.
Slipknot’s Tortilla Man unmasked
When Tortilla Man replaced percussionist Chris Fehn in 2019, Slipknot kept his identity shrouded in mystery. It didn't take fans long, however, to suss out that Tortilla Man was Michael Pfaff, the keyboardist for M. Shawn 'Clown' Crahan's side project Dirty Little Rabbits.