Saturday at Download Festival 2019 - Blog

With tens thousands of Download Festival revellers still shaking off last night's excesses, what better way to blow off the cobwebs than to watch drummer Henry de Jong of Kiwi teenage metallers Alien Weaponry kicking off the Main Stage action at 11am by performing the Haka. An impressive start.

Over on The Avalanche Stage hosted by Kerrang! Radio, Parting Gift and Yours Truly ensured the day got off to a storming start:

Always an entertaining live force, Royal Republic notched things up a gear on the Main Stage with a pulsating set. The highlight undoubtedly came when they urged the crowd to form hundreds of mini three-person circle pits - an incredible spectacle!

RRAAAARRRGHHHH!

Dallas quintet Power Trip injected a blast of punk-tinged thrash metal into proceedings at lunch time. Fearsome stuff:

Braving daylight, Lucifer's prodigal sons, Behemoth, took the Main Stage action into darker realms. The pyrotechnics blasts were so hot, they almost singed the front row's eyebrows.

Download Festival 2019 - Saturday in photos:

Proudly clutching his belt, NXT Champion Adam Cole dropped by for a chat with Kerrang! Radio's resident wrestling aficionado Jon Mahon.

The heavens opened, but that did little to dampen the spirits during Skindred's imperious set. The Welsh reggae-rockers drew arguably one of the biggest crowds of the weekend on the Main Stage:

Ahead of their headline slot on The Avalanche Stage hosted by Kerrang! Radio, Simple Creatures' Mark Hoppus told us about the weirdest place he's ever been recognised, while Alex Gaskarth admitted he loves a certain Hillary Duff song:

In an act of defiance at their haters, Die Antwoord's Ninja mooned to the audience at the end of their penultimate Main Stage set:

The ever genial Jim Root of Slipknot caught up with Sophie K backstage literally 10 minutes before Slipknot took to the stage. Watch the full interview here:

The crowd eagerly awaits Main Stage headliners Slipknot.

Slipknot didn't disappoint with a pulsating headline performance. Corey Taylor told the crowd after they dispatched opening track 'People = S---': "I've been waiting a long time to say this again, hello Download 2019! Are you happy to see Slipknot in your beautiful land? We're happy to be home!"

Slipknot's bruising setlist at Download Festival 2019 was as follows:

People = Shit

(sic)

Get This

Unsainted

Disasterpiece

Before I Forget

The Heretic Anthem

Psychosocial

The Devil in I

Prosthetics

Vermilion

Custer

Sulfur

All Out Life

Duality

Spit It Out

Surfacing

Friday at Download Festival 2019 in photos

• Download Festival
• Slipknot