Words and pix by Sam H
Download 2025 is now committed to the history books. This year, the Aussie contingent was high. Homegrown bands can and do travel. So let’s get into it!
The obvious starting place is with AIRBOURNE. A globally recognised, high-octane band from Warrnambool in Victoria, started by the O’Keeffe brothers, Joel and Ryan. The band first hit Download in 2008 and never fail to deliver. Yesterday was no different. From the outset, the full-on stage athletics was on, the usual in-crowd guitar playing was on display. The set was full of high-powered Rock ‘n’ Roll. We’d be remiss if we failed to notice some comments that they should be a Headline act, but this will come, one day! For today, the Aussie upstarts came, kicked ass and gave us a master class in good old-fashioned Rock.
Set List: Ready To Rock, Too Much Too Young Too Fast, Back In The Game, Girls In Black, Bottom Of The Well, Breakin’ Outta Hell, It’s All For Rock ‘n’ Roll, Stand Up For Rock ‘n’ Roll, Live It Up, Gutsy, Runnin’ Wild.
The Southern River band – aka SRB – define classic rock with a new dimension. SRB are loud, proud and here not to make up the numbers. The set seriously shows the band’s calibre and love of what they do. Many people around us are new to the sound of SRB. Yet the reception was that of a band much anticipated. The Opus stage has seen some great acts this year, and without doubt, SRB will be back and deservea higher placing. When the song Stan Qualen hit, you could tell the band are growing over here. Great set well delivered.
Set List: Busted Up, The Streets Don’t Lie, Don’t Take It To Heart, Watch Yourself, Cigarettes, Second Best, Chasing After Love, Fuck You Pay Me, Vice City III, Stan Qualen, Chimney, Vice City II.
We didn’t manage to catch the other Aussie acts, but we must mention them.
Battlesnake: The 7-piece metal outfit who have recently supported the likes of Kiss and The Smashing Pumpkins. They bring heavy riffs, theatrics and a relentless energy. Good on ya!
Kim Dracula only started in 2023 and quickly found the niche they needed in the nu-metal/rap scene. TikTok has been a major player for the band, with the song Paparazzi having over 35 million views
Northlane from NSW, Blacktown to be precise. Critically acclaimed and award-winning, this metal band are due to spend significant time creating new music this year but will be making festival appearances as they go. One to watch.
Polaris are Sydney based metalcore kings. Since 2012 they have been kicking the audience’s ass. Heart on your sleeve, full on metal. They always deliver a blistering performance, and from what we heard, Download was no different.
Trophy Eyes: Newcastle based and going from strength to strength. The latest album Suicide and Sunshine is a cracking opus, do not miss them.
It’s great to see the Aussie scene booming overseas. Like the rest of the world, it’s the home-grown gigs that are suffering. The venues are suffering, the new bands struggling to get gigs, breaks and support slots. The UK is an example of how the scene is alive and kicking but the constant closure of venues and bars is a real issue. Festivals are, of course, brilliant, but we all need to get out, rock up to the local venue, support the local bands and breathe life back into our own social lives. We all know we miss it, but only we can change it! So come on, get out and get on it, eh!
Download Festival 8/10 HEAVY points
