However for a substantial minority of tattooed, combat-fatigued, metal-loving disciples of the U.K. population, no June is complete without the annual pilgrimage to Donington and the Download Festival.

It's fast becoming an established player on the homeland festival circuit and to my mind is finally emerging from the shadow of yesteryear's Monsters of Rock event held on the same site.

However, schizoid tendencies continue in the festival's three day line-up, with some odd choices scheduled to entertain the mainly metal-hungry crowd.

Headliners Kiss, with a little more stagger and a little less swagger these days, ignited the main stage arena on Friday night with an incendiary performance that delivered old-school classics wrapped up in timeless rock razzmatazz.

Throughout the weekend and across the three stages, however, a number of bands lower down the bill failed to catch light at all, with Rival Schools, Ash, and Incubus being obvious duds.

Luckily, punk stalwarts The Offspring managed to win a few rusty drunken hearts on Saturday night when it was their turn to headline.

By Sunday, events seemed to gather pace — with a number of bands consistently hitting the right note with your reviewer and wider audience alike.

Black Stone Cherry, with their no-nonsense southern states rock, were a very welcome experience and they seemed to ratchet up the rockin' for the remainder of the day — with In Flames, Valient Thor, The Wildhearts, and the Cavelera Conspiracy all kicking up a ruckus.

All of which left only-UK headliners Lostprophets
the not insignificant task of bringing matters to a fitting end on Sunday.

Despite fears they were out of their depth and a miscast finale, the Welsh pop rockers ripped up the main stage with a set that bruised any remaining doubters.

JASON DENT

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