Article by Robert Littlemore
I could only manage to to the one day at Download so, it had to be today. I had been up since five this morning so I knew this was going to be a long day having driven here I found no queues as I was expecting! I just drove straight in to my amazement. I was still working out who I wanted to see the most (apart from Nightwish) and, wondering whether I could get between the stages in the time I had. I worked my way into the crowd during the sets by Mudvayne and, Papa Roach who got me in the mood. I am a big fan of Killswitch Engage so I was very happy to see them on stage. They did a superb set so I wondered now, how will Nightwish better that?
Now it all starts to go wrong. I notice first that no setting up is going on stage. What has happened? Our worst fears are confirmed when a man walks out on stage and announces that Nightwish are still on the motorway having been delayed badly leaving Austria !!!! Damn!!! I am left rather un-happy as I am hit by yet another bottle (thankfully not full of anything), the euphoria that gripped the crowd during Killswitch Engages' set has all but died and, now we face a long wait.
After waiting what seems like forever, feverish activity begins on stage as I spot a few familiar faces (like Jukka setting up his own drum kit); he looks dumbfounded at something he is told that obviously he didn't want to hear. Finally after MUCH delay Nightwish's intro starts but still they are moaning around me; “Just wait until you hear them' is all I can think.
Jukka now makes his ‘proper' entrance then, the familiar sound of ‘Dark Chest of Wonders' starts the set and, the crowd starts to surge again. Tuomas, Emppu and, Marco virtually simultaneously arrive to begin. At last! It begins! Then on to the stage she comes, and all the frustration is forgotten as Tarja's beautiful voice reaches my ears again. She looks stunning in a elegant white blouse. They seem to all disappear for short time before ‘Planet Hell' stirs my soul and Tarja hits some high notes at the end of this tune. Suddenly everyone around me is giving her all their attention; the magic is weaving its spell!! ‘Nemo' follows and those around me seem impressed. It is good to see them on a big stage and THE stage every band aspires to perform on as, Marco and Emppu run round all the time and, Tarja tries to be everywhere at once. Marco dashes our hopes then, as an expletive filled speech announces that a bomb alert delayed them, (a seemingly stern look from Tarja and he laments his language) and, unfortunately the next tune will be their last today. Overcoming my disappointment I wave my arms in the air like a lunatic as ‘Wish I Had An Angel' finishes a tragically short set.
I am hit by a full can of beer during this last tune (Carling; I can't stand the stuff either) so; I have had enough for a bit. (My mouth feels like a sand pit from breathing in the dust kicked up my numerous mosh pits.) I emerge from the crowd and its bloody freezing!! I wonder what the foreign bands make of our wonderful English ‘summer'?? I then get really into Slayer from a distance while munching on pizza for tea and, arrive at the signing tent to find the queue is a monster!! I still queue up and get nice and wet for my trouble but, I get nowhere near; wasn't expecting that many people! A final glimpse as, they leave in the galaxy and, I am one of the lost ones again.
When Toumas was interviewed in the TV footage from the Golden Gods awards he said of the Download Festival; “OH! It was a disaster” he began. Really? I beg to differ; I was asked by several people after the performance (as I was wearing a Nightwish t-shirt), what album I recommended to start with. “Is all their music similar to that?” I was asked. They left a good impression on all with just four songs. Maybe it wasn't the complete disaster you thought Tuomas, you made lots of new friends and, probably sold another truck load of albums. Just what a performance we would have witnessed if they had been on stage for a full set? I found out two months later in their home country. (See Ankkarock Review)
