@katiesaintandserpent: DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2026 HOT TAKE 👀👇 Before anyone comes for me… I had an AMAZING weekend. One of the best festivals I’ve ever been to and I genuinely had the time of my life. This isn’t me bashing Download at all. But after 3 days on site, there were definitely a few things that need serious attention… 🚩 Security at camping. I’m honestly shocked by how little security there was. We arrived with two huge hiking backpacks, two handbags and a trolley overflowing with camping gear. We weren’t searched once. Not a single bag checked. We were literally just asked if we had anything we shouldn’t have. 🚩 Food vendors. One of the food stalls sold me fruit with visible mould growing on it. At festival prices, that’s completely unacceptable. 🚩 The layout. I haven’t been to Download for 7 years and somehow managed to do twice as many steps in half the time. My feet are still filing complaints. 🚩 Toilets. To be fair, they were surprisingly clean for a festival. But there simply weren’t enough of them for the number of people attending. 🚩 Cashless only. Phone dies? Bank card goes missing? Tough luck. You’re basically stranded because not a single vendor accepts cash anymore. 🚩 Chairs in the arena. I don’t really mind people bringing chairs, but when the arena is packed wall-to-wall, they become a huge obstacle. Getting through crowds was an absolute nightmare at times. 🚩 The second stage. There just isn’t enough room for the crowds it attracts. One of my favourite bands had their set repeatedly stopped because of safety concerns. That’s a clear sign the space isn’t working. 🚩 The headliners. This one will upset people… As a lifelong Limp Bizkit fan, it genuinely hurts me to say it, but the headliners were probably the weakest part of the weekend for me. Limp Bizkit were never going to be at their best after losing a close friend and band member, and it showed. Way too much pratting around and filler songs from the 80’s. We left half way through the set. Linkin Park’s set felt flat. I actually really enjoy the new music, but on the Apex Stage Emily just didn’t deliver the same level of performance that comes across in the recordings. Again, we left 3 songs into the set. The standout vocalist of the weekend? Lzzy Hale. If any woman deserved to become Download’s first female headliner, it was her or Amy Lee. They’ve both been robbed. 🚩 Where was the giant Download Dog?! Surely I’m not the only one who missed it? The site decoration and overall atmosphere felt like a step backwards compared to previous years. Again, I had the BEST time and I’ll absolutely be back. But these are the things that stood out to me. Am I being unfair or do you agree? What were YOUR biggest Download 2026 red flags? 👇🔥 #download #downloadfestival #metal #rock #festival

Katie | Saint & Serpent Tattoo
Katie | Saint & Serpent Tattoo
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Region: GB
Monday 15 June 2026 08:38:09 GMT
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mhairi_wilson_vocalist
mhairi_wilson_vocalist :
I haven't made it to DL for about 15 years now but I completely agree, Lzzy Hale and Halestorn should have been the first female fronted band to headline 🤘🏻
2026-06-15 15:51:30
11
johnathannormyhamill
Johnathan Normy Hami :
the chairs were shocking never seen anything like it
2026-06-15 10:15:51
20
james_amas
James Amas :
I thought limp bizkit was amazing. Fred is getting old and they have lost members so still dealing with that. plus im pretty sure the songs are so they can have a breather and so the crowd (especially at the front) can calm down a gives people a chance to move about/away from pits
2026-06-15 14:24:44
8
ell9515
KellyannE :
Amen to the fact it should have been Amy Lee!!!
2026-06-15 08:41:29
56
melon__knee
Mel :
It was my first time at Download and although the bands were worth the ordeal, I agree with your thoughts on headliners and the queues & chairs/moving around the arena just made it too difficult and I just cba to go through that again 😂
2026-06-15 11:57:05
17
brothertoelhoney
brothertoelhoney :
Chairs should only be allowed on the hill. The flat at the front should be chair free.
2026-06-16 11:50:31
13
thesaucygenius
The Adventures of Squib :
I agree with almost all of that. The only thing I'll add is that you likely left way too early into Linkin Park. it dod feel a little flat to begin with but it just kept building to a massive end (from the pits anyway)
2026-06-15 17:46:37
2
dyl1155
dyl0 :
Tha chairs at the main stage done my head in
2026-06-15 11:40:43
15
777pandora777
Meryl :
me personally, the times I have been, I have taken my chair in but I sit at the back in like the "chair area", away form the pits etc. I'd never go near the mid/front area with a chair 😂
2026-06-15 12:34:57
9
toktikarroo
Toktikkaroo :
To be honest I think its pointless complaining about a cashless system in 2026. That ship has sailed. Plus cash transactions take longer and nobody needs those queues to take any longer than they already do.
2026-06-17 13:27:31
2
chaz.chester.be
Chaz (LP)🪖🪽🚩 :
they oversold this year by 20000 tickets so it was so much more chaotic aswell
2026-06-15 11:18:17
2
rilkesy91
rilkesy91 :
Way too many chairs allowed
2026-06-15 10:18:44
7
hollyyyjh
Hollyyy :
Over sold!!
2026-06-15 10:02:24
39
ruby2sdy
Tuesday Shannon :
The vendors aren’t allowed to accept cash as a stipulation of trading at Download - LiveNation takes a cut of their earnings and cash isn’t as traceable or as easy for them to take their cut from! And yeah, they need more toilets and better headliners next year!
2026-06-15 10:45:49
1
phantasmaraneaeae
phantasmaraneaeae :
Signage was awful as well, had no idea where I was going when I first got there, haven’t been to download for a few years but I was the only one in my party who had been before so they were relying on me to guide them but I was honestly lost
2026-06-15 15:47:53
33
shannontutt
shannon tutt02 :
Lzzy Hale and Halestorm were definitely robbed. They always put on a good show. I just think Emily was very nervous nothing like her usual self
2026-06-16 22:44:58
5
ikleangroup
iKlean-Group :
Thank you for the shout out on the toilets 🥰 we appreciate you!
2026-06-16 10:02:15
5
laurabrockway96
Laura Brockway :
Girl my feet are definitely doing the exact same. We were in black camp and that walk has ruined my body 🥲 the toilets as well! 2 set ups for 80’000 people 🤯 nearly pissed myself half the weekend 😂 still had an amazing time though!
2026-06-15 13:07:07
9
jasminenelr97
Jasmine :
The accessibility features were SHOCKING 2 and a half hour waits for shuttle busses, over crowded ques, not enough medical staff for how many tickets were sold, all the access staff were so stressed at how much download clearly oversold tickets
2026-06-15 13:40:02
1
knackeredheart
Dave :
First time at Download and was honestly disappointed in just one band, but partly put that down to possibly the sound techs. Thought all 3 headliners were excellent, my expectations for GnRs was pretty low to be honest, but I was surprised. Glad it wasn’t the 3.5 hours advertised.
2026-06-15 21:29:30
1
dealingwithmysh1t_
dealingwithmysh1t_ :
Worked it all weekend. Don’t think the arena setup works at all I think they need about 5 or 6 more smaller stages/venues the amount of bands that would play for pennies and that would really help with overcrowding at stages
2026-06-15 17:47:43
1
laurenv613
Lauren :
I’m with you on the toilets. Definitely weren’t enough and all were a trek from main stage to be fair.
2026-06-16 18:03:22
1
dnlncstr7
DnLncstr :
I think if you want to take a chair don’t expect to be sat at the front. Or fold them away when artists come on.
2026-06-15 13:13:14
1
wrestledee
wrestledee :
"i didn't stay longer than 10 minutes at any sets but the sets were bad"
2026-06-16 20:27:50
4
aidenjrichardson_
aidenjrichardson_ :
What was wrong with linkin park? I thought it was great
2026-06-15 11:42:47
4
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