Having diversified its line-up in recent years, Download Festival is not only growing in a programming sense – adding more hard rock bands to its roster – but the event has also bolstered its production value.
“Expectations from festival audiences is at an all-time high,” Live Nation’s Andy Copping told TPi. “It is super important to offer a ‘wow’ factor at festivals now, as well as the lineups fans are eager to see something creative on the production side too – it is just as important.”
Reflecting on the 2024 edition, Copping mentioned Dan Braun’s production design. “Having seen what Dan has created over time has always been inspirational,” he noted. “What he put together for Metallica was and still is, groundbreaking. The Download team took inspiration from that and incorporated it within what we wanted to do for the festival, and it really worked.”
To achieve the above and beyond production value that is expected from punters at the festival, the Download team gather before the current year’s festival has even taken place – meeting well over 12 months in advance. “Andy Grey and the Far and Beyond (FAB) team are family at Download now and they know what is needed and always deliver,” Copping stated. “We are able to bounce ideas around the team and then everything slowly starts falling into place.”
Copping’s praise also extended to the staging provider for the festival: “Serious Stages are great. They have a long-standing relationship with Download – this collaboration is perfect for us.”
Looking to the future, Copping ensures that audiences will be in for lots more surprises for the festivals 2025 edition. “We will see lots of surprises and a lot of new ideas this year, particularly in District X, which is a big part of our campsite and after-hours entertainment,” Copping added. “Download is always striving to be a market leader and understands just standing still will not achieve that. It is always thinking about how ig can improve and better each year, and thankfully, after over 20 years, it is still here and admired globally.”
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Words: Alicia Pollitt
Photo: David Stewart
