Featured
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2024 Download XXI Review
Where has the time gone since last year’s Download festival epic four day event to celebrate its 20 year anniversary? Festival managing director Andy Copping revealed late last year that the Download team had to approach 21 bands to find suitable headliners. Issues were further compounded when a number of bands pulled out of the Download festival bill in protest against Barclaycard’s role as official payment partner. The high-profile pushback was related to allegations made regarding Barclays’ links to companies supplying Israel. Subsequently Barclays have stepped back as sponsors of all Live Nation festivals. On top of all this, an ominous weather forecast for the week looms large as the…
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2023 Download-20 Festival Review
Pictures by Enda Madden Review by Howard Keogh There is an air of anticipation as Download festival celebrates its 20-year anniversary. Continuing the tradition of music festivals in Donington, Download follows the legacy of the Monsters of Rock festival which first started in 1980. Since its inception in 2003, Download has gone from strength to strength, starting as a two-day event with 2 stages, later evolving to three stages in 2004, before adding a third day in 2005. This year the 20-year celebration sees the addition of a fourth day with the novel idea of a double headline provided by titans Metallica which subsequently sells out fully, well in advance.…
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Enda Madden releases ‘Freedom’ for Ukraine Humanitarian Relief
20 Dec 2022 This is a song about the war in Ukraine from the perspective of an ordinary Ukrainian forced to bear arms to defend their country. Like many others, I have sadly watched the ongoing humanitarian disaster unfold in Ukraine over recent months and I have read many of the endless stories of the daily atrocities visited upon its people. Having lived in London for over 30 years enjoying life and the freedoms that western democracy affords all of us here, I realise how lucky I am to simply be able to go to bed unafraid, and how privileged I am to have a voice. The small things we…
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Download Festival 2019 Review
by Howard Keogh – Ligger in Chief and Satanic Cyclist from Hell Some places mean different things to different people. If you mention Donington UK to a historian he may refer you the historic references in the Domesday Book of 1086. A motor racing enthusiast on the other hand will most likely tell you about the famous Donington Park Race Track and perhaps mention that Since 2013, Norton Motorcycles has had its head office in Donington Hall. To any self-respecting rock fan however, there is only one true meaning, Donington is the spiritual home of Download – rock music’s greatest festival which has been running almost every year since 1980.…
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MÖTLEY CRÜE releases THE DIRT soundtrack
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, March 22, 2019 The world’s most notorious rock band Mötley Crüe release The Dirt Soundtrack out today on Mötley Records and E7M (Eleven Seven Music) to coincide with the band’s biopic, The Dirt, now streaming on NETFLIX based on their New York Times bestselling autobiography with Neil Strauss. The soundtrack is available digitally, on CD and vinyl HERE. You can also find The Dirt inspired merch bundles HERE. Mötley Crüe kicked off release week as NASCAR Grand Marshals giving the famous command, “Drivers, Start Your Engines,” followed by the song, “Kickstart My Heart” to begin the first race at NASCAR Auto Club 400 on March 17. In…
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MÖTLEY CRÜE- The Dirt
It’s Finally Here – MÖTLEY CRÜE’s “The Dirt” now on Netflix Mötley Crüe is reaching new heights in the film industry on Netflix with their octane-fuelled biopic, The Dirt from their bestselling autobiography with Neil Strauss. The Netflix Film is directed by Jeff Tremaine (Jackass) and includes a stellar cast: Douglas Booth (Loving Vincent), Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones), Colson Baker a.k.a. Machine Gun Kelly (Bird Box), Daniel Webber (The Punisher), David Costabile (Breaking Bad, Billions) and Pete Davidson (SNL) premiering on Netflix March 22. Hailing from Los Angeles, CA, the quartet – Vince Neil (vocals), Mick Mars (guitars), Nikki Sixx (bass), and Tommy Lee (drums) —has commandeered the rock…
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Download 2018 Review
by Howard Keogh – Cardio King of Rock N’ Roll Over the last few balmy summer weeks, the countryside of the east midlands has enjoyed an expectant air of serendipity. Birds sing, as the gentle summer breeze whispers through the long grass however the stillness is destined to be short lived. Soon a legion of metal-heads is set to march upon this sacred ground where many of their predecessors have gone before, for this undulating English countryside is none other than Donnington Park where thousands of rockers assemble to pay their personal homage to the rock gods. This site has hosted rock festivals since 1980 and has become synonymous…
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Download 2017 Review
By Howard Keogh – our lycra-clad ligger As the time draws near for the metal legions to descend on Donington Park the spiritual home of rock, for the annual bash, there may be some trepidation in the ranks after last year’s unprecedented weather. Those in the know estimate that 70 million gallons of water fell over the course of the weekend making it challenging for those revellers who were lucky enough not to be completely washed out. Apparently that quantity of water is enough to fill 106 Olympic size swimming pools. But fear not because while you were scraping the mud from your boots Download dog has been busy. This…
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Download 2013 Review
By Howard Keogh – Our Intrepid Reporter / Purveyor of Fine Wine Friday It’s that time of year again. Midsummer is nearly upon us and Liggers, Loggers, Bloggers, Blaggers and a good smattering of Daft Buggers congregate on the hallowed turf of Donington Park for the annual metal bash that is the Download festival 2013. This year there are again 5 stages and the addition of a zip wire that spans from one side of the main Arena to the other for all those Adrenaline junkies who need more excitement than the 150 plus bands scheduled to defile our ear drums over the next three days. After a stiff…
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Baby Laura Madden – R.I.P.
First of all – Thank You Thanks to all of you for all the kind words, comments, calls, visits, flowers & gifts we have received over the past few days. Our world has been turned upside down since last week and we are still devastated at the loss of our lovely little baby Laura. Summary of Events Laura was born on Friday 20th April and seemed perfectly normal. We all spent a few wonderful hours bonding and Laura was transferred to the ward where she had the first little blip where she occasionally struggled to breathe. As the day progressed, the breathing difficulties increased in frequency and progressed to choking…
