Iron Maiden and KISS (photos by Kevin RC Wilson) / System of a Down (photo by Raymond Ahner)
Iron Maiden, KISS, and System of a Down will headline the virtual Download TV festival, which will stream on YouTube and social media June 12-14th.
All three bands were set to headline this year’s Download Festival, a massive annual UK heavy music gathering that was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The virtual fest promises footage from prior Download appearances, socially distant performances, interviews, and exclusive content from the bands that were initially slated for this year’s lineup.
The weekend schedule will be divided into day and evening programming. The day content “celebrates the spirit of Download Festival” and the evening will feature two to three hours of “tailor-made programming” exclusive to Download TV, according to a press release.
Each night on YouTube, the fest will feature a “headliner”, with KISS playing the Friday night slot with replays from their 2015 Download set. Saturday night belongs to Iron Maiden, featuring vintage performances, clips from their most recent “Legacy of the Beast Tour”, and exclusive content just for Download TV. System of a Down will close out the streaming festivities on Sunday night with performances clips from their Download appearances in 2005, 2011, and 2017.
Other notable heavy acts that will be featured across the weekend include Deftones, Korn, Babymetal, Baroness, Mastodon, Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, Gojira, The Offspring, Volbeat, and many more.
In the spirit of making it a true festival experience, Download TV will also air interactive content, such as celebrity “cookalongs,” artist Q&As, tutorial and “mindfulness” sessions, as well as user created content from Download attendees.
Editors’ Picks
Many of the bands on the lineup were hitting the Download Festival on touring cycles that have since been postponed or cancelled by the pandemic. Bands like Deftones and Gojira, who started a Twitch series and shared archival concert footage, respectively, have already been active on streaming platforms amidst the pause on live music.
Check out the full lineup via the Download Festival’s website. Tune into the festival via YouTube and watch a trailer below.
