METALLICA will headline the first-ever Download Germany festival, set to take place June 24, 2022 at Hockenheimring racing circuit near Frankfurt. Also scheduled to appear are SABATON and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH.
Tickets go on sale on Friday, September 17, priced at €139.
The U.K. edition of Download was launched in 2003 and has taken place at Donington Park in Leicestershire. It annually attracts around 100,000 people.
Before Download, Donington Park hosted the Monsters Of Rock festival, which was created in the early 1980s.
Download festival was founded by Stuart Galbraith, Tom Pyke and Andy Copping, who reportedly chose the name to emphasize that in the 21st century the Internet provides connectivity for the rock audience. In 2003 festival tickets even had a code which would allow downloading of tracks that were played at the festival.
Download has an official mascot — the Download Dog. It appears at campsites and on promo materials related to the festival — flyers, tickets, stage banners and various merchandise. The dog’s name is Dexter.
