Olivia PowellThe organiser of Download, Festival Republic, has announced the line-up for Download TV, the virtual version of the festival.
The online event will feature exclusive footage from previous headliners of the festival, including Iron Maiden, Kiss and System of a Down, and is promised to have ‘hours of music, special interviews, unseen performances, exclusive footage and so much more to screens of any size’.
Download Festival was one of the first major UK events to cancel due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and launched Download TV in its place. The event will be airing at the same time as the original festival weekend, and will be available to watch via the festival’s YouTube channel, and its social media pages.
Download TV will feature ‘tailormade programming where Downloaders can tune in and rock out’, including live artist Q&As and performances from acts who would have been playing at the festival this year, including the Darkness, Babymetal, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Korn, Deftones, Creeper and the Offspring.
Historic performances from Download’s 2020 headliners will be featured, with Iron Maiden promising to deliver ‘something very special to your screens, with nostalgic performances, Legacy Of The Beast snippets, and something just for Download TV‘, a journey through System of a Down’s performances at Download from 2005, 2011, and 2017 and KISS’ 2015 Download headline set.
Organisers have asked fans to join in the ‘celebration of the Download community’ by putting up tents in their gardens, wearing festival merchandise and sending photos and videos to the festival page.
Another offering of Festival Republic, Wireless Festival, will also be taking place virtually this year as Wireless connect. The event will be partnering Melody PR, and virtual reality company, to bring pre-recorded live performances to Wireless fans in 360 degree virtual reality.
The performances will be recorded from MelodyVR’s studio in Los Angeles and Alexandra Palace in London, with the line-up to be announced in the coming weeks.
Download TV will be taking placee from 12-14 June, and Woreless Connect will be taking place from 3-5 July.
Pictured: Lamb of God at Download 2019, photo credit David Dillon