6 Essential UK Rock Festivals You Need To Attend In 2014

2. Download Festival - 13-15 June 2014

Headliners: Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park & Aerosmith Linkin Park are playing Hybrid Theory €“ the biggest selling debut album of the 21st century €“ in full at Download Festival 2014. Alongside them are a variety of bands that fall under the rock spectrum; Rob Zombie, The Offspring, Steel Panther, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Status Quo. That indicates exactly the kind of breadth the festival typically offers. There is something about the "spiritual home" of rock causing bands to bring their A-game: from its inception as Monsters of Rock in 1980 and a one-day event through to a spiritual successor encompassing an entire weekend with three days of live music in 2014 the spectator cannot deny that Download is big. Moreover Download listens to the fans. The festival's online forums are an essential element in making the festival so great, and the organisers regularly communicate with the members to find out what does and doesn't work, and which bands people would like to see in future editions. It even just extends to organising a pub quiz for the RIP campers (the luxury camp) that arrive on the Wednesday before the festival kicks off. With Download you really get the impression that the organisers care. Likelihood Of A Sell-Out: 5/10 Only time will tell with Download. In 2006 the festival sold out of weekend tickets, whilst in 2009 the festival completely sold out, but that was helped by a stellar line-up. And it's hard to imagine that increasing ticket prices will help the festival, even if you definitely get what you pay for. It is unquestionably one of the most important festivals in the country (the others being Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds) and you should want to be part of it.