I had a dream last night
Suggestion: Intimate “club set” stage for Platinum ticket holders
I had a dream last night that I was waiting at the Avalanche Stage for a Slipknot set. It wasn’t even that busy, but everyone there was absolutely buzzing.
It got me thinking about whether Download could ever make something like that work? A tiny, intimate stage accessed by a limited number of Platinum-style tickets, where selected bigger bands from across the weekend play short 30 minute sets.
I’m thinking something like the Key Club stage at Slam Dunk. No big theatrics, no massive production, no screens. Just the band, their instruments, and a small room/tent full of fans losing their minds.
I think a lot of people crave intimate shows, especially with bands that are now far too big to play venues of that size anymore. I got a taste of it the other day at Corporation in Sheffield. King 810 (by no means huge, but reasonably well known) played to a crowd of a couple of hundred and everyone was feral with excitement. This could be a way of recreating that feeling within the festival.
It could work well for everyone:
Fans get a once in a lifetime type experience and a taste of what it might have been like seeing huge bands in their early days. Nostalgia sells too. I've seen bands like The Ghost Inside, Architects, A Day to Remember etc. in tiny venues. I crave that again.
Bands get to reconnect with fans in a raw, close up setting without all the pressure of a full headline style production.
Download gets a unique and exciting premium offering that isn’t just better toilets, bars, or viewing platforms. Put a bar and merch/meet and greet area inside too and potentially adds a viable revenue stream.
Obviously it would need capacity management, and the main festival sets should still be the priority, but as an extra “club set” experience, I think it could be incredible.
Imagine seeing a band like Slipknot, ADTR, Limp Bizkit, or Architects in a tiny packed out tent for half an hour. No gimmicks, just music.
I’d be all over that.