Download Diaries

Day 1

Friday 12th July with Justin Foley from Killswitch Engage

Killswitch Engage came to prominence in the rock world with their album ‘The End of Heartache’ which was certified gold in 2007. Since then they’ve become a firm favorite on the live circuit and have built a strong worldwide fan base. Their powerful mix of riffing, double-bass drum patterns, harmonies and dynamic vocals have established them as one of the most important metalcore bands of the millennium. Killswitch Engage return yet again to Download after their debut there in 2005 and their subsequent return in 2007.

To read our 2007 Download interview with their drummer Justin Foley click here

Justin has established himself at the very forefront of metal drumming and this time we asked him to do something slightly different - a Justin Foley Download Diary.

Hi guys, its Justin Foley, Mike has asked me to keep a diary of my day at Download on Friday 12th July.

It’s a beautiful sunny day and we have just arrived on site after traveling from Paris. We did an overnight on the ferry but didn’t get on it till 4.15 am so I eventually slept on the tour bus which is sometimes not cool on a sea crossing. I wake up with a panic attack that we are going down and I can’t get off the bus but I really needed to get some sleep to be ready for the show. We would have liked to have had a day off so we could relax before playing Download but that’s life, so we are all a little tired and festivals are always hectic. But it is what it is. When I woke up we where already on site which was about 1.00pm and I made my way to the changing room area which is a collection of cabins in a nice green area with Portacabin showers and toilets. We’re sharing are changing room with the boys from Opeth. That’s what is so cool about festivals - you meet up with a lot of friends - and for me this one is a real highlight as I get to see Faith No More, a band I love, and I am so excited about seeing that show. For the past 2 hours I have been doing press for various UK drum mags and music radio and videos so I’m a little hungry.

I’m a little nervous about the gear today as it’s a lovely Yamaha Oak Custom kit that we got a couple of days ago and will be giving it away to a lucky winner after the show. I have great drum tech who has been with me a long time so he knows what I like but the crew only have a 15 minute turn around so I have to go straight out and play in front all those people, so I have a few more nerves then normal.

16.00: Time to start warming up for the show. I go through various sticking exercises on a pad. This is a good time for all of us to relax and we are left alone to prepare.

4.35: We walk onto the stage. Man, I’m so pumped and excited. The sun is shining and the crowd is awesome, they’re really up for it. All I can see are people stretched out in front of me. IT’S SHOWTIME!.

After the show:

We did a 40 minute set and it was pretty good. Adam (Dutkiewicz, guitar) is not feeling so hot which is a bummer and Joel’s (Stroetzel, guitar) voice is shot so he couldn’t do his backing vocals. The crowd was awesome and I had real fun and the show was great. We did a new song from the new album but my favorite was ‘Rose of Sharyn’.

Mike Dolbear: How do you keep yourself motivated to keep playing old songs?

JF: When the crowd are singing along and moving, it just keeps us going. We can’t practice those songs any more but they’re so much fun when the crowd is into it.

When I am playing I am so aware of the crowd and it really drives me on – I’m always looking at them.

MD: Do you discus the set after the gig?

JF: No, not really. We try to do the show and move on. We always discuss whether the crowd was good, have a quick chat about the general show but to answer your question, no we just move on.

MD: OK now what?

It’s shower time so I can relax and I am so looking forward to Faith No More which is strange as this is the highlight of the day for me and I still haven’t eaten, so must get some food.

End of the day:

Faith No More were awesome so worth waiting for and now its time to get back on the bus and drive to Holland for a festival tomorrow. So back on another ferry for the night - hopefully no panic attacks! And goodbye Download and the UK until next time!

Justin Foley

Saturday July 13th with Omar Abidi from Fightstar

I arrived on site about 11.30am and just made sure everything was OK, hooked up with a few people and an hour before the show I got a call to go to the stage. This year we are on Stage 2 which is a 5 minute mini bus drive from the changing area. We have recently changed our monitor mix set-up on stage which I now control from behind the kit. We where finding that this was the safest thing to do at festivals as our monitor mix is very important. I now run everything through a small 8 channel mixing desk which I mix and send out to the guys monitors with a line back to the desk. There was panic as my tech wasn’t sure about what to send back, so after 20 minutes getting that sorted behind the curtain while the band before us was on, I rushed back to the changing area to get changed before the band was called to the stage for our show.

On the bus over it was funny, I don’t get nervous anymore but I am apprehensive and I get really pumped and jazzed before I go on - the other guys in the band all deal with it in different ways. Charlie Simpson (front man/guitar) is very quiet before each show and he worries about the stage sound. We have a video crew following us around on this tour and so there are video cameras, the band and our press; all crammed into our mini bus.

I always worry about the first few hits when we start but once we begin I just go for it and hold nothing back.

14.25 Show time: Man the show was awesome! It was probably the biggest and most responsive audience we’ve ever had at a festival. Not sure where the crowd came from but it just grew throughout the 40 minute set. I managed to break 3 sticks in the second number and split my Meinl ride cymbal but we where so pumped up and it was the best the band has performed at Download. It is great when the crowd are singing along to tracks from your new album and the security guys were having to really work hard with the crowd. My favorite track was ‘War Machine’ from the new album. I have been watching out for the crowd’s reaction to new songs and looking out at the crowd - it made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. We came off the stage so pumped up but I had a stitch. Mike (Dolbear) tells me that we drummers need to treat ourselves like athletes and eat and drink properly before and after the show. Boy I need a massage now!

As soon as we get back to the changing area there is no time to cool down and have a massage as it’s straight into press and live radio sessions for Radio 1, Scuzz TV and in total that lasts for 4 hours! I don’t have a problem with this because these guys supported us from the beginning and whether it’s Radio 1 or a single fan that comes to a gig they deserve the same attention. It’s because of them that we can do what we do, and I love it and feel lucky to be able to do this.

It’s now 19.20 and I can relax and enjoy the evening. I am really looking forward to seeing Prodigy who are on Stage 2 at 20.35. This is a band that really influenced me in my early days and I love to watch them live.

OK, enough is enough I have had a great day and I will be back tomorrow as a fan again but now it’s bed (party?) time.

Mike Dolbear: What’s the difference from your regular show to what you do at a festival?

O.A: It’s more of a mental thing. On your own show you have the time, you get to load in and do a long monitor and sound check. So you have to mentally prepare yourself before going into the unknown. You don’t know what the sounds like or the crowd and you’re not sure about your gear. But I just go out there and play. Try to just have a good time.

MD: You broke your hand a few months back and had to get Jason Bould onto the tour while you took over tour managing. Was that hard on you?

OA: Yes this was a nasty break. I had to have metal rods put into my hand but its all OK now. I have come to know Jason very well because of the tour and he has become a good friend of mine. One drunken night he asked me if I minded him doing my gig?

I said that it’s like your friend doing your girlfriend in front of you because you physically can’t. You’re happy that he is helping out, but it still feels strange and you hope she still wants you back!

Omar Abidi