Amy (left) with S&I Falmouth resident artist Sammi (s.a.d.designs)
S&I's new social star, Amy Valentine, shares what went down at Download Festival 2025.
Hey, I’m Amy (amyvalentinex)! I’ve just joined the Stories & Ink team to help out with socials, and my first job was heading to Download Festival. A pretty decent way to start a new role!
I’ve done a fair few festivals in my time, but there’s something about Download that’s just different. It’s a bit mad, a bit messy, and the people are some of the nicest you’ll meet.
Metalheads might look terrifying, but they’re honestly the softest, most supportive bunch. Everyone looks after each other, will pick you up when you fall in the mosh pit, and will share suncream if you’re not prepared (which I definitely wasn’t).
The weekend was a mix of brilliant performances, weird moments, total chaos, and a few surprises thrown in. One of my favourite, most unexpected bits was catching the Vengaboys at The Doghouse. Yep, actual Vengaboys. It was ridiculous, the tent was packed, everyone was losing it, and I can safely say I’ve now ticked Vengabus off my bucket list. Didn’t expect to be screaming that at Download, but it was honestly one of the best sets of the weekend.
Sunday afternoon gave us another weird gem when Bleed From Within rocked up backstage with a couple of bagpipe players. Out of nowhere, they started blasting out Thunderstruck and everyone around just stood there in a dazed, slightly hungover state, watching it happen. It somehow made perfect sense for a Sunday at Download.
Green Day were class. The nostalgia was real, the energy was great, and (in proper British festival fashion) it started raining bang on cue when Billie Joe sang Here Comes the Rain Again during Wake Me Up When September Ends. Couldn’t have planned it better if you tried. Definitely a core memory for me.
Korn headlined Sunday night and it was massive. Somehow their first time headlining Download after about 30 years of playing it. Mental. They absolutely smashed it – proper heavy, filthy, loud, everything you want to finish off a weekend like that. The crowd was wild for it and they were the perfect closer to an unforgettable weekend.
I left with aching feet, fishnet tights tan lines, a phone full of weird photos, and a new appreciation for bagpipes and cheesy 90s bangers in a metal setting. Not a bad first Stories & Ink outing.
Same again next year?