Waking up on the final day of Download 2026 was bittersweet. The lineup was stacked, but there was a sadness in knowing it would all be over before I knew it. So I took the opportunity to put my fitness to the test, covering as much ground as I could.
Opening the Apex Stage were UK alt-rockers unpeople. Their pre-show chant hushed everyone at the barricade just before they came on, building the perfect hype. But it was the hugs they gave each other as they ran onstage that stuck with me even more than the chant, a reminder that being up there was just as exciting for them as watching them play was for us. Watching unpeople get the recognition they’ve earned felt like a long time coming.
Before the hype of seeing unpeople had even died down, I was off to the Avalanche Stage for Ivri. The Florida-born artist brought shoegaze that was easy to get lost in, and her performance included what is, in my opinion, one of her best songs, ‘Tower of Memories’, where her dreamscape vocals were perfectly balanced with electrifying guitar riffs. It wasn’t one for opening up a mosh pit, but I definitely felt the rhythm flow through my body as the lyrics took me back to a time I struggled to forget. In the end, what I got was the perfect balance of joy and sadness that connected me to the person next to me without either of us having to say a word.
I then ran straight back to catch RØRY, and I do truly mean run. There was no way I was going to miss RØRY uniting the crowd from the height of Download’s biggest stage. For the first few seconds I forgot what I was even there for. The music felt louder than ever, the crowd united in every word of ‘Anti-Repressant’. What a perfect song to start with. Her music is the perfect example of why you shouldn’t let anyone suppress how you feel. It’s angry and meaningful, curing the pieces of loneliness that creep in when it feels like no one else in the world understands you.
Still in disbelief that she’s finally living the music career she’d dreamed of for decades, RØRY never failed to tell the crowd how grateful she was for the support of her family, team and fans. But what truly deserved recognition was her bravery: the bravery to speak openly about ADHD, to write about the moments in her life that others might hide away for fear of judgement, and the bravery to be unapologetically herself on stage. That’s what’s changing perceptions and helping so many people feel less alone.
The set united the crowd as RØRY became emotional talking about losing the guitarist who helped shape her album Restoration into some of her heaviest music, dying from cancer before it was finished, and having to find a way to keep making music without him. She also spoke about losing her mum, reminding everyone that just as she had made it through her darkest days, so could they. I can tell you that plenty of people in that crowd cried at least once during her set. But we also jumped to the new song ‘Kids These Days’, singing every word back at her. It was a perfectly balanced set of joy, grief, hope and defiance.
Still singing along to RØRY, I made my way over to catch The Pretty Wild. It was exactly what I needed. The sisters brought an infectious energy to the stage that got everyone moving and made it easy to forget about everything else. As a photographer, I could have taken photos of them non-stop, and as a new listener, I could have stayed in that packed crowd for hours.
I genuinely think they deserve a main stage slot next year. The American nu-metal duo completely blew me away. Their multi-layered songs took the audience on a journey without ever sacrificing intensity, and it’s exactly that depth that has earned them a place on my daily playlist alongside Lake Malice and Ankor.
A special mention has to go to Jules’ and Jyl’s absolutely insane scream vocals. Their full power can only really be appreciated live. Let’s hope they make it back to the UK soon, because now I know what to expect, I definitely need a second round.
Not long after, Ankor took to the Dogtooth Stage for a set that felt far too short. The choreography alone made me even more excited to catch them on their upcoming headline tour. I’d been looking forward to this performance all weekend, and Jessie’s vocals combined with Fito’s wild energy didn’t disappoint.
A lot of music comes from lived experience, so you could argue that the more life you live, the more meaningful your music becomes, and that certainly felt true of Ankor. They translated their story into a highly visual, almost theatrical performance. Influenced by anime and Asian culture, they’re undoubtedly a nu-metal band at heart, but their songs blended genres and sounds in a way that allowed everyone in the audience to connect with the music on their own terms, rather than simply meeting expectations.
And finally, what we’d all been waiting for all weekend: Linkin Park brought the festival together. Thousands in the crowd had seen them before, and even more hadn’t, but we all sang along, hugged our friends, and made new ones in the process.
The first woman to headline Download Festival, Emily Armstrong more than lived up to the occasion. Her vocal range swung effortlessly from gritty screams to melodic, emotional softness, connecting instantly with the crowd. She didn’t just headline Download – she made Download history.
Having seen Linkin Park at The O2 last year with the same friends who make Download feel like home, I found them in the crowd for this set, and it became a unifying moment for all of us. Opening with ‘The Emptiness Machine’ was the perfect choice. New and old fans sang along together, the excitement palpable. The set was a rollercoaster of emotions, even for the toughest guys, one of whom started a mini mosh pit behind me. That’s the magic of music: joy and sadness in equal measure. Linkin Park delivered the perfect set to close the festival.
One particularly sweet moment came when Mike Shinoda got the circle pit going on behalf of Emily after drawing attention to her as the first woman to headline Download. Seeing how united the band were on stage, and how close they clearly were off it too, gave real hope for the future of women in this industry. For everything Emily has faced, watching her perform with this much power and kindness was inspiring.
Even more admirable, she didn’t hesitate to stop the show the moment she spotted trouble in a nearby circle pit. It showed just how closely she was watching over the crowd, and how much she cared about their safety in an environment that can quickly become dangerous, as the previous nights had already proved. Mosh pits and circle pits are a form of expression in metal and rock, channelling huge amounts of energy and joy into an outlet for built-up emotion. So the reminder to look out for each other mattered, especially with so many people involved.