His scrappy, brash punk tunes are loud enough on their own, but Kid Bookie makes sure his messages sink in with plenty of inbetween chat – and a shout out to Andy Copping and a cheeky yell of “YOU WANT ME BACK NEXT YEAR?” to which the audience responds very affirmatively. He’s the new kid on the Download block, but he’s making himself heard – and everyone is rapt listening. There’s no pause for breath as we rehydrate (we’re going to need it) and head up to the Dogtooth stage to join Kid Bookie. It’s a whirlwind of a set, which finds space both for a Blur cover in amongst their incendiary, essential usual messages. More than kicking, it’s writhing and bouncing and yelling alongside it’s frontman and fanbase, who have packed the stage out formidably for a 1pm set. Butler is joined by new band members Brandon Davis, April Kae, and Thomas Pridgen after lineup changes earlier this year, but the heart and soul of Fever is alive and kicking. Jason Aalon Butler and co are a Download staple and they deliver year on year, but the mood today is something a cut above. Over on the Apex Stage, Fever 333 are turning up the heat despite the 27 degree sunshine. It’s no wonder they’re the hot band on everyone’s lips right now. The dust clouds serve as a warning sign of just how feverish the energy is, and vocalist Olli Appleyard voices his thanks in the most Festival appropriate way: “we know you could all be doing better things, like being hungover in a tent right now… So thank you” ‘Courtney, Just Relax’ gets perhaps the most feral of circle pits, elbows flying as Static Dress charge on through an assured set. Despite the sun beating down, the fans are out in full force as opener ‘Di-sinTer’ blasts out of the speakers, fans are immediately throwing themselves into the thick of energised pits. They’re back again and they’ve leveled up – opening up the second stage on a broiling Saturday morning. Having opened up the Avalanche Stage last year, it seems Download Festival just can’t get enough of emo renaissance outfit Static Dress.
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