The Prodigy Return to Donington
Anyone who has been fortunate enough to witness legends The Prodigy in a live environment will understand the utter excitement around Download Festival 2012‘s latest announcement, that England’s biggest electronic act will headline the main stage on the Friday at Donington. On Friday last year, while Def Leppard were bringing the days proceedings to an end at the Main Stage, a particularly dance oriented band, Pendulum, were offering a much different type of close to the evening. I anticipated a large crowd, but large would be a modest adjective to use for the size of audience who turned up for the band. With that in mind, confirming The Prodigy as headliners on the same day as Pendulum did last year, the festival organisers may have just played their cards right.
You see, Pendulum are a pretty great band, but if that sort of live music was new to you, then it would be foolish to go to Download expecting much the same on the Friday night. The Prodigy are a completely different level from the aforementioned band. There’s just no comparison. The Prodigy have an unbelievable, surreal way of making their live set as violent as humanly possible. The bass batters at you like a pneumatic drill. Emcee Maxim is as intimidating as any front men will ever come, towering over the crowd and ensuring those in front of him get as rowdy as possible. Also manning the stage with him is live wire Keith Flint who offers a different kind of adrenaline rush, bouncing around the stage like a man half his age. All of these backed up by the sheer volume of noise hurled at you (The Prodigy just happen to be one of the loudest bands I have ever seen live), and you are in for a pretty special night. What an ideal time to have the band play as well. On the Friday night, you tend to feel like your festival experience is just hitting full speed, so what bigger adrenaline rush can you get to head back to the camp site with?
These three headliners, compared to 2011′s Download Festival, knock the ball out of the park in more ways than one. The only way Download can screw this up now is if they have blown their budget after only three bands. One thing is for sure, now that the ink would just have dried on The Prodigy’s contract, the organisers will not be resting until they ensure the undercards are just as impressive. I, for one, am properly excited to see what they have to offer on the smaller stages.
