Download Festival is heading to the coast next month, unveiling a three-day takeover at The Great Escape 2025 with its very own stage set beneath Brighton’s iconic seafront arches. From May 15–17, the legendary heavy music festival will take over The Volks, delivering a blistering lineup of rising talent, future headliners, and genre-bending newcomers – all primed to make serious noise.
Celebrated as the UK’s premier festival for new music, The Great Escape (TGE) hosts over 450 up-and-coming acts across more than 35 venues in Brighton. Now, Download is bringing the volume, attitude and edge of Donington to the seaside, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to championing the next generation of heavy music.
The Download Stage at TGE will feature chaos-charged performances from acts including Mouth Culture, Twenty One Children, Karen Dio, Zetra, Vower, James and The Cold Gun, BEX, Jayler and more. It’s a chance for fans to catch these future festival favourites in an intimate venue before they graduate to larger stages – maybe even Donington itself.
The collaboration underscores Download’s dedication to nurturing new talent. Artists like Sleep Token, who first played TGE in 2018, are now headlining Download Festival 2025 – proof that today’s newcomers can be tomorrow’s main event. Download’s partnership with Kerrang! Radio on ‘The Deal’ continues this mission, offering unsigned bands a shot at opening the Avalanche Stage at DLXXII.
The Great Escape 2025 runs May 14–17 and includes both its renowned multi-venue showcase and the TGE music industry conference. Access to the Download Stage is included with a TGE wristband, subject to capacity.
Meanwhile, Download Festival 2025 is set to be one of its biggest yet. Taking place June 13–15 at Donington Park, the stacked lineup includes Green Day, Sleep Token, Korn, Jimmy Eat World, Weezer, Shinedown, Bullet For My Valentine, Spiritbox, McFly, The Darkness, and many more. Tickets for both events are on sale now via downloadfestival.co.uk.
