Friday at Download Festival 2022 - Planet Rock roundup

Download Festival 2022 is GO!

Three long years since the last full capacity event, Download Festival 2022 is officially go and tens of thousands of music aficionados have descended upon the hallowed turf of Donington Park for three days of the finest rock music on the planet.

With a raft of site improvements in 2022, including The Village area moving to solid ground, and the sun shining gloriously in the sky, the atmosphere is positively electric as soon as the main gates open at midday.

Fronted by Planet Rock's very own Toby Jepson, Wayward Sons are charged with opening the Apex Stage and they're on fiery form from the offset ploughing through anthems like a euphoric 'Until the End.'

Ahead of the band's eagerly awaited headline set tonight (maybe their last UK show ever?), the KISS Army are out in force in full make-up:

Look at that glorious sunshine:

The ever-genial Benji Webbe of Skindred fame popped by the Planet Rock tent for a chat with Paul Anthony ahead of the Welsh band's performance on The Apex Stage.

Benji spoke to Paul about the invention of their fabled Newport helicopter and how their eighth studio album is coming along...

Always a formidable force in the live arena, Skindred duly impressed with a reggae-metal masterclass on The Apex Stage that peaked with a rip-roaring rendition of 'Pressure.'

A collective of Download revellers from RockFit UK broke into a dance routine during Skindred's rousing rendition of 'That's My Jam.' Incredible stuff:

It wouldn't be an Airbourne live performance without a shirtless Joel O'Keeffe launching himself into the crowd. The Aussie hard rockers performed an electrifying set on The Apex Stage.

After the KISS Kurtain dropped, the band arrived on stage to explosions, dazzling pyrotechnics and euphoric cheers from the Download faithful. The impressive stage setup featured giant inflatable versions of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer:

The KISS fireworks finale:

Just moments after KISS dismantled their stage set, Iron Maiden's crew arrived to set up ahead of their eagerly awaited headline set on Saturday night:

Download Festival 2022 - Friday in photos:

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• Download Festival
• KISS