Download update: Sabbath Sunday

Anthrax

Missile crisis…

Black Sabbath’s return to Donington was always going to be bittersweet, given the ongoing turmoil regarding drummer Bill Ward’s absence, and guitarist Tony Iommi’s ongoing battle with cancer – which didn’t stop work on their upcoming album.

But while Ozzy Osbourne admits the show brought out his nerves, he was pleased to be able to say he wouldn’t have get shock like the one he had on another stage in the past.

Ozzy Osbourne: I’m always nervous. If you blow fucking Donington it’s bad news. You never know what’s going to happen until you walk on stage. But it could be worse – I was playing in Milan and someone threw a fucking Zippo lighte and it smacked me in the head. There was blood all over my face. It shocked me more than anything.

Tony got whacked with a pint of beer at Madison Square Garden. Years after, I met the guy who threw it. He said he was a baseball played and his mate dared him to do it. I said, ‘I hope you’re fucking proud of yourself.’

Tonny Iommi: It was good for me to keep working. I did feel tired and sick. The cancer treatment does make you sick. You start throwing up. But on the days I felt I could do it, we were there working.

@mbetz As Black Sabbath take the stage, all I can think about is how sad it is that, for whatever reason, Bill Ward isn’t joining them.

Black Sabbath played: Black Sabbath, The Wizard, Behind The Wall Of Sleep, NIB, Into The Void, Under The Sun, Snowblind, War Pigs, Sweet Leaf, Iron Man, Fairies Wear Boots, Tomorrow’s Dream, Dirty Women, Children Of The Grave; encore: Paranoid.

Medals all round…

…to upstarts Sanguine for covering Metallica’s St Anger, even when fans of the thrash giants are split over whether it’s any good.

…to steward number S104, “the Voice of Download,” who impressed many with his traffic announcements delivered in a rock star style.

And finally…

With the news that one and possibly two of next year’s headline acts has been confirmed (although no announcement will be made until all three are signed up) and that limited 2013 tickets will go on sale on Friday for the June 14-16 event next year, Download bosses have vowed to learn from the weather problems this time round.

John Probyn, festival director: God threw the kitchen sink at us this year and we dealt with it. Not everything was perfect for the 10th Anniversary. We are aware of some of the specific issues some customers faced as a result of the bad weather. All options were considered to manage this situation, but unfortunately there was nothing that could be done to prevent the resulting ground conditions. We will use the events of 2012 to once again improve the site for years to come.

Looking back on Download’s first ten years, booker Andy Copping accepts there have been highs and lows.

Andy Copping: Every year is difficult. You never think, ‘It’s going to be easy, we’ll just put the festival on sale and book a bunch of bands and people are going to come.’ You never think like that. Every year is hard. Getting AC/DC was our biggest achievement – everyone wanted them but they came and played Donington. Axl Rose’s tantrums in 2006 were hilarious. We actually got him on stage in time – which was an achievement in itself.