Download Festival returns to Brighton this May, teaming up with Kerrang! to host a three-day venue takeover at The Great Escape 2026.
From Wednesday 13 – Friday 15 May, Daltons will become the home of heavy, alt-rock and future Download favourites, as Kerrang! Presents The Download Stage at TGE brings a bold, high-energy programme to the city.
Running daily from 6pm–10pm, the stage will showcase a handpicked selection of rising artists primed for bigger stages, offering a taste of what’s to come at Donington Park this summer, while staying true to The Great Escape’s ethos of discovery.
A MEETING OF TWO ICONIC FESTIVALS
As The Great Escape celebrates its 20th anniversary, this collaboration with Download Festival and Kerrang! underlines the festival’s continued role as a launchpad for the next generation of global artists.
For over two decades, Download has been a defining force in rock and metal, a pilgrimage for fans and a proving ground for bands who go on to headline the world’s biggest stages. Now, that energy comes to Brighton, spotlighting emerging talent at a crucial stage in their journey.
THE LINE-UP
Across three nights at Daltons, the stage will feature a mix of boundary-pushing new acts and future heavyweights:
Wednesday 13 May (6pm–10pm)
Native James
Frozemode
Mudrat
EMNW
Thursday 14 May (6pm–10pm)
Comastatic
Eurotripp
Overgrown
Theboyshadow
Friday 15 May (6pm–10pm)
Oversize (pictured)
Ally Nicholas
Heave Blood & Die
East Exchange
Access to these shows is via a festival wristband, subject to the venues capacity