The fact that Iron Maiden was headlining the final night of the Download Festival for their only UK date of 2016 was probably enough to get many excited on that side of the pond. Now the fest has named it’s Friday and Saturday headliners, and they’re just as impressive, if not more so. Black Sabbath will be headlining Saturday, in what will almost definitely be their final year performing at the festival. And on Friday, June 10th, Rammstein will bring their pyro-heavy set to the stage. The band are currently working on new material for their follow-up to 2009’s Lieve Ist Fur Alle Da. Tickets will go on sale at 9am UK time on the festival’s website. Metal Hammer has a quote from the festiva’s organizer, who’s obviously psyched:
Festival organiser Andy Copping says: “I cannot wait for this year- three of the biggest names in rock are heading to Donington. Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath have legacies to rival Download festival and its rich rock heritage, it’s a match made in rock heaven.
“The mighty Iron Maiden back after another yet another no.1 album, the legendary Black Sabbath on their final tour and Rammstein, who blow me away every time I see them. Their headlining set at Download 2016 will make rock history.”
Rammstein last played Donington in 2013, which suggests that there could be a different stage show in the works. It’s a little premature to say that it’s a given, but Metal Hammer did interview the managing director of FFP, the special effects team that handles all the pyro for the band. Nicolai Sabottka was initially the band’s production director since the late ’90s. He says he’s always looking for what the latest trend is in all things fire:
“My job is to work on new FX and search the market for anything exciting,” he says. “If we can’t find what we want, we have a team of engineers who work on special effects and an entire pyrotechnics factory in the state of Montana who will build what we’re looking for.”
Well, since they’ll be playing live show in, at the latest, eight months, does that mean there will be new pyro? Sabottka is playing it close to the vest for now:
“The list is long and the new show design is still at a very early stage,” says Nicolai. “We have a lot of new stuff that needs to be orchestrated, so I can’t be specific at this point as it’s simply too early to reveal. There’s lots I’d like to do, but I wouldn’t want to give that away before we’re ready to show it to the audience!”
