Download Festival: Saturday Tuborg Stage

Londoners Malpractice' electro-rock has the dirty bass lines and punk sass to get us dancing early on. Like Filter or a more uplifting version of forgotten Brit rockers, Sunna, they have the stage craft and the pop hooks necessary to go onto far bigger things.

Army of Freshmen's sub Blink 182 bleatings don't take long to get under your skin. Syrupy lyrics like "I don't think she'll go out with me cos I don't have a car!" from 'Juliet' tell you that they are clearly aiming to be another pop rock band that clogs up music television while you're waiting for something good to come on.

Damone's AC/DC Joan Jett approach is a little too radio friendly for its own good and could do with more dirt under the fingernails to truly capture the imagination. Front-gal Noelle clearly grew up mimicking her idols in the mirror with a hair brush. It gives them a certain honesty and charm but if songs like 'Wasted Years' were a bit more sexy and less mid-paced then they would garner a much richer response then the one they are afforded today.

Beyond All Reason mix Emo rock and classic metal influences to great effect. Tracks like the urgent "Don't Hold Back" have the driving melodies of Funeral For A Friend or Taking Back Sunday and the York quartet certainly make some new fans today.

Panic Cell raise the bar again with some Jagermeister-soaked aggro metal that gets us moshing again. Mixing Pantera and Machine Head bluster with a more melodic approach, they give us our first real chance to headbang and pump our fists in the air to songs like single 'Fallen' and title track of their new album 'What Doesn't Kill You'.

Former Mastodon tourmates Priestess provide a gritty stoner groove with the kind of titanic drumming mustered by the likes of High On Fire and the late Kyuss. Their album 'Hello Master' will make a fitting addition to any Sabbath obsessed riff worshiper's album collection.

Lez Zeppllin provide the light relief after all that eardrum splitting metal with some truly sleazy synth drive interpretations of the Birmingham legends back catalogue. Singer Sarah has a wail that could break glass and their interpretation of 'Whole Lotta Love' is a danceable take on an all time classic done with irony and panache, oh baby!

Silverstein comparatively are a trifle serious, their emotional hardcore draws from everything from the blast of early Cave-In and the more poppy vibe of Sunny Day Real Estate. Rucksack sporting emo-kids nod and sing along in approval.

Brighton boys Architects mix the frantic riffs and beatdown intensity of peers like Johnny Truant and Sikth: all twisting time signatures and mesmerizing fretwork delivered with an honest no frills approach that draws you toward them and despite the fact that they are afforded the wooden spoon award in clashing with Machine Head, they put up an admirable job of entertaining the curious few that show up. Next time they will surely be afforded the reception they deserve.

Classic rocker's The Answer play a blend of no nonsense boogie rock 'n' roll that comes straight of the seventies. Much of the audience on hand are much too young to truly appreciate them but they're the ones missing out. Vocalist Cormac Nesson has a gritty blue collar charm that brings to mind Chris Robinson of The Black Crows and they bring a much needed element of soul.

Necro's Death-hop extravaganza has all the subtleties of a sledgehammer to the cranium. Prowling the stage like a savage animal, he spits out vitriol reminding you of a time when Hip Hop was truly dangerous and forbidden and not about corporate sponsorship and having your own clothing line.
Tracks like 'Who's Ya Daddy' are foul mouthed peons to sex and death which the more open minded of the audience are lapping up and the use of Twisted Sister classic 'I Wanna Rock' in 'I Wanna Fuck' may not be clever but you can't help but grin like a goon when you hear it.

Daryl Palumbo's dance party Head Automatica have a hard time following the gauntlet thrown down unceremoniously by Necro, however their Squeeze meets Weezer pomp is more than up to the task, giving us a much more up-tempo and funky end to the Tuborg stage. Tight trousered showman Palumbo himself looks ecstatic, bouncing around the stage like a hyperactive toddler on a sugar rush, and tracks from their 'Decadence' debut platter and newbie 'Popaganda' are equally well received by the audience. There is a certain sneering mischief that punctuates tracks like 'Graduation Day' and you almost feel your body dancing unconsciously to their frantic beats particularly when they play trump card 'Beating Heart Baby' with its pulsing chorus melodies and quintessential summer vibe.