Strutting Aerosmith drop curtain on Download 2010

Stone Sour and Steel Panther play final day too

Ruth Booth, Ali Ryland - 14 June 2010

Steven Tyler strutted across the stage to the likes of 'Love In An Elevator', 'Walk This Way' and a performance of 'I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing' that turned the Main Stage arena into 100,000 people strong karaoke session.

Following the headline sets of previous nights from Rage Against the Machine and AC/DC, it was a workman-like but nevertheless impressive set from the legendary rockers. The band played the final note of the Download 2010, marking the 30th anniversary of metal at Castle Donington.

Over on the Dio stage, Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor had tears in his eyes, as he dedicated an emotional rendition of 'Bother' to his Slipknot bandmate Paul Gray, who recently passed away. It was a powerful lull in an otherwise upbeat set, which also saw Taylor leading the crowd in a special dance to 'Idle Hands'.  

Until this point, the late afternoon rain drove away many festival goers, leaving Stone Temple Pilots with a smaller than expected crowd for 'Plush' and a cover of Pearl Jam's 'Even Flow'.

The weather chimed perfectly with Porcupine Tree's atmospheric Dio stage set, and for Dillinger Escape Plan, it intensified their performance, frontman Greg Puciato climbing on the stage stacks and throwing himself against the speakers.

Earlier in the day, crowds gathered for one of the first UK shows from The Damned Things, a supergroup including members of Fall Out Boy, Every Time I Die and Anthrax. Frontman Keith Buckley was in fine voice as the band tore through a set that included 'Bad Blood', 'Black Heart' and 'Graverobber'. Guitarist Scott Ian also joined Steel Panther onstage for 'Asian Hooker', in a set that also saw the band cover Backstreet Boys classic 'I Want It That Way'.

However, it was the Main Stage where the retro theme really took hold. Slash had no qualms about playing up to fans of Guns N' Roses, throwing in 'Paradise City' and 'Sweet Child Of Mine', but touring vocalist Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge wasn't quite up to the task of matching the guitarist's powerful riffs.

Meanwhile, Motorhead had their own tricks, with fire-breathers, a guest appearance from Slash, capping off the set with a crowd-baiting 'Ace Of Spades'.

Check back for our full review from Download Festival 2010.

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