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Boyband legends Five set to show off their hard rock credentials at Download Festival

Rock fans get ready to Slam Dunk Da Funk because boyband Five are coming to Download Festival. Also on the line-up of the UK's biggest hard rock event at kids TV faves Dick & Dom

[Boyband Five]

Five will rock Download Festival this summer(Image: Getty Images)

Heavy Metal festival Download is going pop this year after legendary boyband Five signed up to headline a stage.

Long haired rockers will be slam dunking da funk at Donnington Park as the Sean Conlon, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Abz Love and Jason J Brown are bringing all their 90s earworms to the home of metal between June 10-14. Seasoned rockers Limp Bizkit, Guns N Roses and Linkin Park are headliners on the event's main stage, while Everybody Get Up hitmakers Five top the bill in the District X area which aims to re-define the traditional fest experience with unlikely sets including kids telly faves Dick & Dom.

Featuring the likes of Electric Six, The All-American Rejects, Creeper, MODESTEP, Bat Sabbath, TokenGrass and all sorts of other wild and wonderful delights, District X promises to take Downloaders to another dimension once again after the likes of Vengaboys played in 2025.

Five will be hoping no pints of unusual fluids will be hurled at them and instead they live up to their lyric Five bad boys with the power to rock you by playing the event for the very first time.

[Five in 2025]

Five were on a sell out arena tour last year(Image: Rhys Hafod Photography)

They're no strangers to rock music though having teamed up with Brian May and Roger Taylor for a cover of Queen's We Will Rock You which incredibly topped the charts back in 2000. Download has taken brave steps to modernise its line-ups in recent years by including more electronic acts such as The Prodigy, while cheesier pop bands like Busted and McFly have also found their way onto the eclectic bill.

Five enjoyed a huge comeback last year, selling out arenas all over the UK and are continuing that good run with a number of outdoor festival gigs for 2026. They'll be hoping to spot a few UFOs while at Download as band member Abz famously enjoys looking out for unidentified objects. He discussed witnessing extra-terrestrial activity on TV years ago: Ive seen a lot of stuff I cant describe or explain.

These days hes not so sure what he saw but is willing to get the rest of FIVE involved when out in a field. Cracky bananas, I dont know," he smiled. "That was maybe when I was foraging for mushrooms in the woods. Now Im with the boys Ill introduce them.

Five also told the Daily Star they are willing to test the waters of new music with a future A-list collaboration. Abz spilled: Im working on trying to get us a FIVE X Teddy Swims collaboration. Were working the magic - its called Five Swims or Swims Me Five...Five Swims is better.

[Five the band]

Ritchie Neville from Five can't wait to shock the metal community(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Download's District X will see a host of live podcasts taking to the stage, including RRYs ADHD Love, Sappenin Podcast and The Metal Roundup Podcast. Other highlights will include Heavy Metal Sports, Bongos Bingo, Panic! At The Bingo, Chris Fleming Millennial Magician, Live Band Karaoke with Ten Years Too Late, Never Mind The Download pub quizzes, as well as endless DJ sets and fun surprises from the likes of K-Pop Emo Hunters, Nickelbrat, Master Of Pop Hits, Alex Baker, Sophie K and dozens more.

This packed line-up confirms that District X remains the ultimate entertainment hub, offering Downloaders an unforgettable festival experience from dusk until dawn. And over in the main arena, DLXXIII will be headlined by Limp Bizkit, Guns N Roses and Linkin Park, with the likes of A Day To Remember, Scooter, Electric Callboy, Cypress Hill, Pendulum, Bad Omens, The Pretty Reckless, Trivium, Halestorm, BABYMETAL, Tom Morello, Dogstar and many more joining them on the bill.

Weekend camping tickets are now sold out, but final remaining weekend arena and day tickets are available from www.downloadfestival.co.uk.

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