Funeral For A Friend, Download Festival 2024 REVIEW: This is becoming quite a lovely recurrence, isn’t it? Called upon at just two weeks’ notice, the energy that Funeral For A Friend and Lucas Woodland generated during their appearance at Slam Dunk is still reverberating as they settle into this last-minute headline slot on the Opus Stage. Though where last month was a trial by fire transforming into a truly special moment before our eyes, things feel even more connected and colossal tonight. Any nerves that Lucas may have felt the first time around have dissolved, with him reaching even greater heights during a cleansing ‘Juneau’ and glorious ‘All The Rage’, the latter featuring a spine-tingling appearance from one Charlie Simpson. The band themselves are also settled into this new routine, hammering out ‘Roses For The Dead’ and ‘Rookie Of The Year’ with sheer brutality and razor precision. Seeing the smiles plastered across all of their faces, lit up by the insane amount of pyro they have been provided, is more than enough to further cement this collaboration as a very good idea indeed. If this ended up being the last time this happens, what a way to see out something extraordinary. But if not, then what an incredible ride we are in for. ✏️ Jack Rogers 📷 Carla Mundy