The first year with 3 days of bands and 5 days of camping - was awesome!!
Had such a good time in the camp site - there were so many of us from Chester, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Hartlepool/Sunderland - a massive group that all had a great time! This was the last year you could legally buy real magic mushrooms that weren't "prepared" (from the stalls in the village), and I had a VERY funny Thursday night with a couple of my mates - possibly the BEST night I've had at ANY of the Download fests I've been to!
As for the bands, Friday was a good start - enjoyed Fozzy, Lordi, Megadeth and Napalm Death - had a lot of fun watching that set! Was also good getting back to the camp site (keeping in mind there was such a big group of us) and everyone swapping stories of their evening (as others had gong to watch Billy Idol) and getting pissed, staying up until 6-7am!
Saturday I remember not seeing as many of the bands as I wanted to, as me and my then g/f at the time both got a bit drunk and ended up having an argument, but that argument ended when we bumped into a couple of other friends who weren't part of our campsite group, and sharing a few drinks with them... the day got better from there and Lamb of God were EPIC, and Sabbath were great too.
Sunday was a good day too, spent largely with my g/f and a couple of mates who had only made it for that day (day tickets), although was immensely disappointed to leave the Slayer pit early only to find that Funeral for a fkn Friend were that years secret band >:-]
Slipknot and System were awesome though and a great way to end the festival.
I also remember laughing my head off in my tent on the Monday morning as we could hear sooo many people all waking up in their tents and phoning into work sick!!

<message edited by Jumpy on 17 May 2012 22:02>