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What a band of rockers!

Picture the scene.

A surprisingly sunny field in the middle of Derby in the height of June; 80,000 rock and metal heads gathering to watch some of the biggest acts in alternative music – Faith No More, Slipknot, The Prodigy and Def Leppard to name but a few. The Download Festival is one of the most popular music events in the UK and Europe, and as a regular attendee, one of my most anticipated attractions (aside from the kick ass line-up) is the EA Hub: a seriously cool looking porta-cabin filled with the latest and greatest Electronic Arts titles.

They know how to ooze cool
Electronic Arts know how to ooze cool!

Surrounded by the smell of cheap noodles and burger vans, the queues for pints of Tuborg, and the bizarre people chasing the empty cups to trade in afterwards, the EA Hub is always a great way to pass time in between bands, especially for gamers.

poster
Come One Come All!

Their main aim this year – to smash the world record for most people playing air guitar. Rather fittingly, and thanks to EA, all competitors were clad in T-Shirts for the new Brütal Legend game which features the vocal talents of metal loving Jack Black (Tenacious D, School of Rock, Pick of Destiny). The game, due for release later this year, features the character of Eddie Riggs: a roadie thrown into a mystical and rocking world of heavy metal references, where the evil emperor Doviculus has enslaved the human population with the aid of his demon army. With the help of the last remnants of human resistance, Eddie leads an army in the war against the emperor, with the power of metal in an intense action adventure.

Also featuring Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Lemmy Kilmister (Mötorhead) and Lita Ford, it couldn’t be a more fitting theme for the 440 metal fans who turned up to smash the record to pieces to the sound of Mötorhead’s Ace of Spades.

brutallegend_airguitar
The Download Festival paves the way for rocking 'air' style

But that wasn’t all, if playing to the tune on a more physical guitar was more your thing, Rock Band was also available to enjoy as part of their rock off competition, where the highest scorers at the end of each day were given a full Rock Band kit and copy of the game!

screen
That would look even better in my living room

Not bad for the hordes of metal fans! Also featured were a variety of playable demos including Fight Night Round 4, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Fifa ’09 and Left 4 Dead, and best of all completely free of charge! EA certainly know how to treat festival gaming withdrawal!

joey
Slipknot's Joey Jordison makes the Rock Band drum kit look like a Chad Valley toy

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2 responses to “What a band of rockers!”

  1. pix3l avatar
    pix3l

    I was at download too 😀
    never went into the EA hub though because it was too crowded and I couldn’t be arsed waiting to get in lol

  2. The Rook avatar
    The Rook

    If I had been at Download I would have spent as much time in the EA hub. The music would not have been an attraction to me.

    I am looking forward to Brutal Legend, althou, I’m sure I’ll miss out some of the jokes as there’ll probably be references to songs, bangs and singers that would just fly over my head.

    Fun game, Jack Black and Tim Schaefer, – bring it on.

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