Old-school British thrash metallers LAWNMOWER DETH have issued the following update from guitarist Steve Nesfield, aka Concorde Faceripper:

"We are pleased to announce that we are doing a warm up gig on June 5th... but with a slight difference.

We've decided to take Hippy Dave's offer to play at his pub in Harrogate as the man was foolish enough to include a clause which stated "as much beer as we can drink". He probably doesn't realise Mr FLymo's capacity for ale!

This will be a punk as fuck, in your face, no stage to ponce about on type of gig, the kind of gig we haven't done since... well since we played the Yorker in Nottingham at the start of Lawnmower Deth history.

Alas we will be without Kev for the warm up... he's busy on duty with BFMV over in the USA, we are hoping he will be back in time for Download but Kev being Kev we don't really know what his plans are!

So... The Pub in question? Well it the Crabtrees bar in Harrogate... we've been told it's a 200 max capacity so it's going to be hot, sweaty and loud!

Oh.. and for good measure we have Keith Platt back as a special guest... miserable old bastard that he is. Support for the evening comes from Preston band SOLITARY.

We've been told tickets will be £4 in advance, £5 on the door but at this time I have no idea how you get one!

Hopefully I can confirm this soon... but it may be worth ringing the venue.

Bit different hey?"

Vocalist Pete Lee - otherwise known as Qualcast Mutilator - recently issued the following update:

"Alright blogees,

Well, it starts in earnest now so a good excuse to say hi and pop some stuff on here. Sorry it's been a while but Facebook and I have been having a crafty affair behind your backs. As you'll all know now, June 13th we're back at Download for the second year on the bounce. Does this mean I played Donington more than Rainbow, gerrin!

The boys have already been rehearsing, I'm down for my first one tomorrow as distance makes things more of a challenge these days. Looking forward to making a racket though, its been nine months since I last grunted. Testing testing, one two, woooooooaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhh urgh.

No idea what the set is, although we do have a little surprise up our sleeves, HAIL THE HALFORD! Depends whether health and safety gets this one into the show :)

I can confirm that it will be Stage 3 (or should I say Pepsi Max Stage which I am sure Flymo has issue with as last year it was booze magnets Tuborg Stage). I'm delighted. Let's face it, its always more fun in a tent and it was a ball in there last year.

They wanted us on the big boy Stage 2 and offered us the Saturday or the Sunday. Due to the Baron's time on the road with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE he flies in with them (and out again) on the Friday only so we're doing Stage 3 just so we could play. Anyway, who the hell would play any other day when you can live out childhood hero antics and play with the mighty mighty mighty Deece! I'm intent on spending the whole day stalking Malcolm Young. If you find a last minute cancellation of us its because of a restraining order imposed on me.

Before you ask, warm up show, no idea. If anything happens I promise you'll be the first to know but it will be lowwwwww key.

Looking forward to seeing you all in June though. Perhaps we should make this one a fancy dress outing. What?? You think what I wore last year was fancy dress? Cheeky gits. I promise a prize and special mentions from the stage to the first person I see in the pit dressed as a rabbit. The gaunlet is down. Hey, if this really took off we could have our own warren in there. Spead the word, hell, lets have a whole Facebook and Myspace campaign. Everyone in doing the rabbit!

On a seperate but gutted note, I was going to Manchester to see my old muckas and sparring partners Russ-SABBAT at the Academy next week. They were playing with ARCH ENEMY. Gutted. Wot no mish? Ruddy Volcano!

See you in the pit."

As previously reported, 22 more acts have been added to the festival bill. New bands include: SAXON, RATT, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, HELLYEAH, Y&T;, UNEARTH, JOB FOR A COWBOY, STEEL PANTHER, HIM, AIRBOURNE, COHEED & CAMBRIA, CINDERELLA, A DAY TO REMEMBER, 36 CRAZYFISTS, DOMMIN, TAKING DAWN, LAWNMOWER DETH, WHITECHAPEL, AUGUST BURNS RED, THE BLACKOUT, WE ARE THE FALLEN, RISE TO REMAIN.

Headline acts on the bill this year include AC/DC, AEROSMITH and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.

Weekend arena tickets with camping will be priced at £170, and a weekend only ticket without camping will priced at £140. Lockers in the campsite are priced at £11 with car parking £10 in advance, £20 on the day. A campervan supplement is £40. There will be an additional £10 charge to enter the campsite either on the Wednesday or Thursday.

For more info visit www.downloadfestival.co.uk.