Close yet far...
With no back drop or any stage decoration of any type, CKY had little choice but to let their music do the talking. Kicking off with 'Volume 1' track 'The Human Drive in Hi-Fi,' the band entered an eight-song slot that suitably administered a decent dose of riff-heavy music. The foursome powered through their set, offering solid performances of hits such as, 'Sink Into the Underground' and 'Flesh Into Gear'. '96 Quite Bitter Beings' received a particularly welcoming reception and thankfully most of the fans were too busy soaking up the sun to notice the slightly out-of-tune guitars.
Considering the doors had only been open an hour, CKY managed to draw a reasonable crowd. Admittedly, some may only have been there to say that they had seen Bam Margera's older brother Jess on drumming duties, but surely the group would agree that any exposure is good exposure. Festival slots typically never do provide bands with the opportunity to impressively exhibit their music and CKY's live sound certainly does fare better when pumping through a club sound system.
Ending their thirty minute set with 'Escape From Hellview,' CKY vacated the stage to conclude their Donington debut. Although they offered a passable musical performance overall, the Pennsylvanian quartet possess a very unimposing stage presence and would have been far better suited to the second stage, or even the intimacy of a headline slot on the tented third stage.