An Odd Choice For Download, But Great For Music Fans
From the first bars of the overblown orchestra of rock, it's apparent that the recent media excitement about This Et Al is most certainly called for. Despite the lack of punters due to the pull of latino metallers Ill Nino on the second stage and the lure of sunshine and Buckcherry at the main stage, This Et Al put on a fantastic show that falters in only one small way.
Despite the small size of the Turborg stage, This Et Al seem to struggle to fill the space and appear a little overwhelmed, but large amounts of hair from lead singer Wu makes up for the problem slightly. The band seem shy and perhaps a little cautious of playing at Download since they do not fit the description of a metal band. That said, their set is deep, brooding and a surprise for those who have come to satisfy their curiosity. Deep guitar work works gently in contrast to the energetic vocals, melded together with heady basslines, giving the band an edge over some of the other indie bands scattered amongst the Download line up.
There's definitely a hint of Muse about these young scruffs- their layered music gets more appealing with every song they play in their set. This Et Al may well end up creating deep shadows in rock music for future bands to stand in. However, their set at Download today shows that they're not quite there that. This is one work in progress that it would be prudent to keep an eye on in months to come if you secretly enjoy telling your friends "I told you so" when a band you like makes it big.