Big Boss Andy: Don't thank me - thank the Good Lord

Modest Mr Download won't take credit for weekend's success

The best Download ever? There can't be many who'd disagree with that. A massive amount of the congratulations is surely due to Live Nation's Andy Copping, who put the show together - but the man known as Mr Download doesn't want the credit, and believes it's due in three other directions.

First up, the location of the 80,000-capacity temporary town. Last year's setup proved how essential it is to get that bit right. Copping says: "We've had to come out of the Donington circuit because they're preparing it for Forumula One in 2010. We moved to a different part of the site last year, which on paper looked like it was going to work - but in reality we know it could have been better.

"So we found another site - and it's the best layout of a site I've ever seen. Our production people told me about it before I got here and I thought, 'Yeah, yeah, here we go, it's the best site ever...'

"But when you get here it actually is. Nothing's too far away but it's still huge. We've got to accommodate 80,000 people a day and we've got a site that can cater for it.

"And the most amazing thing about it is, the bit we're on has been here for 30 years. It could have been used in the early Monsters of Rock days."

Another plus has been the incredible weather, which, as many a sunburned Downloader will agree, was possibly too good. Copping says: "It rained until Thursday then it stopped. We had three full days of amazing weather - then I saw a forecast that said it's going to be raining on Monday.

"That does it for me - the Good Lord is looking down and saying, 'I like a good bit of heavy rock - I'm gonna give 'em some sunshine'. That in itself is as good as having a big band."

He's also delighted at the diversity of the crowd itself, featuring an age spread of 50 years and maybe more: "We've got new Download kids who are checking out bands their parents were into. They might not have bought a ticket to see Def Leppard or ZZ Top but they'll come and have a look. And if it ain't their scene we've got something else going on the other stages. We've got something for everybody."

One thing he has to take credit for is booking the bands. Copping developed the 125-strong bill over a period of months, and in a few instances, was talking to bands for years.

He's directly responsible for getting Faith No More, Skin and Limp Bizkit back together, having opened communications gently and positively until band members who hadn't spoken for years began discovering they might have more to say on stage.

But again, he's modest about his own efforts, saying: "I think we've just hit it right. The diversity of the bill is great.

"Yesterday the Prodigy were off the scale on the second stage, and I thought, how can that be topped? Then I came round and saw Slipknot and thought, yeah, that's how it can be topped.

Slipknot came of age yesterday and anyone who saw it will know what I'm talking about. The time is right for them and they totally delivered. Slipknot are now a massive massive band and they proved it."

So it's all over for this year - but Copping's 2010's efforts begin soon. He says: "I'm trying not to think of it too much. I'm trying to bask in the glory of this year. In the financial crisis people have put their hands in their pockets and committed to coming to this festival.

"I can't thank them enough - and it's great we've been able to deliver them a really good package."

Well, if he's not going to say it we will: You did a f'kin amazing job, Andy.