
They’ve been nominated for the Mercury Prize and two BRIT Awards – realms where bands of their ilk rarely get a look-in – but they’re just as celebrated on their home turf. Nova Twins are shaping up to be UK rock’s brightest new prospects with their genre-bending sound and messages of inclusion and empowerment, and despite only being two albums deep, they already appear to have wedged open the door to the mainstream.

When are they on? Friday, Apex Stage, 9:20pm Nova Twins, who gave Marshall Records their first Top 30 album last year, performing live at Heaven in London (Picture: Federica Burelli) Nova Twins

It certainly helps that the former RSUK cover stars have two huge new songs – ‘LosT’ and Lil Uzi Vert/Daryl Palumbo collaboration ‘AmEN’ – to play, as well as an illustrious back catalogue of bangers to get a huge cross section of fans running for the pit. Having already pulled off a blazing set at Reading Festival last year (during which they were audacious enough to bring out Ed Sheeran as their guest for a reprise of their ‘Bad Habits’ BRITs collaboration), Bring Me The Horizon will easily find themselves at home in Friday’s headline slot. Fittingly for its 20th anniversary, Download answered the call by booking one of the UK’s most important and forward-thinking alternative bands of their generation.
