Reading 2010...late review.

So here it is, a little late and probably pointless now, but hey, my thoughts on Reading 2010...



Friday

So, having spent the night in a leaking tent, next to a main road through Purple camp, you might think that I was feeling a bit shit, ya know what with water in my sleeping bag and all that. Truth is, by 12 when Young Guns ran onto the main stage I was warm, dry and slightly drunk and the world seemed a very happy place, not least because I was so stoked for the whole weekend. Not that the aforementioned band were much good. They sort of whaled away in the background and while it was mildly entertaining to watch, the fact they did a horrific cover medley of weekend's headliners and then I got a sweaty armpit to the face when the singer dived into the crowd dampened my mood slightly. A Day To Remember however, made me all happy again. They were the reason I'd stood through the Young Guns set and, despite the soundman nerfing the vocals by putting them way too low in the mix, they didn't disappoint. Playing mostly new stuff and playing it well and with a pretty hyped crowd, it was pretty stonking. I also managed to lose a boot in the circle pit, only to regain it by diving back into the pit. Ace set.

Next, after a break to buy t-shirts, posters, spring rolls and top up on beer, it was Two Door Cinema Club. By this time I'd lost all my mates as we wall went off to different stages but if I'm honest, by the time I got to the NME tent I didn't really miss them (sorry guys...) that’s how good Two Door were. Not only was the tent packed (I mean really packed) right to the back, with pints flying and people crowd surfing from behind the second barrier (yes really, I tell no lie) but the set itself was nearly flawless. They played pretty much every song they have (unsurprising seeing as they have only one album) and played them surprisingly well, with a bucket load of energy while still sounding tight and well drilled. They also seemed genuinely surprised that anyone had turned up too see them, let alone a tent full of people, which was nice. Top marks.

Moving on, and after catching a bit of NOFX (who were fucking hilarious) I headed to Festival Republic for some fan boy new band action. First up, Egyptian Hip Hop who were, while not the best live band, still pretty handy. The best part of the set was hearing the newer material, destined for their next EP and debut album, which sound exciting to say the least. After that Avi Buffalo who I'd hear of but never actually heard. Once again, I was impressed. Spacy, slightly stoned American indie. Made my list of bands to 'check out' instantly. However the band who I had really come to see was Warpaint. You may remember my ramblings about them a while ago. Well they are truly awesome. Brilliant live, with some of the most promising songs from a new band I've heard in aaaaages. To be honest, probably the best set of the day so far for me. And I missed Hatebreed to see them, and didn't feel disappointed, so they must be good...

Now for the final few of the day. Fighting my way to the front of the main stage just before the start time, I count myself lucky to have been so close when Queens Of The Stone Age came on. Having arrived in blissful indie kid heaven from the Festival Republic stage my happiness was then increased twofold by a blistering greatest hits set from Josh and the gang. Pretty much everything good was played and the crowd around me went bananas. Josh was blind drunk but still managed to not miss a note, the sun was going down, I'd found one of my mates again and everything was awesome. Even 'No One Knows' didn’t sound like the played to death junk it's become over the years. Best set of the day, even if I did have so idiot screaming in my ear about what exactly they would do to Josh Homme given a private setting...bloody fan girls.

I then made a dismal mistake. Now on the front at the barrier, I was foolish enough to stay for Guns and Roses. I could rant about their shittness, about how Axl Rose tottered off stage at every breakdown and solo and how I was yawning despite being so close to the action. But you've probably heard how bad they were already. Let’s just say I should have gone to see Alkaline Trio os LCD Sounbdsystem and I was an idiot to have stayed....

Saturday

Okay, so this was the day I was really stoked for. Once again I rocked up early and got to the front of the stage (the NME this time) for the first band of the day, Rolo Tommassi. I'm a big fan and have seen them before at Camden Barfly, and they were as good as I remembered. Playing a lot of new stuff, but with the same energy and sheer madness their live shows are known for despite the size of the stage, it was a much better way to start the day than Friday. Moving onto the Lock-up stage I then saw American punk band Cerebal Ballzy and as the names suggests they're not one of those punk bands who take themselves too seriously... Not only was every other of their songs about pizza and skating, their singer was also ridiculously hammered and, despite what you may think this combination made for a pretty mad set. Sure you couldn't hear most of what was being shouted down the mic and the balancing of the instruments was well out, but it was fun and there was a shit load of energy, which is sometimes all that matters right?

The next short while is a bit hazy. I defiantly saw Gaslight Anthem on Main Stage who were a little disappointing, and a also saw some more okay punk bands on Lock-up, I suspect at this point alcohol may have affected my mind. Luckily, I do remember seeing The Rats on the Lock-up...

Now The Rats were actually Gallows playing a 'secret' show. I say ‘secret’ with the clever inverted commas because everyone knew about it. I'd also seen Frank and Stef Carter watching Rolo Tomassi earlier in the day, so I was more than a little excited...

The set has to rank among the best gigs/shows I've ever seen. Down on the barrier it was mental, people flying everywhere, circle pits, a massive wall of death, Frank Carter surfing out to the sound desk and then parting the crowd to walk back to the stage. There was even, during set close 'Orchestra of Wolves' a crowd surfer in, I shit you not, a wheel chair. Taking his example I surfed out myself and ran about behind the barrier a bit like a loon before a bit scary bouncer man shoved me out the tent. It was unquestionably an awesome show. Top marks Gallows.

The day then got better. Rushing to the main stage I caught the end of the Maccabees before wrestling into the pit for The Cribs. Their last show before a 'long break' to write their next record wasn't uneventful. The crowd was wild and there was a massive crush even this early in the afternoon. The band themselves were in fine form, and again the indie kid fanboy inside me wept a little to see Jonny Marr standing there, Fender in hand, doing his thing. Yet this was only the start of a few hours of madness. After that intense set, and a seemingly endless wait full of fainting females and people falling over in the crush, Dizzie Rascal turned up and, despite security trying to push everyone back, insisted that the 'pussies' got out of the pit and everyone else, you guessed it, 'started to Bounce'. Bouncing was duly carried out and, despite not being a massive Dizzie fan; I had a shed load of fun, even if I couldn't feel my ribs by the end of it (a mercy perhaps).

However, all of the day (perhaps with the exception of Gallows) then paled into significance to what happened next. Please forgive me, I am about to become an over blown, hyperbolising fool for the next paragraph or two, because The Libertines came on stage.

I'm not one of those 'Pete Doherty is innocent' fan people, but the Libertines are THE reason why I'm 'into' music, without them I'd probably still be an Oasis fan...I shudder at the thought. So when they came on stage, I may have screamed just a little...

They were truly awesome. I hadn't expected a peerless live show, a good one yes, but what with their reputation for chaotic performances and the fact they hadn't played together since they split in 2004 until a few months before the festival, I was prepared to be disappointed. Turns out that I should have a little more faith in love and music. They were practically perfect. Not much banter, no on stage fights (except for one play fight that just made everyone cheer) and all the favourites wheeled out for all. The set also beat Leeds the night before, because although people were getting thrown about like maniacs down the front (myself included) it wasn't until near the end during 'Time for Heroes' that the set had to be stopped for a moment to let everyone stand up, Leeds only lasted three songs...

After that music wet dream there wasn't much else that could top it. I drank more, somehow found my mate John, ate an AMAZING egg and bacon butty and then saw the start of Arcade Fire who were in fine form, before being dragged to Pendulum and dancing like an idiot to sub standard drum and bass. The last thing I remember is running all the way from the NME tent to the Main Stage just to hear Arcade Fire play Wake Up and feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand up...roll on Sunday.

Sunday

Waking up on Sunday morning I realised I wasn't going pitting today, simply because every single part of me ached like a bastard. Still as I'm sure you're aware Sunday = Blink 182 and with that formula I was very happy.

It all started with Motion City Soundtrack who were a new discovery for me (thanks Sam :) ). Pleasantly surprised by them I was, with their loveable geekyness and slick emo-pop kinda thing, sure they weren't exactly showmen and they did look a little scared shitless at times, but none the less, the music itself was very good. I then skipped King Blues (shudder) to get beer and returned to the Main Stage for Thrice who again, I was very taken by. Dreamy, pretty heavy riff and lighter vocals very reminiscent of Deftones. Very nice. I then buggered off, having no wish to see anyone on the Main Stage for a while and headed to NME for Los Campesinos! (and yes, the ! is part of the band name...). One of my all time favourite bands, they didn't disappoint, putting of a riotous show for the indie geeks present that resulted in crowd surfer aplenty and me even entering a semi-pit thing (much to my battered body's pain). I haven't listened to them as much as normal recently, but the set reminded me why I love them. Enough said.

However, it was at this point that the weekend peaked for me. I hadn't thought I could get more excited than I had been the evening before, however, I was wrong. Because it was now time for Limp Bizkit.. Finally not only did I get to scream the words the 'Break Stuff' at the top of my nerdy little lungs, I also got to do the 'Rollin'' dance in the company of a good few thousand people and watch Fred Durst be a bit of an arse on stage. Happy chappy I was.

Cypress Hill were next and they were, frankly, the funniest act of the weekend. From sparking up on stage and handing the joint to a BBC camera man to the weirdest drum solo I have ever seen they had be grinning from ear to ear. Of course, this could have been because everyone around me seemed to be smoking weed as well, and certainly when I headed down to the front to see Weezer next, their was a rather strong musk of a certain herb in the air. This of course, probably made what was a stunning set even better. Rivers Cuomo, who I had expected to be the shy, geeky front man the music press make him out to be, was actually the liveliest, most dynamic front man I've ever seen. I don't know if someone had shoved a dynamo up his arse or something but he was pelting all over the stage from the first song. Takings hats from the cloud, climbing the barriers and hoardings at the side of stage and even bouncing on a trampoline he'd brought with him. It was a career best of set with all the hits wheeled out. It was euphoric. It was brilliant and yes, I did make the 'Weezer horns' in excitement. The only slight downside was that they didn't play 'Tired of Sex' or 'Pink Triangle', but then only fan boys like me would have welcomed that given the all round party atmosphere, there was even an MGMT/Lady Gaga covers mash up....

Unfortunately, having crowd surfed out and rejoined my festival companions, I was then disappointed in the extreme by Paramore. Not only was the sound system crap, leaving Hayley Williams (who is easily one of the best singers in popular music) barely audible, but the show was pretty boring itself. My mate John pointed out correctly that they played pretty much the same show in that wet, muddy field as they had at Wembley Arena last December when we saw them then. Similar set list order, same on stage 'moved', pretty similar banter with the crowd...all a bet boring really...

Still, Blink 182 would make it all better right? Too dam right they would, they may not have been note perfect but I don't think anyone cared. All the best songs, jokes and a Travis Barker drum solo, on a moving drum riser (Motley Crue style). What more could you want. I can now say I've for filled a childhood dream and sung along to 'Feeling This' and all the other songs I used to learn the words too by repeated listening when I was a young 'un. For that hair on the back of neck raising experience alone the weekend was worth it...

So in the end, with a few exceptions, pretty much everything I saw that fine weekend was at the very least not bad, and mostly the music was awesome, the atmosphere intense and the people amazing. Yea so what if I kinda wish I was still there?