It’s that time of year again, that traditional end of Summer festival that is Reading. We’re more than excited to bring you our biggest coverage yet and below is our review of the event. We had a fucking brilliant time this year in what was one of the best years we’ve ever had in Richfield Avenue and we genuinely cannot wait until next year.
FRIDAY
So, our tents are prepped and we’re all set for a bank holiday weekend full of absolute silliness, so where better to begin than on the main stage with While She Sleeps Opening the main stage on the first day is no easy feat, but While She Sleeps appear to pull it off with aplomb. Their screamed metalcore is enough to throw any of the audience headfirst into the festival, and despite the occasional lapse in the vocals, the ferocity is abundant. The band doesn’t seem out of place at their biggest show to date. [Ben Tipple]
Just beforehand on the lock up stage, the very first band of the very first day of Reading 2013 happens to be a band that we never talk about or sing the praises. It’s Gnarwolves, who have filled the Lock Up stage easily as the first band on, with people having to watch from the outside. The sound is a little dodgy, but it only adds to the spectacle of what is clearly the best day of their lives. An amazing way to kick things off. [Tom Aylott]
If you’re looking for the biggest entertainer in rock you might just stop when you reach Skindred front-man Benji Webbe. Donned in his pimp-esque jacket, he whips the crowd into frenzy with his Welsh humour and Skindred’s ragga-metal. The old songs still do the most to get the crowd moving, yet the new music on offer shows just as much promise. [BT]
Rat Attack are a band whose stock is increasingly growing thanks to some great publicity and increasing radio airplay. Despite some microphone sound volume issues, the band do well to recover and put in a good shift on the lock up stage.
Up next on the mainstage is New Found Glory who have been booked today to play their ‘Sticks & Stones’ album, which is strange considering the album clocks in at over 40 minutes yet their timeslot is restricted to just that. Inevitable it means that no matter how much they try and rush through the album, they’re ultimately pushed for time and after a quick crowd vote end the set on ‘All Downhill From Here’ it’s entertaining enough and in all honesty New Found Glory would never find themselves unwelcome at Reading Festival. [Chris Marshman]
Skate-punks FIDLAR have been having a pretty good year. Since the release of their debut full-length they have been hotly tipped by many, cementing them a place on the huge Radio 1/NME stage. Their relentless barrage of drug and alcohol themed rock is a welcome break from the more mainstream main-stage. Frontman Zac Carper looks suitably dazed as he rolls around the stage floor gripping his guitar. Their fast-paced numbers steal the show when compared to the likes of ‘Cocaine’ or ‘Whore’, but still, their whole set is something truly gritty and immediate. [BT]
Bring Me The Horizon are no strangers to the main stage at Reading, especially since they put in an incredible performance there a couple of years back which cemented them as one if not Britain’s best and most accessible heavy band. Coming on stage to ‘Shadow Moses’ it’s clear that their sound has gotten bigger over the years and I tell you what, those in the crowd (including author/journalist Will Self) seemed to absolutely fucking love it. BMTH are always an utter joy to watch live and this was no exception. [CM]
There was some doubt at how well Frank Turner would cope today following the revelation of his recent back troubles, but those needn’t have worried. Despite the fact he wasn’t able to play guitar, it didn’t stop him from bounding Around the stage in what eventually turned out to be a set populated with the hits. The ending trio of ‘Recovery’ ‘I Still Believe’ and ‘Photosynthesis’ went down an absolute storm proving that Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls truly belong on the big stage. [CM]
Easily – and perhaps unsurprisingly – one of our highlights of the weekend, Deftones have never sounded as good as they have in recent years. Chino Moreno’s rejuvenation is more than evident, as they plough directly into heavy hitter ‘Diamond Eyes’. Filled with tracks new and old, ‘Change (In the House of Flies)’ draws a massive sing-along, and pushes us dangerously close to genuine tears. By the time ‘7 Words’ brings the set to a close we’re exhausted. [BT]
One of the main “problems” with today’s RX Bandits set is that we’re still not quite over how fucking amazing the show at Camden Barfly was the night before. Today isn’t quite as special as the night before (not least because the intricacies of the band’s efforts float into the stinky Reading air), but the tunes are just as massive and it’s great to see them back. [TA]
Last time we saw System Of A Down, they were busy headlining some other rock festival, and today we arguably have more fun than when they had a longer set. The thing about System is that they have a few stinkers that they seemingly insist on playing, and the less time they have around, the better really because they just play the hits. As it goes, the setlist tonight is fucking awesome, and they’re pretty much the best of the day. We all get a bit over excited, and there’s no denying that they’re a fucking awesome spectacle on a festival main stage.[TA]
We’re all very, very familiar with Green Day’s live show (“wayyyyy-oooohhhhh”), but tonight marks their return to a Reading/Leeds headline slot after about a decade (just pre ‘American Idiot’) and they’ve decided to bring out ‘Dookie’ in full so we’re still pretty excited. We’re not sure when they’re going to do this so we brave some of the newer material and pratting around that its sandwiched between to get to the meaty classics. Those meaty classics are easily the highlight of the set (as if you don’t know all of the words, punx), but there’s little doubt that Green Day are a great festival highlight. Even the slower and more questionable song choices aren’t that bad, and though its no ‘Reading 2004’, we have a great time. [TA]