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Review: Reading Festival - A retrospective look [Live]

One month on, two Altsounds writers look back on one of the year's biggest festivals.

by Sam Hardy, September 27th, 2012 and has been Read 806 times.
Last Edited by: Sam Hardy September 28th, 2012.

Well, another year, another festival season inevitably ends. The last of the major festivals, Reading has always provided a stellar line up and the perfect party atmosphere for the summer. Without the likes of Glastonbury and Sonisphere to compete with this year, it seemed likely Reading would pick up the extra people – and it certainly did, totally selling out. AltSounds writers Sam Hardy and Alex Easton went along for the weekend to check out the festivities of Reading Festival 2012 - one month on, chilling by the fire in our rocking chairs reminiscing about old times, here's what we thought of the bands we caught...

FRIDAY

Future of the Left:

Alex: Well, we didn’t actually mean to go and see Future of the Left, it was an accident whilst waiting for Hadouken! in the Radio 1/NME tent. But, I have to say, I wasn’t exactly impressed. They played several songs which consisted of a repeated riff, and some aggressive vocals mumbling on about some nonsensical crap. I think most of the audience agreed, as crowd participation was noticeably minimal. [4]

Sam: Future of the Left were a happy accident; stumbling across them before Hadouken! was a cool little post-hardcore surprise. Evidently, they don’t take themselves too seriously – lyrics that simply gave the synopsis of a number of popular films in a hilariously matter-of-fact fashion made for a right laugh. They weren’t incredible, the sound was a little flat and admittedly in the grand scheme of things, they were somewhat forgettable, but I’d certainly see these fellas again given the chance. [5.5]

Hadouken!:

Alex: Hadouken! were the first band playing that we actually knew and wanted to see. Playing in the Radio 1/NME tent, and they definitely brought the party! Although I’m only familiar with their first album, “Liquid Lives”, I did recognise a few tracks. It’s fair to say that Hadouken! received one of the best receptions from the Reading crowd of the weekend, it was phenomenal. It’s just a shame that from a music perspective, it wasn’t quite so good. [6]

Sam: Bold, brash and brimming with energy, Hadouken! got the whole crowd, the majority of which seemed to be the most devout and dedicated fans, chanting along. Despite the vigour of the performance and the response of the audience, the music mostly fell flat, victim of a dull and muddy mix that didn’t translate well from the fresh studio equivalent. [6]

The Hives:

Alex: I only really went to see The Hives on a bit of a whim, because I knew “Hate to Say I Told You So”, and because there wasn’t much else on. But, my, my, I was surprised. The Swedish lads rolled on stage in full dinner jackets and top hats, playing fantastic indie rock and roll! Lead singer Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist was either high, drunk or both, but provided the audience with an unforgettable show. And when, of course, they played that song, the place erupted. Just brilliant. [9]

Sam: Not hugely aware of the band’s music, I sat outside the NME tent with low expectations and an open mind, and The Hives promptly blew said mind open with tenacity, charm and zing – Sweden’s finest put on a show that was as light-hearted and entertaining as it was musically impressive. I didn’t even notice it was raining until the five Swedes departed the thoroughly-rocked stage. [8.5]

The Blackout:

Alex: Now, I have a confession to make: I love The Blackout. So, this was always going to be an incredible show for me. But nevertheless, they were just excellent, providing the Reading audience with their traditional Welsh banter and top tunes like “Save Our Selves”, “Children of the Night” and “Higher and Higher”. Musically fantastic, and a joy to watch, again. They never fail to disappoint! [8]

Sam: The Blackout are a fun band. As easy to listen to as they are easy to watch, the party/rock vibe they emanated was gratefully received by the mostly teenage Reading crowd. Good times, albeit a little samey at points, were had in that NME tent with The Blackout. Not bad at all. [7.5]

Bombay Bicycle Club:

Alex: After a little lunch break, and a visit to the Alternative Tent to see Lee Nelson for a bit, I headed over to the main stage to see indie superstars Bombay Bicycle Club. Most people appeared to just be chilling, despite requests for a moshpit, relaxing in the mid-afternoon sunny spells. Bombay were exquisite in their delivery of fantastic songs – the lack of energy in the audience, however, was equally reflected in their show. [7]

Paramore:

Alex: Another band that I have a slightly embarrassing deep love for, Paramore. Despite the issues in the band whereby Josh and Zac Farro left, the Tennessee giants were certainly on form tonight, knocking out all the classics. Hayley Williams’ voice was stunning, as was she, and their hour long set was just superb. [8]

Sam: Hayley Williams was wearing skin-tight PVC trousers. Yes, it was a great performance. [11]

Foster the People:

Alex: As I’m not the biggest fan of The Cure, I thought I’d go check out Foster the People, for some indie lovin’ fun! Apparently most of Reading thought the same, as the Radio 1/NME tent was absolutely packed. Nevertheless, I fought my way in, and was able to listen to such delights as “Helena Beat” and the anthemic “Pumped Up Kicks”. This is a band to remember! [8]

Anti-Flag:

Sam: Heavily distorted, heavily politicised, heavily infused with the inherent anger and revolution that epitomises punk, Anti-Flag livened up the Lock-Up Stage with remarkable ferocity. Paying their respects to the members of Pussy Riot and, through song, sticking a big middle finger up to The Man throughout their set, it was easy to get into the mood to cause some real mayhem. Fuck the system, man! [8]

Sleigh Bells:

Alex: Checking out some of the lesser known bands, I popped over to the Festival Republic stage, where Sleigh Bells were headlining. Unsure of what to expect, I was blown away by the sheer power of their dance/rock hybrid. This was the most mental I saw a crowd go all weekend, it was a great set, one that I’d gladly pay to go and see again. [8]

Social Distortion:

Alex: With a bit of time to spare before The Cure finished, I headed over to the Lock Up stage to go and see a bit of Social Distortion. I only knew one song, “Story of My Life”, and as soon as I turned up, they played it. Talk about good luck! I didn’t stay long, but what I did see made me happy – nice going, guys. [7]

Sam: I watched all of Social Distortion’s set after having left The Cure for one real reason – just to catch “Story of My Life” (Guitar Hero 3 was a great game). One of the older bands on the Reading bill, it’d be easy to make the mistake of thinking Social Distortion are either past their time or digging up stale elements of the past to recycle unnecessarily. Nope. The Social Distortion guys did a great job of keeping the crowd engaged thanks to their extensive punk rock experience. [7.5]

The Cure:

Alex: Now, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate The Cure, but they’re really not my kind of thing. But, I checked them out for their encore, and I have to admit, even I was singing along to “Boys Don’t Cry”, it was pretty special. But I’d never be able to hack two and a half hours of depressing music, I’m afraid. Robert Smith’s voice is brilliant live, and I can’t fault the musicianship. I think The Cure are a band that you really to have to love to properly enjoy them live – otherwise, it’s a tad dull. [6]

Sam: Ah, The Cure. Legends in their own right and arguably the biggest band on the bill. I caught intermittent glimpses of their set, which amounted to about an hour of Cure viewing time in total. Each time I revisited the main stage, it didn’t seem like the band had moved. Technically great, yes. But in spirit? The performance was lacking and – as Alex described – a little dull. For the most hardcore of Cure fans, it was most likely a very memorable and impressive performance, but for the casual layman, it was understandably verging on the boring. “Friday I’m In Love” was certainly a highlight, considering when the band were playing, but otherwise it was hard to draw anything particularly engaging from the lengthy set. [6.5]

SATURDAY

Green Day:

Alex: I was in Tesco buying beer when I got the call at 11.15am. I paid for the beer, got a taxi back, ran through the campsite, only to find they’d put a barrier up so we couldn’t get into the Radio 1/NME tent where Green Day were playing their surprise set. But I could see in, and they had screens up, so I caught the last half an hour. It was absolutely amazing, one of the best bands I’ve ever seen live. I had a smile on my face throughout the whole thing! [10]

Sam: ‘Special’ is the best word I could choose to describe Green Day’s performance.While Alex was brave enough to trek to the supermarket for beer, I was meanwhile chilling by the tent when I heard a huge roar emanate from the arena area. A few seconds later, after listening closely and realising the secret set rumours had become a reality, I ran faster than I thought I possibly could, straight into the rapidly filling NME tent. Joining the band at the end of their first song, the very apt “Welcome To Paradise”, I caught one of the most exciting and unique sets of the weekend – as Billie Joe so accurately put it, “the worst best kept secret in the UK”. I was over the moon to find the band pulling tracks like “St Jimmy” and “Letterbomb” (i.e. not just big singles and hits) from their back catalogue alongside crowd-favourite anthems like “Basket Case”, “Longview” and “American Idiot”. Billie Joe knew how to have fun with the positively riled-up tent of festival-goers, firing toilet paper over the crowd and eliciting endless chants and cheers along with the evocative music. An unforgettable performance. [10]

Los Campesinos!:

Alex: I went to the front of the main stage for indie band Los Campesinos! Running through a variety of great indie tracks, and finishing on a sad one with a long name about sitting by the sea, they were thoroughly enjoyable. [7]

Pure Love:

Sam: This set was Frank Carter’s chance to prove to a Gallows-loving crowd why he has moved on to something bigger and better. Whilst he’s ditched the hardcore-punk approach, he’s replaced it with a huge rock sound that rivals the likes of, say, The Darkness. The pent-up aggression is gone, but the incessant cussing between tracks remains (he’s still Frank!). Pure Love put on a performance that was certainly entertaining, but at points felt perhaps a little watered-down – demands from Carter for a huge circle pit seemed to fall on deaf ears. What’s clear, however, is that this new group has certainly got room to grow. Potential is the key word here, and you should be as excited as I am for their future. Bring it on. [7.5]

Mystery Jets:

Alex: I decided to stay on the indie band wagon, and watch Mystery Jets in the Reading sunshine! Frontman, Blaine Harrison, came on stage on crutches, and performed the set on a stool. But that didn’t stop them playing a great set, including such hits as “Two Doors Down”, “Serotonin” and “Greatest Hits”. Not bad at all, lads. [7]

Odd Future (WGKTA):

Alex: I’ve been wanting to check out Odd Future for a while, after hearing just about everyone rave about them. So I went off to take a quick look. I wasn’t all that impressed – it was just five guys rapping and swearing a lot. It didn’t feel even that musical to me. I think I may skip the next opportunity to see them. [3]

The Shins:

Sam: For the uninitiated passerby (me), there wasn’t a whole lot on offer here. The Shins got on stage, played their songs and left, with very little to keep us casual observers engaged in between. Talented musicians perform decent songs to a noticeably quiet crowd. [6]

Enter Shikari:

Alex: I’m a big fan of Enter Shikari. After seeing them live last year, I was pretty excited to be seeing them again. And they didn’t disappoint, much. The mix seemed a little dodgy, but they whacked some right anthems, stirring up the crowd with their dashing mix of dance, rock and dubstep. [8]

Sam: Enter Shikari’s Take To The Skies is one of my favourite albums of all time. The band put on a fantastic show last time I saw them in Birmingham. I was pumped for this gig. Sadly, the sound was noticeably thin and mics were lost in the mix, which had a pretty significant effect on the whole atmosphere of the performance. Enter Shikari staged one of the most memorable Reading shows of all time last year, and expectations were certainly high. Whilst the setlist wasn’t terrible (although only a couple of tracks from TTTS…), the sound was, much to the noticing crowd’s disappointment. Nonetheless, circle pits were, of course, rife, but the deadness in sound just killed the atmosphere too drastically. [6.5]

Billy Talent

Sam: Billy Talent whipped up quite a storm in the NME tent on Saturday afternoon, with one of the livelier performances of the day. My first time seeing the band, I was blown away by how well Benjamin Kowalewicz’s voice translates from the studio to the stage. Billy Talent pulled out anthems like “Fallen Leaves”, “Devil In A Midnight Mass” and finished with, of course, “Red Flag”; the lads had the whole tent wrapped comfortably round their fingers. Huge audience interaction + a huge sound = a huge gig. [8.5]

Mastodon:

Sam: With the sweaty, visceral atmosphere of the front few rows of the NME Tent during a Mastodon performance came all the fun/discomfort you could've possibly asked for all weekend. Despite being soaked by a leaking tent roof, the band played a very raw, very powerful set, pulling a few tracks from their incredible new album The Hunter. [8]

The Vaccines:

Alex: After seemingly taking the indie world by storm, going to see The Vaccines was one of my top priorities. And I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Justin and the boys put one hell of a show, with the crowd singing along to nearly every song, including the new ones. Fine, fine form. [9]

Florence + the Machine:

Alex: It’s unfortunate that there was a slight thunderstorm just before and at the start of Florence’s set. But I manned it out in a t-shirt (dedication to music here!), and watched Florence + the Machine’s hour long set. Not only does she have a stunning voice, she’s charming and enigmatic. I was just gutted she didn’t play “You’ve Got the Love”. [7]

Feeder:

Alex: I then went across to the Festival Republic stage to go and see the fantastic British legends Feeder headline. After opening with “Feeling a Moment”, they played a blistering set list, chock a block full of some titanic tunes. The crowd was spilling way out into the outskirts of the main stage, where Kasabian were playing. After the awesome “Buck Rogers”, they finished on “Just a Day”. One of the best bands of the whole weekend, without a doubt. [9]

Sam: Holy shit. Just… holy shit. What a night Feeder completed – in an extremely cramped tent spilling festival-goers from its burst seams, the Welsh boys put on an explosive show, pulling endless hits provoking thousands of sweaty Feeder fans to jump, mosh and dance to their infectious rhythms and catchy choruses. “Just A Day” was an out-of-this-world conclusion to a truly memorable performance; Feeder nailed it. Come back next year. Come back every year. [9.5]

Kasabian:

Alex: I’ve already seen Kasabian before, but it didn’t stop me catching the last 20 minutes of what looked like an incredible set, as always from the Leicester boys. Tracks such as “LSF” and “Vlad the Impaler” were just amazing. [8]
Sam: As a rather casual listener of Kasabian, I rather casually listened at Reading; stretched out on the grass in front of a screen somewhere near the back of the field. Didn’t stop me having a fun time though, with huge tunes like ‘Club Foot’, ‘Shoot The Runner’ and a cover of Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ making an appearance. ‘LSF’ was my personal highlight in a pretty well-structured and well-performed set. Nice. [7.5]

SUNDAY
Pulled Apart by Horses:

Alex: My plan for the day was to go and fight my way to the front of the main stage so I could be at the front for Foo Fighters. This plan did not work. I was at the front for the first 3 bands though, including Pulled Apart by Horses, who provided the Reading crowd with a lively and energetic set at 12pm, working off Friday’s hangover. [7]

Band of Skulls:

Alex: I’m pretty familiar with Band of Skulls, hence my eagerness to see them live. Playing a range of tracks from latest album Sweet Sour and their first album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, including the emphatic “I Know What I Am” and “The Devil Takes Care of His Own”. Musically perfect and causing some brilliant sing-alongs with the crowd, a truly memorable performance. [8]

Eagles of Death Metal:

Alex: Next up are yet another of Josh Homme’s side projects (although he was not present) – Eagles of Death Metal. Fronted by enigmatic frontman Jesse Hughes, the rock and roll band were on superb form, with Hughes toying and teasing with the crowd. For those a little nauseous of all the indie at Reading, this was a great chance to spruce things up a little. [8]

Tribes:

Alex: Of course, I then went back to the indie bands at the Radio 1/NME tent to catch the Tribes set. Not that it was a particularly bad set by any standards, it was just a tad forgettable. Promising though, the band have talent and a definite future on the indie scene. [6]

Sam: I started Sunday with no bands on my agenda until late afternoon and the promise of unbeatable, warm weather, so I plodded over to Tribes following a tip from a friend of the family. Sitting on the grass outside the NME tent, nothing in particular caught my attention about the performance so I opted to get some doughnuts instead. They were pretty good. Not worth a fiver though, bloody hell. [5.5]

All Time Low:

Alex: Now I know a lot of people don’t like All Time Low. But there’s also a lot of people who do, as I could tell by the swelling crowd at the main stage. I got there about halfway through the set, to hear lead singer Alex Gaskarth announce that they were having a few technical difficulties – a few cheers were definitely heard. They re-worked the start of “Weightless”, before ploughing into an ending of “Dear Maria, Count Me In”. [7]

Sam: I really just sat on the grass and made fun of Alex for liking All Time Low during their performance. For whatever it’s worth, they provided a great backing track for the light-hearted mockery.

Bullet for My Valentine:

Alex: Welsh metal giants Bullet for My Valentine were up next on the main stage, much to the delight of every metalhead in the place. Opening with the superb “Your Betrayal”, BFMV got off to a flying start, and unleashing anthems such as “Scream Aim Fire” and “Tears Don’t Fall”. Finally, a decent moshpit. [8]

Sam: A regular Sonisphere attendee, I was feeling a little homesick from all the metal I hadn’t really seen this weekend. Bullet filled that void comfortably. A great setlist peppered with evocative crowd interaction made for a gig with a lot of punch. Proper in-yer-face metal. Gotta love it. [8.5]

Kaiser Chiefs:

Alex: I kind of lost interest in Kaiser Chiefs after their second album, which is unfortunate, so I thought I wouldn’t recognise a lot of their set list. But I was surprised, singing along to tracks I thought I didn’t know. And they were on fine form, absolutely spectacular, getting the crowd screaming and shouting along to festival anthems such as “Ruby”, “Never Miss a Beat” and “I Predict a Riot”. One of my favourite bands of the whole weekend! [9]

Sam: Picking a greatest hits setlist was a great move on the Chiefs’ part, inciting with ease mass crowd participation – the energy building up to the Foos was becoming electrifying and truly palpable. “Ruby” was my personal highlight; such deafening roars accompanying the song’s chorus was on a par only with the yet-to-come Sunday headliner. Great work by the Leeds lads. [9]

The Black Keys:

Alex: I only really discovered The Black Keys when I saw they were announced for Reading. But I got listening, and fell in love, as easy as that. Whilst tracks such as “Gold on the Ceiling”, “Lonely Boy” and “Tighten Up” were musically perfect, it’s a shame The Black Keys didn’t put on more of a show, it became a little dull at times. But hey, not bad at all. I would have swapped them with Kaiser Chiefs, however. [7]

Sam: Complaints about the simplicity of The Black Keys’ set are understandable; just play the tunes against a solid black background and leave. But I felt this was so fitting, considering the tone of the music we were listening to – minimalism is key. A respectable hark back to the very early roots of rock’n’roll, an appropriate precursor to the mighty Foos. [8]

Foo Fighters:

Alex: Now, what I’d been waiting for all weekend, one of my favourite ever bands, Foo Fighters. Rumoured to be playing a 3 hour set, we all knew it would be something special. And how right we were. Opening with “White Limo”, Dave Grohl and the lads blitzed through all the classics and some right old school tracks like “Call of the Cows”. Including, of course, Taylor Hawkins singing “Cold Day in the Sun” for us all. Ending on “Best of You” (and a butt load of Foo Fighters dollars confetti), the crowd were singing along even after they’d left the stage. That is until they came back, playing “Times Like These”, and finally finishing on the incredible “Everlong”. Without a doubt the best band of the weekend, and one of the best bands I’ve ever seen live. Living legends. [10]

Sam: With a performance that revolved around memories and sentiment as much as it did music; the Foos took us from ecstatic energy to contemplation and reflection, encompassing an impressive range of tracks pulled from their extensive back catalogue, all the way from the early days to the present. What we were lucky enough to witness was a rock show of truly epic proportions – the kind of gig that gets put on a DVD and cherished for decades, the kind of concert that’s heralded as a milestone in music. That kind. Musically, the band were at the top of their game – concluding their latest tour in support of Wasting Light, all the energy of a band playing their ‘last show for a long time’ emotionally and electrically charged into 26 full songs. Ending with a stirring rendition of ‘Everlong’ and a firework display, Foo Fighters were the perfect end to a wonderfully memorable festival. [10]