FINALLY. The post to outdo all posts. The 'OMIGOD I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S OVER' Reading Festival reflection. I seriously can't believe that it was 3 and a half months ago that I saw Pearl Jam (aka the day I could die).
(EDIT: Photos to come... they're on my home pc)I checked my phone a few weeks after Reading, as I remember crawling into my tent early on the Monday morning (as the post Pearl Jam high started fading..) and saving a few instant thoughts. It reads
"Kaiser 4, Franz 4.5, Wolfm 4, Millen 3, RBF 5 - cover of Enter Sandman FUCKIN A, PJ 5, Betterman, alive, even flow, animal, why go. Placebo 2.5 - set short cos of power failure. Tent -9, smoke inhalation much? Dan and Nick more fucked than Carol n Leah together. Being fed skunk fudge..?? Yuk "I'll start from the beginning...
We rocked up to Reading station bright eyed on Friday morning (after showering and last minute bathroom runs at home.. a luxury we'd soon appreciate) where Carol met us looking a little 'disheveled'. It seems the happy campers that graciously set up our tents the night before had no option but to entertain themselves with cider and camp stories. After hearing this, we do a quick cider stock up ourselves before heading to the grounds (4 cartons of strongbow + 1 of carling later..).
WHAT A SIGHT. We entered the camping entrance... it was like you would imagine a shanty town.. but times 1000. Tents are piled on one another. I began to quietly freak out in the quiet, clean and hygenic part of my mind. 'No Rez!' I tell myself, 'You are here for the music! Just like those that attended Woodstock and Glastonbury before you... you should be revelling in this opportunity!'. And that was before I'd even cracked a tinny.
We got banded up, avoided looking inside the tiny tents we were to call home and headed for the main arena - also avoiding smelling, let alone looking at the "toilets" we were to use for the weekend. SHUDDER.
Friday was to be a fairly quiet day laced with anticipation.. Panic! At The Disco were playing fairly early on and I was hyped to finally be seeing them, but, Franz Ferdinand were capping the day off and for over 3 years I've been taken by their poppy rock anthems. There was no other band that could top the days bill. Or was there?
Panic! began as I was running into the arena. (What? Rez arrives late for something? EVEN live music? Never!!) As it turns out my timing couldn't have been better.. just as they were cracking into their first song, some dickhead bottled the singer square in the forehead and he was out for six. After some TLC, he got to his feet, told the crowd to aim for the other side of his face and powered through a ripping set. Their cover of Karma Police made it that much sweeter. I am very muchly looking forward to seeing them at Brixton next month. (*** 1/2) (EDIT: Their Brixton gig was AMAZING!!)
I had nothing else highlighted on my schedule until The Vines hit the side stage 4 hours later. Back to camp for drinks and frivolity for a few hours. We managed to lose pretty much everyone, so it was up to Jarrod and myself to mission it through the packed tent for The Vines. I hadn't heard any of their new stuff, but was weary after hearing what a rough patch they had gone through of late. I wasn't too disappointed though as Craig Nicholls presence on stage was enough to placate my Aussie music craving. That coupled with the fact they played both 'Outtathaway!' and 'Get Free', I felt like I was back at the Grand for a Thursday session. Not a huge fan of the new, mellow stuff. Ease off the anti-D's Craig. (***)
On reflection, I give Kaiser Chiefs close to 5 stars. They were AMAZING. I never really appreciated their electronic Brit sound, but live... it radiated. Jarrod and I had a moment that hit home during 'Oh My God' (lyrics shouted again and again during the chorus - "OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, I'VE NEVER BEEN THIS FAR AWAY FROM HOME"). This was made even more magical by a 10 minute extended version and rain falling in buckets. Predictably, 'I Predict A Riot' made the entire crowd dance like the drunken idiots they were. Spectacular. (**** 1/2)
Closing out the first night were Franz Ferdinand. I'm sorry, but I defy anyone to say they don't appreciate how FUN their music is. With this in mind, we were nowhere near close enough to the stage. Despite Jarrod's major jetlag issue, we missioned our way around and inside the D-Barrier. It was here we stood for over half an hour enduring intermittent rain, mass sing-alongs to Tenacious D's 'Tribute' (BE YOU ANGELS? NAY! WE ARE BUT MEN.... ROCK... OOOOOOOOOOON), and Jarvis Cocker's 'made for Reading' karaoke... (I have GOT to get his photo up asap)
DAY 2 - SATURDAYHaving made it through my first night in a tent, complete with a visit from Leah and Carol in a bit of a 'special state' for cuddles until the wee hours, I felt more than ready for day 2. The sun was absolutely beaming which was in complete contrast to the night before... lots of muddy patches today, definitely ditched the thongs for good old Doc Martens.
Today we had plenty going on. Unfortunately it was night of decisions... Muse, Raconteurs or Reel Big Fish... argh!! It was also a day for my inner punks head to rear up in excitement...
Firstly we saw Wolfmother take to the main stage mid-afternoon. Having seen them in London months earlier I was keen to see how they'd come across to the masses. Unfortunately not a lot of the crowd knew them, and what they did know seem constricted to one song (WOMAAAAAN!!). Token Aussies in the crowd got into it, I loved it, but I am biased. Smaller show was much better. (***)
The rest of the afternoon I believe was spent wandering around. Jet weren't on until 7:30pm and we had, once again, managed to lose everyone in the crowd. I seem to remember drinking a fair bit of Carling this day followed by hours of trawling through the crowds to find a toilet that worked. HAHAHAHA YEAH RIGHT. ahem.
So, Jet. I like Jet. Or should I say liked? I don't know. I haven't heard their new album, and you know what it's like, loving a band then seeing their new stuff live without knowing it... I was, unsure. Whatever I thought of it they reeled off a lot of good shit from the debut album and 10,000 odd dirty revellers singing Are You Gonna Be My Girl can't be that bad. (*** 1/2)
The next 4 hours were filled with resounding energy. We caught half (unfortunately we missed the start) of Millencolin, very tight set with some classic oldies chucked in. Mr Clean for fucksake!! (****). They were followed by Anti-Flag. This was some old school punk... I remember listening to them so long ago.. it was great to see them live. So energetic.. I've never seen a circle pit quite like it (except for Tool in Glasgow, but that's another story).
Finally we got to 10pm and the decision had to be made. My vote was with.... Reel Big Fish. It seemed insane at the time to pick them over Muse (we knew we'd be seeing Raconteurs in Oct... EDIT: fucking brilliant!!) but who were we kidding? Everyone wanted to see Muse, there was no way we'd get near the front and I wasn't quite sure of their new stuff. Plus, RBF playing at a festival as big as Reading? They were going to go fucking ape. Our gut instinct paid off.
They played an array of stuff (withholding Sell Out... a big call which didn't go down well with the crowd). We did however get a Metallica cover, Suburban Rhythm played in about 20 different styles and from memory a Gunners cover (but don't hold me to that). It went off and that's all that mattered. I was so, so happy that we got right in amongst it and skanked our little legs off (and punched and kicked..). To add to this... we caught RBF beach balls thrown out to the crowd... HELLO PILLOWS FOR OUR TENT!!! Winners are grinners. (**** 1/2)
FINAL DAY – SUNDAYToday was all about the main arena. We stayed there all day (mostly to get a position for Pearl Jam, which, unfortunately we failed at due to some, errr, side tracking). Today was also about outsiders! Andy and Dan both joined our frivolity (I’m sure they are still wondering why). It was with great delight that we showed Andy the state of the “toilets” we were subjected to all weekend, needless to say, he was less than impressed.
After this, and a tour of tent-world, it was off to the main arena for some more silliness. I will never, ever drink another Carling again. Or cider for that matter.
As we watched Less Than Jake, Bullet For My Valentine, Slayer and My Chemical Romance (when I say ‘watched’ I mean looked up at occasionally during trips to the bar and neighbouring toilets) I unfortunately got a bit more carried away – Nick and Dan NOT helping the situation. To persuade Dan not to eat the skunk fudge (he’d already eaten the hash brownies which were revolting), I had to eat half a square of the crap. Sadly, he still went mental… it could have something to do with the double strength cider… all I can say is, he ended up with a black eye after Pearl Jam due to making the barrier. I’m stunned he made it out alive.
It started to get dark and working toilets became very scarce. I was afraid if I kept drinking I’d completely miss PJ due to lining up for one that did work. It was mission time. Placebo began…. And err, finished rather abruptly. From what I remember (yes, Carol and I did a MAJOR toilet mission to the other side of the arena during this set) they got about half way in and the speakers carked it… so, the following half an hour was everyone standing around wondering what had happened. Brilliant. (So needless to say I’d give Placebo about ** for their stint..)
We finally felt the excitement enough to surge towards the stage… Pearl Jam were within an hour of sweeping us off our feet. Arrrrh!! Most of the people we were with were either so trolleyed or so worn out from the weekends activities they, unbelievably, piked it before or a few songs into their set. UNBELIEVABLE. Towsty and I eventually perched ourselves on the D-Barrier gate and watched as Eddie drew everyone in. It was breathtaking! They played everything… Animal, World Wide Suicide, Dissident, Even Flow, Once, Jeremy (!!), Better Man.. they closed out the first Encore with Alive and played three more tracks before leaving the stage. I had goosebumps the whole way through and actually cried… Better Man took me back to being 10 years old and staying up really late to hear these cool new songs on the radio.. I didn’t know back then how that would shape my future but it all came about face on the last weekend in August!
So, that was it. We trudged slowly back to our tents. Andy was fortunate enough to be getting the train back to London that evening. I remember him telling me to stop smiling.. I must’ve looked delusional… but it was one of the best weekends of my life!
The next day, weary and slowly we packed away most of our stuff (no, my £8 Argos tent stayed put) hiked to the station and made our way home. I never remember a shower being SO good.
