Take Me Back: Reading Festival 2014 (Sunday)

Paramore (Friday)

Another year passes and we're back here again - the last day of Reading Festival. It's always a bittersweet day and this year was no exception as the Sunday's line-up was phenomenal. Up bright and early we headed down to the main stage for the start of a pop-punk feast with The Story So Far. With perhaps the largest crowd i've seen an opening band draw in, they certainly didn't disappoint the crowd's clear high expectations. Beginning the sunny day with 'Right Here' the set list churned out twelve of the pop-punkers very best hits, with 'Quicksand' and 'Daughters' appearing early creating the days first hungover mosh pits. 'Empty Space' with that fantastic tune turned into a sing-a-long that left grins on the faces of everyone around and by the time 'Things I Can't Change' came along the crowd was even larger, the singing even louder. Going out with a bang, 'The Glass' and 'High Regard' see the mosh pits expand and angry fists pump high before the bands time is up. 

***

Next to grace the stage was everyone's favourite Aussie's Tonight Alive. Blasting their way on stage with the monumental Spiderman song 'The Edge' there was an instant response from the sizeable crowd, all screams of excitement and out of tune wails, 'I am standing on the edge of my life.' The enthusiasm coming from the band was electric with Jenna throwing herself around the stage and belting the lyrics out to the bands' hugest songs from 'The Ocean' to 'Don't Wish.' Replacing gritty vocals for silky smooth Jenna's vocal range shines on 'Hell and Back' and the crowd is given a much needed breather. Having gathered ourselves and oxygen once more in our lungs, the hard-working five piece soon had us jumping all over with older fans beyond ecstatic at the appearance of 'Wasting Away' before Jenna's little speech before the bands' defining song 'What Are You So Scared Of?' The crowd had never been louder than on 'Listening' and it was with heavy hearts we said goodbye but not before they played us one more song - the mighty 'Lonely Girl.' From start to finish the band were stunning, proving they more than deserve the attention they're getting and putting a stopper in all cynics' mouths - these pop prodigies have shown their punk worthiness and the world needs to get ready.

***

With a relatively short break between bands we headed over to the Alternative Stage for Tiff Stevenson's thought provoking, yet hilarious, set. Unafraid of telling the truth through a series of personal stories she reminds us that life can be brutal - somehow managing to make us laugh at the same time. The unfortunate reappearance of Meg's food poisoning led us back to the toilet's before the UK's very own up and coming pop-punk act Neck Deep. With people spilling out the tent I found a space to the side with a surprisingly good view of the stage where the looks of passion and shock on their faces at the turnout didn't go unnoticed and the magic of the crowd wasn't lost. Every song went off with a bang, this crowd definitely the loudest I'd heard for the band. "Losing Teeth" and "Crushing Grief (No Remedy)" were the highlights and I honestly thought the band and crowd alike couldn't sound any better until of course the inevitable slowing down of the rambunctious set for "A Part Of Me." Every one who has ever seen Neck Deep will know and understand that on this song you don't just sing you SING. All caps. And this crowd seemed more than aware of that and took this song to a whole other level, I don't think my hearing has been the same ever since. It was a pretty stunning display and I feel privileged to have seen what felt like an important moment in the bands' career.

***

After witnessing that little piece of pop-punk history being formed we bimbled back towards Main Stage to wait for the mighty A Day To Remember. It was unfortunate that Sleeping With Sirens were still playing. I'm not one to bash bands and I respect everyone has their own opinion when it comes to music but seeing the last half of their set confirmed to me that I think they are truly awful. I kind of get the appeal I just don't get how anyone can bare listening to a band where the vocals are as painful as that. 

Eventually 17:15 hit and A Day To Remember exploded onto stage with burst of energy and the 'da dada da da da's' of the career changing "The Downfall Of Us All." After the disappoint of the cancelled show in February this was my first time seeing them since the time of Homesick's release. Looking around at the massive crowd it was amazing and I couldn't help but be so pleased and proud for these guys as back then they played tiny university cafeteria's. Oh how times have changed. It was a damn brilliant setlist with as many of the favourites in there as time possibly allowed including "I'm Made Of Wax Larry" and the ultimate stereotypical and utterly brilliant pop-punk tune "All Signs Point To Lauderdale." Towards the middle of the set they brought out the acoustic guitar and another "A Part of Me" moment was had with the beautiful "If It Means A Lot To You" being sung by thousands on a lush sunny evening. 

What everyone there will remember the most is "Homesick." Why you ask? The Zorb, that is why. Yes, A Day To Remember are a bloody brilliant band and they could just stand of the stage and sing their songs and still be brilliant but that wouldn't be enough for them. Creating a wild and individual, memorable show is what they're about so with Jeremy in his Zorb (y'know those see through giant hamster ball things) he was pushed onto the crowd as they played. I was ran over my Jeremy Mckinnon in a Zorb and then nearly crushed as the crowd all fell over. It was fantastic. 

Back to being all serious I very nearly got teary eyed (read: very nearly started bawling my eyes out) when the next song was "End Of Me" something about that song makes me feel a whole lot. And ADTR songs make me feel a lot anyway so it could have got messy there as the crowd all sat down ready to jump up as the song bursts - or attempted to sit anyway. Following on was "Sometimes You're The Hammer" which still remains one of my favourite songs ever - the ending lyrics are truly incredible and the live performance was too. Ending their electric set was "All I Want" and the angrier than angry "The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle" which included a sparkly lycra suit clad dude shooting free t-shirts at us... whaaaat? For that hour the crowd were actively expressing their love for these guys with super size mosh pits and space restricted like no other gig i've ever been to. Crowd surfers were everywhere - at one point one guy knocked into my arm and said arm flew into a guys face punching him pretty damn hard in the jaw. Dude who I accidently punched... if you're reading this know I really didn't mean to and it probably hurt me a lot more than it hurt you. Soz from the blonde girl with the friend who looked like she was dying.  

***

Despite the fact I now felt like I was dying, not just Meg, there was no stopping me as I left her behind at the Main Stage to watch You Me At Six whilst I went back to the Lock Up tent for my favourites The Wonder Years. I don't have anymore praise that I can verbalise for these guys that I haven't already in the past. They are unimaginable live. Their shows take me to some far away place where nothing matters and that doesn't really exist, yet they're also the most real and raw of any show i've ever been to. From the opener "Dismantling Summer" to the final "Came Out Swinging" everyone in that tent jumped, fist pumped, crowd surfed and screamed until our heads and hearts stopped hurting, until the tears in our eyes turned to sweat and our blood pumped with adrenaline instead of anger. I've said it before and i'll say it again - seeing The Wonder Years is an experience. Cliched as it sounds to understand it you have to be there. Everyone is made to feel like they belong, no typical gig bullshit just pure intense devotion from everyone. It's humbling.  

***

Completely gutted at having to leave behind another Wonder Years gig I stumbled out the tent behind everyone else back towards the Main Stage. I had no intention of trying to find Meg amongst the masses of people clustered around for You Me At Six and I thought they'd be finishing pretty soon. However, I was totally wrong as I'd only missed half their set. By the time I was within hearing distance the band were just starting "Forgive and Forget" which is perhaps my favourite song off of their newest album. I've seen them often enough to know what to expect of them but as I watched them I realised they were better than ever. After Soupy mentioning his chat with Alex Gaskarth earlier in the day I wasn't as shocked as everyone else in the crowd was when the man himself bounded on-stage to join them during "Fresh Start Fever" making me all the more eager to grab tickets to their co-headliner. Josh didn't even have to ask for everyone to take a layer off and swing it round their heads for "Reckless" almost losing the entertainment value as it was always rather hilarious watching him desperately beg, bless 'im. The newer tracks provided a kind of grown up depth to their shows particularly with "Cold Night" whilst the older "Bite My Tongue" was a sheer frenzy and clash of adolescent emotions. Closing their set was "Lived A Lie" with the bridge, sung by thousands, leaving goosebumps all over. We are without a doubt believers.

***

Finding Meg, grabbing food and collapsing in the mud we watched Macklemore play "Thrift Shop" and wondered what he was going to finish with and if anyone would stay to watch him after he played that, but ironically we didn't stay to find out as we went to the Festival Republic stage. Catching the end of the upbeat The Sunshine Underground our deliriously happy smiles were soon to be eradicated as Mayday Parade were up next. If ever you need a good cry just stick these guys on and within a few minutes I promise you you'll be crying. While their music makes me sad sad sad when I see them live it doesn't seem so bad as their own grins and obvious joy at being on stage is so infectious. Their set was short but a good mix of old and new songs including "Three Cheers For Five Years" and "12 Through 15" seemingly designed to make our hearts ache. "Black Cat" and closer "Jersey" had everyone springing off the walls and Mayday Parade's Reading Festival debut was a success. 

***

Sunday night. There's only one thing left now and that's for some serious nostalgic singalong time with the gods themselves Blink-182. After seeing them on their comeback tour I had an inkling of what to expect but when they came out to "Feeling This" and there was god awful and downright embarrassing dancing happening everywhere I turned and thousands of people singing this song with drunken smiles and thoughts of old times it was something else entirely. It was tune after tune and highlighted just how many stupidly good songs this band has written and why exactly they are so worshipped. I always hear how people didn't respond as well to Neighbourhoods but you try telling that to this crowd as "Up All Night" and "Wishing Well" receive just as much love from the crowd as the vintage "Dammit" and "Carousel." I couldn't write about how the crowd reacted and how simply awesome every song was as they played near enough all the hits and then some - they even threw in a Misfits cover. Tom sang typically off key and replaced words in songs, Mark looked like an out of place dad and Travis rocked so damn hard and I wouldn't have changed a thing. It was cheesy and like only Blink could ever pull off completely, utterly, totally immense. I'm glad I got to grow up listening to these legendary losers. 

Reading Festival (Friday) 

Reading Festival (Saturday)

Take Me Back: Reading Festival 2014 (Saturday)

La Dispute (Friday)

Saturday was the biggest write off ever. I slept in until midday whilst everyone ventured back to Tesco after we consumed all our alcohol the night before. With no one that we particularly wanted to see until Lower Than Atlantis we bimbled around and caught a little of Pulled Apart By Horses' set and Marmozets. Despite the packed out tent and their name frequenting all the alt-rock sites the angry-girl, guitar smashing set left me with the feeling that it was all a bit gimmicky as opposed to genuine which I was pretty gutted about.

Escaping to the Alternative Stage it didn't take long for us to be in fits of laughter as Daniel Sloss finished up his set. So carried away with the hilarity on offer from the likes of Matt Rees and Rob Beckett we ended up missing half of Lower Than Atlantis' set. The NME tent was at bursting point and it was clear the four piece had upped their game since the last time I saw them. Everything was that little bit more right down to the tightened production - I can still see the impressive lighting in my mind and how it really worked well enhancing their set. Catching the start of their second single - from their almost here and much anticipated self-titled album - "English Kids In America" the crowd was buzzing off the bands' fired up performance. Although they're Reading Festival veterans the band had a relatively short slot only managing to squeeze in nine songs, however, their veteran status has made them pro's at putting together a brilliant set so when "Deadliest Catch" and "Beech Like The Tree" followed on I wasn't surprised. The crowd was lapping it up, singing every word with enthusiasm that carried over into their last song "Here We Go." The funky first single from the self-titled was the cruelest set ender as the crowd was left begging for more.

Once more time alludes me as the next thing I remember is being in the dance tent during Pendulum's DJ set and Meg running off to be sick. Then we're at the Pit stage watching Architects and again Meg is chucking her guts up. A little while later with Arctic Monkey's playing in the background we decided to haul Meg off to the first aid tent. The verdict: food poisoning. Brilliant.

Take Me Back: Reading Festival 2014 (Friday)

After hurried packing a mere ten hours after returning to the UK I was in a car and on the way to Reading. Thursday went without hiccup unlike last year and the 'short walk to Tesco' fiasco. With a good camping spot, the near-by Tesco located and vodka in the system the mediocre fun fair almost seemed as exciting as Germany's Europa Park. 

Friday morning got off to a weird start with us taking spots at the main stage to watch Hacktivist followed by Crossfaith and if I was feeling sleepy two hours before then I certainly wasn't anymore.

With no time between the end of Crossfaith and the start of La Dispute, many would have witnessed my hysterical shrieking when the big screens came into my vision and frontman Jordan Dreyer was already on there shyly bouncing around. Their unique sound - and the list of people I know who like them being restricted to two - I was surprised to see the NME tent packed out. Looking around there were the kinds of people who were in attendance at the epic Cardiff headline show I caught earlier this year but also a wide array of people who I would've never have guessed were fans. Typically, the band played flawlessly with tracks mostly from their beautiful masterpiece Rooms Of The House with older tracks like the weighted 'a Letter' cropping up every now and then.
With his face bloody and voice shaking Jordan broke out of storyteller mode just long enough to timidly talk to the crowd about their best friends Touche Amore whose frontman joined the band onstage causing an excited uproar in the tent for a fantastic send off to La Dispute whose set unfortunately had to end. Whilst my heart swelled with pride at the sizeable crowd the five piece managed to capture I almost wish they'd been put in the Lock Up tent for a more intimate show like the Clwb gigs I favour over everything.

***

I've managed to lose about three hours of my life as I honestly couldn't tell you what I did after La Dispute and before Jimmy Eat World's first appearance of the day. Something about Jimmy Eat World makes me feel euphoric. These guys are verging on gods of my world. Completely adorable and with faultless music the grin that takes over my face when I see them could push Lewis Carroll's Cheshire off the charts. Opening with 'Bleed American' the crowd was wild from the start right to the kinda ironic end 'The Middle.' The crowd were with them the whole way through yelling along on those upbeat tracks 'The Authority Song' and 'Sweetness' or attempting to sing in key on the softer songs 'I Will Steal You Back.' I have a relatively short list of places I would happily stay stuck in a loop for forever and Jimmy Eat World gigs are pretty near top spot.

***

Staying at the main stage Enter Shikari were next to entertain our ears and just like back in 2012 it didn't take long for me to start questioning whether we were actually going to make it out of this crowd alive. To say that Shikari fans are enthusiastic would be the biggest understatement I could ever make. 'Solidarity' right through to 'Gandhi Mate, Gandhi' sees the craziest crowd melt under the sun until Rou just can't help but get educational on us all. Pre-'Anaesthetist' the crowd found ourselves cheering him on as he rambled about the NHS and the morons who run our country and whilst the chaos was momentarily calm it didn't take much to open the pits once more.

***

Checking all limbs were still attached we collapsed outside the Lock Up stage and heard some of Brody Dalle's set but with a crowd of people trying to get Greg James' attention we were distracted. Starting off as just two girls it wasn't long before what seemed the whole of Reading was gathered calling to him and throwing their demo's. Turning away for thirty seconds I near enough broke my neck when one of the mob screeched Paramore. Sure enough my favourite trio had taken seats in the Radio One balcony for their pre-show interview. Ecstatic and near bursting with excitement to be reunited with our Tennessee babes we unashamedly stared at the backs of their heads for half an hour until earliers reluctant goodbye to Jimmy Eat World came to an end.

It's at this point in the post I feel I should give a mention to how atrocious the sound had been so far that day. Most of the mics were no where near turned up enough and Jimmy's second appearance was almost twenty minutes late because of the sound system and when we finally got off to a start it turned out to be a false one with guitars having to be switched around as the sound was so bad. But anyway, I stood there kicking myself that I hadn't put a bet down that their headline set was to be Futures in full. The Reading Festival set time people were not in my good books as we could only catch 'Futures' 'Just Tonight...' 'Work' and 'Kill' before our final goodbye and mad dash to the main stage. It's Paramore time.

***

Joining a train of people determined to get a semi-decent position (yes, for Paramore I would be one of those people) we found ourselves stationed centre left of the stage in a mix of people that had faces of skeptics yet the moment 'Still Into You' blasted through the speakers the crowd was dancing and singing along with such force I thought we were going to jump the band right off stage.
Continuing with 'That's What You Get' I could feel everyone being absorbed by the magic of Paramore. Hayley spins and stomps her way around the stage probably throwing real-life fairy dust as she goes and Reading is falling hook, line and sinker for the blue-haired pixie and her best friends destroying the stage alongside her.

'For A Pessimist' starts off their feistier performance followed on by the ultimate angry song - 'Ignorance.' And the crowd is there with them screaming the first verse raring for the chorus when... nothing. The sound is out. Silence strikes the crowd before the murmurs and realisation that they don't even know hit us. Fingers crossed the sound will come back quickly the crowd carries on singing and sure enough before the last chorus the sound is back and impressively we're still singing in time.

Oblivious, 'Pressure' and 'Decode' go by without a hiccup when mid-speech and disaster strikes again. The 80,000 strong crowd stand there wondering just how long they're going to let Hayley talk before someone tells her we can't hear. Eventually, thanks to the front row, she's clued in and suddenly on a mission to figure this out. The crowd boos and chants mean things at the sound people unforgiving for the interruption of the best damn hooks of the last decade. Miming a mock temper tantrum Hayley plants herself on the Paramore box and tells us how they refuse to move until the sound works again - thank god, I was nearing a break down at the thought of their show being pulled. Some fifteen minutes later the trio sit together and we're told the system is down. The three may be terrified that they've lost it now but the worry need not exist as an acapella version of 'The Only Exception' takes place leaving the hairs on the back of everyone's necks standing on end. A landmark show in the bands' timeline truly became one to remember, initially for the wrong reason but the fandom united there and turned the disaster into a stunning moment in the trio's career.

Taking her spot in front of the keyboard 'Last Hope' reduced a good half of the crowd to tears with its brutally honest lyrics, I for one would be happy to watch Paramore play that song forever. Bringing it back to old school tunes 'Brick By Boring Brick' was followed by 'Misery Business' and one dinosaurs chance to be a part of Paramore history when she was handed the coveted golden mic for that killer bridge part. If by now the fandom wasn't already in pieces the trio's next move most certainly tipped us over the edge. RIOT's dark 'Let The Flames Begin' complete with the hair-raising outro continued into it's sister song 'Part II' and let me tell you I could see nothing through my tears. Any remaining doubters out there were soon silenced as their exceptional talent was blindingly obvious and undeniable as they poured their heart into those intense ten minutes.

Sadly it was nearly time to say goodbye but not before they had us all grooving once more to two self-titled tracks 'Proof' and and near everyone's new favourite Paramore song 'Ain't It Fun.' As we all sang 'don't go crying to your mama...' my brain tried desperately to make sense of this band and how it's possible to be so bloody incredible. I walked away from the main stage that night with the confirmation that being part of their fan base makes me part of something and that night that 'something' felt bigger than ever - the world truly is theirs and I don't think anyone dare complain.

Top Tunes: August

Lights - Up We Go

"Here in a familiar place we got our heads down and we pretend its cause the night is dark and running out of space for us to run around but its a dead end and money's tight"

Paramore - The Only Exception @ Reading

Jimmy Eat World - The Middle @ Reading

A Day To Remember - End Of Me @ Reading

Tonight Alive - Lonely Girl @ Reading

YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

Reading Festival 2014 - It Just Got Even Better

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT PICKS

This time last week I saw a rumoured line up for this years Reading & Leeds Festival and I so wanted it to be legit but I thought there was no way it will be. So there I was on Wednesday slaving away helping a friend with her photography studio when I got an over-excited text from Meg about the line-up being real. Reading just went from being great to absolutely unbefreakinglievable. 

THE WONDER YEARS

Over the years these guys have truly become one of my all time favourite bands and when it comes to seeing them live they're pretty much in the number one spot. I can't even describe a Wonder Years show - you have to experience it. I'm ecstatic to be seeing these guys in a festival setting, the only downer is my brother won't be there and seeing The Wonder Years is kinda our thing. It sure as hell isn't gonna stop me from having an amazing time - and bragging about it later. 

TONIGHT ALIVE

Since the release of their fantastic sophomore album - The Other Side - this ultra talented quintet from down under have been making gigantic waves over on our shores. The last time I saw them was in a tiny venue with no barriers so the fact their Reading debut is on the main stage is evidence enough at just how much this band has progressed in what's really a short amount of time. I'm excited to finally hear these new tracks live as well as old favourites... and with the band going home to write album number three there's always the possibility of hearing newer new tracks. GET ME THERE NOW!

THE STORY SO FAR
Back in February my brother and I were buzzing to be seeing A Day To Remember with these guys as one of the supports. I had work that day until 6, I live an hour and half away and according to the venue The Story So Far were playing at 6:45pm. I don't know how - well I do, some very illegal driving - I made it to the venue in time to see them. I got out the car and my brother came running over to tell me that the gig had been cancelled. And i'm sure anyone reading this is going 'ah yeah adtr gig cancel gate.' We were pretty gutted but got tickets to see New Found Glory where TSSF are the main support so their set will actually be longer. Now, with them playing Reading this year i'm gonna be seeing their pop-punk mania at least twice. I say at least because i'm hoping they remain the support for the rescheduled show just 2 days after Reading...

MAYDAY PARADE
I actually can't believe these guys are playing Reading. Not only am I so happy for them but i'm so happy for myself and everyone else to get to see them. With their unique blend of pop-rock that'll leave you bawling your eyes out they're bound to capture some more hearts during their set.

TWIN ATLANTIC
They're pretty familiar faces on the Reading scene nowadays and i've seen them live three times with their music growing on me more and more each time. Last year they played Main Stage but they're back in the atmospheric NME tent this year where hopefully we'll hear some new music (that's better than Heart and Soul) from their upcoming album.

READING 2012
Thursday/Friday
Saturday
Sunday/Monday

READING 2013
Wednesday/Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Reading Festival 2014

Reading Festival is always the highlight to my summer to the point where I get my ticket before the line-up is even announced. This summer i'm off travelling Europe for six weeks to return for a mere ten or so hours before I hop on another train to musical heaven. These are my initial favourites so far from the line-up...

PARAMORE

Their last Reading appearance was in 2012 before the release of their incredible self-titled album. Since then the trio have somehow managed to grow and grow and i've seen them three times since. They never fail to disappoint and this years' set is sure to be crammed full of their newer songs to get the whole crowd dancing/jumping away. A co-headline spot is more than well deserved I just wish it was a full headline position as at this point they're more than capable of handling it.

BLINK-182

Taking one of the headline spots Blink are sure to bring a lot of fun to the final night. The last time I saw them they played a set full of the cheeky classics as well as their slightly more grown up tracks. Drunken dancing - or flailing would be more accurate - is bound to happen. And after the crowd they pulled in the last time they headlined I can't imagine i'm going to be the only one flailing wildly.

A DAY TO REMEMBER

Last month Jeremy was struck with illness hours before their Cardiff show where I was to see them for the second time. With that show now re-scheduled for the Tuesday after Reading it means i'll be seeing them twice in not much more than 24 hours. And I am buzzing. Common Courtesy is a cracker of an album and will set this show on fire.

JIMMY EAT WORLD

Long time favourites of mine are returning to Reading where their back catalogue of fantastic albums will give them plenty of choice in what to grace our ears with. In November I finally managed to see them for the first time and Bleed American tracks went down a riot so i'm hoping there's plenty of them.

YOU ME AT SIX

It's got to the point where it would feel weird if a year went by where I didn't see them. Regulars on the Reading scene I already know that they're going to bring a brilliant performance and hopefully we'll hear some tracks from their fourth rock effort Cavalier Youth. 

LOWER THAN ATLANTIS

More regulars Lower Than Atlantis have been working on their new album and i'm hoping that they decide to play some of these new tracks. 

NECK DEEP

Fast risers on the pop-punk scene Neck Deep give a charged and passionate performance that in a festival setting can only get better. I'm thinking their set could be their best to date.

IMAGINE DRAGONS

Last year they played the NME tent which was overflowing with people. There were people everywhere and all were saying they should have been on the main stage. This year we got our wish. 

READING 2012

Thursday/Friday

Saturday

Sunday/Monday

READING 2013

Wednesday/Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Take Me Back: Reading Festival (Part Four)

Alas, at last I have arrived at what was one of the best days of my life. Sunday was Fall Out Boy day. Not on until about half six we had the day to fill with music, so first up was We Are The In Crowd. I've lost count the amount of times i've seen them live and although they aren't necessarily ground breaking stuff what they do, they do well. Their Reading debut last year in the Festival Republic tent was packed out with a crowd so enthusiastic it surprised me and their performance was truly amazing. Clearly the organizers agreed as this year the five piece were moved up the ranks to play the main stage. Being Sunday morning everyone's hangovers were at their worst and the days of festival camping made the crowd a tough one to crack, but with perseverance and catchy - sometimes cheesy, "Kiss Me Again," for example - pop-punk, we were soon won over. The newly released single "Attention" was chosen as their opener and although I liked the studio version I loved it live.

Wanting to beat the traffic the next day - and Elly being the most un-morning person I'd ever met - we decided we were going to leave that night so we headed back to our tent, took it all down and loaded up the car. Filling up the next few hours with food and alcohol we headed back down to the main arena to secure a spot for Fall Out Boy during The Lumineers' set. The Editors were a couple songs short of the end of their set so we parked ourselves by a gap on the barrier with ice lollies to keep us cool. The Lumineers were pleasant to watch albeit it got a bit boring but just as I was falling asleep an onslaught of people came surging towards us. Unsure as to what was happening, but seeing a perfect opportunity to get near the front for Fall Out Boy, we stood up and made our way to the now large gap near the barrier to find that frontman Wesley Schultz was stood, guitar in hand, directly in front of us to play their next song.

Now we were stood a couple rows back from the barrier and the fear that it's all a joke that Fall Out Boy were playing started to set in. Literally counting down the minutes and trying not to freak out, the cheers when their backdrop was put up were near enough deafening.

Then the opening of "Thriller" started to play and choked back what was about to be an all out sob-fest. This time the cheers were deafening, I had no idea how many people were behind me at the time as i'm short and I was barricaded in by wild giants. For a good ten/eleven years this is what I had been waiting for. It seemed only yesterday I was wishing and joking for them to come back from their hiatus and play Reading and now there they actually were. The dizzying mixture of emotions running through myself were no doubt matched by every other person stood there, so the outlet for us was to go crazy. We yelled back every line, jumped, screamed and cried. Playing crowd favourites meant not even the die-hard fans (how non-diehards even exist I don't know) were able to contain their enthusiasm. The beautiful Foxes came on and joined them for "Just One Yesterday" and simultaneously destroyed the self esteem of every single person stood there. As for Fall Out Boy themselves they played like there was no tomorrow - and if they kept up there wouldn't be for me, I swear I was going to explode - and proved to everybody exactly why they broke the internet when they came back, wedging themselves deeper into our hearts.
Since February, sat in the Costa Coffee on my college campus, crying over a laptop listening to "My Songs Know..." I said I need to hear it at Reading with the crowd doing the 'oh-ohhs,' at the time still only hoping they'd be playing the festival. Later that night Pete announced they'd be there, I cried some more (heck, I hadn't really stopped) and my countdown began. Then the song started and the crowd did it's part, raising goosebumps and making every hair on my body stand on end.

Sadly, it all had to end eventually so we made our way back to Elly by the barrier in a state of shock and briefly met a woman who had come all the way from America to see Biffy Clyro play a headline set.

 Pre-Fall Out Boy faces 

Fall Out Boy 

Post-Fall Out Boy faces 

We were hot, gasping for a drink, bruised all over and with Fall Out Boy gone the fact I missed City And Colour started to sink in. Sad, sad, sad. The NME stage filled up quickly for Disclosure and we sat outside and watched the synth stars' set. For ten minutes it's all good fun, but after a while it does become samey and the same goes for Azealia Banks. 

Back to main stage for Biffy Clyro, their pyrotechnics and Scottish rock Reading Festival 2013 was once again coming to an end. Another week of fantastic music, dodgy drunken dancers and unforgettable escapades was all being seen off with fire and uh more fire. Not wanting to miss Enter Shikari Sound System we left behind the Scots and the mass of mainstagers and headed towards the dubstep mash-up which proved to be a quite genius combination of your average dance music and songs from bands like Bring Me The Horizon. Of all the dance/dubstep acts i've seen Enter Shikari's take is by far my favourite.

PART ONE (ARRIVAL)

PART TWO (FRIDAY)

PART THREE (SATURDAY)

Take Me Back: Reading Festival (Part Three)

By Saturday we were beyond exhausted and our feet were a mess and so of course it was the perfect day to spend pretty much all of it on our feet in a crowd somewhere! Leaving Elly to her beauty sleep, myself and Megan took to the main arena to see Lower Than Atlantis. Having previously seen these guys twice before we knew we were in for a good set. Opening with "Love Someone Else" the crowd took straight to them, belting the lyrics right along with vocalist Mike Duce. Their ten song set list was made up of the very best of their blend of punk rock/melodic hardcore music that extracted the punk rock attitude from Duce, who told us he was going to smash up his guitar, but instead gave it to the crowd. Cue a mad dash and brawl between Jesus and several other large guys. He couldn't keep up the attitude for long though as he grabbed his acoustic and reduced the majority to near tears with hard hitting "Another Sad Song." Reunited with the rest of the band and a further three belters later, Lower Than Atlantis completed their main stage debut and after their fantastic performance and the eagerness of the crowd it's safe to say they'll be invited back again in the future.

Somewhere between Lower Than Atlantis finishing their set and The Blackout coming on, it decided to piss it down. Feet aching, we retreated to the barrier and sat in a puddle to watch the welsh tear up the stage like I knew they would. Again, i've seen them more times than I can even remember due to my dad (yes, my dad) being a super fan and completely in love with Sean Smith. In typical Blackout style they came on to an old hit, this time "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" before running out to "Start The Party" in enough rain for us to feel like we'd had a bath... if only we'd remembered shampoo. Blasting their way through hit after hit, "Higher And Higher" "The Storm," no one expected quite what was to come half way through their set when they claimed they were a "hip-hop" band and proceeded to play a hip-hop mash up of "Jump Around," "Paris" and "Fight For Your Right To Party." Possibly one of the most hilarious moments of my life I actually found myself a tiny bit disappointed when it finished and they went back to playing their own hits.

Still raining, we grabbed food and went to sit under a tree where we waited for Elly, and if it weren't for the fact we saw Russell Kane that afternoon, The Blackout would have won comedy title for sure. The Alternative tent filled up with people who left crying with laughter after his set. What makes a good comedian to me is someone who tells it true and can be self-deprecating too - making Russell Kane pretty much perfect. Running 20 minutes late we missed half of Twin Atlantic but made it in time for them to play their now mega famous single "Free." Sam McTrusty wore his bright orange raincoat adorably which matched their performance. Humbled to be even playing the festival, they entertained the main stage crowd with their Scottish charm and brilliant rock songs such as "What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?" and "Yes, I Was Drunk" but for me the stand out performance was of acoustic "Crash Land" which sounded even more beautiful with the crowd singing along.

Next up, we went to the NME stage which was packed to the point of over fill. People were spilling out the sides and all for Imagine Dragons. In a similar manner to Bastille there's something different about these guys and intense. Fantastic to listen too and to watch every single person seemed to be having a good time - whether they were being crushed in the tent or one of hundreds outside it. And, obviously, when they closed with chart topping "Radioactive" it was all the more wild. Future main stagers for sure.

Finishing off the exhausting day was Chase And Status and then rap legend himself, Eminem. As you can probably imagine - or if you were there, as you know - the amount of people gathered was somewhat insane. It came as no surprise when midway through C+S's set everything was unplugged and we were told to move back as their were A LOT of people passing out and getting pretty badly hurt. And this was before Eminem was even on. C+S well and truly warmed the crowd up for The Real Slim Shady who rapped - or did he? Rumours are he mimed... - his way to most people's best memories.

PART ONE (ARRIVAL)

PART TWO (FRIDAY)

Take Me Back: Reading Festival (Part Two)

Waking up Friday morning in chronic pain from the 'short walk to Tesco' I was relieved that we'd finally be getting to hear music. The sun was blazing, so we took cover in the NME tent and listened to 20 minutes of Dry The Rivers' set before deciding that sleepy music was not what we needed and instead joined the constant party in the Dance tent.
Turns out Lauren and Elly are not morning people. I don't consider myself a morning person - in fact i'm far from it - but there are certain situations where i'll drag myself out of bed and push through my tiredness because something cool is going on like at Reading. But apparently they just couldn't do it. Headed back to the tent me and Meg said we'd meet them there and queued to get over-18 wristbands and dropped my phone off to the Vodafone truck when New Found Glory were due on.
Having seen them more times than I can remember I knew exactly what to expect and wasn't disappointed by their energetic pop-punk performance and was more than ecstatic at the news they'd be playing Sticks And Stones in it's entirety. Churning out anthem after anthem it kept the not so die-hard fans entertained as well as offering songs not often played live for those of us who'd seen them before.
Having been gone for nearly 2 hours we were feeling a bit guilty at having left Lauren and Elly in the tent and decided not to stay for Bring Me The Horizon despite every fiber of our beings telling us to do otherwise. (Note: we should definitely have stayed and I will spend the rest of my life kicking myself for not having done so).

When we eventually headed back to the arena we caught the end of Frank Turner's fun set. With his happy blend of folksy music and The Sleeping Souls backing him up it was a fun affair for all there to witness. With Elly finally awake and Lauren still asleep but waiting for someone we joined the crowd for Bastille. Having catapulted themselves to stardom with "Pompeii" the crowd was a large one, radiating heat similar to Two Door Cinema Club last year. Hell, there was even a guy peeing into a cup behind us. Deja Vu everywhere. Coming out to title track "Bad Blood" it was immediately apparent that the quartet are some of the most talented out there in today's industry. There's nothing easy about playing their songs live and yet they make it work so fantastically. Opportunities for crowd participation are everywhere in their songs and the festival set list was no different with them playing popular tracks like "Weight Of Living, Pt II" and "Icarus" as well as their version of "What Would You Do?" and "Of The Night." Closing their set with "Flaws" and of course "Pompeii" they finished on a high after putting on a truly incredible performance.

Knackered from all the walking around and the intensity of Bastille's set we found a patch of grass outside the Dance tent and watched Fenech- Soler who gained three new fans after we saw their brilliant combination of electro dance music with pop-rock sounding songs.

Finishing the night were punk legends Green Day. After their surprise appearance last year the anticipation was high in the arena and the crowd gathered. The child in me was gleeful and desperate for the trio to hurry on stage so I could live out a childhood dream and let me tell you - they didn't let me down. And the addition of a fan on stage for "Know Your Enemy" who took one look at the crowd and exclaimed 'oh fuck me' even added a comedy element to their punk extravaganza. "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" was goosebump performance of the day as 90,000 people sung the song in perfect harmony with Billie on his knees, stunned. Much was the same with "Wake Me Up When September Ends" which led into the beginning of the entirety of Dookie. Admittedly it did leave us a bit lost in the middle with a set so laden with political punk rants but favourites such as "Basket Case" and "Minority" lightened it up. Typically, "American Idiot" set everything off in the crowd and my tired feet thanked the fact we were on the outskirts. One of my favourite set endings came from them too with Friday being closed with "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)" which was beautifully fitting.

Top Tunes: August

Panic! At The Disco - This Is Gospel 

Fall Out Boy - My Songs Know... 

Fall Out Boy - Sugar We're Goin' Down 

Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

Imagine Dragons - Radioactive

Twin Atlantic - Make A Beast Of Myself

Bastille - Laura Palmer

New Found Glory - Head On Collision

YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

Take Me Back: Reading Festival (Part One)

Leaving Reading Festival last year was a real low point for myself and Meg. We had embraced the mud, the toilets, the overall grossness of festival camping and were not quite ready to let it go for another year. Alas, the rules meant we had to leave and spend the next year counting down the days until we could return. The line-up didn't even bother us - it could have been the worst line-up ever and we'd still go. Half way through the year though, Fall Out Boy came back from the murky hell of hiatus and like I had been joking about for quite sometime announced they were playing Reading Festival.

Our countdown was with a new sense of complete and utter fangirl level excitedness.

As per usual I left everything until last minute which meant a mad dash to find my clothes and haphazardly shoving them in my bag. Climbing into a car that was bigger than I expected but still too small, we were off up the giant hill out of my village trying to convince Elly that Reading's not really THAT bad. Then we hit the motorway. And the car just couldn't take it. There was little to no acceleration. Trundling along until we could turn off and head back the other way we lost an hour of travel time heading back to Elly's house to steal her dad's Galaxy. A mob attack from her two adorable Labradors and eventually we were away - again, and this time with enough room to spread out.
At around 8 that night we parked the car and loaded up with our stuff to trek and find a place to camp. Having had a good spot last year just 5 minutes walk from the arena, we couldn't help but be a little annoyed at Elly and Lauren's lack of stamina and ending up just under the bridge - which for anyone who has been before you know is miles away from the arena. Sigh. Coming a day early meant there was only us and two other groups of people in our field which seemed bizarre but it didn't stop us from getting reasonably drunk and putting sugar on our chips instead of salt.

The next day plan was to do the 'short walk' to Tesco to stock up on food and good ol' vodka so leaving Lauren behind we set off on Thursday morning to discover it was not a short walk. Reading Festival website tells lies. It took us an hour to walk there in the blazing heat with green car park campers going towards Reading and early birds like us trying to walk away from it to get to Tesco. It was a beautiful moment when we could see the front doors and we took to the shelves like we had been starved for months not a mere 15 hours. Exhausted we stopped at the cafe and I wolfed down chips, beans and a mango Costa iced drink before beginning the dreaded walk back. With bags that weighed about the same as us it took 2 and half hours to get back and I popped a vein in my finger thus resulting in a dead finger (it's still dead fyi).

We arrived back in more pain than I think ever before and spent the rest of the day lying around half dead from the pain, half dead from the level of alcohol consumption that followed the trip from hell. It was to our amusement every time we heard other people say things like 'we're just gonna pop to Tesco.' No, sir. I don't think you are.

Reading Festival 2013

Leaving Reading Festival last year was one of the hardest things i've ever had to do and from the moment I set foot on camp I knew I would return the year after. And now here we are in 2013. With my ticket purchased before any bands had been announced I wasn't expecting much of the line-up and nor did I care as the atmosphere of the weekend is enough to lure me back. But much to my surprise the bands that have been announced so far have obliterated all expectations I had. There are some surprises, some Reading veterans and plenty of artists I really don't like but will no doubt find myself drunkenly dancing to anyway. I would suggest songs for newcomers to these bands to listen to but it would always be "ALL THE SONGS" so without further ado I present you with the bands that have me wishing the year away so I can get to Reading faster. 

FALL OUT BOY

Oh man oh man oh man I feel sorry for anyone that is near me when they play their set. I will turn into a total beast and I will be shrieking the lyrics along with absolutely everything I have in me. I joked a while back about how great it would be if they came off hiatus and played Reading and then they did come off hiatus and they are playing Reading and just thinking about it is making me tear up.

BRAND NEW

When I saw them last year they surpassed all expectations and played just about every song I could have wanted them too. They destroyed things and Jesse stage dived so far into the crowd I was convinced he was going to kill himself. With a back catalog with plenty of rock, pop-punk, acoustic and just plain weird the band are sure to be one of my highlights.

CITY AND COLOUR

Dallas Green,  please oh please can we get married? City And Colour, the band of Alexisonfire front man, is set to break my heart in about a million different ways with his beautiful blend of acoustic music penned with lyrics so lovely I will be a puddle on the floor of the NME tent.

NEW FOUND GLORY

Pop-punk kings return to Reading main stage where they will bring their classic anthems to get the crowd going. They never disappoint live and their bounds of energy will awaken the festival-goers from their inevitably hungover stupor.

BRING ME THE HORIZON

Playing the main stage BMTH are sure to bring a hell of a crowd to accompany what is certain to be a hell of a set. Find me in the most pit. 

FRANK TURNER

More acoustic fabulousness from Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls. They never fail to put a grin on my face and i'm sure they won't fail in spreading the festival cheer.

BASTILLE

With new single Pompeii, Bastille have suddenly found themselves as the next best thing which is perfectly fine by me if it means the crowd give it their all for a set that will be unbelievably fun. They have a knack for writing catchy as hell songs that sound incredibly upbeat with lyrics that are so harshly relatable it's like the words have been picked straight from my brain.

GREEN DAY

Sitting outside my tent last year, hearing the first guitar strums of their "secret" set and then watching practically the entirety of Reading flock to the main arena and then an actual crowd forming in front of the main stage screens was a surreal sight. If it's anything to go by I imagine them actually being on the main stage will send everyone into a frenzy. Pure nostalgia will accompany with their set. 

BIFFY CLYRO

I would be lying if I said I wasn't surprised by their headlining but all the same i'm sure the Scottish rockers will put on a headline worthy set that should not be missed. 

TWIN ATLANTIC

After catching the last half of their set last year and seeing them play the Bristol 02 Academy I already know these guys will go down a treat with their radio famous single Free and adorable humbleness. 

EMINEM

Again, nostalgia will be my date for this headline act. Don't trust anyone if they say they're not excited for Eminem. 

THE BLACKOUT

I've seen them live so many times now and every time they've been entertaining and musically perfect with songs that involve a lot of crowd participation which always makes things better. 

Reading 2012 (Thursday/Friday)

Reading 2012 (Saturday)

Reading 2012 (Sunday/Monday)