2010 was a bloody brilliant year for Havoc. I was lucky enough to catch the truly spectacular Muse at Wembley Stadium, travelled all the way up to Milton Keynes to attend the epic Warriors Dance Festival and experienced the crazy mess that is Reading. Could 2011 top that? I think so.
UPCOMING:
We The Kings - Electric Ballroom (15th February)
All Time Low - Brixton Academy (12th March)
Foo Fighters - Milton Keynes Bowl (2nd July)
Blink-182 - O2 Arena (19th July)
Reading Festival 2011 (26th-28th August)
Plus more to be announced...
Happy New Year.
Wednesday 5 January 2011
You Me At Six, Hammersmith Apollo, Thursday 16th December 2010.
Tonight looks set to be an extremely good night when you consider the three support acts headliners You Me At Six have brought along on tour with them. Add to this the fact that this is the last show of their UK tour and it really does look like it’s going to be one cracking gig. It seems unfortunate then that the sizeably long queue prevents the vast majority of the crowd from catching Canterbury’s set which is a darn shame as the quality of their songs suggest that they most likely pulled off a fresh, energetic and exciting performance. They may have lost out on winning over new fans here, but they’re definitely ones to watch in 2011.
Therefore, it falls on Set Your Goals to kick the night off in style. With seven years experience behind them it’s easy to assume that SYG will sail through an opening slot with ease but sadly tonight any previous experience seems to have been forgotten as they trudge their way through a clumsy and seemingly repetitive set. Little stage presence and an unresponsive crowd lead to a half formed pit; the pit is there but somehow the moshing isn’t. To top this off, the minimal variety of songs make it impossible for this to be an enjoyable set for almost anyone with standards. However, luckily for SYG, the mass of impressionable teenage girls swarmed around the stage tonight apparently soak up any mild pop-punk which is thrown their way.
Surely The Blackout can turn the night around? After all, they’ve built up a dependable reputation for being extremely entertaining, rough as hell and frenetic as fuck when it comes to their live performances. It’s almost certified that they’ll tear this place apart tonight… Or not. A comparably tame, largely sugar-coated performance greets the crowd tonight, ensuring that restless You Me At Six fans will love every second but leading fans of The Blackout to question why they even bothered attending this gig at all. ’I’m a Riot? You’re a Fucking Riot!’ fails to evoke a response from the crowd while the most Sean Smith can muster up tonight is a quick display of his middle finger. Disappointing to say the least.
After a disastrous round of performances from the support acts, it’s left to headliners You Me At Six to pull something truly special out of the hat and to achieve this monumental task, they’ve decided to open with ‘Save It For the Bedroom’. Unluckily for them, while this may have previously been the highlight of their set which saw mass sing alongs and jumping galore, these days it hasn’t got enough of a kick to it to really get the crowd warmed up. What follows is a similarly mediocre performance with the only real highlight being the acoustically performed ‘Always Attract’ which finally forms a reaction in the crowd with lighters held aloft and plenty of swaying arms. It’s not that You Me At Six are on particularly bad form tonight; they’ve just failed to ignite a connection with the infuriatingly dull crowd. All in all, a tragically abysmal end to what has been a great year for You Me At Six.
Therefore, it falls on Set Your Goals to kick the night off in style. With seven years experience behind them it’s easy to assume that SYG will sail through an opening slot with ease but sadly tonight any previous experience seems to have been forgotten as they trudge their way through a clumsy and seemingly repetitive set. Little stage presence and an unresponsive crowd lead to a half formed pit; the pit is there but somehow the moshing isn’t. To top this off, the minimal variety of songs make it impossible for this to be an enjoyable set for almost anyone with standards. However, luckily for SYG, the mass of impressionable teenage girls swarmed around the stage tonight apparently soak up any mild pop-punk which is thrown their way.
Surely The Blackout can turn the night around? After all, they’ve built up a dependable reputation for being extremely entertaining, rough as hell and frenetic as fuck when it comes to their live performances. It’s almost certified that they’ll tear this place apart tonight… Or not. A comparably tame, largely sugar-coated performance greets the crowd tonight, ensuring that restless You Me At Six fans will love every second but leading fans of The Blackout to question why they even bothered attending this gig at all. ’I’m a Riot? You’re a Fucking Riot!’ fails to evoke a response from the crowd while the most Sean Smith can muster up tonight is a quick display of his middle finger. Disappointing to say the least.
After a disastrous round of performances from the support acts, it’s left to headliners You Me At Six to pull something truly special out of the hat and to achieve this monumental task, they’ve decided to open with ‘Save It For the Bedroom’. Unluckily for them, while this may have previously been the highlight of their set which saw mass sing alongs and jumping galore, these days it hasn’t got enough of a kick to it to really get the crowd warmed up. What follows is a similarly mediocre performance with the only real highlight being the acoustically performed ‘Always Attract’ which finally forms a reaction in the crowd with lighters held aloft and plenty of swaying arms. It’s not that You Me At Six are on particularly bad form tonight; they’ve just failed to ignite a connection with the infuriatingly dull crowd. All in all, a tragically abysmal end to what has been a great year for You Me At Six.
Wednesday 15 December 2010
Biffy Clyro, Wembley Arena, Saturday 4th December 2010.
When: 4th December 2010
Where: Wembley Arena
With: Holy State, The Futureheads
As tonight’s openers Holy State pause between songs, frontman Rob Jarvis takes a moment to boldly state that they’re “the best band you’ve never heard of”. A deluded declaration or the sign of a band with the sheer determination and confidence to become something greater? It’s certainly true that their live performance is hard-hitting, tight and fast-paced (an indication of the many hours that have surely been spent rehearsing for this life-changing show) but is their music really deserving of the ‘best band’ status? Well, it has a quirky sort of swagger about it with a solid backbone in the form of drummer Maximillian Applin and attitude in Rob’s rambling, although limited vocal range. They’re almost like a British version of Cage the Elephant but sadly lacking the fun or ironic lyrics. Not exactly ‘best band’ worthy then. As their set closes, Rob plunges his guitar through Maximillian’s drum kit to a failed response from the crowd; proof if any that there is still a long way for this band to go before they themselves become headliners of the legendary Wembley Arena. An enjoyable half an hour or so, proving that this band have strong grounding to become something good, but not necessarily great.
The Futureheads on the other hand stir up a more enthusiastic response in the crowd and with their seemingly genuine friendliness and upbeat, positive music, they completely own the stage tonight with a flawless performance. ‘I Can Do That’ and ‘Heartbeat Song’ are particular highlights; it’s the guitarwork on these two extremely catchy tunes that make them so entertaining. Meanwhile, Barry Hyde’s strongly English vocals flow effortlessly with the instruments to create music that, put simply, just works. Not wanting to rely solely on their infectious music, The Futureheads top off their performance with a mighty sing along, showing that interaction with the crowd works wonders and by the time they leave the stage everyone in the arena is grinning from ear to ear. A job well done.
The appearance of two billowing sails and an ornate mirror mark the arrival of Biffy Clyro. Clearly not wanting to be outdone by their supports in terms of entertainment factor, they’ve put on one heck of a show tonight with a dazzling light display and a cleverly constructed hologram during ‘Diary of Always’. However, it’s their choice of setlist which makes this particular show so memorable for the thousands of eager Biffy fans with its perfectly balanced combination of old and new, poignant and aggressive. At first it appears as though Biffy will follow the norm as they open with ‘The Captain’ and a whole lot of fist-pumping but this is surprisingly followed by a series of Biffy classics taken from the entirety of their back catalogue including ‘57’, ‘Joy.Discovery.Invention’, ‘All the Way Down: Prologue Chapter 1’, ‘There’s No Such Thing as a Jaggy Snake’, ‘Glitter and Trauma’ and ‘Justboy’. Simon Neil takes to the stage alone to perform an unexpected acoustic version of ’Folding Stars’ which makes for a particularly touching moment and is only eclipsed by the acoustic ‘Machines’ which sees the 12,000 strong crowd turn to mush in an emotional sing along. In contrast, the crowd are whipped into a frenzy for ‘Who’s Got A Match?’ and ‘That Golden Rule’ while a brutal mosh pit is sustained throughout the set by a group of unruly, rowdy and seriously sweaty men each trying to prove that they’re more manly than the others. As for the band themselves, they retain their quiet, humble disposition; choosing to focus their energy on the music rather than conversation but this is no letdown to the show. Watching Biffy play to a sold out Wembley Arena, it seems that after years of hard work and brilliant song writing, they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Where: Wembley Arena
With: Holy State, The Futureheads
As tonight’s openers Holy State pause between songs, frontman Rob Jarvis takes a moment to boldly state that they’re “the best band you’ve never heard of”. A deluded declaration or the sign of a band with the sheer determination and confidence to become something greater? It’s certainly true that their live performance is hard-hitting, tight and fast-paced (an indication of the many hours that have surely been spent rehearsing for this life-changing show) but is their music really deserving of the ‘best band’ status? Well, it has a quirky sort of swagger about it with a solid backbone in the form of drummer Maximillian Applin and attitude in Rob’s rambling, although limited vocal range. They’re almost like a British version of Cage the Elephant but sadly lacking the fun or ironic lyrics. Not exactly ‘best band’ worthy then. As their set closes, Rob plunges his guitar through Maximillian’s drum kit to a failed response from the crowd; proof if any that there is still a long way for this band to go before they themselves become headliners of the legendary Wembley Arena. An enjoyable half an hour or so, proving that this band have strong grounding to become something good, but not necessarily great.
The Futureheads on the other hand stir up a more enthusiastic response in the crowd and with their seemingly genuine friendliness and upbeat, positive music, they completely own the stage tonight with a flawless performance. ‘I Can Do That’ and ‘Heartbeat Song’ are particular highlights; it’s the guitarwork on these two extremely catchy tunes that make them so entertaining. Meanwhile, Barry Hyde’s strongly English vocals flow effortlessly with the instruments to create music that, put simply, just works. Not wanting to rely solely on their infectious music, The Futureheads top off their performance with a mighty sing along, showing that interaction with the crowd works wonders and by the time they leave the stage everyone in the arena is grinning from ear to ear. A job well done.
The appearance of two billowing sails and an ornate mirror mark the arrival of Biffy Clyro. Clearly not wanting to be outdone by their supports in terms of entertainment factor, they’ve put on one heck of a show tonight with a dazzling light display and a cleverly constructed hologram during ‘Diary of Always’. However, it’s their choice of setlist which makes this particular show so memorable for the thousands of eager Biffy fans with its perfectly balanced combination of old and new, poignant and aggressive. At first it appears as though Biffy will follow the norm as they open with ‘The Captain’ and a whole lot of fist-pumping but this is surprisingly followed by a series of Biffy classics taken from the entirety of their back catalogue including ‘57’, ‘Joy.Discovery.Invention’, ‘All the Way Down: Prologue Chapter 1’, ‘There’s No Such Thing as a Jaggy Snake’, ‘Glitter and Trauma’ and ‘Justboy’. Simon Neil takes to the stage alone to perform an unexpected acoustic version of ’Folding Stars’ which makes for a particularly touching moment and is only eclipsed by the acoustic ‘Machines’ which sees the 12,000 strong crowd turn to mush in an emotional sing along. In contrast, the crowd are whipped into a frenzy for ‘Who’s Got A Match?’ and ‘That Golden Rule’ while a brutal mosh pit is sustained throughout the set by a group of unruly, rowdy and seriously sweaty men each trying to prove that they’re more manly than the others. As for the band themselves, they retain their quiet, humble disposition; choosing to focus their energy on the music rather than conversation but this is no letdown to the show. Watching Biffy play to a sold out Wembley Arena, it seems that after years of hard work and brilliant song writing, they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Tuesday 30 November 2010
30 Seconds to Mars, Brighton Centre, Thursday 25th November 2010.
When: 25th November 2010
Where: Brighton Centre
With: Funeral Party, Enter Shikari
It’s mind-numbingly cold along Brighton’s brightly lit seafront but tonight this has no impact on the thousands who have flocked to catch 30 Seconds to Mars’ performance at the Brighton Centre; one of the larger venues in this thriving city. A lone sleeping bag left abandoned outside the venue shows just exactly to what extremes fans will go to catch a glimpse of their idol; a certain Mr Leto. Sadly, it’s not much warmer inside, with security hot on the heels of the teenage hoards and the air conditioning whacked up to full blast in preparation for the wild fans who will inevitably faint from heat as they push their way ever closer to the stage. Nonetheless, the sound system in place tonight is darn near perfection; with every crooning vocal that Leto lets loose reverberating throughout the venue until eventually echoing into oblivion.
Californian quartet Funeral Party are up first; frontman Chad Elliott taking centre stage and drawing the eye with his typically predictable, but strong, indie-style vocals. There’s not much to be said on the matter of stage presence but the music itself manages to make more of a connection with the crowd; it’s light and mellow sound creating a laidback atmosphere which deludes the unsuspecting parents into thinking this is going to be a “nice and sensible” gig. Meanwhile, the toned down guitars allow for a particularly catchy bassline to be heard. Considering the majority of the crowd are unaware of this band’s name, let alone their music, they pull off a commendable performance and get a smattering of polite applause in return which really isn’t that bad at all.
The same cannot be said for the main support band of the night; Enter Shikari. Having made a significant impact with debut album ‘Take to the Skies’ back in 07 and follow up ‘Common Dreads’ in 09, this band are undoubtedly known by every single member of the audience and expectations and atmosphere are both notched up a gear as the lights dim and the thudding, electronic beat of a remixed ‘Common Dreads’ fills the room amid blinding white lights. Tonight, every band member is on top form with a boundless energy about them; Rou stomps his way around the stage as he spurns out angry lyrics while Rory spares a moment to mount the equipment and bask in the sound of a thousand enthusiastic fans’ cheers. Standout moments include new single ‘Destabilise’ and an extended breakdown in set closer ‘Juggernauts’ which involves such a heavy bassline, your ears take a monumental beating just by being in the same room. Having honed their live performance to excellence, it seems that Enter Shikari can do no wrong.
There’s a fairly long interlude between Shikari and headliners 30 Seconds to Mars, but rather than dampening the atmosphere it only causes the adrenaline fuelled youngsters to go even more berserk. By the time the room is plunged into darkness the crowd are having spasms while hyperventilating uncontrollably and the screams that pierce the air as the band make an appearance have to be heard to be believed. It’s enough to make your ears bleed. 30STM have gone all out on the stage set up for this UK tour; the lights seem never ending as they lower from the ceiling, blind from the back and cast an eerie glow over the stage. However, it’s the spotlight which is permanently fixed on Leto throughout the set, following him like a hawk as he spins his way across the stage that really captures the attention of the crowd. Members of The Echelon are sure to lap this up, but to everyone else it seems a little arrogant. There’s no doubting that 30STM are a truly remarkable live act, creating such a stunning visual performance that they rival Muse in the process but a little spontaneity wouldn’t go amiss. Without it, everything seems a little surreal and robotic; the guitar changes are timed to the second, the speeches given by Leto (no other band member utters a sound throughout the set) are generic and predictable and the songs are executed with perfection but lack in humanity. To make matters worse, Leto brings the Union Jack onstage and makes it the centre piece for the entirety of ‘The Kill’; there’s more arse licking in this room than you can shake a stick at. Nonetheless; the songs themselves are genuinely epic and Leto redeems himself when he removes to the back of the venue to perform an acoustic rendition of ‘From Yesterday’ and set highlight ‘Alibi’ which showcases Leto’s exceptional vocals. Closing with crowd favourite ‘Kings & Queens’ which sees 40 or so out-of-control fans clamber on stage to sing along, it’s easy to see why 30STM have such a phenomenal fanbase and you can’t help thinking that if the band members relaxed a little, they could become one of the best live acts around.
Where: Brighton Centre
With: Funeral Party, Enter Shikari
It’s mind-numbingly cold along Brighton’s brightly lit seafront but tonight this has no impact on the thousands who have flocked to catch 30 Seconds to Mars’ performance at the Brighton Centre; one of the larger venues in this thriving city. A lone sleeping bag left abandoned outside the venue shows just exactly to what extremes fans will go to catch a glimpse of their idol; a certain Mr Leto. Sadly, it’s not much warmer inside, with security hot on the heels of the teenage hoards and the air conditioning whacked up to full blast in preparation for the wild fans who will inevitably faint from heat as they push their way ever closer to the stage. Nonetheless, the sound system in place tonight is darn near perfection; with every crooning vocal that Leto lets loose reverberating throughout the venue until eventually echoing into oblivion.
Californian quartet Funeral Party are up first; frontman Chad Elliott taking centre stage and drawing the eye with his typically predictable, but strong, indie-style vocals. There’s not much to be said on the matter of stage presence but the music itself manages to make more of a connection with the crowd; it’s light and mellow sound creating a laidback atmosphere which deludes the unsuspecting parents into thinking this is going to be a “nice and sensible” gig. Meanwhile, the toned down guitars allow for a particularly catchy bassline to be heard. Considering the majority of the crowd are unaware of this band’s name, let alone their music, they pull off a commendable performance and get a smattering of polite applause in return which really isn’t that bad at all.
The same cannot be said for the main support band of the night; Enter Shikari. Having made a significant impact with debut album ‘Take to the Skies’ back in 07 and follow up ‘Common Dreads’ in 09, this band are undoubtedly known by every single member of the audience and expectations and atmosphere are both notched up a gear as the lights dim and the thudding, electronic beat of a remixed ‘Common Dreads’ fills the room amid blinding white lights. Tonight, every band member is on top form with a boundless energy about them; Rou stomps his way around the stage as he spurns out angry lyrics while Rory spares a moment to mount the equipment and bask in the sound of a thousand enthusiastic fans’ cheers. Standout moments include new single ‘Destabilise’ and an extended breakdown in set closer ‘Juggernauts’ which involves such a heavy bassline, your ears take a monumental beating just by being in the same room. Having honed their live performance to excellence, it seems that Enter Shikari can do no wrong.
There’s a fairly long interlude between Shikari and headliners 30 Seconds to Mars, but rather than dampening the atmosphere it only causes the adrenaline fuelled youngsters to go even more berserk. By the time the room is plunged into darkness the crowd are having spasms while hyperventilating uncontrollably and the screams that pierce the air as the band make an appearance have to be heard to be believed. It’s enough to make your ears bleed. 30STM have gone all out on the stage set up for this UK tour; the lights seem never ending as they lower from the ceiling, blind from the back and cast an eerie glow over the stage. However, it’s the spotlight which is permanently fixed on Leto throughout the set, following him like a hawk as he spins his way across the stage that really captures the attention of the crowd. Members of The Echelon are sure to lap this up, but to everyone else it seems a little arrogant. There’s no doubting that 30STM are a truly remarkable live act, creating such a stunning visual performance that they rival Muse in the process but a little spontaneity wouldn’t go amiss. Without it, everything seems a little surreal and robotic; the guitar changes are timed to the second, the speeches given by Leto (no other band member utters a sound throughout the set) are generic and predictable and the songs are executed with perfection but lack in humanity. To make matters worse, Leto brings the Union Jack onstage and makes it the centre piece for the entirety of ‘The Kill’; there’s more arse licking in this room than you can shake a stick at. Nonetheless; the songs themselves are genuinely epic and Leto redeems himself when he removes to the back of the venue to perform an acoustic rendition of ‘From Yesterday’ and set highlight ‘Alibi’ which showcases Leto’s exceptional vocals. Closing with crowd favourite ‘Kings & Queens’ which sees 40 or so out-of-control fans clamber on stage to sing along, it’s easy to see why 30STM have such a phenomenal fanbase and you can’t help thinking that if the band members relaxed a little, they could become one of the best live acts around.
Thursday 4 November 2010
Freeze Festival 2010.
What better way to end the festival season than London’s Freeze Festival; an ingenious combination of skiing, snowboarding and of course, a whole range of live music? The derelict hulk that is Battersea Power Station may initially seem a strange choice (it’s more scaffolding than building) but this colossal beast makes for one exciting music venue; allowing for not one, but two tents as well as a whole host of bars and even a cinema. Sunday’s main stage features a select line-up of dance artists but for those seeking something a little heavier or if you just want to see someone play an actual instrument, the Relentless ‘Energy Drink’ stage makes for a worthwhile visit, featuring such bands as Dananananaykroyd (high five if you can pronounce that) and headliners Skindred.
On CD, Shy FX’s take on Drum & Bass is earbleedingly painful; it’s the sort of music you often hear playing too loudly at the back of a bus. In short, it’s the sort of music you don’t usually want to hear at all. However, together with Stamina MC, the English Drum & Bass artist pulls off a surprisingly entertaining live performance. With the bass bordering on extreme, the appreciative crowd get a bit rowdy while Stamina MC has enough enthusiasm to rival Mr Motivator. This music may not be innovative or sentimental, in fact, it’s a little bit tacky, but with this much bass, it’s extremely hard to dislike.
There’s an impressive crowd building around the main stage for penultimate band of the night Hadouken! but once they succeed in drawing in their fans, they have a much harder time keeping them there. Perhaps it’s because their lyrics sound like the drunken ramblings of a chav (let’s face it; only a chav would say something as ridiculous as “It’s ugly like your sister). Whatever the reason, a quarter of the crowd have ventured elsewhere before their set is finished. On a more positive note, the music itself isn’t too shabby. ‘Mic Check’ is a particular highlight, while bassist Chris Purcell throws himself wholeheartedly into every song alongside vocalist James Smith who spits lyrics at the crowd with confidence and ease.
So, how does a Pendulum DJ set differ from a Pendulum live set? In reality, the music sounds exactly the same with the only notable difference being that the band members aren’t physically on stage waving their guitars round like mad cats. Luckily for us, they’re still present in the thumping bass and the pounding, rhythmic drum beats which make Pendulum such an invigorating live act. Crowd pleaser ‘Tarantula’ never fails to ignite the crowd while a vast amount of new album ‘Immersion’ is thrown into the mix with ‘The Vulture’ proving to be a new crowd favourite. Label mates Sub Focus are given a play too, as well as Pendulum’s notoriously catchy cover of The Prodigy’s ‘Voodoo People’ which ensures that the crowd go wild. Is a Pendulum DJ set really that different from their live performance? The answer to that is no, they are both bloody brilliant.
On CD, Shy FX’s take on Drum & Bass is earbleedingly painful; it’s the sort of music you often hear playing too loudly at the back of a bus. In short, it’s the sort of music you don’t usually want to hear at all. However, together with Stamina MC, the English Drum & Bass artist pulls off a surprisingly entertaining live performance. With the bass bordering on extreme, the appreciative crowd get a bit rowdy while Stamina MC has enough enthusiasm to rival Mr Motivator. This music may not be innovative or sentimental, in fact, it’s a little bit tacky, but with this much bass, it’s extremely hard to dislike.
There’s an impressive crowd building around the main stage for penultimate band of the night Hadouken! but once they succeed in drawing in their fans, they have a much harder time keeping them there. Perhaps it’s because their lyrics sound like the drunken ramblings of a chav (let’s face it; only a chav would say something as ridiculous as “It’s ugly like your sister). Whatever the reason, a quarter of the crowd have ventured elsewhere before their set is finished. On a more positive note, the music itself isn’t too shabby. ‘Mic Check’ is a particular highlight, while bassist Chris Purcell throws himself wholeheartedly into every song alongside vocalist James Smith who spits lyrics at the crowd with confidence and ease.
So, how does a Pendulum DJ set differ from a Pendulum live set? In reality, the music sounds exactly the same with the only notable difference being that the band members aren’t physically on stage waving their guitars round like mad cats. Luckily for us, they’re still present in the thumping bass and the pounding, rhythmic drum beats which make Pendulum such an invigorating live act. Crowd pleaser ‘Tarantula’ never fails to ignite the crowd while a vast amount of new album ‘Immersion’ is thrown into the mix with ‘The Vulture’ proving to be a new crowd favourite. Label mates Sub Focus are given a play too, as well as Pendulum’s notoriously catchy cover of The Prodigy’s ‘Voodoo People’ which ensures that the crowd go wild. Is a Pendulum DJ set really that different from their live performance? The answer to that is no, they are both bloody brilliant.
Friday 17 September 2010
Muse, Wembley Stadium, Saturday 11th September 2010.
London's world famous Wembley Stadium may be renowned for it's gargantuan size but in this case looks are most certainly deceiving. On the outside it looks like some monstrous, shiny alien mothership but on the inside it's a whole other story. If you were expecting this venue to be so unbelievably huge that the crowd below look like a swarm of ants then you are sadly mistaken. You don't even need a pair of binoculars to view the stage. There are only two aspects of this venue which make up for it's lack of grandeur; the first is that free water is easily accessible and the second is the relatively short queuing time. Overall, Wembley Stadium is a bit of a disappointment. 6.5/10
Moving swiftly onto the music, newbies I Am Arrows are up first and not only do they look like your typical indie band, they sound like your typical indie band too (I guess that's what happens when you're a former Razorlight member). Luckily, it's a bit too early for anything heavier right now and a few mellow tunes are exactly what's needed. Sadly, I Am Arrows push the term 'mellow' a bit too far and veer dangerously close to 'boring' with their repetitive songs. The only memorable song on their setlist is 'Green Grass'. It could have been worse (Johnny Borrell could have made an appearance) but it also could have been a whole lot better. 39/100 http://www.myspace.com/iamarrows
Following I Am Arrows are White Lies and it seems they have some kind of reputation to uphold as many an excited fan claim a spot closer to the stage. Thankfully, they're on better form than Razorlight (sorry, I meant I Am Arrows), and they manage to successfully master the art of 'mellow' music. They're a bit more upbeat too and a few crowd members take the time to sing along to songs such as 'Fairwell to the Fairground'. However, a large percentage of the crowd are too busy swigging beer or eating chips (most of which take a turn for the worse and end up spattered across the floor) to actually notice the band. Not a bad performance. 50/100 http://www.myspace.com/whitelies
Everyone's favourite Scottish band Biffy Clyro are up next and their imminent arrival is so anticipated that there appears to be a excited twitch spreading throughout the stadium. Opening with a vigorous rendition of 'That Golden Rule', Biffy appear to be giving it everything they've got tonight and the crowd are loving every second of it. Continuing with 'Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies' and old favourite 'Glitter and Trauma' it's clear that this is a predictable but nonetheless solid setlist guaranteed to get the crowd going. Biffy reach the peak of their set with the lively 'Who's Got A Match' and once again those who brave the mosh pit are treated to a worthwhile punch in the face as things get rowdy. 'Mountains' is another highlight which is topped only by recent single 'Many of Horror' which mesmerises not the majority, but everyone in the stadium. 81/100 http://www.myspace.com/biffyclyro
There are only a few times in your life when you will witness something truly awe-inspiring but I can guarantee that seeing Muse perform live will be one of them. As, the stadium is plunged into darkness and the crowd strike up a cheer so loud it's potentially dangerous, a procession waving brightly coloured flags take to the stage and before you know it, Muse have kicked off their set with 'Uprising' and the entire stadium is a jumble of moving bodies. The quality of their sound is perfection; there isn't a single moment during their set when you can't hear Matt Bellamy's stunning vocals over the deafening chants of the crowd. The visual aspect of Muse's live performance also makes them one of, if not THE best band going. The stage is bordering on an optical illusion and on top of this there is confetti galore (throughout 'Guiding Light'), giant eyeball balloons (filled with yet more confetti), a UFO which takes a turn around the stadium during 'Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1 (Overture)' and a revolving platform which rises above the crowd while Muse perform 'Undisclosed Desires'. And if you think things couldn't get any better than that then you are sorely mistaken as Matt Bellamy ditches his shiny 'disco ball' suit in favour of one covered in neon lights. Highlights of the set include Supermassive Black Hole, Citizen Erased, Ruled By Secrecy, Feeling Good, Starlight, Plug In Baby and set closer Knights of Cydonia which saw the entire crowd go competely out of control. The only question is where was 'New Born'? I conclude with this thought: You haven't seen anything until you've seen Muse. 100/100 http://www.muse.mu
Moving swiftly onto the music, newbies I Am Arrows are up first and not only do they look like your typical indie band, they sound like your typical indie band too (I guess that's what happens when you're a former Razorlight member). Luckily, it's a bit too early for anything heavier right now and a few mellow tunes are exactly what's needed. Sadly, I Am Arrows push the term 'mellow' a bit too far and veer dangerously close to 'boring' with their repetitive songs. The only memorable song on their setlist is 'Green Grass'. It could have been worse (Johnny Borrell could have made an appearance) but it also could have been a whole lot better. 39/100 http://www.myspace.com/iamarrows
Following I Am Arrows are White Lies and it seems they have some kind of reputation to uphold as many an excited fan claim a spot closer to the stage. Thankfully, they're on better form than Razorlight (sorry, I meant I Am Arrows), and they manage to successfully master the art of 'mellow' music. They're a bit more upbeat too and a few crowd members take the time to sing along to songs such as 'Fairwell to the Fairground'. However, a large percentage of the crowd are too busy swigging beer or eating chips (most of which take a turn for the worse and end up spattered across the floor) to actually notice the band. Not a bad performance. 50/100 http://www.myspace.com/whitelies
Everyone's favourite Scottish band Biffy Clyro are up next and their imminent arrival is so anticipated that there appears to be a excited twitch spreading throughout the stadium. Opening with a vigorous rendition of 'That Golden Rule', Biffy appear to be giving it everything they've got tonight and the crowd are loving every second of it. Continuing with 'Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies' and old favourite 'Glitter and Trauma' it's clear that this is a predictable but nonetheless solid setlist guaranteed to get the crowd going. Biffy reach the peak of their set with the lively 'Who's Got A Match' and once again those who brave the mosh pit are treated to a worthwhile punch in the face as things get rowdy. 'Mountains' is another highlight which is topped only by recent single 'Many of Horror' which mesmerises not the majority, but everyone in the stadium. 81/100 http://www.myspace.com/biffyclyro
There are only a few times in your life when you will witness something truly awe-inspiring but I can guarantee that seeing Muse perform live will be one of them. As, the stadium is plunged into darkness and the crowd strike up a cheer so loud it's potentially dangerous, a procession waving brightly coloured flags take to the stage and before you know it, Muse have kicked off their set with 'Uprising' and the entire stadium is a jumble of moving bodies. The quality of their sound is perfection; there isn't a single moment during their set when you can't hear Matt Bellamy's stunning vocals over the deafening chants of the crowd. The visual aspect of Muse's live performance also makes them one of, if not THE best band going. The stage is bordering on an optical illusion and on top of this there is confetti galore (throughout 'Guiding Light'), giant eyeball balloons (filled with yet more confetti), a UFO which takes a turn around the stadium during 'Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1 (Overture)' and a revolving platform which rises above the crowd while Muse perform 'Undisclosed Desires'. And if you think things couldn't get any better than that then you are sorely mistaken as Matt Bellamy ditches his shiny 'disco ball' suit in favour of one covered in neon lights. Highlights of the set include Supermassive Black Hole, Citizen Erased, Ruled By Secrecy, Feeling Good, Starlight, Plug In Baby and set closer Knights of Cydonia which saw the entire crowd go competely out of control. The only question is where was 'New Born'? I conclude with this thought: You haven't seen anything until you've seen Muse. 100/100 http://www.muse.mu
Friday 3 September 2010
READING FESTIVAL 2010.
Yes, the festival season has been and gone and while I may not have attended any other festivals I can tell you that Reading Festival was by far the best, barring the ridiculous Glastonbury-style weather of course. All the Early Bird ticket holders were treated to soggy clothes, a tent on a swamp and tramping around in a foot of mud for a whole extra day... nice. Aside from the bizarre weather, the camping experience was as you would expect it; a huge mess of piss-covered tents and a lot of cringe worthy singalongs at 3am. Good times. Reading campsite: 8/10
FRIDAY
So it's midday on Friday, everyone has rammed themselves through the entrance and into the arena, it is deemed acceptable to eat unhealthy takeaway style food for breakfast and just at a first glance you can tell who's been here since Wednesday and who rolled through the gates earlier this morning. The difference? Most people look like they've been living rough for a year and the music hasn't even started yet.
Heading over to the main stage, the opening band for Reading Festival 2010 are Young Guns who recently released their debut album 'All Our Kings Are Dead'. If you've read my Kerrang! Relentless tour review, you'll know that in a small venue they're a pretty decent band with strong songs but being the first band on the Main Stage at Reading proves too much. They fail to connect with the majority of the crowd although an energetic bunch down the front construct a relatively small mosh pit. 55/100
The crowd pour in for A Day To Remember and it's clear that there are high expectations for this band. And it's as if ADTR have telepathic powers, because from start to finish they deliver an impressively energetic performance. It's not just old fans having a good time here; new fans are being converted every second. Even those that haven't really woken up (or never went to sleep) have a smile plastered across their face. 76/100
As A Day To Remember leave the stage and the next band begin to set up, there is a surge towards the main stage through which I try and fail to escape. This leaves me wedged between a few thousand Billy Talent fans who are fired up and ready to have a good time. A huge roar greets Billy Talent as they take to the stage while I try and fix my mindset to 'open minded'. So here is my open minded opinion: The music was average, only bordering on good but my dislike remains firmly in place for one simple reason; Benjamin Kowalewicz has the most bloody annoying, helium-fuelled vocals in existence. Enough said really. 47/100
Moving over to the somewhat significantly smaller Festival Republic stage I'm immediately greeted by the news that Summer Camp (who the bloody hell are they?) are running late. This would be acceptable if they were actually good but, if possible, they passed beyond bad and into the realms of utter crap. Looking particularly awkward, the two on stage dither around as though they have just realised that yes, they really are that bad. The only up side to the 45 minutes of ear-bleedingly painful music were the free Kit Kats thrown into the angry crowd between songs to keep them quiet. 12/100
The vast majority of the crowd (approximately 99.99%) lingering through Summer Camp's set (let's not talk about that anymore) were actually waiting for the next band, Leeds finest: Pulled Apart By Horses. As they walk on stage to set up their own instruments they're treated to a wholeheartedly enthusiastic cheer. Having seen them last year supporting Biffy Clyro I knew what to expect and I most definitely wasn't disappointed. This band don't just make exceptionally entertaining music, they put on a superb show too. Crowd pleasers 'I Punched A Lion In The Throat', 'Meat Balloon', 'Back To The Fuck Yeah', 'High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive' and 'E=MC Hammer' are sung back with vigour while PABH perform with a raw, driven energy that makes them one of the best live bands around at the moment. 94/100
The evening is drawing in, the atmosphere is cranked up a gear and thousands of people head back over to the main stage for one of the more anticipated bands on the lineup; Lostprophets. While they may have the confidence to hold together their hour-long set, the sound quality is so poor that I'd rather listen to Cliff Richard on repeat while someone scrapes their fingernails down a chalkboard. Ok, maybe that's pushing it a bit far. 52/100
After doing my toe in during Lostprophets set (wrong size wellies) I stepped out for some room to breathe and trip to the local cesspit (that's the toilet to all of you) before catching Biffy Clyro's performance. However, at a first glance Biffy Clyro appear to have been replaced by a band fronted by a slim and rather handsome Santa wearing nothing but a spectacular pair of bright pink skinny jeans. Oh wait, a second glance tells me that this is in fact a bleached-beyond-belief Simon Neil which is a relief because who knows what kind of music a skinny jeans wearing Santa Claus would make. Biffy perform as their usual, captivating selves; they're not really big on talking but they perform to such a high standard that they set the bar for other British bands. 75/100
By the time Biffy finish, the sun is setting and I wander over to the NME/Radio 1 stage to watch Mumford & Sons who have just hit the big time with their debut album 'Sigh No More' which has reached 2X Platinum in both the UK and Australia. No pressure then. Luckily, Mumford & Sons are one of those bands that pull off a stunning live performance which is few and far between. Marcus Mumford's vocals are exceptional and the quality of their live performance and the crowd's reaction is enough to raise goosebumps (although to be honest it was getting a bit chilly outside by that time). Definitely one of the better bands of the weekend, they brought the true festival spirit to life. 92/100
So, can Guns N' Roses top that performance? Well, that's a question we'll never know the answer to because at that precise time of the night I was escorting a completely off-her-face girl backed to her tent. One of the many benefits of remaining sober at a festival of course. However, according to accurate sources (everyone who DID see Guns N' Roses) there appears to be a unanimous opinion that they were, put simply, crap.
Best band of Friday: Pulled Apart By Horses
SATURDAY
Getting up late on Saturday morning means that I conveniently miss Rolo Tomassi's set so it's off to the main stage to watch The Futureheads followed by Mystery Jets who were so similar that the two sets seem to have blurred together to produce a vague and hazy memory of slight boredom. I can't really expand on that... The Futureheads and Mystery Jets get a combined score of 42/100.
Covering the fence to the right of the main stage is a huge poster which reads something along the lines of "Pendulum: be here at 14:00 on 28/08/10". So, it's 2pm and a small crowd has gathered around the poster restlessly awaiting the arrival of Pendulum. Approximately ten minutes later there's still no sign of, well, anything so one man/boy/whatever takes it upon himself to hoist himself up the fence (with a little help from his friends) and peer upon the backstage area. After avivdly gazing around his expression changes to one of disappointment and he announces that "They're all having lunch." Quite possibly the anticlimax of the century.
After that huge letdown it's off to the NME/Radio 1 stage for 3OH!3 (who have apparently just had a lawsuit filed against them by wrestler 'Diamond' Dallas Page for the unauthorised use of his trademarked, erm... hand gesture.) While I may not have appeared outwardly enthusiastic about this band (the 'gangsta' vibes were slightly embarrassing) they were actually extremely entertaining and their energy was infectious. 82/100
While it would have been nice to catch Hadouken!'s set, there was a more important matter at hand and this was getting a decent spot for The Rats (I wonder who they are) so instead I found myself at the Lock-Up Stage watching the end of Paint It Black's set. From what I can remember, a fairly standard set involving a mosh pit with no moshing (Yeah, I didn't really understand that either) and some semi-decent songs. 44/100
So, who are The Rats? Well, as Frank Carter points out The Rats are "the worst kept secret at Reading Festival" which must be true as the tent is rammed full of, you guessed it, Gallows fans. The atmosphere in this tent is unbelievable and the cheer that fills the tent as the Grey Britain backdrop is raised is a sign of the chaos that's about to follow. And chaos does certainly follow. Gallows absolutely tear the place apart; there's a circle pit that's almost as big as Katie Price's ego (pretty darn huge), there's a wall of death with a backflipping man inside, there are crowdsurfers galore (including one man and his wheelchair) and at one point Frank disappears into the crowd and nobody really knows where the hell he went. Of course there are no real highlights as the whole set was one big mess of bloody fantastic music and carnage. Everything a gig should be. 99/100
The next band on the bill have got a lot to live up to and sadly for Trash Talk nothing can top a Gallows set. Lee Spielman attempts to make up for this by going completely berserk, throwing the water bins into the crowd, swinging his microphone round like it's a crazy cat and never actually staying on stage but diving headfirst into the crowd at the start of every song and only emerging at the end. Even the security guards wear a look of sheer panic as they are almost hit in the face with the full force of a 100mph out of control microphone. Because of this, the crowd tend to overlook the other band members. That is until bassist Spencer Pollard takes it upon himself to scale the dangerously swaying lighting rig. Their set is appropriately finished with a stage invasion. 57/100
Somewhat bizarrely the next band on stage are Zebrahead. Taking to the stage in what looked like their pajamas, I was deceived into assuming that this was going to be a complete waste of time. How spectacularly wrong I was. Although the music isn't the most groundbreaking in existence, the various chants of "Minge" (yes, you heard me correctly) and banter between the band members provide an extremely enjoyable show. 79/100
The first thing that really captures your attention as Cancer Bats appear on stage is how silky soft Scott Middleton's hair looks. The second is how all their songs sound exactly the same. To be honest I don't know which is worse. That a man can have softer hair than me or that a band who could pull off a potentially awesome show turn out to be one of the most boring on the lineup. 39/100
What would my review be without a nice slice of St Albans finest Enter Shikari to fill it up? Bloody crap is the answer to that. Yes, I'm back in the NME/Radio 1 tent and I've just survived a fifteen-minute song by Crystal Castles which somehow managed to sound both good and awful at the same time. Luckily, Enter Shikari don't leave us all hanging for too long. They've flashed the cash when it comes to their stage setup this year but while the lights may be bright enough to blind the front row, they can't disguise the fact that the tent is just too darn full to move, let alone get a decent mosh pit going. And while all four members of Shikari may be giving it everything they've got; without the usually rowdy crowd to accompany them, you just can't help but feel that it's a slight disappointment. 75/100
Finishing off the night are Pendulum and if you don't know who they are then you've probably been living in a cave for the past couple of years. They've built up a reputation for being one of the best live acts in the UK right now and it's easy to see why. From start to finish they give a dynamic performance which looks as if it could be contagious because there isn't a single person in this tent who isn't moving. Even a glow stick in the mouth can't ruin the mood. Tonight Pendulum prove that they deserve a No. 1 spot on the UK Album Chart and a place headlining the NME/Radio 1 stage at Reading and Leeds. 95/100
Best band of Saturday: Pendulum
SUNDAY
So the final day of the Reading Festival is upon us and today is all about the main stage. First up are Motion City Soundtrack who have that conventional American-style sound which, in theory, should bring a smile to the face of anyone watching. Unluckily this isn't the case as, while their music may hold a certain charm, a strong percentage of the crowd aren't really having any of it. A mediocre performance which probably would have sounded much better had it been at one of the smaller stages. 54/100
Up next are the King Blues and let's be honest: today is really not their day. Even the weather is against them; with the arrival of the King Blues marks the first rain of the weekend. Once again, watching them feels more like a political campaign than an actual gig which may work at their own live shows but at a festival when all people want is a good time the angry speeches fall flat and fail to gain enthusiasm from the crowd. 42/100
Following them are Thrice, a somewhat confusing choice for the main stage. You can vaguely see why they've been chosen; they have an almost epic sound to their songs but being one of the first bands to take to the stage means that the sound quality is too poor to allow for the full potential of their sound. On a more positive note, had the sound quality not been sub-standard, this could have been an impressive performance. 61/100
All Time Low are the musical equivalent of Marmite. However, unlike Marmite, All Time Low have charisma, enthusiasm and a good sense of humour. The steadily worsening rain can't hold them back; it's all smiles and jokes and they seem genuinely pleased to be here. They play all the crowd-pleasers: Weightless, Dear Maria, Count Me In, Poppin' Champagne and Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't). Overall an impressive set only slightly marred by the toned down sound. 76/100
It looks like today is every screaming fangirl's dream as up next are You Me At Six. Being one of the youngest bands on the British music scene and half-hanging off the back of the 'emo' bandwagon has meant that they've had to work their arses off to earn respect so landing a spot on the main stage must be a welcome relief. And while they're gaining an ever increasing amount of fans, they're determined to make the most of it. Therefore, it seems disastrous that someone has turned down Josh Franceschi's microphone right before he appears on stage. You literally need a hearing aid to make out what it is he's singing but luckily, the previously mentioned fangirls (and quite a few boys) appear completely unfazed and sing the words back with enough enthusiasm to make up for the technical fault. 72/100
After skipping a few bands in favour of some paracetamol I head back to the main stage for the penultimate band of the festival: Paramore. And while there may have been plently of hormone-filled girls hovering around the main stage for You Me At Six, Paramore clearly have the opposite effect. Instead I find myself surrounded by boys who all seems to be thinking along the same lines as I hear various murmurs of "OMG Hayley Williams" etc. On CD Paramore may sound slightly generic but their live performance couldn't be more different. On stage they're full of energy and confidence and their interaction with the crowd is effortless. Paramore may not make music that will define a generation but if there is one thing that sets them apart from other bands it's their huge stage presence. 84/100
So after three days of mud, music and a bit more mud we've reached the moment that everyone has been waiting for... The return of Blink 182. And if there's one thing that was certain before they even took to the stage it's that they were going to be more entertaining than any other band on the bill. An example? Well, before peforming the biggest crowd pleaser of the night 'All The Small Things' Tom DeLonge decides to take the time to thank 'Jedward' for letting them use their song. And this isn't the only crowd pleaser. The setlist comprises of a grand total of twenty-two songs including; Feeling This, The Rock Show, What's My Age Again?, I Miss You, Down, First Date and Dammit. However, the real highlight of the night (and the whole darn weekend) takes the form of Travis' drum solo which takes place on a revolving platform. It is quite possibly the most insanely talented thing I've ever witnessed and from the expressions of shock on the faces of those surrounding me, the feeling is mutual all round. Blink 182 aren't exactly technically accurate as a live band (with the exception of Travis Barker), but they are one of the most enjoyable, amusing and hilarious bands going. It's good to have them back. 93/100
Best band of Sunday: Blink 182
And that's the end of Reading Festival 2010. Here's a few other ratings for you:
MAIN STAGE: 7/10
NME/RADIO 1 STAGE: 9/10
FESTIVAL REPUBLIC STAGE: 7/10
LOCK-UP STAGE: 7/10
BBC INTRODUCING STAGE: 8/10
G4 ROAD: 9/10 (One mark deducted for the ridiculously extortionate £2.50 charge on the cash machine.)
CAMPSITE TOILETS: -100/10
ARENA TOILETS: 7.5/10
READING FESTIVAL: 100/100
FRIDAY
So it's midday on Friday, everyone has rammed themselves through the entrance and into the arena, it is deemed acceptable to eat unhealthy takeaway style food for breakfast and just at a first glance you can tell who's been here since Wednesday and who rolled through the gates earlier this morning. The difference? Most people look like they've been living rough for a year and the music hasn't even started yet.
Heading over to the main stage, the opening band for Reading Festival 2010 are Young Guns who recently released their debut album 'All Our Kings Are Dead'. If you've read my Kerrang! Relentless tour review, you'll know that in a small venue they're a pretty decent band with strong songs but being the first band on the Main Stage at Reading proves too much. They fail to connect with the majority of the crowd although an energetic bunch down the front construct a relatively small mosh pit. 55/100
The crowd pour in for A Day To Remember and it's clear that there are high expectations for this band. And it's as if ADTR have telepathic powers, because from start to finish they deliver an impressively energetic performance. It's not just old fans having a good time here; new fans are being converted every second. Even those that haven't really woken up (or never went to sleep) have a smile plastered across their face. 76/100
As A Day To Remember leave the stage and the next band begin to set up, there is a surge towards the main stage through which I try and fail to escape. This leaves me wedged between a few thousand Billy Talent fans who are fired up and ready to have a good time. A huge roar greets Billy Talent as they take to the stage while I try and fix my mindset to 'open minded'. So here is my open minded opinion: The music was average, only bordering on good but my dislike remains firmly in place for one simple reason; Benjamin Kowalewicz has the most bloody annoying, helium-fuelled vocals in existence. Enough said really. 47/100
Moving over to the somewhat significantly smaller Festival Republic stage I'm immediately greeted by the news that Summer Camp (who the bloody hell are they?) are running late. This would be acceptable if they were actually good but, if possible, they passed beyond bad and into the realms of utter crap. Looking particularly awkward, the two on stage dither around as though they have just realised that yes, they really are that bad. The only up side to the 45 minutes of ear-bleedingly painful music were the free Kit Kats thrown into the angry crowd between songs to keep them quiet. 12/100
The vast majority of the crowd (approximately 99.99%) lingering through Summer Camp's set (let's not talk about that anymore) were actually waiting for the next band, Leeds finest: Pulled Apart By Horses. As they walk on stage to set up their own instruments they're treated to a wholeheartedly enthusiastic cheer. Having seen them last year supporting Biffy Clyro I knew what to expect and I most definitely wasn't disappointed. This band don't just make exceptionally entertaining music, they put on a superb show too. Crowd pleasers 'I Punched A Lion In The Throat', 'Meat Balloon', 'Back To The Fuck Yeah', 'High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive' and 'E=MC Hammer' are sung back with vigour while PABH perform with a raw, driven energy that makes them one of the best live bands around at the moment. 94/100
The evening is drawing in, the atmosphere is cranked up a gear and thousands of people head back over to the main stage for one of the more anticipated bands on the lineup; Lostprophets. While they may have the confidence to hold together their hour-long set, the sound quality is so poor that I'd rather listen to Cliff Richard on repeat while someone scrapes their fingernails down a chalkboard. Ok, maybe that's pushing it a bit far. 52/100
After doing my toe in during Lostprophets set (wrong size wellies) I stepped out for some room to breathe and trip to the local cesspit (that's the toilet to all of you) before catching Biffy Clyro's performance. However, at a first glance Biffy Clyro appear to have been replaced by a band fronted by a slim and rather handsome Santa wearing nothing but a spectacular pair of bright pink skinny jeans. Oh wait, a second glance tells me that this is in fact a bleached-beyond-belief Simon Neil which is a relief because who knows what kind of music a skinny jeans wearing Santa Claus would make. Biffy perform as their usual, captivating selves; they're not really big on talking but they perform to such a high standard that they set the bar for other British bands. 75/100
By the time Biffy finish, the sun is setting and I wander over to the NME/Radio 1 stage to watch Mumford & Sons who have just hit the big time with their debut album 'Sigh No More' which has reached 2X Platinum in both the UK and Australia. No pressure then. Luckily, Mumford & Sons are one of those bands that pull off a stunning live performance which is few and far between. Marcus Mumford's vocals are exceptional and the quality of their live performance and the crowd's reaction is enough to raise goosebumps (although to be honest it was getting a bit chilly outside by that time). Definitely one of the better bands of the weekend, they brought the true festival spirit to life. 92/100
So, can Guns N' Roses top that performance? Well, that's a question we'll never know the answer to because at that precise time of the night I was escorting a completely off-her-face girl backed to her tent. One of the many benefits of remaining sober at a festival of course. However, according to accurate sources (everyone who DID see Guns N' Roses) there appears to be a unanimous opinion that they were, put simply, crap.
Best band of Friday: Pulled Apart By Horses
SATURDAY
Getting up late on Saturday morning means that I conveniently miss Rolo Tomassi's set so it's off to the main stage to watch The Futureheads followed by Mystery Jets who were so similar that the two sets seem to have blurred together to produce a vague and hazy memory of slight boredom. I can't really expand on that... The Futureheads and Mystery Jets get a combined score of 42/100.
Covering the fence to the right of the main stage is a huge poster which reads something along the lines of "Pendulum: be here at 14:00 on 28/08/10". So, it's 2pm and a small crowd has gathered around the poster restlessly awaiting the arrival of Pendulum. Approximately ten minutes later there's still no sign of, well, anything so one man/boy/whatever takes it upon himself to hoist himself up the fence (with a little help from his friends) and peer upon the backstage area. After avivdly gazing around his expression changes to one of disappointment and he announces that "They're all having lunch." Quite possibly the anticlimax of the century.
After that huge letdown it's off to the NME/Radio 1 stage for 3OH!3 (who have apparently just had a lawsuit filed against them by wrestler 'Diamond' Dallas Page for the unauthorised use of his trademarked, erm... hand gesture.) While I may not have appeared outwardly enthusiastic about this band (the 'gangsta' vibes were slightly embarrassing) they were actually extremely entertaining and their energy was infectious. 82/100
While it would have been nice to catch Hadouken!'s set, there was a more important matter at hand and this was getting a decent spot for The Rats (I wonder who they are) so instead I found myself at the Lock-Up Stage watching the end of Paint It Black's set. From what I can remember, a fairly standard set involving a mosh pit with no moshing (Yeah, I didn't really understand that either) and some semi-decent songs. 44/100
So, who are The Rats? Well, as Frank Carter points out The Rats are "the worst kept secret at Reading Festival" which must be true as the tent is rammed full of, you guessed it, Gallows fans. The atmosphere in this tent is unbelievable and the cheer that fills the tent as the Grey Britain backdrop is raised is a sign of the chaos that's about to follow. And chaos does certainly follow. Gallows absolutely tear the place apart; there's a circle pit that's almost as big as Katie Price's ego (pretty darn huge), there's a wall of death with a backflipping man inside, there are crowdsurfers galore (including one man and his wheelchair) and at one point Frank disappears into the crowd and nobody really knows where the hell he went. Of course there are no real highlights as the whole set was one big mess of bloody fantastic music and carnage. Everything a gig should be. 99/100
The next band on the bill have got a lot to live up to and sadly for Trash Talk nothing can top a Gallows set. Lee Spielman attempts to make up for this by going completely berserk, throwing the water bins into the crowd, swinging his microphone round like it's a crazy cat and never actually staying on stage but diving headfirst into the crowd at the start of every song and only emerging at the end. Even the security guards wear a look of sheer panic as they are almost hit in the face with the full force of a 100mph out of control microphone. Because of this, the crowd tend to overlook the other band members. That is until bassist Spencer Pollard takes it upon himself to scale the dangerously swaying lighting rig. Their set is appropriately finished with a stage invasion. 57/100
Somewhat bizarrely the next band on stage are Zebrahead. Taking to the stage in what looked like their pajamas, I was deceived into assuming that this was going to be a complete waste of time. How spectacularly wrong I was. Although the music isn't the most groundbreaking in existence, the various chants of "Minge" (yes, you heard me correctly) and banter between the band members provide an extremely enjoyable show. 79/100
The first thing that really captures your attention as Cancer Bats appear on stage is how silky soft Scott Middleton's hair looks. The second is how all their songs sound exactly the same. To be honest I don't know which is worse. That a man can have softer hair than me or that a band who could pull off a potentially awesome show turn out to be one of the most boring on the lineup. 39/100
What would my review be without a nice slice of St Albans finest Enter Shikari to fill it up? Bloody crap is the answer to that. Yes, I'm back in the NME/Radio 1 tent and I've just survived a fifteen-minute song by Crystal Castles which somehow managed to sound both good and awful at the same time. Luckily, Enter Shikari don't leave us all hanging for too long. They've flashed the cash when it comes to their stage setup this year but while the lights may be bright enough to blind the front row, they can't disguise the fact that the tent is just too darn full to move, let alone get a decent mosh pit going. And while all four members of Shikari may be giving it everything they've got; without the usually rowdy crowd to accompany them, you just can't help but feel that it's a slight disappointment. 75/100
Finishing off the night are Pendulum and if you don't know who they are then you've probably been living in a cave for the past couple of years. They've built up a reputation for being one of the best live acts in the UK right now and it's easy to see why. From start to finish they give a dynamic performance which looks as if it could be contagious because there isn't a single person in this tent who isn't moving. Even a glow stick in the mouth can't ruin the mood. Tonight Pendulum prove that they deserve a No. 1 spot on the UK Album Chart and a place headlining the NME/Radio 1 stage at Reading and Leeds. 95/100
Best band of Saturday: Pendulum
SUNDAY
So the final day of the Reading Festival is upon us and today is all about the main stage. First up are Motion City Soundtrack who have that conventional American-style sound which, in theory, should bring a smile to the face of anyone watching. Unluckily this isn't the case as, while their music may hold a certain charm, a strong percentage of the crowd aren't really having any of it. A mediocre performance which probably would have sounded much better had it been at one of the smaller stages. 54/100
Up next are the King Blues and let's be honest: today is really not their day. Even the weather is against them; with the arrival of the King Blues marks the first rain of the weekend. Once again, watching them feels more like a political campaign than an actual gig which may work at their own live shows but at a festival when all people want is a good time the angry speeches fall flat and fail to gain enthusiasm from the crowd. 42/100
Following them are Thrice, a somewhat confusing choice for the main stage. You can vaguely see why they've been chosen; they have an almost epic sound to their songs but being one of the first bands to take to the stage means that the sound quality is too poor to allow for the full potential of their sound. On a more positive note, had the sound quality not been sub-standard, this could have been an impressive performance. 61/100
All Time Low are the musical equivalent of Marmite. However, unlike Marmite, All Time Low have charisma, enthusiasm and a good sense of humour. The steadily worsening rain can't hold them back; it's all smiles and jokes and they seem genuinely pleased to be here. They play all the crowd-pleasers: Weightless, Dear Maria, Count Me In, Poppin' Champagne and Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't). Overall an impressive set only slightly marred by the toned down sound. 76/100
It looks like today is every screaming fangirl's dream as up next are You Me At Six. Being one of the youngest bands on the British music scene and half-hanging off the back of the 'emo' bandwagon has meant that they've had to work their arses off to earn respect so landing a spot on the main stage must be a welcome relief. And while they're gaining an ever increasing amount of fans, they're determined to make the most of it. Therefore, it seems disastrous that someone has turned down Josh Franceschi's microphone right before he appears on stage. You literally need a hearing aid to make out what it is he's singing but luckily, the previously mentioned fangirls (and quite a few boys) appear completely unfazed and sing the words back with enough enthusiasm to make up for the technical fault. 72/100
After skipping a few bands in favour of some paracetamol I head back to the main stage for the penultimate band of the festival: Paramore. And while there may have been plently of hormone-filled girls hovering around the main stage for You Me At Six, Paramore clearly have the opposite effect. Instead I find myself surrounded by boys who all seems to be thinking along the same lines as I hear various murmurs of "OMG Hayley Williams" etc. On CD Paramore may sound slightly generic but their live performance couldn't be more different. On stage they're full of energy and confidence and their interaction with the crowd is effortless. Paramore may not make music that will define a generation but if there is one thing that sets them apart from other bands it's their huge stage presence. 84/100
So after three days of mud, music and a bit more mud we've reached the moment that everyone has been waiting for... The return of Blink 182. And if there's one thing that was certain before they even took to the stage it's that they were going to be more entertaining than any other band on the bill. An example? Well, before peforming the biggest crowd pleaser of the night 'All The Small Things' Tom DeLonge decides to take the time to thank 'Jedward' for letting them use their song. And this isn't the only crowd pleaser. The setlist comprises of a grand total of twenty-two songs including; Feeling This, The Rock Show, What's My Age Again?, I Miss You, Down, First Date and Dammit. However, the real highlight of the night (and the whole darn weekend) takes the form of Travis' drum solo which takes place on a revolving platform. It is quite possibly the most insanely talented thing I've ever witnessed and from the expressions of shock on the faces of those surrounding me, the feeling is mutual all round. Blink 182 aren't exactly technically accurate as a live band (with the exception of Travis Barker), but they are one of the most enjoyable, amusing and hilarious bands going. It's good to have them back. 93/100
Best band of Sunday: Blink 182
And that's the end of Reading Festival 2010. Here's a few other ratings for you:
MAIN STAGE: 7/10
NME/RADIO 1 STAGE: 9/10
FESTIVAL REPUBLIC STAGE: 7/10
LOCK-UP STAGE: 7/10
BBC INTRODUCING STAGE: 8/10
G4 ROAD: 9/10 (One mark deducted for the ridiculously extortionate £2.50 charge on the cash machine.)
CAMPSITE TOILETS: -100/10
ARENA TOILETS: 7.5/10
READING FESTIVAL: 100/100
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