Samstag, 1. Sep 2007, 10:46
I've been offline for a few weeks, hence no scrobbling. But, in the meantime, I went to Reading (it's a long one)…
Friday:
Little Man Tate(Main Stage) – Jaunty. And not in a good way. Pretty mediocre really
The Long Blondes(Main Stage) – Like a really poor Sleeper cover band. I just found the whole thing really vapid.
Manchester Orchestra (Carling Stage) – One of my festival highlights. They played some really mature and elegant songs and had the craziest keyboard player – I couldn’t stop watching the guy. Their album, "I'm like a virgin losing a child", has been on repeat on my iPod ever since.
Blood Red Shoes (Carling Stage) – They weren’t bad (Laura-Mary is *hot*). But the average age of the mosh pit made me feel depressingly old.
Gossip (Main Stage) – I know it’s not cool to say it but Beth Ditto is just awesome. Even wearing just her underwear.
Big D and the Kids Table (Lockup Stage) – Not really my thing but it was the nicest, bounciest crowd I saw all weekend and the tunes made me dance, which is always a good sign.
Maxïmo Park (Main Stage) – I’m not a big fan of big stages – unless you’re right at the front, there’s no atmosphere. So, although they played a pretty damn perfect set, I was a bit disappointed.
Enter Shikari (NME Stage) – Absolutely no recollection of this but Omar assures me it was awesome.
Kings of Leon (Main Stage) – They sounded spot on but it didn’t really do anything for me performance-wise.
Brand New (NME Stage) – Again, I can’t remember a thing about it. I think I fell asleep a little bit. I’ve read some bad reviews of this performance, which might explain the sleeping. But the beer could too.
Saturday:
Q&A with We Are Scientists (Alternative Stage) – Pretty funny. They got the whole crowd to sing happy birthday to a small child, which was fun, and I developed a futile crush on Keith Murray. If you were there and found it funny, you should check out their problem page at www.wearescientists.com/advice.
Derek Meins (Alternative Stage) – Perhaps somewhere else this would have gone down better but performance poetry just jars a little at Reading. Although the chorus of his first song (“If the ocean was made out of gin/I’d probably learn how to swim”) was a sentiment I can go along with.
The Noisettes (NME Stage) – It sounds wrong to describe the performance as lacklustre – Shingai’s voice was beautiful and she wore the most incredible head dress – but it just didn’t do anything for me. Tad disappointed.
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip (Dance Arena) – Not a lot to say about this – I was just trying to get out of the sun and I missed Thou Shalt Always Kill.
The Shins (Main Stage) – They’re a fairly unassuming band so I wasn’t sure how well they’d go down on the main stage. But the mid afternoon sun suited the laid back, upbeat set perfectly. I dozed through the whole thing and it was lovely.
The Young Knives (NME Stage) – Really enjoyed this – they’re kind of quirky and I like a band that can make me smile. Weekends and Bleak Days went down a treat in the sun.
Angels & Airwaves (Main Stage) – Truly awful. I couldn’t see from where I was standing, but I sincerely hope the obnoxious prick of a lead singer was getting bottled.
Tokyo Police Club (Carling Stage) – Just great. I clapped along with all the clappy bits so hard my hands hurt. Can’t wait for their first full length release.
Bloc Party (Main Stage) – I wasn’t too fussed about seeing them – I’ve seen them twice already this year – but I quite enjoyed seeing them outdoors, in the sun. Quite an uplifting performance and the band seemed like they were having an awesome time.
Arcade Fire (Main Stage) – Suffered from my dislike of big stages again. Shame really.
We Are Scientists (NME Stage) – Another festival highlight. Great songs, witty banter, a really enthusiastic crowd and their new stuff sounded great too. The Great Escape went down a storm. Can’t wait to see them in November.
Unkle (Dance Arena) – Reign was great although I was mildly disappointed that the bass didn’t kick in live the way it does on the album.
Jeremy Warmsley + SeaBuzzard (Alternative Stage) – Bit of a festival revelation. We just stumbled into this because there was nothing else we wanted to see and the guy was incredible. Loved the spirited piano finale.
Sunday
Simon Amstell (Alternative Stage) – Wasn’t that impressed, although his impromptu stuff was funny and the tsunami thread of his act was pretty good too. As were his constant references to Jimmy Carr as a “rapist”.
Billy Talent (Main Stage) – They were all right. I’m too indifferent to say more than that.
The Sunshine Underground (NME Stage) – And *another* festival highlight. I danced and grinned and danced some more. Loved their swagger.
Cold War Kids (NME Stage) – Yet another festival highlight (Sunday was a great day…). I LOVED them live – really bluesy, really engaging. And they followed Hospital Beds with Hang Me Out To Dry – awesome.
Kate Nash (Carling Stage) – Couldn’t even get close to the tent – she should have been in the NME Tent at least. Bit gutted that I only vaguely heard a couple of tracks but I figured I’m off to see her in November anyway (if I haven’t completely fucked everything up, that is…).
Milton Jones (Alternative Stage) – Great one-liners. Witty and surreal.
Charlotte Hatherley (Carling Stage) – She must have been peeved at the depleted crowd after Kate Nash but I can’t blame people as it was a pretty dull performance.
CSS (NME Stage) – Bonkers but much better than last time I saw them (supporting Basement Jaxx – arena was too big and the crowd just weren’t getting it). Let's Make Love and Listen To Death From Above went down a storm but I couldn’t get close enough to see what colour catsuit Lovefoxxx was wearing :(
LCD Soundsystem (NME Stage) – Fabulous. Tribulations was awesome live.
Klaxons (NME Stage) – I was pretty far back and the crowd were still going crazy. My last highlight of the festival – It’s Not Over Yet was a brilliant finale.
The Smashing Pumpkins (Main Stage) – Ok, so I only saw Cherub Rock. And it was pretty damn good but I’m glad I chose to have fun at Klaxons instead of listening to sensible, grown-up rock.
So all in all, a good weekend. Think maybe it may have been my last Reading though - I felt far too old this year. I may now be condemned to a lifetime of attending the V Festival…