Reading Festival part 1

Remind me never to park in White car park again. I must have arrived at around 4.30, then I had to wait for Chris to come and meet me as he had my early entrance pass, and I had his stuff in my car. Unfortunately we found we couldn’t meet until he’d got his wristband, which you couldn’t get til 6, and if he went out without it, he wouldn’t be able to get back in. He made it to the car around 6.30, I’d passed the time by sleeping and listening to music. We finally got going, but hit another problem- the queue for the boat was a lot bigger on our side than it had been for the other side. Two and half fucking hours it took to get on a boat, for a journey that lasted 5 minutes- fuck you Mean Fiddler, sort it out.

After a long walk we arrived at yellow campsite and I managed to get my tent up. I wasn’t in the best of moods after that journey, but whiskey helped me out. The rest of wednesday night is a bit of a blur…

Thursday I think we went to Reading, got more supplies (booze and fags) and then drank our way through the afternoon. I managed to meet up with some AtEase people, they were all pretty cool. Sean and I went on a drug hunt but were sadly unsuccessful.

Friday was the start of the bands, thankfully. Though when it happens you feel oddly resentful; “For fuck’s sake, why have I got to see bands now?” We started off with the Pipettes, who are still hawking their first album wherever they can. Despite their awful cartoon feminist lyrics (anyone who thinks it’s positive discrimination can fuck off now) they can be good, and they can on occasion write some excellent tunes. However I’m feeling a bit bored of them now, it’s time for a new album girls, a better one please.

Then it was a rush (more of an amble, actually) over to the NME/Radio 1 tent to see The Sounds. They had an excellent live sound, and some nice dance-pop songs, but the material isn’t really varied enough so half an hour so it dragged towards the end. Back to the mainstage for The Long Blondes, but they fail to catch my attention and most of their set passes me by, though if they played Appropriation and Separated By Motorways I would have been more interested.

Gogol Bordello is amusing for a short time, but food and drink is more important at the time. I’m dragged down to the front for Jimmy Eat World, and as there’s nothing better to do I watch their set. They play well enough, and their songs are pleasant pop-rock, plus Salt Sweat Sugar is good to sing along to. However, Maximo Park are excellent, kicking off with (I think) Girls Who Play Guitars and performing a greatest hits set, including Apply Some Pressure, Graffiti, Books from Boxes, one complaint is no ‘I Want you To Stay’, possibly my favourite MP song. The crowd seemed very appreciative too, not something you could say for Interpol’s crowd. Despite trying their best the set fall flat due to an uninterested audience and being on a huge stage in the sun light- put them on to headline the Radio 1 tent and we’ll all be much happier. Kings Of Leon bored me, so I headed off to see Patrick Wolf perform an amazing set with a crowd who are well in to it. All too briefly it’s over and Albert Hammond Jr of The Strokes comes on to perform his charming solo album, which is done almost to perfection. ‘Everyone Gets a Star’ and ‘Back to the 101′ are highlights, but again it’s too short and he’s gone.

Overall, Friday was pretty good, the sun scorched, good bands were seen and I got rather pissed. Find out how Saturday was in the next thrilling instalment!

Bands I was glad to miss included:

Razorlight

The Enemy

Enter Shikari

the Subways

Brand New

All of the Lock Up Stage

Jack Penate