The Offspring, Reading Festival
READING FESTIVAL, FRIDAY 23RD AUGUST
So, it’s Friday morning and I’ve been here since Wednesday night (yes, I am that keen). This means that it’s now time to take a dump in a clean toilet, which means trekking to an out of town Tesco in order to fulfil this vital task. Trouble is, I then miss Finch. I have it on good authority that they
rocked, but I was most disappointed to miss them. I really thought FENIX TX (Evening Session Stage) would make up for it, but they proved to be a let-down. Matters weren’t helped much by them sounding as if they were playing behind a concrete wall, and the vocals were almost inaudible at times. The tent only came alive during an admittedly superb rendition of ‘Threesome’ but to be honest they really didn’t grab the attention and their sub-Blink 182 attempt at ‘humour’ fell flat. A missed opportunity (5).
I was buggered if I was going to try and stay wake through Mercury Rev’s set, so I found THE DATSUNS’ (Carling Stage) performance dominated by an alarming amount of old men in AC/DC t shirts drinking more than enough lager and hugging. It’s a good thing that this band were awesome, playing with a voracity and passion unseen in the vast majority of the anodyne bands at Reading. Thrashing out tunes with all the violence of a caged cobra, the audience lapped up every moment. The distilled spirit of filthy garage punk was heavy in the air and I get the feeling they’ll be big sooner rather than later. I advise you to catch this band on tour soon in some dingy toilet venue because I guarantee you’ll love ‘em (9).
The broadsheets’ darlings, those suspect siblings THE WHITE STRIPES (Main Stage) were the next band to grab my attention. They’re not the sort of band I’d normally watch but simply out of curiosity I stayed for most of their set and I was rewarded. Jack White is a demon of a guitarist, and Meg can certainly smash the shit out of her skins, but the noise these two make is awesome. It’s all dirty blues and rock ‘n roll, and a sleazy cover of Dylan’s ‘Lovesick’ went down very well, and for 40 minutes, it was the 1950’s again (7).
The first band of the weekend that I was genuinely excited about was on next. WEEZER (Main Stage) took to the huge stage to a constant chorus of “Weezer, Weezer”! and those funny ‘W’ hand gestures. Rivers smiles! Rivers cracks jokes! Rivers dedicates a song to “his current favourite band, Slipknot!” All shocks aside, they played an absolute blinder. I had my doubts about them because previous live shows have been known to be somewhat ramshackle, but all my fears were immediately dispelled as soon as they started. Opening with ‘The Sweater Song’ and proceeding to knock out classic after classic like ‘My Name Is Jones’
and an incredible moving ‘Say It Aint So’ they really did fit the glorious atmosphere of the first day (9).
Time to retire to my tent for a bit of food...and scramble inside as it suddenly began to absolutely piss it down. The next band I really wanted to see were FEEDER (Evening Session Stage), a band who have always held a very special place in my heart. Seeing as they were playing in an 8000 capacity tent and last year they played to about 40,000 people, as well as the fact that this was their comeback gig I decided to go to the tent an hour early. Even so, it took me about 15 minutes to even get into the bloody place! But they came onstage and launched poignantly into ‘We Can’t Rewind.’ The emotion was
palpable, but after a storming ‘Insomnia’ the obvious thing was that Feeder were back, and boy did they rock. With basically a greatest hits set interspersed with some new songs they marked a triumphant return to the public eye and I felt privileged to have witnessed it. ‘High’ was just special in a way I can’t describe and exactly summed up my feelings after watching the return of one of my favourite ever bands (10).
Watching THE STROKES (Main Stage) strut their immaculately fashionable stuff was somewhat strange. After so much hype I expected them to start flying or something, but the 25 minutes or so of their set that I saw led me to believe that they’re just another band. Certainly a good one, but every song sounds the
same! In no way a bad band, I just expected a lot more (5).
And now off to have my mind blown. Sod, I can’t get into the Aphex Twin because it’s absofuckinglutely packed...and I mean heaving. Looks like I’ll go and see some weird Belgian brothers Djing. SOULWAX (Evening Session Stage)’s DJ sets have been legendary since the broadcast of a frankly inspired mix tape on
London’s Xfm Radio Station, and I was certainly not disappointed. Destiny’s Child over Nirvana? Pssh, easy! Making the Dandy Warhols actually sound exciting? No problemo! The brothers Dewaele spun tracks for about an hour surprising the entire crown with each new mix. If ever you get the chance to
see or hear them DJ, take it up! (9).
BAND OF THE DAY: Feeder – for returning after the worst possible tragedy with their heads held high.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Meg and Jack White CANNOT be brother and sister if they look at each other in THAT way!
MOMENT OF THE DAY: Realising I wasn’t dead after a campfire accident involving a bouncing punctured gas canister flying about 20cms away from our fire and a large ginger person from Slough. Death was too close.
BEN
READING FESTIVAL SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST
It’s time for some ska. So at the ungodly hour of midday it’s off to see JESSE JAMES (Concrete Jungle Stage) for some bouncy japes. And it’s absolutely packed, even this early! The band themselves can’t seem to believe just how many people want to see them, so in return they play an energetic and hugely enjoyable set. The look on their faces when a roar goes up for ‘Shoes’ was magic, and in the midday heat the tent turned into a mass of skank pits all soundtracked by one of British Ska’s brightest young hopes (8).
What’s the point of leaving the tent? LIGHTYEAR (Concrete Jungle Stage) are on! And once again, the tent fills to bursting point. I wasn’t immediately familiar with much of their set, but they played with such enthusiasm and positivity that it was hard not to love them. With a sense of humour (“Emoids!!”) and talent by the bucketload the crowd was left baying for more, and with good reason. I’d guess about 1500 people were present for their set and that is an incredible number for such a supposedly small band. They rocked HARD (9).
Off to a ‘slightly’ bigger tent for the saccharine charms of MIDTOWN (Evening Session Tent). This was the fourth time I’ve seen Gabe Soporta’s merry crew, and it was so disappointing. There was no zing, no presence, no excitement. Only legions of teenage girls and couples singing all the words to some
painfully dull renditions of ‘Get It Together’ and ‘Like A Movie.’ With very little evolution since the last time I saw them I was left feeling somewhat deflated, as they have so much potential, but instead decide to play it safe with more...songs...about...girls. Seeing punk bands on this stage was just horrible, as it was too big to be intimate but too small to be anything but mediocre (6).
Bloody hell...Goldfinger or LESS THAN JAKE (Main Stage)? No contest in my opinion. With a perfect sunny day and all the mod cons that the stage could
afford, they took the festival by the balls and threw it into the best circle pits ever. Opening with ‘the one with a funny video’ (‘...Metalheads’) they threw out classic after classic, with ‘Help Save The Youth Of America From Exploding’ and ‘Nervous In The Alley’ whipping up one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever been a part of at a festival. Chris was on form to an awesome degree, controlling the crowd and forming huge pits with a gesture while Roger just looked happy as hell to be playing to so many people. I can’t explain just how good they were – musically they were perfect, and they played to the crowd and put on a show. If only every band was like them (10).
Sting, oh sorry, Jason Perry and A (Main Stage) had to follow up that blistering performance. And smack me in the mouth with a tent peg if they didn’t almost blow LTJ off the stage. Fresh from a nice stay in the upper reaches of the national consciousness with both album and single success they belt out feel-good tunes by the dozen. ‘I Love Lake Tahoe’ had to be one of the best festival moments ever, with so many people jumping as one and ‘Monkey
Kong’ was just plain rocking. Jason summed it up perfectly by saying ‘It’s not allowed to rain during our set’ – with such a band as this, for it to rain would be sacrilege (8).
SUM 41 (Main Stage) had the audacity to drop in little bits of Slayer into their pop-punk jollity, therefore winning over the vast majority of doubters in the crowd. While it’s true that some of their songs are, indeed, shite (‘In Too Deep’ is about as good as falling off a cliff) you cannot deny that they really can play. The stage antics are typically Green Day in origin, and they do have a control over the crowd (well, more specifically, all the PokeMoshers) which leads you to believe that with a push in the right direction they could eventually reach the status of a damn good punk band. They play metal better than most wannabe metal bands and seem set on never being in the same place musically for long (7).
Special respect to ASH (Main Stage) for even playing. Mark the bassist is in a neck brace and drummer Rick has two broken ribs after a bus crash in Italy but they still manage to rock. Massively. Regardless of the fact that it’s suddenly got bloody cold, it’s always summer with songs such as ‘Angel Intercepter’, ‘Goldfinger’ and oh yes, ‘Girl From Mars’ and the crowd receives such standout songs with a rousing cheer. Definitely one of the most popular bands of the weekend you just try to think just how good they’d have been without all the injuries (8).
More rain. Lots of it. I miss Muse. Damn.
But the band of the people, those mighty FOO FIGHTERS (Main Stage) rule for today. Opening with a new track ‘One By One’ their quality is always evident. Dave Grohl is something of an institution at Reading, and he loves it just as much as the crowd loves each and every growl. The new songs sit alongside some
downright stunning versions of ‘I’ll Stick Around’ and ‘Monkeywrench’ and Dave goes walkabout during ‘Stacked Actors’, much to the delight of the rammed Main Stage. There isn’t much banter on stage, tonight it’s all about rocking the fuck out of 60,000 people and leaving them gagging for more. ‘Everlong’ is pure religion, and it’s hard not to feel united with every single other person present tonight, but to be honest this isn’t the Foos at their best. True, it’s
damn good, but they can, and should, be absolutely mind blowing. Having said that, them being lazy is still better than Black Rebel Arse Club (8).
BAND OF THE DAY: Less Than Jake – for being the perfect band to watch at 2.40pm in the sun.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Getting absolutely drenched fucking sucks.
MOMENT OF THE DAY: The fireworks after The Foos. Magic.
BEN
READING FESTIVAL SUNDAY 25TH AUGUST
It’s too early for this. It’s not even slightly melodious. THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN (Main Stage) are playing to a field full of Slipknot fans who think that
they know what the word ‘extreme’ means. But Jesus H Moses, this band are one of the most awesomely incredible bands I’ve ever had the luck to see live. True, they’re not suited for everyone, but they’re tight as The Hulk’s pants and any band that can make their instruments vomit out noise as heard on a frankly earth shattering ‘Abe The Cop’ and a cover of Aphex Twin’s ‘Come To Daddy’ deserves respect. Shitting onstage then chucking it at the crowd and finally smearing it on himself, the frontman demonstrates the meaning of the word ‘resolve.’ No band I’ve ever come across has polarised opinion like this
one, and I know I’m going to get a lot of flak for it, but I fall strongly on the ‘adore’ side of DEP now. Go and see them. Please. The only reason they only get (10) is because I can’t go higher.
And who has to follow that up? None other than Distortion 2002 botherers RAGING SPEEDHORN (Main Stage). Shame the muted sludgy sound doesn’t convey the fact
that the drummer looks like an egg and John Loughlin looks like a pig. I struggled to discern anything positive about this band, and I think that in a
smaller setting they might be effective, but really, after DEP they were just boring. I wished they’d go away, but it took 35 minutes before they finally
did. Having said that, ‘Mandam’ wasn’t bad (4).
One of my favourite bands at the entire festival was playing to a massive crowd of about 8000 people, and seeing CAPDOWN (Evening Session Stage) in this setting was somewhat surreal. For them to pack out such a massive tent is a hugely good sign that success will be more forthcoming in future, and they
certainly helped with cause by playing a blinder. The pits were just silly, with half the crowd wanting to skank while the other half wanted to mosh,
therefore creating something resembling a horizontal tumble dryer. I’m not sure, but it seemed as if they played a surprisingly short set. ‘Faith No More’ was just brilliant, as was ‘Ska Wars’ and ‘Cousin Cleotis’ and a new, as yet untitled song. Could this be their year? Hopefully (9).
Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated bands of the weekend, NOFX (Main Stage) took to the stage in front of one of the most visually impressive backdrops
I’ve ever seen and launched into some Jewish music (‘The Brews’). Note-perfect, slick and polished they were NOT, with ‘Dinosaurs Will Die’ being fucked up most obviously, but who cares, because NOFX own this festival. It’s pretty clear that they don’t function brilliantly on such a huge stage, but their humour and the quality of songs gets them through. ‘Perfect Government’ and ‘Hot Dog In A Hallway’ stood out, but to be honest, you could pick and choose any songs they played as being the best. ‘The Idiot Son Of An Asshole’ reminded all in-valid (the under 21s, myself included ya bastards) members of the audience what punk rock used to be about, and finishing with ‘Theme From A NOFX Album’ was inspired. As with the Foos, NOFX weren’t at their best, and they didn’t play a particularly impressive set of songs but even so, they still rocked (8).
INCUBUS (Main Stage) were the perfect soundtrack to simply lying down in the sun with a mate, and that’s meant as a compliment. They do have their ‘get up and mosh’ moments, but with the sun setting and the impending end f the festival, they were good to just chill out to. ‘The Warmth’ was far and away the best song, and ending with ‘2012 AD’ they whipped the crowd up just before leaving. Enjoyable but forgettable (6).
Mmm, corporate sell out punks, that’s THE OFFSPRING. Sod that. They rule, and with this performance they mark a return to the punk consciousness. I mean...opening with ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ is just mind blowing, and when you have such a good back catalogue that this band do you’d be a fool not to delve into it. However, they don’t play as much off ‘Smash’ as I’d have liked, because distressingly enough, the PokeMosher quotient is alarmingly high and
they want ‘Conspiracy Of One.’ Having said all of this, every song (bar the consistently abysmal ‘Why Don’t You Get A Job’) is really quite good. ‘Staring At The Sun’ and ‘Gotta Get Away’ are classics, and the sheer release of ‘Bad Habit’ was a memorable moment. Dexter seems to realise just how many people are here to see his band, and they play a sterling set of quality punk rock. I was expecting a slick, character-less show, but I was mightily impressed (9).
It’s all over. Hang on, it’s 1997 again. Keith Flint is still very scary, and THE PRODIGY (Main Stage) have so much bass that it feels dangerous. Keith and
Maxim bound around the stage like devils possessed, and Jim Davies from Pitchshifter adds some meat to the electronic assault of Liam Howlett. ‘Poison’
is just incredible, with the build up being augmented by a stunning light show, and ‘Their Law’ is filthy and violent. erfect, in other words. Covering Madness would seem, on paper, to be, well, madness, but they pull it off with the requisite volume and arrogance and ‘Smack My Bitch Up’ just HAS to be experienced live. Prodigy have always been respected in the alternative world and from this performance you can see why: because they know how to rock and aren’t afraid to keep turning the bass up. After only an hour they vanish. Everyone else wants more, and that’s after an encore including ‘Firestarter.’
They’re long gone...where? The future, to be precise (10).
So that was Reading. Bloody hell it was good. One more thing to say though. CROWDSURFERS CAN FUCK OFF. Especially if you’re really heavy or wearing spikes.
BAND OF THE DAY: Dillinger Escape Plan – just because they were frankly beyond words.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: “Are Jews allowed to cuddle pigs?” (I was asked this by my mate Barney 15 minutes after telling him I couldn’t eat pork or bacon because I’m Jewish. He was serious)
MOMENT OF THE DAY: When Eric Melvin continued playing his accordion after the power was cut.
BEN
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