Words: Kate Allvey.  Images: Penny Bennett

Bambie Thug

Wreathed in black latex tentacles, the Irish vocalist opens the second day of Download with seductive, evil ‘ouija pop’. They’re like a possessed Lady Gaga, spilling musical ink on ‘Last Summer (I Know What You Did)’, and if you had guessed that a sexy bin man costume would feature somewhere over the weekend, you’d be proven right during hypnotic new track ‘Trash Will Take Itself Out’. But the magic happens in their almost un-backed cover of the Cranberries ‘Zombie’; flanked by flags of the oppressed held in silence, it’s clear that’s there’s so much more to Bambie Thug than nudity and Eurovision.

Florence Black

As the first act of the day to fall victim to the curse of a shortened set due to apocalyptic weather conditions, we sadly don’t get much of the welsh act’s bass-heavy hard rock sound, but the five songs we receive are as dark as their name. Tristan Thomas’ heartfelt wail makes the cliched metal horns he conjures up feel necessary throughout their Pearl Jam influenced set, and ‘Sun And Moon’ slips down as easily as a scotch at midnight. We’re left simultaneously frustrated and grateful for the brief snippet we did get to see. 

Bleed From Within

The faithful brave an extra half an hour wait in the downpour for the Scottish metallers, but ‘Sovereign’s essential burst of brutality makes the discomfort worth it. We needed something heavier and tougher, richer in ferocious guitar to bolster our spirits, and we got it and then some. ’Stand Down’ sends a connection flooding through the crowd all the way to the back, and vocalist Scott Kennedy grins at our response. Closing with a heartwarming and fan-pleasing rendition of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’, they’re joined by Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan who’ve been filming onsite.

Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes

The frontman knows both how to construct a belting setlist and how to rock a fuzzy pink cardigan, and the huge crowd response to ‘Kitty Sucker’ shows just how comfortable he’s become in his rock n roll status. The lounger tracks which featured heavily on his last tour are thrown out in favour of the rangers which showcase Carter at his best like ‘Devil Inside Me’, though strategically placed slower tracks move us. “What it takes to be a main stage band? Confidence, power, kindness and love,” he lists before the impassioned ‘Brambles’s slinky beat booms out. Sadly, this makes a small boy in the audience cry, and Carter pauses the song to console him (“Little man’s tired… I don’t blame him, I’m tired too!”). ‘My Town’ hits heavier live, with tons more electro to console even the most weary, leaving us both in awe of the Rattlesnakes’ sound and energised to continue.

Babymetal

Handmade t-shirts and fervent hype surrounded the Japanese girl group, but their hyper-energetic routines angered whichever deity controls the weather in Derbyshire. After only one song, a look of panic flashed across leader Su-Metal’s face as she received a message in her earpiece, and the dreaded ‘we are pausing the show briefly’ message displayed onscreen as the weather turned biblical. However, the ladies are nothing if not consummate professionals, and as soon as it was safe to do so, ‘METALI!!’ proved that they are the holographic dressed superheroes that we need to push through the day. ‘RATATATA’ is an absolute banger live and the closest we would come to seeing Electric Callboy this weekend. It felt like as soon as Babymetal appeared, they were gone.

Enter Shikari

There’s a reason Enter Shikari sold out stadiums across Europe earlier this year. Glitching between poetry, dance grooving, eighties vibes and nineties optimism, they perfectly capture the escapism of the weekend. ‘Giant Pacific Octopus (I Don’t Know You Any More)’ is melancholy and bold, opening a thoughtful pit that embraces the message of the song. Frontman Rou Reynolds paces like a caged tiger; “This was the first festival that ever allowed us to play, back in 2006” he yells before turning the bass up to absolute limits for ‘goldfish’s intense drops after dreamlike soft bridges that weigh heavy with longing. Enter Shikari lean into the drum n bass end of their sound for shows like this because it absolutely works for huge crowds, and ‘Sorry, You’re Not a Winner’ playfully extends the electro side of the band like an outstretched hand, inviting us to dance. 

  While She Sleeps

“I’ve been here before, I’ve been stood where you is,” pants Loz Taylor between songs, and it’s the solidarity and empathy between While She Sleeps and their fans which make them such a great live act. With neon guitars blaring on opener ‘RAINBOWS’, they’re the perfect transition to the evening after Enter Shikari. “We did not come here to fuck about,” says Taylor sternly, and he’s determined to cram every minute allotted for his band with  vital honesty and the kind of songs that create slamming all the way up to the top of the hill. ‘SELF HELL’ burns with rage and mutual frustration to provoke a massive, bouncing response that we yell back to the band mid air. 

The Offspring

One of the oldest bands on the bill, the Offspring have been known to let their tendency towards bad puns and novelty skits get in the way of their sound. Not so today. Noodles, Dexter and friends plot a tight course, barely deviating from faultless punk and proving that they are so much more than the guys who asked us why we were still unemployed. New song ‘Make It All Right’ is a burst of summer fun that bodes very well for their upcoming album, and ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’s eulogy to the loss of childhood dreams captures just the right balance of poignancy and thrashing. ‘Hit That’ sparks conga lines and even the most hardened types chant out the melody while coloured balloons bounce like weightless marbles over the pit.

Billy Talent

The spiky Canadians put out seriously classy proto-emo from the get-go with ‘Devil in a Midnight Mass’ dropping bombs of distortion amid Benjamin Kowalewicz’s trademark steel wire vocals. Their potent dark energy is the antidote to the Offspring’s jollier hits we hear spilling over from the Apex stage. ’This Suffering’ is like a midnight hedge maze, it’s tone providing a taut atmosphere that cracks before ‘I Beg To Differ (This Will Get Better)’s brightening guitar. Kowalewicz theatrically emotes, aware he’s got a dedicated audience in the palm of his hand during the derelict loveliness of ‘Rusted From The Rain’, and Billy Talent’s set has to be a highlight of the weekend for pretty much everyone who rushed over to the Avalanche stage.

Fall Out Boy

It’s deceptively easy to get to the front for Fall Out Boy’s chronologically curated set, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t the star attractions of the day, if not the whole weekend. The Teenage remembrances and sizzling solos of ‘Grand Theft Autumn’ give way to fireworks and picture frames as, word perfect, we sing along to ‘Sugar, We’re Going Down’, our inconveniences fading away. ‘Dance Dance’ tugs on our sense of nostalgia, but with a slight roughness and friction to dispel the gloss of memory and shake us in the present. Pete Wentz shreds like we never remembered him being able to, smiling broadly between frequent costume changes. “I want you to sing till your lungs give out,” he calls, and we nearly do to the perfect showmanship and bass drops of ‘This Ain’t A Scene, It’s an Arms Race’.

If there was a prize for ‘maximum spectacle achieved in an hour at Download’, Fall Out Boy would take the gold. ‘My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark’ sees guitars re-made into flamethrowers at the centre of walls of pyromania, and the troupe of sinister cheerleaders onstage for ‘Uma Thurman’ signals the start of a clear ramping up of the effects on the songs without cult-favourite status. It’s not just all shock and awe, though. Wentz helps a couple with their gender revel via waterproof envelope and declares they should name their baby ‘Download’. After ten years away from Donington, Fall Out Boy wanted to ‘make the biggest art project we could fucking make’, and they made it happen in a huge way.

Click the below image for the full ‘Download Festival – Saturday’ gallery

Kicking off the night with one of their newest tracks, ‘From the Other Side’, the Chicago four piece thunder into life. The latest song has signalled the direction of their newest era, teasing a return to a more classic Fall Out Boy sound, and leaning into characteristics that sparked their careers. Aptly, this song also reflects the trajectory of the night, exhibiting what they do best as a band.

The setlist abruptly traverses the band’s shared history, cherry-picking offerings that span ‘Take This to Your Grave’ to the latest singles. They face a unique predicament, with a discography saturated with enough jewels to hit shuffle on the last twenty years and satisfy all those in attendance, the art of this setlist was appropriately choosing what to sacrifice. Despite being faced with this near-impossible task, Fall Out Boy waste no time in diving head first into their biggest hits early in the show, with no warm-up needed for their definitive emo anthem, ‘Sugar, We’re Going Down’.

As they leap about the humble stage, so do the albums as they dip into the whole back catalogue, showcasing the mega hits that have crowned them deity status within the scene. The real standout moments that will engrain this night in fan’s memories was the dusting off some real 00’s deep cuts in the form of ‘Chicago Is So Two Years Ago’ and ‘Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet’. Each opening chord was greeted by delighted gasps from the crowd on tenterhooks, recovering from the unrelenting whiplash of back-to-back classics.

Between the venue hosting and evangelical song title, it would be remiss to not indulge in a clichéd religious analogy. The biblical chorus of jubilation from devout emo’s during ‘Hum Hallelujah’ is a spectacle to behold. Fall Out Boy’s knack for the perfect hook, translates effortlessly into the live setting, leading their congregation with style.

If their on-stage charisma and instrumental skill weren’t quite so mastered, the fortuitous audience could almost suspend reality and imagine they were attending an underground show for the next big thing out of Chicago. For one night only, the legendary LGBTQ+ nightclub transformed into a time machine, transporting ticketholders back to the 00’s, granting the closest emulation of their fabled early London shows, Pete Wentz so wistfully described from the stage “London was one of the first places that gave a shit about our band outside of Chicago. So let’s take it all the way back”.

The fever pitch generating night draws to a comfortably familiar close, as they drop the dancefloor singalong staple ‘Thnks fr th Mmrs’, internationally cross-over smash-hit ‘Centuries’, followed by Wentz  flexing his hardcore credentials. Donating his career-bearing screams to ‘Saturday’, rounding out the gloriously chaotic show to a gratifying head.

Their trip back across the pond in Autumn will look decidedly different from the exclusive sweaty capsule that was granted to the privileged few. The anticipation for their incoming full-production arena show is untenable, the chemistry of a band only granted to those with the scene-defining status has to be experienced far and wide.

KAT FERRIS

Their brand new album, ‘So Much (For) Stardust’, is their first in five long years. A long ol’ gap. One of the longest of their career, in fact, but their return comes at the perfect time. It’s also the first album back on Fueled By Ramen since their debut, and they’ve rejoined forces with producer Neal Avron who worked on some of their most important records, namely ‘From Under The Cork Tree’, ‘Infinity On High’ and ‘Folie A Deux’. Is this album another one of them?

Opening number and first single ‘Love From The Other Side’ kicks things off in the best possible way. Delicate pianos and heartwarming strings ease into being, setting a calm and grand tone, and then an eruption of guitar and drum stabs pierce through to join forces with them and kick off this pop-punk party. The verses are laid-back but moody, the bridge is uplifting and the chorus is so infectious – it’s got all the punch of their early days, but with the elegance and flair of their later years. ‘Heartbreak Feels So Good’ plays a similar role, with electronic textures that trick you into thinking that’s the vibe for the whole track, quickly becoming clear that it isn’t; it’s actually a soaring rock riot.

The rock vibes are huge throughout; guitars have returned to the forefront of the band’s sound, and they’ve never sounded better. ‘Flu Game’ possesses the kind of weighty chorus that burrows its way into your brain immediately, using incredibly dramatic chord progressions, driving claps and call-and-response vocals that suggest this could effortlessly sit in a musical. ‘Fake Out’ is a reserved-yet-rowdy pop-punk rager, propelled by an understated lick that provides a solid foundation for the huge chorus to jump off of. Even the synths that kickstart ‘The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)’ slowly bleed into palm muted chugs and then into a nostalgia-ridden chorus, summoning memories of past records as Patrick Stump’s velvety wails transport you to another plane. The guitars becoming such a big part of the sound again is great, but it’s not all about the references to their past.

Fall Out Boy are a band that used to be able to sit within a niche. Some called them emo, some called them pop punk, they became an arena rock act, but what are they now? Ultimately, they’re just an incredible band, and their sound now traverses so many different genres while retaining that unmistakable FOB tone. ‘Hold Me Like A Grudge’ is a slick and groove-filled funk smash, ‘I Am My Own Muse’ is a towering slice of orchestral theatre, ‘What A Time To Be Alive’ has that joy-spreading 80’s disco vibe, ‘So Good Right Now’ has incredibly soulful, almost gospel vibes, and that closing title track is a drama-fuelled masterclass. They still have all the power and energy that they showed us all those years ago, but they’re now equipped to use it in so many different ways. Their bow is one of the most well-strung in their genre, and it’s made an absolute game-changer of an album.

This record feels really different. It doesn’t sound wildly different, and it certainly isn’t presenting anything particularly unexpected or out of character for the band, but there’s something about it that feels unique. This isn’t a record that just ticks another box on the Fall Out Boy journey; it feels like a sort of defining of their journey to this very moment. The welcome reintroduction of a more guitar-centric approach, the pulsating electronic nuances, the soulful emo-tinged melodies, the irresistible urge to dance that so many of its songs creates – it’s as though they’ve looked back at their discography, borrowed a little bit from each record and injected it into this one.

This isn’t a return to their roots, nor is it a continuing of how they’ve evolved and grown. This is, without a shadow of a doubt, the history of Fall Out Boy. It’s where they came from, where they’ve ended up and how they got there all wrapped up in one glorious aural delight. What a beautiful ride.

DAVE STEWART

Originally scheduled for release in 2019, ’You’re Welcome’ is their first release on Fueled By Ramen and the resulting sound ⁠— intentional or not⁠ — is reminiscent of some of the label’s roster and alumni. The pop element of their sound is definitely more in the foreground here which isn’t a bad thing by any means, but in some places it feels as though they’ve either tried too hard or not tried quite hard enough. The end result is an album that’s a little all over the place with some standout tracks sat alongside some really big flops.

The good moments of the record shine brightly and they’ll have fans globally hammering the repeat button over and over. ‘Last Chance To Dance (Bad Friend)’ is one of their more traditionally styled tracks and it doesn’t disappoint. Heavy hardcore riffs evil enough to summon the devil and growls so rabid they’d scare him off, it’s sure to be both a crowd and a pit pleaser. ‘Permanent’ is another belter, boasting an instantly addictive chorus and a masterful grasp on rise and fall dynamics that make it feel like a real rollercoaster ride. The riotous and pessimistic ‘Brick Wall’, the undeniable anthem ‘Degenerates’, the bittersweet ballad ‘Only Money’…⁠ There are loads of satisfying moments here, but there are also a lot of bad ones.

There are some really uncomfortable, almost awkward sections of this record, often coming across as either uninspired or rushed. ‘F.Y.M’, for example, is musically a modern-day dream-pop re-work of their ‘Over My Head (Cable Car)’ cover, with Jeremy McKinnon’s leading chorus line of “wait ’til I get some fuck you money” really lowering the tone to an immature, almost lazy teenage level. A similar thing happens in ‘High Diving’, a pleasant pop-rocker with a groan-worthy chorus “it’s hard to practice what you preach when life is a beach”. A pun that will tickle dads and disappoint kids everywhere.

Then there’s the song about being drunk in Mexico aptly titled ‘Viva La Mexico’, a straight-up carbon copy of the Fall Out Boy formula on ‘Bloodsucker’, the Avril Lavigne-esque closer ‘Everything We Need’ – it’s all a little scattered. Songs about online criticism, money, getting wasted, more money, regrets, nostalgia, memories, something about money ⁠— it’s a lot harder to connect with this record than it has been with a lot of their back catalogue because it’s trying to be too many things. Without a doubt, the music is great and adventurous throughout, but the lyrics often feel a little tone-deaf.

There’s enough good stuff on this album to make it worthy of a spin or two, and newer fans of the band will get a kick from the infectious melodies and good vibes that they’ve gotten oh-so-good at radiating over the years. Long-time fans of the band, however, might have a harder time falling in love with it. It’s odd that seven records into their career there are moments where they’ve never sounded so immature or petty, and it turns what could’ve been a nice and smooth crossover into new territory into a collection of hits and misses. Not a complete disaster, but a very long way from being their biggest triumph.

DAVE STEWART

Images: Olly Hanks, Words: Yasmin Brown [YB] / Gemma Rogers [GR]

Despite their midday slot, Petrol Girls kicked off the day with as much energy as if they’d had a prime time slot on the main stage. The entire 30 minute set was a political statement and, regardless of whether there were 5 or 5,000 people listening, lead singer Ren Aldridge was going to say it, and she was going to say it with conviction. Topics addressed included sexual assault, consent, the ridiculousness of gender binary and, as a result of this binary, gender stereotypes. Aldridge spread these messages through her unexpectedly powerful growl – something that initially comes as a surprise, considering her petite frame – and she commanded the stage with dance moves and determined head banging. Petrol Girls brought powerful, feminist punk to the festival and kicked off the day with songs that gave you a lot to think about, simultaneously creating a surge of vivacity in the crowd that was sure to last the weekend. [YB]

The main stage then offered a completely different atmosphere, as from the moment Waterparks took to the stage it was clear to see that they had a solid fan base of people who were more than just a little excited to see them. The band played a set filled with typically American pop punk songs, interacting with the crowd and ensuring everyone was engaged from the first notes to the last – with circle pits intermittently opening up throughout the set, following the band’s encouragement. In reality though, not much encouragement was needed, leading front man Awsten Knight to comment that, “y’all can jump so fucking high”. The band took a break from the overt pop-punk to play something softer and more acoustically driven, and though Knight’s vocals wavered at this point – struggling without the support of his band – the crowd didn’t seem to mind, and it was ultimately still enjoyable. The set was outrageous amounts of fun, even for those towards the back of the crowd who weren’t too familiar with the band, highlighting their natural ability to command the stage and put on a live show. Despite their early time slot, Waterparks brought all the energy that the main stage deserves and set the bar high for the bands that were set to follow. [YB]

Throughout the early afternoon, picket signs had been spotted advertising that ‘Mantra is here’, with the time 2:30. Those that hadn’t already worked it out now picked up on the fact that this was the title of Bring Me The Horizon’s new single – and this picket sign meant a secret set, seeing BMTH’s return to the Reading and Leeds stages.

It’s been a while since Bring Me The Horizon have played any live shows, so their return has, naturally, been highly anticipated by all fans. And what a comeback it was. Despite the late notice, word had spread rapidly and the tent was completely packed out. From the moment they took to the stage for their first live performance of ‘Mantra’, to the last notes of ‘Drown’, circle pits that took up half of the arena intermittently emerged, engulfing anyone that happened to be nearby in a sea of sweat-drenched bodies. It was an insane atmosphere, and one that proved we were all ecstatic to have the Sheffield boys back. The crowd obeyed every command to sit down and jump up, to form a wall of death, and generally just go mental. If this short set was anything to go by, the next album cycle is going to be one hell of a ride, one that all BMTH’s fans should be fast to jump on. [YB]

Following Waterparks on the main stage are Brit horror punk outfit Creeper who, despite still only having one album to their name, have become firm festival favourites – due in no small part to their ability to deliver an outstanding, high energy live performance. Today is no different, as front man Will Gould bounds around the stage with pitch perfect vocals, coaxing the audience into forming pits that cause dust to fly from the dry ground in clouds. Even back towards the sound desk, feet tap and heads nod along to the upbeat riffs and singalong choruses – though with such a limited amount of material available to the band it is a set that’s becoming all too familiar to regular festival goers. The performance, though, is near flawless, and Creeper prove that they have well and truly earned their main stage slot. [GR]

The Lock Up is running around 20 minutes late by the time The Fever 333 take to the stage – a blessing for anyone rushing over from sets elsewhere (us, legging it from the main stage, for example) – with a white sheet covering the stage for the first few moments whilst a hooded figure stands, fist raised, in front. It’s an attention grabbing start from a band who are difficult to ignore and, frankly, you’d never want to – vocalist Jason Aalon Butler and guitarist Stevis Harrison treat The Lock Up tent like a playground, clambering and swinging from anything they fancy. In a lineup dominated by pop and rap, this hard-hitting, heavy set is a breath of fresh air for rock and metal fans – especially with such powerful execution. The Fever 333 may be a relatively new venture for its experienced members, but they’re already making a huge name for themselves in the scene; with emphatic performances like this, it’s easy to see why. [GR]

This year’s set was Yonaka’s second at Reading Festival, and their Festival Republic stage performance highlighted a level of confidence that only comes with having played to such a crowd before. The turn out wasn’t huge, given the early set time, but this didn’t affect the performance in the slightest. The band was engaging from the offset, encouraging the crowd to dance and sing along throughout. Front woman Theresa Jarvis took the instrumental breaks as an opportunity to show off her dance moves, before blowing us all away with her mighty and controlled vocals. Dedicating the final song, ‘Rockstar’, to “the dreamers”, Jarvis requested that we crouch down and jump up in classic festival style, as the band jumped along with us enthusiastically and without inhibition. Whether you’d previously heard of Yonaka or whether you were there out of luck, or even because you were waiting for another band, there’s no way you could have found yourself feeling anything but pure joy as you took in the scene in front of you and admired everything this band has to offer. [YB]

Australia’s Trophy Eyes take up a slot on The Lock Up only weeks after the release of third album ‘The American Dream’, and the band understandably choose to focus their half hour set on these newer tracks. From the song with 2018’s greatest key change, ‘Lavender Bay’, to the more unexpected and delicate ‘Broken’, it’s a beautifully balanced set designed to appeal to a festival crowd – though the couple of older tracks and closing number ‘You Can Count On Me’ are received by fans with rapturous joy. John Floreani’s vocals aren’t always perfect as he dances around the stage, and he’s hampered by a few technical issues, but his voice is so filled with feeling that it’s easy to overlook any minor flaws. It’s fantastic to see this hugely talented band begin to get the recognition they deserve; bigger stages are surely in their future. [GR]

The evening’s entertainment began at the Radio 1 stage with The Front Bottoms, a truly delightful folk driven band who are no strangers to the Reading and Leeds stages – although front man Brian Sella admits he can’t remember a single thing from three years ago, when they last played the festival. This set was an opportunity to make new memories, and from where the crowd was standing at least, it’s almost certain that this was going to be a set to remember. With crowd members that were there solely to see The Front Bottoms, and who sung along to every word without hesitation, this New Jersey band have clearly made a name for themselves on our side of the pond. Bringing with them a multi-talented touring band, one woman in particular frequently switched between playing the violin and the trumpet, completing the live sound and adding that little something extra to take The Front Bottoms from being good, to being really bloody excellent. The set was fun and carefree, causing the widest of grins to appear on everyone’s face, and with the setlist being made up of old favourite such as ‘Twin Sized Mattress’, newer releases such as ‘Vacation Town’, and everything in between, there was something for all fans to enjoy. Having witnessed a full-length TFB headline show before, the only criticism would be that it simply ended too soon. [YB]

Back at The Pit/Lockup stage, fans of La Dispute remained patient despite the late start and welcomed the Michigan post-hardcore band with roaring cheers. Before the first song had even drawn to a close, lead singer Jordan Drayer had made his way into the crowd, urging fans to desperately yell their favourite lyrics into the microphone on his behalf. By song two a circle pit had opened that never really closed, as audience members let the music take over. Hearing La Dispute on record, you might not immediately see how Drayer’s vocals would translate well to the live show – but when supported by his talented band, it somehow works extremely well. The tones in his voice have a way of making you feel the despair along with him, evoking an empathic response that’s difficult to control and has you fully immersed in the music. Prior to leaving the stage, Drayer showed his gratitude, blowing kisses to the audience and holding his hands together, reflecting the sentiment that was clearly floating through the crowd. [YB]

Following La Dispute’s late arrival, The Used took to the same stage 30 minutes late to a much less patient crowd than greeted their predecessors. All was forgiven, however, as soon as Bert McCracken and co. launched into ‘Take It Away’, and what followed was an intense and entertaining throwback to the early 2000s, just for the “hardcore fans”. It’s clear from their performance that The Used have been doing this for 18 years, showing no signs of nerves as McCracken launched into a Shakespeare soliloquy – requesting a circle pit to go with it, a “first at Reading”, to which they obliged without hesitation. These are guys who know exactly how to put on a show and the audience was lapping it up unquestioningly, screaming along to every song and cheering at any simple statement that came out of McCracken’s mouth (including personal favourite, “Fuck Donald Trump”). Following a weird yet wonderful cover of Sixpence None The Richer’s ‘Kiss Me’ the commands returned, as we were told that “there’s no one more excited than a little kid, so let’s all be little fucking kids again”, after which came a wall of death. Naturally. For ‘A Box Full of Sharp Objects’, the final song of the set, McCracken introduced Fever 333, who had played a set earlier in the day. It was an even more hectic end to what had already a hectic set, and ended the band’s return to the Reading stage as you would only ever expect from such a seasoned rock band. [YB]

If there’s one thing that you take away from seeing Nothing But Thieves, it’s how unbelievably beautiful front man, Conor Mason’s, vocals are. From start to finish, he never once falters, captivating everyone in the packed out Radio 1 tent with his mind blowing range. It seemed that the band were just as excited to be there as we were to have them, with Mason stating, “I’ve come down from the adrenaline rush and it makes me look like I’d snorted a fat line”. What that means, exactly, is still to be determined – but it sounded like he was really fucking happy with his current situation, and based on the crowd’s response, he had every right to be. The band opened the Radio 1 stage three years ago, making their way up the ranks rapidly, and they graciously thanked the crowd for their continued support – particularly this evening. The performance was epic in the true sense of the word, with NBT’s huge sound filling the tent and reaching far beyond its confines. This is a band made for the stage; whether it’s the louder, more energetic songs such as ‘Broken Machine’ or slower, sadder ones such as ‘Particles’, every performance is one to remember. Nothing But Thieves will surely only continue to grow, and it would be unsurprising if they’re headlining that same stage in only a few years. [YB]

Main stage headliners Fall Out Boy overlapped with NBT’s performance, but not to their detriment. Their place as festival headliner was questioned by many, but the Chicago four-piece more than proved themselves on Friday night. Their sound, once made for club gigs in back alleys, has now been adapted to perfectly suit the massive production that we were treated to, with even old favourites such as ‘Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down’, ‘Dance, Dance’, and ‘Saturday’ translating well to the giant stage – a clear sign of a band who’ve spent the past few years playing arenas worldwide. From fire shooting out of Pete Wentz’s bass guitar, to fireworks and confetti, to elaborate background visuals; Fall Out Boy’s presence as the final main stage act of the night was easily proven to be well deserved. The band interacted more than is usual for them during a live show too – prompting friends to clamber on each other’s shoulders during ‘Stay Frosty’, pushing us to “be you, do you as loud as you can,” and to not forget that “in 2018 things like this happen”, whilst looking happier than they ever have before.

A definite highlight was Patrick taking his place behind the grand piano to perform ‘Last of the Real Ones’ and ‘Save Rock and Roll’, both which – not for the first time – showed just how incredible his vocal capabilities have become. Patrick isn’t the only one who got to show off though, with guitarist Joe Trohman showcasing his skills during their cover of Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’. Following entertaining middle finger visuals throughout the entirety of 2008’s ‘I Don’t Care’, and three more performances of old favourites, ‘This Ain’t a Scene’, ‘Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy’, and ‘Centuries’, Wentz closed the set with words of gratitude: “You’re our favourite people and this is our favourite place to be so thanks for having us”. The band returned to the stage for a two song encore, accompanied by more elaborate fireworks – and once again proving themselves to be more than worthy of being Reading headliners in 2018. [YB]

It was always going to be tough playing at the same time as the main stage headliner, but though the Radio 1 tent was only partially full, London based Wolf Alice persisted to put on a show full of energy for the fans that showed up. Front woman Ellie Rowsell has a voice that could knock you over with the sheer force of it, her powerful screams and comparatively sweet tones impressing the crowd from start to finish. The talent that oozed from the whole band made the half filled tent even more disappointing, as they most definitely deserved more recognition for the show they put on. For the final part of the set, Rowsell encouraged the crowd to sing along with her: “it’s easy, there’s no words in the chorus. It goes something like *insert unintelligible noises here*”. Of course, it didn’t sound at all like that when the chorus finally kicked in, and what came out of her mouth was far cooler and more beautiful. In fact, Wolf Alice are just a very cool band, acting as living proof that women belong in the rock scene just as much as any guy. The entire set was fierce, and as the band bid us farewell with a cry of, “thank you so much, fucking hell”, day one had finally drawn to a close for Punktastic. And what a finale it was. [YB]

]]> https://www.punktastic.com/news/fall-out-release-new-video-for-church/ Sat, 20 Jan 2018 21:20:13 +0000 http://www.punktastic.com/?post_type=news&p=212313 Fall Out Boy have released their new video for ‘Church’.

The song is taken from their new album ‘Mania’, which was released last week via Virgin EMI (UK) and DCD2 Records (US).

The band will also be playing the following UK shows in March.

MARCH
27 BIRMINGHAM Arena
28 CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
29 MANCHESTER Arena
31 LONDON O2 Arena

It is taken from their upcoming new album, ‘Mania’, on the 19th January via Virgin EMI (UK) and DCD2 Records (US). You can pre-order it here.

The band will also be playing the following UK shows in March.

MARCH
27 BIRMINGHAM Arena
28 CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
29 MANCHESTER Arena
31 LONDON O2 Arena

It is taken from their upcoming new album, ‘Mania’, on the 19th January 2018 via Virgin EMI (UK) and DCD2 Records (US). You can pre-order it here.

They have also announced that in addition to their headline show at Brixton Electric in London on the 11th January, they will also be going on a UK arena tour this March. All dates are listed below.

JANUARY 2018
11 LONDON Brixton Electric
MARCH
27 BIRMINGHAM Arena
28 CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
29 MANCHESTER Arena
31 LONDON O2 Arena

Tickets for the show will be on sale here at 9am on the 22nd September. The band will also be releasing their upcoming new album, ‘Mania’, on the 19th January 2018 via Virgin EMI (UK) and DCD2 Records (US). You can pre-order it here.