Pulling from all of Punktastic’s very favourite genres, it’s one of our most anticipated times of the year, and 2019’s line-up had us drooling with excitement for months before the bank holiday weekend rolled around. Regardless of the weather, we love Reading, and this year the sweltering heat (coupled with litres and litres of water), made for an unforgettable weekend – one we can’t wait to repeat all over again in 2020.

Words: Yasmin Brown [YB], Catie Allwright [CA]; Images: Tash Greene, Matt Higgs

The LaFontaines

Our day starts on the Dance Stage, where Glasgow’s The LaFontaines pay no attention to the time of day as they happily cause a ruckus with their Scottish hip-hop/rock sound and endless enthusiasm. Prior to experiencing the set, their place on the Dance Stage seems confusing – but by the time frontman Kerr Okan is done with the crowd, there’s no denying that there’s no better place for this wonderfully mental band. If there’s one way to describe the short set, it’s ‘fucking fun’, as Okan amps up the crowd ready for the long weekend to come, not only jumping into the front few rows of the crowd, but actually leaving his mic behind altogether as he runs front to back through the crowd who are, by this point, equal parts ecstatic and confused. The LaFontaines are something different, and their popularity highlights this. Who ever knew they needed a very Scottish sounding rap/rock band? Certainly not us, but today only highlights that the music scene is a better place for having them in it. [YB]

I Don’t Know How But They Found Me

Nobody likes the opening band; their set time’s far too early and I’ve never heard of them. The chances are, they won’t go far… or at least, that’s what the opening lyrics of the Utah-based pop-rockers I Don’t Know How But They Found Me set, from the aptly named ‘Nobody Likes The Opening Band’, would tell you. What they lack in stage presence – and who can be surprised, really, with only two band members and no on-stage theatricals to fill the vast Main Stage – iDKHOW make up for in dry humour and unspeakably high notes from vocalist Dallon Weekes. iDKHOW’s self-aware performance is a gentle easing into the festival weekend, with 1980’s-inspired funky beats like ‘Social Climb’ and crowd-movers like ‘Do It All The Time’. Their opening track finishes “if you lend an ear and give them just one little chance, you may just like the opening band”, and we couldn’t agree more. [CA]

Sea Girls

As iDKHOW perform on the main stage, we’re also on our first of many visits to the Radio 1 stage this weekend, and we’re delighted to be able to catch Sea Girls one more time before the summer is over. This is a band that has grown beyond human comprehension over the past year, going from performing to mere handfuls of people at festivals in 2018, to filling tents and being entirely drowned out by the sound of their fans’ voices – not least during ‘All I Want to Hear You Say’ and set closer ‘Call Me Out’. While they’ve grown in popularity, the band members themselves don’t seem to have changed a bit, with happy-go-lucky guitarist Rory still grinning as though every day spent on stage is a new life highlight, and front man Henry continuing to venture into the crowd part way into the set. The band has always been tight, but with what must be close to fifty festival appearances under their belt since the beginning of summer 2018, Sea Girls have become ones to watch and deservedly picked up as one of Radio 1’s favourite newcomers. [YB]

Twin Atlantic

In comparison to the freshness of Sea Girls, Twin Atlantic are a band that have been commanding the main stage at Reading and Leeds festivals for years now, and each year they come back with more gusto (and more fans) than ever before. The weather has reached I-Would-Like-to-Die levels of hot now, but not for a second do either the crowd or band let this deter them from making the most of this Glaswegian four-piece’s live summer comeback. With new music on the horizon, the half hour set is not only filled with performances of tracks from across their current discography – each met with more excitement than the last – but the debut performance of unreleased track ‘Volcano’. Having been given a small glimpse of what’s to come with new music (that has been three years in the making since the release of GLA in 2016), the crowd is even more amped, pushing through the sweat and dust to make the most of every second of this set. It’s a glorious and triumphant return that has only left us anxious for more. [YB]

Patent Pending

All the way from Long Island, New York, Patent Pending’s set at The Pit / The Lock Up can only be described as complete and utter chaos, in the best sense of the word. Energetic front man Joe Ragosta asks the crowd who’s heard of Slick Rick, a one-eyed felon known for his iconic lyric “the roof is on fire”. As it turns out, Patent Pending borrowed the line and are now in a legal copyright battle, but it doesn’t stop them performing ‘Let It Burn’. The set appears to follow the theme of the band’s 2017 album ‘Other People’s Greatest Hits’ as Ragosta leads into ‘Every Time We Touch’ by saying “I wrote this song and it made me a millionaire. That may or may not be true – deal with it.” There are some originals too, like ‘Hey Mario’, which explores the relationship between Mario and Princess Peach, and ‘Psycho In Love’ – complete with its signature pirate hooks dance move, which fill the tent. Incorporating pop punk, rap metal, ska, and electronic elements, make no mistake that although they don’t take themselves too seriously, it’s not for lack of musical talent, and after almost two decades together, there’s no indication that Patent Pending are slowing down. [CA]

Press Club

Continuing Punktastic’s occupancy of The Pit / The Lock Up stage, Press Club join us from Melbourne’s independent punk scene to deliver a stunningly raw performance. Natalie Foster is messy haired and fresh faced, and completely embodies the music with no frills – just an incredible vocal range, which she flexes to deliver her lyrics with tenderness through to anger and conviction. Far from formulaic, drummer Frank Lees and guitarist Greg Wietwyk take the crowd on an unexpected journey of fast-paced rhythms and catchy riffs, receiving the best reactions to anthemic ‘Suburbia’ and my personal favourite, ‘Separate Houses’, taken from albums ‘Late Teens’ and ‘Wasted Energy’ respectively. Live music has a beautiful way of bringing people together – and this is the kind of band that would be as exhilarating to watch in a dark and smoky bar as it is to dance along to in a festival tent on a scorching Friday afternoon. [CA]

You Me At Six

Nobody does Reading and Leeds quite like You Me At Six. Having played here more times than we can count, and headlining the Radio 1 stage just two years ago, it’s a second home to this Surrey five-piece. This time, however, they’re back for an early evening main stage slot, as always making the most of this incredible opportunity and putting on a live show fans will be recalling for years. Front man Josh Franceschi carries enough charisma for the whole band, speckling the set with motivational speeches about love and acceptance, cementing himself as the passionate, caring, and opinionated man we’ve always loved. Even without the mic, however, the personalities of every band member shines through in their performance, and it’s easy to tell from the casual nudges or friendly jibes that these five best friends were made for this life, and they were made to live it together. Today, in among his consistently smooth vocals, Franceschi makes many impressive yet unexpected attempts at screaming. With the introduction of new dance-rock track ‘What’s It Like’, as well as a mention of more new music to come in October, it suggests that perhaps this is the direction the band may be moving. By the reaction of the crowd, it seems this change in sonic direction is welcome and, as with Twin Atlantic earlier in the day, the set leaves us filled with anticipation for what this band has to offer us moving forwards. [YB]

Puppy

How can three people make so much noise? Let’s set the scene – it’s now 6pm in The Pit / The Lock Up tent and the crowd is a little sparse, but Puppy are killing it. Where to start – the earth-shattering riffs straight out of the 1990’s, the unlike-any-other vocals, or the genre-breaking result of them coming together? If you’d never seen Puppy before, you’d probably picture Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, or something along those lines – not three young lads from London with a goofy sense of humour. But it works. It really, really works, and gives vocalist and guitarist Jock Norton, bass guitarist Will Michael and drummer Billy Howard Price a hugely likeable quality. Combining tracks from their occult-like debut album ‘The Goat’ (2019) such as ‘Black Hole’, and earlier singles like ‘Forever’, Puppy give one of the best performances at Reading. If they’ve managed to come this far since just 2014, you know that this is only the beginning. [CA]

Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers

Reading is an old stomping ground for all three musicians we’re about to see, but today is their first time playing together as Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers. It’s disappointing to see the turnout, but this is quickly forgotten as it’s clear that only the true fans have made it to The Pit / The Lock Up – shown as we hang off every word, only interrupted by shouts from the crowd about how much Grace is loved. The set features tracks from 2018 album ‘Bought To Rot’, including ‘The Hotel Song’, which gives thanks to hotels around the world for their sanctuary, the importance of being ready to leave, and only taking with you what you need – a beautiful metaphor for resilience and personal growth. ‘Valeria Golino’ tackles the struggles of needing help but being sexualised, whilst ‘Born In Black’ is about taking that thing others ridicule you for and turning it into a sense of empowerment. Grace is always open about her battle with mental health, dedicating ‘Manic Depression’ to anyone suffering. Although much more sombre than earlier performances, the set is powerful, emotive and touching – with a number of people staying behind to meet the band. [CA]

Pale Waves

If there’s ever a band that is going to have you both crying and dancing with joy in the same heartbeat, it’s Pale Waves. Their often painful lyrics are disguised among upbeat melodies, and it’s not difficult to find yourself confused as to how you should feel. In a live environment, this is even more poignant, and throughout the Radio 1 set fans find themselves with tears running down their faces, while still unwittingly dancing along in a confusing yet cathartic emotional breakdown. This is what makes Pale Waves so wonderful; their ability to evoke multiple emotions at once, and while front woman Heather Baron-Gracie can be pitchy at times as she struggles to juggle both vocals and guitar, the band’s live show is consistently one to remember. Today is no different, as Baron-Gracie blows kisses and dances in the most endearing way, seemingly unaware of the impact she has on the band’s fans as she notes to the already misty-eyed crowd that “we’re gonna get emo”, midway through the set. As if we need another reason to cry.  The gratitude that flows cyclically between band and fans reaches its peak as the set draws to a close with ‘There’s A Honey’, and Baron-Gracie clambers into the crowd to hug those in the first few rows, the farewell screams reaching almost deafening levels. This is a band that deserves their following, both in regards to their music and who they evidently are as human beings, too. [YB]

PUP

Now firmly in headliner territory, PUP bring one of the liveliest crowds of the day, promising to “just play as many fucking rock songs as we can”. Everyone is clapping, singing and bouncing through tracks from the Canadian punk rock band’s most recent album, ‘Morbid Stuff’, as well as screaming requests for older track ‘Dark Days’, from their self-titled 2014 release. The tempo is brought down a little with ‘Scorpion Hill’, the crowd swaying along as the sun set around us, then up again all the way through to the undeniably catchy final track ‘DVP’. It’s not clear who is having more fun – bandmates Stefan Babcock, Steve Sladkowski, Nestor Chumak, and Zack Mykula, or the tent full of fans. Either way, it doesn’t feel like there was a huge divide between the two – just hundreds of people having a great time. [CA]

Royal Blood

As the sun starts to descend behind the carnival backdrop of the festival, Royal Blood take to the stage. Met with a seemingly infinite crowd, this Brighton two-piece show no fear as they launch into their catalogue of hits. For a rock band to have such a mainstream following can make fans nervous, but Royal Blood continue to put out authentic rock ’n’ roll music, perfectly designed for a main stage slot like this. The pair exude talent, their tight performance and flawless sound making this a set that anyone could enjoy, regardless of the extent of Royal Blood knowledge. With dramatic pauses for effect and a drum solo that can only be described as ‘epic’, they’re the perfect warm up for tonight’s headliners, The 1975, although there are moments where you’re left wondering whether they themselves should be running this show. [YB]

The Maine

Our Friday night draws to a close with the ever wholesome The Maine over in the Lockup tent. Tonight is the band’s first time at Reading and Leeds, and while they “didn’t think anyone would show up”, the tent is packed to the brim with fans singing along and swaying to every song, with more spectators trickling in as the set continues.

As we’ve grown used to with The Maine over the years, this is a group who don’t take themselves too seriously – highlighted as front man John O’Callaghan practices his ‘sexy’ dancing during ‘Am I Pretty?’, and a fan named Alex is brought on stage to join the band for ‘Girls Do What They Want’, during which time O’Callaghan kisses Alex (with permission, of course), and the crowd chants the fan’s name as though he’s exactly who we came here for tonight.

The set is exquisite, with O’Callaghan’s vocals merging perfectly with the band’s perfectly played out beats and melodies. The grins prompted by the experience of singing along to ‘Another Night on Mars’, arm in arm with their best friends and other loved ones, are reflected on the faces of each band member, and we all undoubtedly concur with O’Callaghan as he notes, “I’m gonna remember this night for fucking ever”. Friday may be over, but we’re never going to forget it. [YB]

Click here to view the full day one gallery from Reading & Leeds.

Whilst we await the inevitable apocalypse, you can be damn sure we’ll still be sharing music with the dozens of people who want it, as well as a whole heap who don’t. With that in mind, here’s what we’re shouting about this month.

As always, follow the playlist below as we update it throughout the month. Unless the heat shrivels us up into dried prunes. In which case, good luck, and enjoy the tracks we’ve left behind.

https://open.spotify.com/user/punktastic-spotify/playlist/39Wyg2pGCmu8cxwWBa4eB3?si=P1LAZ-HjTWaB_3plNWvaiA

Bellevue Days – ‘Ripped Jeans’

With their debut album due to be released ‘later this year’, it seems the appropriate time to throwback to a classic from one of Bellevue Days earlier EPs. ‘Ripped Jeans’ is heartbreaking. Based around drinking to forget lost love, it’s something we can all relate to. That delicious blackout to get through the night, only to be in the same awful position in the morning. While it’s punchy and rousing, it’s the hook that really holds it together. A chorus that you would scream into the face of your mates at dusk, only to weep to it at dawn.

ANDY JOICE

Black Peaks – ‘Aether’

After an incredible performance at ArcTanGent with the legendary Jamie Lenman on vocals, Black Peaks have returned to my frequent listens. This was the song they closed their set with – Lenman’s favourite Black Peaks tune, and now one of mine too. Catch them later this year on tour with Black Futures, Palm Reader, and more, and prepare for your mind to be blown.

DAVE STEWART

Dinosaur Pile-Up – ‘Stupid Heavy Metal Broken Hearted Loser Punk’

Somehow, we missed their latest album ‘Celebrity Mansions’ a couple months ago, so let me make this official – we fucked up. It’s made it safely onto my personal Album Of The Year shortlist. ‘Stupid Heavy Metal Broken Hearted Loser Punk’ is a definte highlight for me. There’s a sort of grungy essence in the instrumentation, while Matt Biglands vocals hover effortlessly above it all. With throwbacks to Weezer at certain points and a heavy dollop of Descendents-esque lyrics, it’s feel good in an angsty way with a chorus that just won’t leave my head.

ANDY JOICE

Counterparts- ‘Wings Of Nightmare’

Counterparts just get better and better with each release, and their brand new single proves that they’re continuing with that trend. Think of everything you love about metalcore and it’s here in its most melodic, raw, and punishing form. Spin this one loud.

DAVE STEWART

Patent Pending – ‘Punk Rock Songs’

Patent Pending return with their most well rounded track to date. Evolving from their happy pop punk tendencies, ‘Punk Rock Songs’ speaks from the heart with a vibrant melody, passionate lyrics and fist-punching chorus. This defiant ballad screams everything that unites music lovers. Whether you’re behind the drum kit, in the studio or at the front row, ‘Punk Rock Songs’ is our new anthem.

LOUIS KERRY

Cayetana – ‘Easy To Love’

We bid a tearful farewell to Cayetana in August as the Philadelphia punks decided to call it a day after eight years and two spectacular albums. They were an important and underrated voice in the US punk scene, nestling neatly alongside prominent stalwarts such as PUP and The Menzingers. They were fearless in speaking out against misogyny and led the charge of calling out the toxic masculinity prevalent in our society at the moment. Taken from their excellent 2017 LP ‘New Kind of Normal’, ‘Easy to Love’ encapsulates Cayetana’s sound of angst-laced lyrics, delicate harmonies and beautiful lo-fi DIY punk sound. They will certainly be missed.

TOM WALSH

The Spook School – ‘Keep In Touch’

Another band calling time on their career is Glasgow’s indie-punks The Spook School. Currently embarking on their farewell tour, ‘Keep In Touch’ is almost a wistful hope from the band to its fans. The four-piece took on challenging topics of gender fluidity and binary wrapping them up in delightful pop songs. While ‘Keep In Touch’ is possibly the most heartbreaking track from their beautiful 2018 LP ‘Could It Be Different?’, it is a cause of celebration as another fine Scottish band sails off into the sunset. It’s just a crying shame we’ll never get another chance to hear their love for Linda McCartney sausages or admire drummer Niall McCamley’s nipple tape again.

TOM WALSH

Gender Roles – ‘Bubble’

If you haven’t already listened to Gender Roles, stop what you’re doing and check them out. After releasing their debut album ‘Prang’ at the end of August – another contender for Album Of The Year – they’re a breath of fresh air. While they may carry that nostalgic grunge sound, they’re also incredibly nuanced in their use of modern lyrical themes. If there’s one track that really exemplifies Gender Roles, it has to be ‘Bubble’. Delicate melodies that expand into scuzzy rhythm sections and a chorus that’s dangerously hooky. So if you’re craving that meaty grunge sound laced with angst and subtle cynicism, stop what you’re doing and check them out.

ANDY JOICE

The pop-punk five-piece from the small hamlet of Mount Sinai, New York, start the album with ‘Wasted/Wake Me Up’ which was originally written and produced by Avicii as a classic club tune. Patent Pending have pop-punked it up and it is now almost rock-anthem worthy, dominated by guitars and a lot of overdubbed lyrics that create huge density. This is sure to be one of the most popular tracks on the album.

Frankie Valli’s classic ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ is globally recognised and Patent Pending have done a superb job transforming it into a pop-punk track. The chanting lyrics and distorted guitars, with a foot stomping yet brief breakdown towards the end, helps to create a vibrant version of the song.

The best track on the album is the ‘Shape of You’, a well-known and immensely popular track by Britain’s beloved Ed Sheeran. Patent Pending deliver a catchy, well re-arranged version of the song which considers the variation in density of instruments and use of rhythm.

Party punkers Patent Pending have approached all of these tracks in a fun, creative and light hearted way which delivers an array of cheesy, catchy covers that their current fans, and perhaps new fans, can enjoy.

EMMA GREVESON

It is taken from their forthcoming album, ‘Other People’s Greatest Hits’, which is released on May 26 via Rude Records, and available to pre-order now.

Take a listen to the cover below.

To coincide with the announcement, the band have also released a video for their new single, ‘Hurricanes’, which you can view below. It follows their 2016 debut EP ‘War’.

APRIL
17 BRISTOL Thekla*
18 GLASGOW King Tut’s*
19 NORWICH Waterfront*
20 MANCHESTER Academy 3*
21 LEEDS Key Club*
22 BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy 2*
23 NEWCASTLE O2 Academy 2^
25 SOUTHAMPTON Joiners^
26 SWANSEA The Scene^
27 NOTTINGHAM Rock City Basement^
28 LONDON O2 Academy Islington^

* w/ Eternal Boy
^ w/ Boy Jumps Ship

Things don’t start out too badly: opener ‘Another Day’, while miles from any accusations of innovation, manages to be an attempt at an epic pop-ballad while channeling the unlikely ghost of Blur’s lo-fi masterpiece ‘Tender’. But from there the album rapidly rolls backwards down a soporific hill of frat boy humour and music so offensively inoffensive as to make All Time Low sound like Killswitch Engage.

‘Riot Hearts Rebellion’ generally occupies the awkward middle ground between a rejected 5 Seconds of Summer B-Side and, thanks to Joe Ragosta’s voice, ‘Songs From An American Movie’-era Everclear. The album’s nadir comes exactly halfway through, with ‘NSFW (.)(.)’. A song that manages the impressive feat of being even more offensive and pathetic than the parenthetical tits in its title, ‘NSFW’ would elicit sighs of disappointment if it had been written by a group of primary school children. “’Cause news moves fast but your boobs move quicker”, sings Ragosta, while the decaying corpses of dead punk musicians rotate in their graves,”a picture of dat ass on the front page of Flickr”.

That it’s the product of a group of men in their 30s makes its unforgivably awful lyrics – veering between weird victim-blaming and tee-hee, aren’t-dicks-hilarious toilet humour – somehow even more grating. So much so that ‘Started In My Head’, which repurposes the timeless ‘HERE WE/HERE WE/HERE WE FUCKING GO’ football chant as a hook, actually comes as something of a relief. It’s still fucking dreadful, mind.

Pop music is fine. In fact it’s brilliant. When it’s good. And there’s nothing wrong with bands embracing its high camp – we love Panic!’s recent ‘Death Of A Bachelor’, and own at least one Taylor Swift t-shirt. No, Patent Pending’s crime is not ‘going soft’, ‘selling out’, or even trying to branch out into the ever-growing market of pop bands who utilise buzzing guitars to identify themselves with the punk rock scene. It’s writing terrible, terrible songs with a sensibility that belongs back in the less enlightened days of frosted tips and pre-UFO Tom Delonge. Although that’s arguably an insult to frosted tips, UFOs and Tom Delonge. Diabolically bad.

ROB BARBOUR

“This is my favorite Patent Pending album that we’ve ever made,” says vocalist Joe Ragosta. “I know I’ve said that about previous albums, but this one beats those because we’ve finally been able to achieve symmetry between the band we’ve been and the band that we want to be.”

“I think that after all of these years of pushing our sound in different directions and dabbling in every genre we’ve finally found the balance between rock, punk, pop and everything else that we’ve been striving for. The lyrics have more meaning, the the rhythms have more feeling and the choruses hit harder than they ever have for us. There are twelve eccentric yet related ideas here and I’m proud of every single one of them.”

“Riot Hearts Rebellion is the title because that song is our battle cry. It’s a story about struggle, individuality, hope and revolution. It’s about doing what we believe in and not backing down no matter what obstacles we face along the way. Here in Patent Pending we’ve never wanted to pretend to be something, musically or personally, that we’re not to try and fit in.”

“This refusal to conform to trends in any music genre whether it be pop-punk, rock, pop, hip-hop etc. has made us underdogs of the music business. Every time I read the title of this album it reminds me that we’re not scared to be the underdogs, we’re not worried about what other people are doing and we’re certainly not afraid of what they think of us. Riot Hearts Rebellion is a reminder that as long as we keep doing what we believe in the world will have no choice but to pay attention.”

Patent Pending are currently on the road with Zebrahead.

NOVEMBER
27 MANCHESTER Club Academy
28 LONDON Brooklyn Bowl
29 OXFORD Academy 2
30 PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms

DECEMBER
01 BRISTOL Marble Factory