Reading opened its gates on Wednesday for yet another year of fun, music and just a bit (a hell of a lot) more fun.
The festival’s general communal vibe is what truly made the beginning to what is most definitely going to be a fantastic weekend. Reading Festival’s green initiative is definitely worth mentioning; everyone at the festival is willing to dispose of their waste responsibly and because of this the festival was awarded a Three Star Industry Green rating (the highest possible) proving just how hassle-free the festival truly is.
Findlay was the first act of the day I managed to catch bringing her rock and roll assault with such charisma to the festival you know that she will play much bigger stages in years to come. Her soon-to-be released single ‘Greasy Love’ was so well received that you’d think the crowd had commonly blasted this through their iPod. Her last song in the set, ‘Off & On’, created a moshpit involving a man dressed as a hotdog. Yes, this is exactly why Reading Festival is a must-attend.
Lindsey and Julie of Deap Vally strut on stage with an incredible amount of dominance; they know they rock, it’s plain and simple. When powering through ‘Gonna Make My Own Money’, their fantastic feminist anthem, Lindsey clobbers over her drums like a beast in their habitat. She’s in control. That doesn’t detract in any way from the duo’s charm however. Fun, flirty and feminine, Deap Vally are anything but two boring Valley Girls.
FIDLAR then took the NME/Radio 1 stage to bring their reckless skate punk to the festival . Saying people got battered and bruised is an understatement. When their song ‘No Waves’ gets introduced as a song “about rehab because rehab sucks” the crowd are already chanting the infectious riff that echoes throughout the tune. Sure, the messages are questionable but do they put on a fun show? Oh yeah.
In Love, Peace’s stellar debut was received to critical acclaim but if you think it sounds good through your speakers, you have no idea what treat you have in store if you see them live. Ethereal yet all the while tightly played, the band seem to make the audience feel extraordinarily liberated while playing. A definite highlight has to be their majestic cover of 2013’s smash hit ‘White Noise’.
Frank Turner sadly had back problems and was introduced by his ever-so-polite mother who proclaimed she was worried about her son playing Reading yet acknowledged his stubborn nature. Playing with a sort of gusto that seems to have a kind nature underlying it, it’s safe to say Frank Turner could play a gig on his deathbed and people would still have an amazing time.
Clad in Pink and white, Kate Nash’s girl band brought her signature feminist-punk to the festival republic tent in an immense package containing cute, angry, ecstatic and everything in-between. The girl knows how to make everyone have a fun time even if it isn’t for a long time.
Major Lazer’s set is fast, furious and definitely loud. Every hook, every sample is shouted right back at him and nearly every person in the audience looks as if they would murder to be on stage twerking with him.
The Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky continued to prove just how eclectic the lineup is this year, bringing more urban flavour to the festival. The man knows how to command a crowd and get them moving their arms in all directions while he shouts about his life experiences.
As for headliners Green Day, what is there to say? It’s Green Day. They’re a cult classic for hundreds of thousands on the planet, a theme that runs throughout this festival’s lineup rather well. It becomes clear when they ask everyone to jump up and down as much as possible when they
play, they’re are more than enough people who would gladly do just that all night long.