Reading Festival 2008 - Friday
Not only did we never think we'd see them again, but it's actually better than we could have expected...
Despite worries of rain, Reading Festival 2008's first day is gorgeous. Anti-Flag are kicking things off on the main stage, but we're off to see the first of the multitude of Welsh bands invading the festival this weekend (we count at least eight). Future Of The Left (4/5) pulse out a corking set of songs from their excellent Curses album, plus new song 'VDFA'. Their original ideas and incendiary sounds are a little lost on most of the crowd, but win over new fans not only with the well-received blast of 'Adeadenemyalwayssmellsgood', and from bassist Kelson throwing free sweets into the crowd. Mmm, drumsticks.
Next, we visit the main stage for Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (2/5), who's songs are as warm as the afternoon sunshine, but are lost into the air on this huge stage - better suited to more intimate environs. Taking Back Sunday (3/5), however, are perfect for the main stage, their poppy emo-rock songs driving the girls wild and cheering everyone up by looking like the happiest band at the festival.
In the Lock Up tent, The Briggs (3/5) are whipping the men into a commendable circle pit around the central support strut with their fiery shout along anthems, but what happens next warms Rocklouder to its core. Not only does Frank Turner (5/5) turn in an excellent set, but the mass of people cramming into the tent for a chance to be a part of it is astonishing. You might not think mosh pits would happen in front of a man with an acoustic guitar labelled as a folk singer, but the sheer mass of people wanting to see him is the only thing stopping a huge dosey-doe-pogo punk-rock hoedown from breaking out. Turner beams from ear to ear, and rightfully so. After the closing 'Ballad Of Me And My Friends', it's clear that circle of friends is growing at a fantastic rate.
Back at the main stage, Serj Tankian(2/5) is already prancing about in top hat and tails like the living embodiment of eccentricity that he is, but with only one album behind him just doesn't yet have the songs to fill a set so far up the bill. Blending his track 'Money' with ABBA's 'Money Money Money' is a fantastic touch, but when a guest vocalist is reeled out, her good looks fail to compensate for her awful voice and the whole thing gets a little embarrassing. The schedulers should be embarrassed - ashamed, even - of placing Biffy Clyro (4/5) where they did. Who in their right mind thinks that they deserve to be below the likes of The Fratelli's and The Fucking Enemy? Our anger is soothed by the precision of one of the UK's finest live acts, their music the only thing on earth tighter than their trousers. Though there's too much from their most recent album, there's no denying the quality of each track, and they're one more killer album from deserving a headline slot at this festival. The following two bands are nowhere near that stage, so we decide festival food is less likely to induce vomiting than staying at the main stage.
We return in time for Queens Of The Stone Age (2/5), but their set is a little lacklustre; a treat for more dedicated fans, but not a fitting warm up for what's to follow. What follows is something we need to pinch ourselves to believe is really happening. We're actually seeing Rage Against The Machine (5/5). They had only three albums (plus covers album Renegades), yet every track - and we mean every track - hits like your all-time favourite. 'Testify', 'Know your Enemy', 'Bulls On Parade', they're all here. Opening in Guantanamo Bay costumes, they power through 'Bombtrack' blind and note perfect. Few frontmen can go on a lengthy political tirade and maintain the intensity of a live set, yet during an incendiary 'Wake Up', Zach De La Rocha has everyone in the palm of his hand, the voice of more than just a single generation. Rocklouder is left thinking what everyone around us is thinking; Not only did we never think we'd see them again, but it's actually better than we could have expected. Fans new and old cannot believe their luck. Neither can we.
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