Off to the NME/ Radio tent to kick off our third day at the Reading Festival, where we saw the Joy Formidable and they were indeed a formidable joy, if you’ve not heard them you really should check them out. After that it was back to the BBC Introducing Stage to see another band from Wakefield (remember the Penguins from yesterdays post?) These guys were called the Runaround Kids and I felt that they had a bit of the Undertones about them, the vocalist also has a similar style to Luke from Reading band Steal The Smile. Next up it was Local Natives from Los Angeles and this was their first Reading appearance. I am pretty damned sure that it won’t be the last for these purveyors of great summer pop harmonies. We trundled back to the BBC Introducing Stage again after that for another local band; the Peers. Very much a local band done good, they are a really tight band and seemed incredibly well rehearsed.Los Campesinos have as many personnel as Arcade Fire and are not dissimilar in sound, a very good band indeed.
After our earlier experience in the Comedy Tent (aka Alternative Stage) we returned to see two comics in a row. First up was Charlie Baker from Devon and bears a striking resemblance to Jack Black and he uses this as part of his act, genuinely a funny guy. Secondly we saw Robin Ince; a great ‘leftie’ comedian. We actually hit the comedy tent to get out of the rain, but in spite of that Baker and Ince were bloody hilarious.
The Festival Republic Stage was the next to be graced with our presence, we went there because neither Nick or I could be bothered with Limp Bizkit on the Main Stage. At this point let me tell you Nick’s Limp Bizkit joke; “Do you know that you can now put Viagra in your tea to stop your biscuit going limp?” Boom! Boom! Anyway back to the Festival Republic Stage, the band are from Philadelphia and are called Free Energy. Sadly it was a small crowd, but these guys could work a crowd of almost any size I reckon. The lead singer was very Jaggeresque and came across like Bobby Gillespie with more funk than Primal Scream. In a nutshell an archetypal classic rock band, truly fucking amazing.
Back to the Introducing Stage yet again for the Brilliant Things. The singer appeared to have dressed for the prom or was perhaps a fan of Stevie Nicks‘ (off of Fleetwood Mac) sartorial style. Thanks to Mr H for pointing out that latter suggestion. None of that was meant as negative though, the Brilliant Things are clearly a very good band. Kele off of Bloc Party was next in the NME/ Radio 1 Tent. Electro funk and dance styles really suit him, although I’m not sure the pyjamas did though. But nonetheless he played a storming set and worked his audience really well. Exit International were then on the Introducing Stage. They played screaming hard rock with perhaps too much emphasis on the screaming. It makes you wonder though exactly how the fuck three people can make such noise.
Weezer would easily win the best crowd interaction and comedy awards for the festival if such awards exist. The singer wore a cat hat given to him by someone in the crowd for most of their set. His energy was truly phenomenal and he even found time to fall in the mud while dressed as Lady Gaga. That was during their excellent MGMT cover which had a touch of Gaga thrown in. I am looking forward to seeing them again someday too. Paramore were next, they were very good and had a strong fan base in the crowd. Personally I thought they would have fitted better if they had been on before Weezer. Hayley’s voice was a little too low in the mix for the first couple of songs. The crowd really loved them.
Finally it was time for the last headline band of this years festival and most of us in the crowd had been in position since just before Weezer’s set, those at the front had been there even longer. Yes the stage was set for the return of Blink 182. I had never seen them live before, although I had seen Mark Hoppus with +44 (Travis had a broken arm that tour so didn’t appear, I never had the chance to see Tom Delonge’s Angels And Airwaves. But however good these Blink offshoots were they were surely nowhere near as good as the sum of the original parts. Their stage set, including some strange rabbit animations and a brilliant light show was excellent, but it was the power and camaraderie of the band that really shone through. They played a blistering set, just allowing a few moments of quite amusing toilet humour style banter between songs, including a great dig at Jedward. the crowd were really fired up and everyone I spoke to really loved it.
What a great close to a great festival. although when I first saw the line up back in March I thought I’d be disappointed, I even thought this might be my last Reading. Well I wasn’t and it won’t be! Roll on Reading 2011. Who will the headliners be? I don’t know but my guess at the moment is that it could be Linkin Park and maybe Green Day. I’d be happy with either of those. Who would you like to see there next year?
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 
Lady Gaga with either of those two matey!!
Also how about along the lines of this years three headers ie 1. of the past (GnR), 2. kind of big and back (B182) & 3. of the present (AF) in which case, dreaming, Id go for:
1. Talking heads
2. Stereophonics
& 3. Them crooked vultures
To be honest we’d need a bunch of youngsters but them you’ve suggested that which is cool with me!
…would want a good dose lower down including MGMT, Free Energy, Villagers, Marina and the diamonds, I blame coco, Delphic, Streets, Eagles of death metal, etc etc etc I want them all!!
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[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bill Adamson, nick_horslen. nick_horslen said: Reading Festival 2010 – Day 3, Sunday 29th August: http://t.co/sTefvLV […]
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FROM THIS:
TO THIS:
TO Reading2010 equivalent of “wally” from knebworth in the 70’s and 80’s!
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Hey man just throurgt i’d clear a few things up about the “kind” words review of my band Nicotine you did a few months ago.
Firstly just like to say this is actualy a pretty cool blog, realy licked you Reading Festival review. I was there and apart from Weezer(yeah i agree fucking awsome dude) and GNR(agree with you also with them) seem to have seen almost opsite bands.
Secondly sorry if my responce to the review seemed a liitle aggresive. The review it self was actauly pretty funny and every one in the band had a good chucle, dude if your going to play infront of poeple you can never afford to take your self 2 serously, and if it helps in a review on Josaka at a gig we did @ the butler a few weeks latter the good mr brodie did say we were one of the best bands in the Reading so you got to take the good with the bad some gigs we had to run out of fire exits @ the end others some people some how liked us or found us funny or were just to polite to say you were shit, whatever we all off to uni now and spliiting the band so who cares.
The thing we didnt like was the sneaky thing of going going on the myspace of all the other bands who played (except us) telling them of the review but forgetting to put a link on are site , but we did put a link to your review on our myspace to compensate. Then the that band the Fortunate left comment on your Myspace that read “and Nicotine? too true haha” That all seemed a bit sneaky and nasty for us :>(.
But any way thats all in the past Nicotine is no more. We just wanted to say no hard feelings. Wow is this your longest comment ever.
All the best the boys in Nicotine
P.s about what you said of the libertines doing it for money well “uh hum” to qoute your self bill on this one may i return to what you said about the troggs “So the writer wanted to make some dosh, fair play.”
P.P.S Please can you check out the bands, Pissed Jeans and Flipper out .
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Without a doubt this is now the longest comment in my blog’s short history. (Probably my longest reply too) Weezer were fucking ace, I miised plenty of bands I wanted to see though. Who was your favourite of the weekend?
I’m glad you picked up some good reviews too, it makes me feel less bad. As for sneakily not posting a link to your MySpace page, humble apologies, but I couldn’t find it!
Good luck at Uni guys, whereabouts are you going and what will you be studying in between going to pubs, gigs and parties and stuff?
Maybe I didn’t rate your FaceBar show, but I have to rate your sense of humour…..top blokes! So I guess I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a second opinion.
Good return on the Libertines, however, what annoyed ne was all the scmaltz and press that they were doing it for love and the fans, in my opinion they were doing it for the money, I just felt they ought to have been more honest about that
Pissed Jeans and Flipper sound bloody good, I may just have to include them in a future post. btw I really appreciate the kind words about the blog
Cheers guys
Bill
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Favorite band of the weekend was probbaly Weezer, also realy enjoyed Cancer Bats, The Rats (thats was realy Gallows)Pulled Apart By Horses and Atri Teenage Riot, Limp Bizkit took me back to good times as well and good to finally get high to Cypress Hill in a live venue..should i say that here.
As for the Libertines, dont realy like them and saw Crystal Castle’s instead.
As for Uni half of too Southampton one to Warwick and the other doing something in Germany, obvously we’ll take time too read your blog though inbetween all the lectures, piss ups ect.
All the Best and keep blogging
The guys who were Nicotine…….well realy in this case just Rob, but every one else says hi.
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well done guys, keep him honest, he is after all justwilliam!!!
Keep that creativity going ………… forever and ever and ever………
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Mr H, do I really need to be kept honest? I may be justwilliam, but that isn’t Billy Liar is it? 😉
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Rob and the boys formerly known as Nicotine, sorry for the tardy reply but I was lazing on a Spanish beach for a couple of weeks. It seems that many people agree on Weezer being excellent. Pulled Apart By Horses were very good. I love the Cancer Bats and I was disappointed not to see them. I hear that Frank was up to his usual high standards during the Rats set too
Anyway good luck with the piss-ups, women, gigs, student parties and stuff, oh and the Uni stuff too!
Cheers
Bill
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