Reading Festival 2011

First things first. Anyone else got the new interface for Blogger? I like it, very clean, might re-motivate to write again, let's hope so right?

I've decided not to write for anyone any more, because no one really reads this. Which I'm okay with, it doesn't bother me, every so often I say these things, and make random promises but I'm going to try and stick to it this time, (I've probably said that a couple times before too)

I just find Tumblr so much easier to use, and that is my scrapbook, this is more my deeper intrinsic introverted thoughts. But lets try and make this better. I doubt I'll ever give up on Blogger because it's always been there, for over a year now, nearly two in fact. I'll just take abbreviated sabbaticals every now and again.

 So... Reading Festival 2011. How was it? In one word? A-FUCKING-MAZING.

In one weekend I saw, (in order)-Pulled Apart by Horses

 Who were amazing, so much raw energy and sound so much like their CD live, they had limited crowd interaction and fancy shit like lighting, but for 12pm on the first day, their pure raw power and technical ability made them amazing to watch. 8/10

-Architects

Now these were a band I was really looking forward to, they were playing in the rain on mainstage unlike PABH who were on the second stage in a tent. I was quite disappointed actually, they sounded lacklustre apart from Sam Carter the lead singer, who doesn't sound brilliant live, but has immense energy. Played a good set though. 6/10

-The Blackout 

I wasn't too bothered about seeing The Blackout because I like quite a few songs, but dislike quite a few. Sonically they sucked, the guitars had great tone, and THEY DIDNT EVEN PLAY A BACKING RAP OF HYRO DA HERO ON HIGHER AND HIGHER. again disappointed, but that might be due to the rain and Architects being before hand, still enjoyed a few songs, and it gave me a chance to have a well needed shit in a portaloo before NFG. 6/10

-New Found Glory

Now I heard quite a few people slate these guys afterwards, but I loved it, they truely showed 'Pop-Punk isn't dead' with their set, I don't know many NFG songs, but they played the ones I knew and got everyone to sing along to their cover of Kiss Me. The girl next to me was screaming her heart out which was quite funny, I like it, It worked on the mainstage, and cheered me up in the rain :P 7/10

-Bring Me The Horizon

I've heard so many people slate this band live, even my friend Max who I was with. I'm a closet BMTH fan, but their guitar work from Jona Weinhofen is brootal. The mosh-pits, walls of death were extreme, The heavens battered the fans, but we all got involved, Matt and Jona also crowd-surfed playing a breakdown, and Matt played from the Vodafone VIP tower and Jona from up the side of the stage IN BARE FEET. I was so pumped by the end, such a brilliant performance in shitty weather. And Oli's voice even held out for the old songs! 9/10

-Rise Against

I've heard so many good things about Rise Against live, and I was on such a buzz after BMTH I was almost positive it would be good. Rise Against's two latest albums haven't been brilliant but they have three more before that I thought they might play at least a few songs I love... They didn't. The only song I liked was Re-education through Labor and Prayer of the Refugee. They didn't play Hero of War, or even Give It All or any other old stuff. AND THEY SOUNDED BOLLOCKS. No one could hear Tim McIlrath's mic all set, chants were going around between every song 'Turn It up' to no avail. Worst band of the weekend. 5/10

-The Deftones

I was apprehensive watching the Deftones without Chi, because to me they're not complete without him. I missed the first song getting food, but THEY WERE THE LOUDEST band until this point, the sound rattled my ribcage from the other side of the field especially the riff from Diamond Eyes. Jesus. They were so good, so tidy, and just pure emotion poured into the set. Brilliant live band. 8/10
-The Offspring

Old school punk made me feel like I was 12 again, I was sitting quite far away but I still thoroughly enjoyed it, These dudes still know how to rock out in their mid 40s. 7/10

-30 Seconds to Mars
Subheadliners. Brilliant band, but a little bit of an ego trip by Jared Leto. Oh well! I still love them, and sung my heart out like my former emo self. He even got everyone of the 50,000+ strong crowd to sit down but I stood up to take photos of him ;) 8/10

-My Chemical Romance

Oh my, Let's start with, I used to love MCR. People say 'yeah I liked them before they were cool, yada yada yada, I got their first album when it came out, blah blah blah' Like some kind of achievement, but I actually did, and until Friday I was proud of that, and the fact I have every CD of theirs. Their music is brilliant, but I HATE THE 15 YEAR OLD FANGIRLS. So I didn't want to see them, it was a last minute decision, and one of the best ones I ever had, The best band I've seen live, I've seen Machine Head, Metallica, Linkin Park and others but MCR are (regretably :P ) the best band I've seen live. Every song was knocked out the park, I was singing along like my 12 year old former self, and dancing to Planetary, Go! and then the encore. What. An. Encore. BRIAN FUCKING MAY joins for We Will Rock You. Mary sweet mother of Jesus was it good, he also then played with Ray on the solos for Welcome To The Black Parade for the second Encore. Utter brilliance. 10/10

-The Pigeon Detectives
I dont like them, I putting that out there first, I HATE generic indie music. They perform well but meh. Not much more I can really say other than my friends were the reason I saw them. 5/10

-Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes
I didn't know who these lot were before this show. They were described to me as hippies, which I'm cool with, I love 60s culture. This band were fucking amazing, warming the heart so much that as soon as I got home I downloaded their album, and sung along as if I was there. Utterly brilliant, 9/10
-OFWGKTA

GOLF WANG! GOLF WANG! WHAT A SHOW. Tyler the creator coming out on a pink girl's bike. Mellowhype opening, Syd's DJ set. GAH. and to finish with Radicals. Kill People, Burn Shit, Fuck School. FUCKING AHMEHZING. 9/10

-Jimmy Eat World
I have like JEW for quite some time, but never really had much of an urge to see them live, because they're the sort of band I listen to when I'm on my own, and I imagine it as just them and me, I never cared about how popular they were or how their music was live. But it was good. Nothing amazing, but pleasant, I'd see them again for sure but probably at a smaller show. 7/10

-Bedouin Soundclash
I caught the tale-end of this set, It was still good, their music really transforms onto a bigger stage (3rd stage) of Reading. Everyone sung along to "When the night hears my song". It made me smile. 7/10

-Glassjaw
One of the main bands I wanted to see this weekend. Not many people know about GlassJAw anymore, they were around just as I joined secondary school, so anyone who is younger than me who claims they're a fan I personally meet with scepticism. The show had a good vibe, atmosphere. I was awe-struck finally seeing Daryl Palumbo live, baring in mind this band went into obscurity for the best past of 6 years. The set started with a few old classics, and then they played Coloring Book EP in order in it's entirety which threw most of the crowd. I half expected it, but wished they'd played some of Our Color Green EP, which they didn't. I am slightly disappointed I must say, but the vibe more than made up for it. The crunching guitars of Justin Beck against Daryl's brilliantly delivered vocals made me happy. And to finish with Ape Dos Mil. Parfait! 8/10

-Crystal Castles
I don't know how to describe this other than utterly Orgasmic. 9/10

-Rival Schools 7/10
-Taking Back Sunday 7/10
-Frank Turner
I rediscovered my love for Frank Turner after this set. It can be summed up with the chant "I will not sit down, I will not shut up, and most of all I will not grow up" which was sung with the crowd at the end of the set. Everyone was happy basking in the sun to Mr. Turner. 9/10

-The View  7/10

-Enter Shikari

Brutality at it's finest. I GOT ON TV FOR THIS BAND. 9/10

-Panic! at the Disco 8/10

-Death From Above 1979  8/10

-Elbow  7/10
-Muse

To round off the weekend, was a notoriously amazing live band. They played my favourite album of theirs (Origins of Symmetry) in order, and all of it! I was happy, they made the props to fit, and made a film playing in the back of the stage, It WAS BRILLIANT. I've become disillusioned with Muse after The Resistance sucking so bad but I was proper stoked with them live, only 1 band were better all weekend and that was MCR. 9/10

The plan was to review each band, but I figured three days after I started writing this I'd lost motivation to write much more and just wanted to post it. So here goes!
Sorry for the sudden ending!

Happy September! :D