SATURDAY at Reading Festival saw something of an about-turn on the previous day, as pink Stetsons and cowboy boots were swapped for black jeans and battle jackets in anticipation of a robust bill of rock offerings.
The day kicked off in ebullient and irreverent style with Lambrini Girls barrelling out of the gate on the Main Stage, bringing angst and attitude on top of sublime punk rock.
It’s no surprise that Lambrini Girls have graduated so quickly to the primary stage at the festival.
Not only because their debut album released earlier this year to a clamour of critical acclaim and immediately charting, but also because their first appearance at the festival just last year pulled no punches.
Meanwhile over at the Chevron Stage, Issey Cross brought consummate drum and bass to the Chevron Stage in a set full of undeniable dance anthems.
Over on Festival Republic, Mouth Culture held up the day’s rock focus, kicking into high gear within seconds of taking to the stage.
They dropped instantly into a blistering performance of Regret 101, followed breathlessly by Sharkbait and No Shame.
During their set, frontman Jack Voss said that playing the festival had “been a dream of [theirs] since they were younger– it’s a pleasure to be here.”
Catch our full interview with Mouth Culture
Back on the Main Stage, Good Neighbours brought sunny, anthemic rock, packed to the rafters with magnetic hooks and shimmering, surf-infused guitars.
With their next album on the horizon, Good Neighbours looked extremely assured–comfortable, even–on the biggest stage at the festival.
Kicking things off with choice cuts from their impending album, the band returned to more familiar footing with the likes of Ripple.
Halfway through the song, the whole band stopped the set dead and dropped to the floor, before flying back to their feet and instantly resuming, with redoubled energy as they drifted into one of their latest tracks, Suburbs.
Then they broke into a string of fan favourites, including Home, which proved itself to be the ideal Saturday afternoon anthem, and closed out with one of their earliest hits–though still only released last year–Daisies.
Hot on their heels were Royel Otis, who hail from Australia and made a deliciously understated entrance with a graphic which simply read ‘this is royel otis live at reading festival’.
Despite the modest announcement of their attendance, they set about their performance with unfettered, summery joy, laden with hooky riffs and sing-along anthems.
Proceedings began with Going Kokomo, followed by last year’s Heading For The Door and the infectious lead track from their debut album, Kool Aid.
Halfway through the set however, Royel Otis sprang the first major surprise of the day– as the closing bars of Sofa King rang out, the band introduced a special guest: Sophie Ellis Bextor.
Ellis-Bextor joined them for a cover of Murder on the Dancefloor– the band’s Triple J cover of which sent them global last year.
Meanwhile the Chevron stage had been adorned with classical Regency statues and concrete work, as well as chandeliers and the overhead array of lights twinkling– all to herald the arrival of Pale Waves.
The band’s lead, Heather Baron Gracie, appeared in a resplendent leopard print knee-length coat and black boots, weilding a jet-black micro guitar.
After some of the band’s most celebrated hits, including Eighteen and There’s a Honey, the band saw every single person in a packed-out tent singing along with a cover of Zombie, dedicated to the late Dolores O’Riordan.
Pale Waves have long since established themselves as a top-tier booking, but their set showed that none of the shine has been taken off of them in recent years–if anything they’ve continued to cement their status as transcendent purveyors of power pop.
They were followed by Bakar, whose casual, comfortable stage presence belied a well-earned confidence.
After an understated but assured rendition of 1st Time, Bakar broke into I’m Done and Right Here, For Now, and latterly the more introspective Something I Said.
During his set, he joined many of the days artists in expressing their love for the festival: “[it] means a lot to me– it’s my favourite here in the UK.”
Wunderhorse crashed onto the Chevron stage in a flurry of distortion and cheers, as yet another spanner in the works for those who say that the festival has neglected its rock roots.
The band stood out as a consummate rock offering in a day filled to the brim of acts who hark back to the festival’s favoured genre of yesteryear.
Songs like Midas, Butterflies, and Leader of the Pack were performed with acute aplomb, full to the brim of the band’s signature mixture of oblique poetry and disarming frankness.
The vocal performance from frontman Jacob Slater was beyond impressive, at times veering into animalistic cries at once shocking and energising, and complemented the shout-along songs reminiscent of Biffy Clyro or Foals at their best–and darkest.
Meanwhile the highlight of the offerings over on the BBC Introducing stage was Nxdia, who fuses English and Arabic after having moved from Egypt at the age of 8.
The set was yet another continuation of the day’s theme with accomplished, confident rock, layered with riffs and attitude in equal measure–all delivered with an ebullient, charming performance style.
They closed the set with an introspective, emotional closing song, brining a pitch-perfect set to an all-too-soon conclusion–there are very bright things ahead for Nxdia.
Barely five minutes later, Becky Hill appeared, flanked by cellos, violins, and backing vocalists, showered with the biggest cheer the Chevron Stage had seen all day.
She broke immediately into True Colours, and as nightfall set in fully, the Chevron Stage showed that it is among the best additions to the festival in recent years, with the visuals provided by the sky net bringing an extra edge to sets like Hill’s.
There’s a reason Becky Hill is one of the biggest dance artists of her generation, and a perfect foil for Limp Bizkit over on the main stage – splitting the festival into two distinct camps.
Hill is at the top of her game and shows no signs of slowing.
Explosive hits like Afterglow, Gecko (Overdrive), and Lose Control served only as evidence of how influential Hill has been in the dance scene for well over a decade.
They also proved beyond all doubt that Reading Festival can be a crucible for imperative dance royalty as well as the home of immaculate rock.
Finally, Bring Me The Horizon took to the Main Stage amid fireworks and flames, wasting no time in proving their status as one of the most celebrated names in metal.
Among a set full of fan-favourites, a surprising cover of Wonderwall was included–undoubtedly a nod to Oasis’ current run of reunion shows–and all hell broke loose as the band brought the Main Stage, and the day as a whole, to an incendiary close.
