Reading Festival Day 1

First band on the bill for myself were Creeper [8] that day. Even though getting let into the festival area took a bit longer than expected, I arrived just in time for the end of the first song. The energy within the rather big gathering under the tent of the Pit stage is intoxicating as the band belted out another one of their songs to the hungry mass. Considering that this bunch of musicians from Southampton haven’t been on the radar for too long, the amount of people passionately yelling their lyrics back at them covered in Creeper merch is quite astounding. One word from the singer and the crowd obeys. Circle pits, mosh pits, jumping, crowd-surfing, people on other people’s shoulders. Anything suggested is getting transferred to actions with the blink of an eye. This band is destined to grow exponentially bigger as they progress in the future.

Next on the bill are Lower Than Atlantis [5] set to play on the main stage of Reading. While the gathering in front of the stage is quite big, there isn’t too much movement noticeable in it. To be fair, I’m personally not surprised to see that. Song after song, there’s hardly any change in rhythm and energy. You nod your head along to it and don’t stop till they finish their set, all kept at the same pace.

Much different to that is the next artistic performance on the same stage since the maniacs of Die Antwoord [6] make it their duty to get the crowd up and going again. Even though they’re certainly entertaining, visually and musically, the setting of them playing a set in the bright sun on a Friday afternoon is rather unfitting. If the same show had taken place on one of the tent stages as a closer, it certainly would’ve had a bigger effect and been a better representation of their full potential. Die Antwoord aren’t for everyone, but with a different setting, I’m sure a lot more would’ve enjoyed and engaged in their performance.

Over at the NME / Radio 1 stage, the crowd is already a wild mixture of people trying to see the current artist performing on stage and gatherings of hardcore fans waiting for their favorite band to come on. More particularly, Twenty One Pilots. But more to that later.

Giggs [6] just finishes up his set as I enter the tent and make my way through the dancing and bouncing mass to the front. The energy in there is electrifying and intoxicating to make you join in even though you usually don’t particularly enjoy that kind of music. Kudos for that.

Next up are The Internet [2] who manage to drown all of that previous energy down to Ground Zero. The only person on stage to even do anything close to performing is the guy on the keys who does his best to dance and motivate others to do the same. Not only is the singer’s voice extremely quiet and tedious but combined with the motionless rest of the band and slow rhythms, it’s a pure mood killer.

As The Neighbourhood [9] take the stage, it all gets turned upside down rather quickly again. Considering their music isn’t particularly fast-paced either, they still manage to get the crowd moving again, swaying from side to side. Most credits for that are due to Jesse Rutherford (vocalist) who not only already partially amazes the audience by entering the stage in nothing but high-waisted hot pants, but also by his general attitude of not being afraid of anything and presenting himself with enough charisma to fill the whole stage with it. Their tunes set you to feel like you’re strolling down a beach promenade somewhere on the coast of California. Luckily for them, the temperature that day actually adds up to that, neglecting the cliché of the usual muddy UK festivals.

Preset to be shocked by Crystal Castles [8] are the girls who are doing their everything to defend their place in the crowd for any latter bands. The band is faced with girls booing, screaming for them to stop and yelling disgusting commentary at the singer as she descends to the front of the barrier. Clearly, she isn’t bothered by that in any way, probably not even hearing most of it. None the less, it certainly dulls the experience of this band for others in attendance. Still, Crystal Castles reignite the room with hectic strobe lights, screaming and spastic movements fitting their equally messed up music. Again, as with Die Antwoord, a different placement on the timetable and stage might have given them a better atmosphere to perform in and improved the way they were to be received by the crowd and appropriately appreciated as they deserve to be.

During changeover, dozens of girls are getting lifted over the barrier. Crying, screaming, shaking … most of them are having panic attacks and are getting carried off to the paramedics by security, some instantly faint in their arms. The hysteria is unbelievable. Every five minutes, a big push waves through the rows up to the front caused by people outside the tent trying to mingle their way in. More people fall over, get trampled on and have to get carried out of the venue. A setting like this makes you assume the worst for the upcoming performance.

Twenty One Pilots [8] enter the stage and the screaming in this tent threatens to make your ears bleed within the next couple of minutes. The band performs as flawlessly as usual though. Every song in the set smoothly proceeds into the next one. Josh Dun (drummer) rises above everyone as he steps onto a platform held by the crowd to play on their heads. One of many highlights this band has put into their set. To properly judge their performance, you have to consider that there are only two guys in this band who are putting on this masterpiece of a show. It goes without saying that there are dozens of workers behind the scenes to make all this possible but the duo certainly manages to entertain more than a big number of five-piece bands.

Any pause between songs is still filled with continuous screaming and chants. One chant in particular is carried out across the whole festival that quickly manages to do nothing but annoy every fiber of your being: ‘Whoop there it is!’ It’s like Seven Nation Army all over again.

Back to the gig, it all progresses as per usual until Tyler Joseph walks up to the barrier to crowdsurf his way through to a pole in the crowd to climb onto. This is a rather regular part of TOP’s show though, most of the time, Joseph usually simply appears on any kind of high point of a venue instead of making his way there visibly through the crowd. But the second he enters the thirsty hands of the audience, the poor guy drowns in it. People rip his shirt multiple times, pull off his mask, push him down in between all of them, giving him a hard time to get back up for air. Once he finally reaches his destination he stares over to Dun on stage and speaks into the mic: “We gotta be done, Josh … we gotta be done.” And with this, ends their performance early, cutting off their infamous finish. I wasn’t surprised at all to say the least, personally wouldn’t have done it differently. To not be treated like an actual human being with feelings and the ability to feel pain is something no one should have to go through, especially to receive such rough handling from a crowd of people who are supposed to be your fans, friends and admirer. 

I’ve seen comments online trying to justify behavior like this by stating that ‘[…] this is just what the Reading crowd is like! We’re not like the States. We’re not constantly on our phones. We’re rowdy and passionate! He should’ve expected nothing less when giving something like that a try.’ First of all, rude. Secondly, I’ve been to festivals and gigs all over the world, from Australia to the US to the UK to Europe … genuinely almost everywhere. The UK isn’t any better than the US when it comes to phones. 80% of the people around continuously filmed everything, took endless pictures of the same thing, tweeted about the gig rather than look at it. Plus, no matter how ‘passionate’ you think you are, to behave like this is nothing but disrespectful and disgusting and has nothing to do with anything stated. Unbelievable.

During the last changeover, the tent almost empties and dozens of girls have to get carried outside again by security as they simply start to faint all over the venue.

Not any less pushy and hysteric is the crowd for the upcoming Jack Ü [9] though. While the audience is mostly males at this point, they are all equally ecstatic and mental. The duo gig by Diplo and Skrillex is a unity of menace, hypnotic screens, blasting bass and rhythmic overflows. As the gig processes, the crowd gets rowdier and soon crosses over into violence.

Even though the two guys up on the stage, hiding behind their DJ counters, don’t particularly perform as much as the previous bands, they surely know how to properly get a crowd going. Both dive to the front of the stage occasionally, hype the audience, motivate them to escalate further and the audience follow any requests the artists yell at them. One hour later, the show is finished … every piece of clothing in the ‘room’ is dripping with sweat … everyone is trying to catch their breath … the majority of them all leave with a huge grin on their lips verifying the fact that Jack Ü delivered a show worth of a closer set.