Festival Review: Reading Festival 2024
Torrential downpours weren’t enough to dampen the mood of Reading Festival. Thousands faithfully gathered at the iconic festival site to enjoy some of the hottest acts in music today. Their commitment to the cause was rewarded by some mind-blowing sets from artists of all genres.
The quality of Reading Festival as an entirety can be evidenced by festival goers’ relentless desire to make their stay as extensive as possible, with many of the attendees descending upon Little John’s Farm on Wednesday. Their wait for full days of music would be filled with drinks (which flowed throughout the weekend) and silent disco sets which were levelled up this year by the brand-new Chevron stage.
When Friday rolled around, those who had made their way to Reading were ready.
Each day of the festival this year was jam packed with talented musicians from all genres. Friday was a real statement of a day, with Reading starting as it meant to go on.
Kicking off the day was the brilliant CARSICK. Their set on the BBC Introducing stage acted as the day’s very own espresso shot. If festival goers were tired or feeling the effects of the nights prior, they were properly woken up by the group who blitzed their way through a high-energy set that had it all.
With the bass player sporting a Reading FC shirt, and the frontman taking to the crowd to join a mosh pit, CARSICK certainly got the people on side. They blew the doors to the festival right off its hinges.
Friday was home to some high-octane sets. Some of the festival’s most energetic performances were rocked throughout the day. One outfit who were right up there with the most energetic (and chaotic) performances of the day was Irish bilingual hip hop trio- Kneecap- who made the Main Stage at Reading their own during their time up there. The group may have been something of an unknown entity to some of the audience, but by the end of the set, they were a hit.
Blending languages in rap flows over hip-hop beats, Kneecap dismantled barriers between genres while telling everyone exactly how they felt in their time at Reading.
One track that they performed went down extremely well. ‘H.O.O.D’ had the Reading crowd throwing themselves around in mosh pits.
With that, the day was in motion, and there would be no slowing down.
The K’s were next up on the main stage. The Earlestown group have seen their popularity sky rocket in the last year, with the release of their debut album playing a huge role in this. Not only have they mustered up an album of incredible quality, the group are a force to be reckoned with when performing live, with their shows catching attention from all angles.
I was lucky enough to chat to frontman Jamie Boyle and lead guitarist Ryan Breslin ahead of their set. The lads seemed to be relishing the day, which was evident as soon as they took to the stage.
Throughout my chat with the band it was evident that they loved R&L, with Breslin explaining that Leeds was his first festival, going on to recount being sixteen and standing there thinking “I’ll play that fucker one day.”
The band should be abundantly proud of themselves, as the Reading crowd belted out every song. Not only did The K’s play Reading, they smashed Reading and left their mark. All those in attendance were right where the band wanted them for the duration of the set.
Their growth as a band has been clear to see. From opening the main stage in 2022 to being a well-known group playing a later slot on a star-studded schedule this time round, it’s great to see their progress.
Jamie Boyle said: “This is the first time where we feel like it’s really going quite big. Everywhere we play the crowds are really big and people are going because they know the songs.”
It must have been yet another moment of realisation of just how far The K’s have come as they played huge hits like ‘Sarajevo’ which saw many of the crowd up on shoulders, some even with flares, all belting out every word.
Fans will hope to hear a follow up to their huge debut album as soon as possible. Knowing how eager the people are to hear more from The K’s, I asked the group what we may expect from them after Reading and Leeds. They hinted that they would be busy in the studio later in the year, which is sure to please their faithful fans…
The K’s made sure that the Friday fun kept flowing in sufficient quantities, with a healthy dose of huge tracks.
Following them was Neck Deep who stunned the crowd with their first of two sets of the day, where they showcased some of their most popular music, as well as some of their lesser known material, which was gratefully received by their loyal fanbase.
Reading and Leeds royalty also took to the main stage on Friday. Two Door Cinema Club delivered precisely what they always do at festivals: huge summer anthems that send crowds wild. This year was no different. Their ridiculously stacked back catalogue of music was unleashed, with the usual suspects proving to be as popular as ever.
One which down an absolute treat was ‘I Can Talk’, which the band belted out as the crowd bounced in unison.
Things went up a notch for the final two acts of the evening.
The lights went down, the sun began to set, and Gerry Cinnamon emerged.
His presence has become formidable, just he and his trusty guitar. It took just seconds for the Scotsman to send Reading to Discoland.
Every song was expertly executed as Cinnamon gave a lesson in the art of solo performing. His loop and drum pedals conjured up a sound that was infectious.
There was room for new music in his set, and the Reading crowd were able to sing along as the lyrics were displayed on the screens. It proved to be a great touch, as the crowd immediately engaged with the brand-new material.
With Gerry Cinnamon, you know how it’s likely to end… with a huge party. He worked the crowd and had the place in a frenzy as he dished out all the fan favourites.
All too soon, his time at Reading was over. Those in attendance will hope that his return is prompt.
All eyes were now on the mega stars that are Blink 182.
A band that needs no introduction, it’s fair to say that it was somewhat surreal to see the group live in the flesh.
They were everything that the Reading crowd wanted and more. They delivered all the hits in emphatic style, at the same relentless pace they always have.
Mark Hoppus was his usual self, a true showman. He took to the mic to express his appreciation for the bands who had played the main stage before Blink 182, and the crowd shared the love.
Their set ended in spectacular fashion, with the crowd taking vocal control as they belted out the words of ‘ONE MORE TIME’.
Blink 182 demonstrated just why they are the stars that they are. The crowd lapped up every single second.
With that, Friday came to a close.
The phrase ‘No rest for the wicked’ comes to mind when I think of festivals. Reading was in for another action-packed day on Saturday.
Kicking things off for me was Dead Pony, who took to the Festival Republic stage.
I was lucky enough to speak to lead singer Anna Shields and guitarist Blair Crichton after their set to get their thoughts on their time at Reading.
Shields explained that this had been the band’s first appearance at the festival, and that they weren’t sure if there would be ten people in attendance or one hundred, to which Crichton added that “there was actually a hundred thousand.”
Although that exact number may possibly be a little off, it is true that thousands flocked to see the group, whose popularity continues to rise with every release that comes from them.
Their set was brimming with energy, and full of talent. They operate as such a tight unit on stage, ripping their way through huge rock-numbers that are transcended by the powerful vocals of Shields.
For those who missed the set, I felt it apt to ask the pair what they felt people had missed out on.
Their replies were brilliant, with Crichton simply saying: “you missed out on the best band of the weekend”, before Shields added that those who missed their set missed out on Derek, their inflatable horse- Derek the Dead Pony.
It may have been their first outing at Reading, but all those who caught Dead Pony will be hoping they return at the earliest opportunity! During our conversation, the band teased that: “There might be stuff sooner than you imagine”, which will be news that’s received extremely well by so many… Their ability and charisma on stage left the crowd begging for more.
The Reading lineup showed no signs of slowing down after this, either… It was time for The Last Dinner Party.
The group proved just why they are one of the hottest prospects of the moment. Their set showcased their undeniable musical talents. Their originality shone as they made the Main Stage their own. They showed off some of the tracks which have truly defined 2024, such as the iconic ‘Nothing Matters’ which- as expected- had the crowd singing in unison.
The Last Dinner Party stunned Reading, and it seems certain that they’ll be making their way up the ladder at festivals next year…
More of the hottest bands of 2024 took to the stage on the same day, with Fontaines D.C. and Wunderhorse performing back to back. The Dublin group made their presence known on the main stage as they worked their way through a setlist oozing with class, with songs from their freshly released album ‘Romance’ as well as some of their big hitters.
Of the new work, the title track was particularly striking. The group came out playing this one, and it certainly let Reading know they were there. Big, thunderous moments mixed in with solitary vocals stopped Reading in its tracks.
Wunderhorse were equally as powerful. Jacob Slater and co. may just be the most talked about band this year, and for good reason. Their Reading set was electric, with the tent that held the Radio 1 stage being packed to capacity. They showcased some material from their upcoming album ‘Midas’, which so many of the audience knew already from live videos which have come from the band’s relentless touring.
The evening’s entertainment came courtesy of Lana Del Rey, who wowed the crowd with her sing-along hits that she seems to possess an abundance of. Reading became fixated with the outrageously talented singer and every audience member belted out every single word of every single song.
‘Summertime Sadness’ was perhaps the pick of the bunch, this one was enough to give you goose bumps, with Lana Del Rey acknowledging the crowd’s roaring voice as she looked to them and smiled.
Lana Del Rey was the ultimate act.
The downside of Saturday was that there were just too many incredible acts to see them all, meaning many festival goers were torn between Fred Again and The Wombats.
For me, it had to be The Wombats. I caught up with the group before their set, and they were delighted to be back at a festival they’ve performed at a number of times.
Being their first show in ten months, The Wombats seemed eager to make their appearance, this became evident as they took to the stage full of charisma.
They belted out some classics early on, including ‘Moving To New York’, ‘Techno Fan’ and ‘Lemon To A Knife Fight’.
The band’s professionalism was undeniable as they smashed their headline slot on the BBC Radio 1 Stage. It was evident that they knew exactly what Reading Festival meant to those who had come to see them. Drummer Daniel Haggis explained to me that Leeds had been his first festival, saying: “It’s a right of passage for so many people”, before recounting his experience where he piled tins of beans into his luggage for the weekend. It’s safe to say The Wombats get it.
Their love of the festival was evident as they smashed their way through hit after hit. As was the case with Gerry Cinnamon, The Wombats showed off some new material, which bassist Tord Overland Knusden had made me aware of ahead of their set. The new track was incredible, and kept the momentum of the show going, and even generated additional excitement, with those in attendance realising that more material may be headed their way in the months to come…
The Wombats remain one of the great bands on the scene, their performance at Reading was undeniably one of the best if the entire weekend. It had all you could wish for: trumpet playing wombats, dancing wombats… and three uber-cool wombats gifting the crowd exactly what they wanted: a set list full of hits.
In a flash, Saturday had come to a close and we were all set up for the final day of Reading.
First up on Sunday, for me, was Corella. Their luck with the weather in Leeds wasn’t ideal, and it was a great shame to see them miss out on their headline slot. They certainly are a group who deserve the big slots at festivals, so the fact that they had were still able to take on Reading was perfect.
They gave it everything, and it was clear that the huge slot meant the world to them. The crowd lapped up the set, so much so that it feels obvious that Corella will progress sup the bill as the years go by.
Despite being the final day of fun, Sunday was packed with quality sets. Some of the best moments of the day came courtesy of Destroy Boys, whose electric set was truly memorable.
Michael Aldag, on the BBC Introducing stage, was also brilliant, with catchy tracks that impressed the large crowd that gathered to see the charismatic singer.
Sunday evening was, quite simply, perfect.
Catfish And The Bottlemen weren’t phased by their technical difficulties, with Van McCann using the crowd to his advantage as he acted as a conductor to get everyone singing through the technical faults.
The team on stage did well to get things on track, though, and the band smashed their set, with their monster setlist being lapped up by the audience.
The new band members weren’t out of place in the slightest. In fact, the group’s current guitarist seemed to be revelling in the moment as he smashed out several huge solos.
The usual big hitters were performed by McCann and co. Perhaps the pick of the bunch, though, was ‘Fallout’. This one saw the entire crowd bouncing as the band expertly executed the track.
The brilliance of the Bottlemen is that they are a real unique presence at live shows. Their ability and chemistry on stage is evident and was proved by their set at Reading.
Capping off a breath-taking weekend was Liam Gallagher, performing the iconic album, ‘Definitely Maybe’ (as well as some B-sides) in full.
This was a true spectacle and was the ultimate way to close out the weekend.
Coming out with that vintage Gallagher swagger, Liam and his band kicked straight into ‘Rock ‘N’Roll Star’.
It must be said, the ‘former’ Oasis frontman is one of the best to ever do it. He and his band gave a lesson in the art of headline shows as they rolled the years back to 1994 to deliver a set that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
The set was packed full of the very best tracks from the ‘Definitely Maybe’ era.
There were some gems within the set, such as ‘Fade Away’, which the crowd went crazy for. It felt as though Mr Gallagher really did want to treat the Reading crowd.
There were countless beautiful moments during the set, one which sticks out was the crowd’s reaction to ‘Live Forever’. Everyone in attendance gave it all they had as they bellowed every word.
The final treat of the set, the evening and the festival came when Liam Gallagher and his band left the stage after an epic rendition of ‘I Am The Walrus’.
The iconic Oasis logo emerged on the screens of Reading’s Main Stage, with the date ’28.08.2024’.
The excitement of Liam Gallagher’s set then continued long into the night as fans speculated about Liam reuniting with his brother Noel.
With that phenomenal set, and that teaser, the weekend was concluded.
Reading Festival has once again proved why it’s one of the leading weekends of music in the UK today. The entire weekend was full of excitement, and it showcased what festivals are all about: great music, great people and great times.
Words by Matthew Caslin
