Top 15 Favourite Reading Festival Performances

[Hart Attack]

Disclaimer: Long, subjective, unsolicited, unnecessary and probably poorly written.

Over the last six years, music festivals have been a huge part of my life. It all started at Reading 2008; my friends had been the previous year, but I chose not to go with them since I didn't really know what festivals were all about and wasn't familiar with many of the bands at the time. I ended up feeling a bit left out though, and decided I'd tag along next time to see what all the fuss was about.

Although I only knew a handful of songs and saw a total of just ten bands across the whole weekend, I ended up having the most amazing time, and the impact of the festival turned out to be life-changing. Having recently finished sixth form college and with all my friends imminently leaving for university, I was at the beginning of a new era in my life, one that would come to be defined by the plethora of festivals and gigs I've attended as a knock-on effect of my experience that weekend.

With the start of this year's festival less than a week away and the excitement starting to reach fever pitch, I've put together a list of my fifteen favourite performances and greatest memories from my time at Reading.

15. Anti-Flag (2008)

This was my introduction to Reading Festival; the first band on the first day of my first festival. I remember watching with curiosity from a distance and quickly becoming enthralled with the energy and passion shown by both the band and the crowd, along with simply the spectacle of a band playing on a massive stage towering over a huge field full of music fans. It's always an awe-inspiring sight, but witnessing it for the first time was particularly special.

14. Limp Bizkit (2010)

The reunion and fantastic performances at Download and Sonisphere in 2009 had revived my love for old favourites Limp Bizkit, so I was more than happy to see them again the following year at Reading – and they didn't disappoint, once again putting on a great show, bringing some much-needed heaviness to the day and drawing arguably the most enthusiastic crowd of the 2010 festival up to that point.

13. Paramore (2010)

This performance, while not the strongest I've seen from Paramore, came at a time when I was absolutely crazy about them. I still love them and consider them one of my all-time favourites, but back then I was in a 'honeymoon period' of sorts with them, and in full-on overexcited fanboy mode. As a result, this was perhaps the most excited I've ever been for any band's festival appearance and inevitably ended up having a brilliant time.

12. You Me At Six (2009)

While they've made several appearances on the festival main stage in recent years, my favourite You Me At Six show at Reading was in the second stage tent back in 2009. They weren't yet the arena-filling, chart-topping act they are today, but their hype and momentum was really starting to build off the back of an awesome debut album and it was clear they were well on their way towards mainstream success. There was a real sense of exhilaration and intrigue in watching a band right in the midst of breaking through, which created a great atmosphere for the set.

11. Billy Talent (2009)

After discovering them earlier in the year at Download, I was keen to see another high-octane performance from the Canadian punks. This time, however, rather than being out on a big, open-air main stage, they were headlining a packed-out Lock-Up tent. An intense and energetic set was made especially fun and memorable by a loud 'fuck the Kings Of Leon!' chant that was repeatedly yelled in unison by the crowd throughout as a show of support for Billy Talent over the main stage headliners of the evening.

10. Fall Out Boy (2013)

Shortly after an unremarkable appearance at Reading 2009 Fall Out Boy disappeared into an indefinite hiatus, and to be honest they needed it. The band looked and sounded tired and burnt-out, their career was seemingly on a downslide having peaked several years earlier, and their fans were slowly losing interest and in need of a break themselves. Four years later, however, the fire was reignited when the band announced their return along with news of festival shows and an upcoming album. The response was huge, and the success of new album Save Rock And Roll brought Fall Out Boy a new wave of relevance and credibility, proving them to be more than just a nostalgia act and firmly re-establishing them as major players in the contemporary rock scene. Their Reading 2013 performance was hotly anticipated and they delivered an excellent show, creating a fun party atmosphere with a seamless blend of old and new songs.

9. Thirty Seconds To Mars (2011)

Between some great showmanship from the band, the flashy stage set-up , the red-hot reception from the crowd and the general mood of the affair, this felt like a headlining show. There was a real 'big event' feeling and it was easy to forget that there was still another band to come afterwards. A stand-out moment I specifically recall is not just hearing but feeling the crowd around me singing along during Kings And Queens in a display of unity and passion.

8. Metallica (2008)

I'm always overwhelmed with the monumental sense of occasion Metallica bring. Their presence commands the respect and attention of fans and non-fans alike, dominating the spotlight wherever they play, and they never fail to deliver an outstanding performance. For me, they are the quintessential festival headline band. Reading 2008 was the first time I saw them live and even though I wasn't much of a fan at the time, it felt like a huge deal to me.

7. Weezer (2010)

Sometimes at festivals there'll be a band who you like to an extent but aren't overly excited about, who will then proceed to absolutely blow you away. Perhaps the greatest sleeper hit I've seen was Weezer in 2010, putting on a flawless display on the main stage on Sunday afternoon. I'd been looking forward to certain other bands that day so much that I'd completely overlooked them, but they swiftly grabbed my attention with an outstanding set.

6. Blink-182 (2010)

My favourite band ever headlining the final day of the 2010 festival was a dream scenario, and although they didn't sound quite as good as they could have, it was an amazing night nonetheless. With plenty of drinking and dancing while singing along with all their greatest hits, the massive party atmosphere made this a night to remember.

5. Rage Against The Machine (2008)

My first festival headliner experience, and still among my best. The buzz around the campsite for this show was insane; strangers greeted me with 'Happy Rage Day!' as I walked by, while others danced around singing Killing In The Name. Practically everyone I spoke to was hyped up and excited to see them, and I was easily caught up in the hysteria. The show itself was incredible, and marked the first time I really got into the thick of the crowd and jumped around with everyone else rather than just watching calmly from a distance.

4. Foo Fighters (2012)

An awesome show from one of the world's biggest and best rock bands was a sensational way to finish the 2012 festival, and the obvious significance and sentimentality of the show to the band, Dave Grohl in particular, made it feel that much more special. An unforgettable moment came after the end of Best Of You and the main part of the set, when the crowd continued to sing until the band returned to the stage for the encore.

3. Green Day (2012)

Rumours of the not-so-secret set spread like wildfire in the week leading up to the festival, but it wasn't until I was stood in the tent and seeing it with my own eyes that I really believed it. Even then it felt unreal. While secret sets at festivals aren't unheard of, a stadium-filling act making an unannounced appearance on the second stage at eleven in the morning is, as far as I know, completely unprecedented at Reading. The Saturday morning performance sparked a mass exodus from the campsite as fans flooded into the arena; I was fortunate enough to get in quickly and manoeuvre through to a great spot in the tent to witness the extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime event.

2. My Chemical Romance (2011)

This was a hugely controversial booking, with many questioning whether the band were really big enough to pull off a headlining slot; their latest album, while successful, hadn't quite reached the same heights as their previous effort, landmark emo classic The Black Parade, and to some it appeared that My Chemical Romance had already peaked. On top of this, they had been regarded with disdain by some people due to their perceived emo image. There was legitimate concern amongst fans that the performance would be a train wreck. Even throughout the Friday afternoon as bands hyped and gave shoutouts to the bigger acts that would follow, the name My Chemical Romance was met with a chorus of boos and jeers from segments of the crowd. Once the time arrived and the headliners hit the stage, however, the naysayers were instantly silenced and all doubt erased as the band put on a stunning display right from the start. The colourful, energetic performance was a show-stealing celebration of triumph and vindication, and reached full-blown epic status during the encore when the band were joined by iconic Queen guitarist Brian May for We Will Rock You and Welcome To The Black Parade. Truly a legendary moment in Reading Festival history.

1. Biffy Clyro (2013)

The pinnacle of being alive? Quite possibly. This show was pure quality from start to finish; the band themselves were visibly ecstatic and playing on top form, the crowd reaction was gargantuan and the atmosphere otherworldly. The very best part for me was Mountains; I even had shivers running down my spine and an overwhelming sense of euphoria wash over me as the fireworks started during the bridge. As close to perfect as it possibly could have been, this was everything you could want from a festival headline performance and more. A glorious, magical experience, and my absolute favourite at Reading Festival.

[ClemFandango97]

That's a great read man, hopefully in a few years time after a few more fests I'll be able to make one of my own lists like this and look back upon this years Reading fondly.

[Gnomicide]

I've not been for a while so in no particular order...

The Mission

The Pogues

Voice of the Beehive

Iggy Pop

Ramones

Quireboys

Faith No More

Half Man Half Biscuit

Inspiral Carpets

The Wonderstuff

John Otway

Bonnie Tyler

Buzzcocks

That's about it, rest of the time was spent in the pub or the bands got bottled off, so erm.....

The Pub

[Andre91]

The top four are leagues ahead of the rest of the list.

1. Weezer '10 (Hands down the greatest set I've ever seen, both at a festival and not. By an absolute mile)

2. Biffy Clyro '13

3. System Of A Down '13

4. Limp Bizkit '10

5. Kasabian '12

6. Hadouken '13

7. You Me At Six '10

8. Chase and Status '13

9. Foo Fighters '12

10. All Time Low '10

11. Bullet For My Valentine '12

12. While She Sleeps '13

13. The King Blues '10

14. Paramore '10

15. Bury Tomorrow '13

[Chavmeisterdeluxe]

Been going since 2002 so this is spanning quite a few festivals

1. Biffy (2013) - They're my favourite band so watching them headline a festival I've been going to since I was 15 was always going to be special but this was something else. I'd never been particularly blown away before by them live in the 30-odd times I've seen them. Always good, some times very but never as good as they were that night.

2. Weezer (2010) - Exactly what you want from a festival set. All the hits.

3. Foo Fighters (2012) - Again, like Biffy, never been particularly blown away live by them but this was a special performance

4. Muse (2002) - The thunderstorm during the set really fit well with the performance.

5. Kasabian (2005) - An unpopular choice (around here anyway) to see them over Pixies but I wasn't a fan of either and my mates wanted to see Kasabian. Was a brilliant performance.

6. Deaf Havana (2013) - Chuffed to see a band get the reactions they deserve.

7. Don Broco (2012) - Always great fun live, this set in the Festival Republic stage was my first time seeing them though so sticks out a lot more.

8. LostProphets (2009) - It was a great performance by an utter fucking scum bag.

9. Young Guns (2010) - Great opener for the festival. Glad to see so many people turn up.

10. The Hives (2012) - First real experience of being down the front at Reading. My poor knees.

[Babyquack]

Firstly, I loved reading your OP Hart Attack, some great memories there clearly!

Mine would have to be:

1. Biffy Clyro 13'

2. Muse 11'

3. Deftones 13'

4. Foo Fighters 12'

5. My Chemical Romance 11'

6. Kaiser Chiefs 12'

7. Pulp 11'

8. Dry The Rive 12'

9. System of a Down 13'

10. The Family Rain 13'

11. Editors 13'

12. White Lies 11'

13. Does It Offend You, Yeah? 11'

14. The National 11'

15. The Night Engine 13'

[Gucci Piggy]

Off the top of my head. Can't really remember how much I enjoyed most of them.

1. The Cure 2012

2. Biffy Clyro 2013

3. Muse 2011

4. Pulp 2011

5. Foo Fighters 2012

6. Nine Inch Nails 2013

7. At the Drive-In 2012

8. And So I Watch You From Afar 2013

9. Savages 2013

10. System of a Down 2013

11. The Strokes 2011

12. Elbow 2011

13. The Hives 2012

14. Frank Turner 2011

15. The National 2011

[mattgimmeshelter]

Don't think i've been enough to make a list but

Muse were fucking great in 2011. Elbow too before them!

Foo's were absolutely fantastic in 2012.

Don't agree with the MCR choice though, I really didn't like their set and I actually left after Helena and went back to the campsite.

Pulp really were brilliant, the strokes in comparison did not live up to that!

Two sets I really wish I was lucky enough to have seen was Radiohead in 2009 and Arcade Fire 2007. Both of those bands look to have played the most amazing sets!

Edited August 17, 2014 by mattgimmeshelter

[Dan R]

Kudos to the OP, was a good read and reminded me of some great sets. In vaguely chronological order, mine is:

Metallica (08)

Goldfinger (08)

Pendulum (08)

Radiohead (09)

Frank Turner (09)

The Libertines (10)

Arcade Fire (10)

Weezer (10)

Muse (11) (The second half was average, but Origin os Symmetry absolutely made it)

Pulp (11)

The Cure (12)

Foo Fighters (12)

Green Day (12)

Biffy Clyro (13)

System of a Down (13)

Theres a lot of smaller bands who were amazing (The Hives, Mongol Horde, Anti-Flag being some of my highlights), but the big acts seem to have left more of an impression.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Dan R

[DMCJ2]

Probably some unpopular choices

1.) Pete Doherty (2011)

2.) Pulp (2011)

3.) Editors (2013)

4.) The National (2011)

5.) The Maccabees (2012)

6.) The Courteeners (2012)

7.) Kasabian (2012)

8.) Frank Turner (2011)

9.) Nine Inch Nails (2013)

10.) The Hives (2012)

11.) Twin Atlantic (2012)

12.) Deap Vally (2013)

13.) The Vaccines (2011)

14.) The Strokes (2011)

15.) The Strypes (2013)

[KingOfTheBeach]

15. Frank Turner 2011'

14. Alt-J 2012'

13. Green Day 2013'

12. The Offspring 2011'

11. Eminem 2013'

10. Peace 2013'

9. The Cribs 2012'

8. Parquet Courts 2013'

7. My Chemical Romance 2011'

6. Pulp 2011'

5. The Vaccines 2012'

4. FIDLAR 2013'

3. Madness 2011'

2. Pure Love 2013'

1. System of a Down 2013'

[adam1234]

I've had done great memories at Leeds from 08 to 13. Now that I'm not going this year I feel like I might not return which is a bit sad really. Over the years I've had seen some great performances.

1) Biffy Clyro (13) - just incredible, the emotion at the end of the set at the front of the crowd showed just how special this set was.

2) The Libertines (10) - there was a point when I thought I would never have the chance to see them live. Probably my favourite band of all time, and as a set of friends certainly the most important for my close friends. Great performance even if some of the old sparkle is now lost forever.

3) Weezer (2010) - wasn't a massive fan of Weezer before the festival but won me over completely. The perfect festival performance.

4) Arcade Fire (2010) - big fan of the band anyway and they put in a pretty magical performance.

5) The Subways (2012) I watched some pretty massive bands that weekend but this was the set I enjoyed the most.

6) Blink 182 (2010) that day had the best atmosphere I've ever known at Leeds and Blink this was just great fun even if the performance wasn't great technically.

7) Nine Inch nails (2013) maybe missing some of the big hits but still a great performance. Trent is incredible I was in awe throughout.

limp Bizkit (2010) another performance form THAT day in 2010. Great fun and the crowd

loved it.

9) System Of A Down (2013) a big fan of the band and really enjoyed the set. I was expecting the crowd to be a bit better though really and this is probably why if isn't any higher.

10) The Cribs (2008) one of my favourite bands at the time and I chose to see them over Metallica. Great performance that I will never forget.

11) Fidlar (2013) as I have gotten older it is difficult to get as excited as I was at my first festival in 08. However watching these guys somehow transported me back in time.

12) Pendulum (2008) the crowd was absolutely crazy one of the most lively I have ever been in. This is one of my best memories of any Leeds Festival

13) Kasabian (2012) pretty faultless set even though I aren't a massive fan.

14) Crystal Castles (2008) what leeds festival is all about, I was absolutely smashed and loving life.

15) editors (2013) absoloutely brilliant band and they should be playing in much higher slots.

[justanothername]

It makes me sad that I have only been to one full weekend

[Amy Lawn]

10. Fall Out Boy (2013)

Shortly after an unremarkable appearance at Reading 2009 Fall Out Boy disappeared into an indefinite hiatus, and to be honest they needed it. The band looked and sounded tired and burnt-out, their career was seemingly on a downslide having peaked several years earlier, and their fans were slowly losing interest and in need of a break themselves. Four years later, however, the fire was reignited when the band announced their return along with news of festival shows and an upcoming album. The response was huge, and the success of new album Save Rock And Roll brought Fall Out Boy a new wave of relevance and credibility, proving them to be more than just a nostalgia act and firmly re-establishing them as major players in the contemporary rock scene. Their Reading 2013 performance was hotly anticipated and they delivered an excellent show, creating a fun party atmosphere with a seamless blend of old and new songs.

Good post!

For me, no ranks, not even sure I've got the full 15, and at Leeds, but these were special.

Pulp 11

The Cure 12

DFA1979 11

Ash 10

Cribs 10 + 12

LCD Soundsystem 10

Foals 10

Los Campesinos! 10 + 12

Blink 182 10

Atari Teenage Riot 10

Muse 11

Justice 12

Startling how little I remember from 09, I remember talking about how much I loved Bloc Party, but my only actual Bloc Party memories are all from other shows. Small snippets of Radiohead are floating around in my brain somewhere.

[Winslow Leach]

I only went to Reading for a few years between 09 and 12 (and I worked in 09 & 12 so saw far fewer bands) but here goes, in chronological order:

NOFX (Main Stage- 10)*

Arcade Fire (Main Stage- 10)

Pulp (Main Stage- 11)

Madness (Main Stage- 11)

Fucked Up (NME- 11)

Ham Sandwich (Introducing Stage- 11)

Flogging Molly (Lock Up- 11)

2manydjs (NME- 11)

The Cure (Main Stage- 12)

I actually can't think of a 10th. Looking back, I notice that 4/9 of those are from the Sunday in 2011. That was the last time I went to the festival with friends, as a punter, as I'd already decided I wanted to try other festivals instead, and I'm glad I went out on a high.

Biggest regret? In my younger and more musically deficient years I missed LCD Soundsystem to go and get off with a girl. Oh, the humiliation!

*Have no idea whether this was a good performance or not, I just remember grinning like a maniac through a drunken haze.

Edited August 21, 2014 by Winslow Leach