Reading Day One and It Was A Brilliant Start To The Weekend!

Here we go, my 15th Reading Festival weekend in Reading, UK. about 40+ miles straight west of London on the M4. So Lidia (my most excellent wife!), David Roberts (one of my best friends & from south London) and me are picking up our passes Friday afternoon in Covent Gardens and we are off....WAY OFF!! 40 miles out of London and suburbs does not mean a 40 minute commute; not in the least, try almost 2 hours!! London is an amazing place, but it has it's "WTF" things going on everyday, they just put it in their bag's and deal with. Such as some of the wickedest traffic I have ever seen and experienced! I have driven in this madness numerous times and have left it a humble man with a head ready to explode. So we get to the hotel which is connected to the Reading Football Club (Division One League) and that rules. Love UK football (soccer) and did buy a jersey...sweet!! So we set off in a taxi (no driving this weekend as it will be ON!!) to the site to get our backstage wristbands. We arrived late afternoon to the sounds of Fall Out Boy; suburban Chicago fake punks. I think this band is one of those throw away bands we will never think or talk about in the future. A waste of space on the musical horizon and the Backstreet Boys of punk....yuck!! I was a little bummed we had missed; Funeral For A Friend, a northern UK rock act that has always peaked my curiosity. They are doing things outside the box in their genre and seem to take great care of their fans in the UK, Europe and Japan. I definitely recommend checking them out. So we grab a beer backstage and it's a perfect day....in the low 70's and a few lovely, white clouds high above. Placebo are taking the main stage, so we take a few steps out onto the pitch and find a fairly close place to the stage and get ready for this London act to kick off our Reading Weekend!! Friday afternoon the site is just starting to fill up for the impending musical tsunami! I have seen Placebo several times in the states and thought they were OK, had several nice singles. The crowds never seem to much care one way or the other, so it was a bit hard to get into it. NOT SO TODAY.....must have been a good 20,000+ watching their late afternoon set and it made a HUGE difference. The crowd was well on their side and took part in most every song. I did not realize they have a good 10+ singles that have charted in the UK. Weather was rocking and so were these London lads. Totally loved the set and stayed for most of it. Headed back for a beer and set the rest of the course for the day and night.

Next decision was an easy one....Kaiser Chiefs were on in twenty and we needed to get ready and stake our spot as near the stage as possible. I love the Kaisers and have been onboard since the 1st single from this Sheffield band (ie reads northern UK act); Oh My God. I was hooked and then they dropped a huge bomb on me in; I Predict A Riot. Still one of my top ten singles of this decade...OH YEAH!! So the new cd is as good; if not better, than their other good cd's. So it was with great pleasure and anticipation i took my place in the pitch next to the other 40,000+ punters waiting to sing along with the boys. Now I do have a soft spot for a band that starts things off with the song I would start their set with and they did...spot on guys!! Never Miss A Beat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQK7RYDQlSs&feature=fvst) is the song of the summer for me at this moment and there it is, raging onstage right before me and it sounds, smells and feels so wonderful. I f*ckin' love this place! They bang thru what seems like a greatest hits sets and only falter for a moment. They have the crowd right where they need to be and drive this one home big time. By the time they play; I Predict A Riot, it's all over!! We scurry backstage and I am feeling fine....too fine.

Here is where crucial discussions are taking place. You have a South London lad (David), Polish born US citizen (my wife) and me the Yank all putting out two cents worth in re: the impending choice that had to be made and soon. You see Kings Of Leon closed the main stage tonight and started at 10pm; David's choice. However; Faith No More had been a late addition the the massive NME tent as the first night's headliner at 10:15pm, my wife's choice. So the crucial decision was thrust at my feet and I nobly accepted this duty. In a Soloman like blurred mind set (beers and "bits and bobs"...i love the english slang) I decided that we see the first 30 minutes or so of KOL and then head to the NME tent (5 minute walk) for the start of FNM and then conclude our evening back at the end of KOL's set. HA! Well best laid plans of mice and men usually go into the ditch. We didn't drive it into the ditch, it was the sound, the swirling winds and the fact that KOL seemed to wilt under the mess. What a huge disappointment they were. Sound was crap and the vocals were buried. They seem a bit dazed by the constant touring for the better part of a year. Saw a few songs and literally ran to the NME stage to see the start of Faith No More! F*ckers were 20 minutes late and you could tell they were none too happy to be in a tent after 11 years apart and I thought they had a point. Couldn't they have been squeezed on the main stage at some point over the weekend? They did rock the world when they were on their game and that was quite often. So we are in the tent; must hold 10,000 people, biggest i ever saw, and they are late. I then realize more and more people are leaving KOL and heading for the tent. It was half full at best when we arrived and by the start of the set, it was over flowing. I either saw the last or second to last show; still trying to verify, in Milwaukee in 1998 and the last song they played was the Theme To Midnight Cowboy...too cool. They walk on and launch into the same song and my hairs are standing right up! Awesome to say the least. Well done men! Then it just doesn't stop, song after song, hit after hit; everyone losing their minds again and for the first times. This is why I love music and why this sh*t matters. I hold Lidia for most of the set as she jumps up and down with a smile that wants to get bigger, but can't. Midlife Crisis, Easy, Epic, From Out Of Nowhere (go listen to this now...i will wait...still as fresh as it was decades ago) and Falling To Pieces; i was misting up...naw...just really buzzed and smiling my ass off. Best line was Mike Patton's...."We're in the tent and Fuck everyone else....let's go!" We straggle back to try and catch a few of KOL's last sounds as they are scheduled to play longer than FNM. WE get there and they have just finished; early. Weird, heard they had sound issues the whole set and the singer kinda freaked a bit and went all insecure. We did make the right decision...hell yeah! Back to the hotel and recoup for day 2.

A Soggy Start To Lollapalooza

We made it down to the site by 4pm and it was still pissing rain on the fest and downtown. I really wanted to see Hockey at 11:30am, but that went to the wayside as i saw rain when i awoke and looked out the window. I really like their record and think this is one of the few bright spots in music right now (there is such a severe drought of talented acts and artists in the past several years; what is going on? where is the talent, the urgency, the new sh*t everyone wants!!); so i suggest checking them out as i think you will not be disappointed. Another act I was trying to see was; Hey Champ, from Chicago/Rockford and on Lupe Fiasco's label. They have played several shows for me and i think they are one of the city's best new acts (competition is not so tough as we have a ton of mediocre bands and very few gems). Did not see them...but will book them at the club soon. We made it to the site and walked into the fest to the sounds of the Bloody Beetroots doing a DJ set. I love this act from Italy, they are crazy and heavy! The DJ set is good, but the live set is supposedly over the top. I did a DJ show with them in the winter and it killed, 2010 is the year i am told for the live set to debut around the world; can't wait for this one!! Good, loud, undulating set from the Italian lads. On to the next act which happened to be Thievery Corporation on one of the two main stages. We were early for their set, so we grabbed a drink (free sweet tea backstage, very nice) and heard the sounds of Montreal's Crystal Castles. They ripped onto the scene 2 years ago and were quite the buzz child last year. Crazy female singer, manic lights, driving beats are what this is all about. I thought the initial cd was good and had some interesting turns on it and i do like a good, strong front person. The show i did with them at the abbey was insane and the crowd was as intense that night. However i just have this nagging feeling i have seen this and heard this all before. Then there is the artwork plagiarism charge, the accusations of music borrowing, been thru several live line up changes, etc. Just leaves you wondering a little bit if this is all organic or a well rehearsed attack at fame at all costs? Anyways, thought the set today was a bit on the weak side. After several live viewings, i feel they may be a one trick pony; hope not, but leaning that way. Onto Thievery Corporation, a lot of people coming and going during their set, many female singers and the main two guys on turntables, mixers and computers. The sound was amazing for their set! I mean it was the best sound by far, beating any other act we saw all day and night! Better than Kings Of Leon and Depeche Mode! I guess having the company doing Lolla is your management company helps on days like this. Very bass orientated and some middle eastern influences thru out their set made for a nice vibe on the pitch floor. Loads of dancing and vibing for most of TC's set. Various singers came and went doing vocals with a nice lighting and video effects to co mingle with the musicians and music. We left for Peter, Bjorn and John on the Citi stage. I know little about these Swedish guys except for that incredibly infectious song; "Young Folks", which is a killer pop song by any standard! Peter is the main singer and guitarist, he looked like he had been mugged by Tommy Hilfiger in a dark alley and made to wear his preppy stuff along with a super "little boy" haircut (see pic above). Cute is what i was thinking they were after....interesting. Stayed for most of the set and was totally entertained by this Scandinavian trio; well done. Raced over to Perry Farrell's stage which is basically a dj set up and club like atmosphere in between some trees....kinda cool and better than last year's Perry;s set up; but still lacks something. Caught the last 20 minutes of A-Trak (Kanye's old dj) and he had the crown moving and a grooving. Good songs and nice flow, but nothing to write home about. Next up was Simian Mobile Disco from the UK. Have always been a big fan of these guys and love most what they release. Their debut album in 2007; "Attack Decay Sustain Release" , was a big fav of mine that year and still is. Nice songs and intense bass were what i heard and then it was time to head to the Chicago 2016 main stage (remember last year it was the AT&T stage, but they pulled out leaving a big hole in Lolla's budget, i would think...OUCH!!). Let me preference this next review first, i love DM and have followed them from the start thru their many re-inventions and re-incarnations! I have seen them 8 or 9 times and even saw Dave Gahan (singer/see my pic...not too shabby) on his solo tour several years ago and have enjoyed each and every show. So WTF happened last night? I am still trying to figure it out myself. They opened with several new songs off their recently released; "Sounds Of The Universe", which got things off to a slowish start. The sound was no where near the excellence that Thievery Corp. had enjoyed, it was a bit mushy and didn't have the bass presence they need live. Band looked good, but they seemed to be in slow motion for the first 6 or 7 songs. It just never got started, very frustrating and kinda boring to tell the truth. Big bummer in my book. Kings Of Leon started 15 minutes after DM started, they are having co-headliners this year again (good idea..i think Radiohead last year were the solo headliner on friday though). So with much sadness re: the DM set and turn of events from them, we quickly headed the mile or so to the other end of the site to the Budwiser stage and the mighty KOL!!! I have a great KOL/Caleb (singer) story i will relate to you in a later posting, it it quite funny and my wife has told me several times about this meeting in a London bar when i was three sheets to the wind...:)!! Anyways, I think they have one of the best lp's released this decade. This last album is just chalked full of hits and gems. There is easily 7 or 8 singles on this thing, something that is almost unheard of these days. Most bands get a single or two and rush release a whole lp of filler and 2 or 3 good songs. NOT KOL!! If you have not sat down with; "Only By The Night", get it and get ready for some killer music and soul searching lyrics. We were in London in December and KOL mania was in full bloom, they had had the no. 1 lp and 3 follow up smash singles with "Use Somebody" just playing on the radio and tv there every hour. "Notion" seems to be taking on a life of it's own right now here and this could be the one song that makes them as popular here as they are in the rest of the world. Remember that it was the UK where they first charted..."Molly's Chamber". KOL definitely won the attendance contest tonight, far outdrawing the DM crowd down the street. We walked in on "notion" and it was all great after that. Nice stage set of 12 video screens and some lovely mood lighting. Only complaint was that the sound was not nearly loud enough...Hmmmm!!! Best comment so far from ant stage came from Caleb...."you guys make us fell way bigger than we are"....how freakin' cool is that?? i love humility, esp. after 8 years of the past administration...HA! Good day, a bit soggy, KOL ruled the night and we wore out wellies (english for galoshes/rubber boots) so we wrre unfazed by mud and water!! Now comes the heat for Saturday and Sunday....ARGHH!!!