Reading Festival makes its mark yet again and takes its place as one of the highlights of the UK’s festival calendar. As usual the event is now down to the artists and fans to make the most of the weekend. The weather gods were not kind to the early birds and the camp sites were awash with mud filled walkways but as always the Reading spirit shone through (as did the sun for much of the weekend).

Sprawling form Reading’s industrial centre to the beauty of the Thames the festival site is in good shape after the weeks rain, we make our way to the Radio1 / NME stage to see The Struts, the band have just arrived back from a lengthy US tour and from the moment the band strike the opening chords of Roll Up its clear that they are going to be one of the highlights of the weekend and its only just passed midday! Front man Luke Spiller shows why he and the band are being tipped for big things in the coming years, he “struts” his way through the bands short but brilliant set with so much showmanship it’s easy to see why. Kiss this & Could have been me have the crowd bouncing and singing along and when the energetic front man descends from his lofty stage perch to the crowd below he has them repeating every note he sings to them, back on stage the band play one of their best known songs (thanks to the likes of Radio One) Where Did She Go and with a kiss and a wave the band are gone. Definitively one hell of a way to start the weekend.

Next up is a trip to the Lockup stage and a band that have been getting some serious exposure Vant and they thoroughly deserve it on today’s performance. The band play their rock straight up and would be right at home in the early 90’s as much as they are right now.

Palma Violets have themselves a slot on the main stage and grab the opportunity with both hands and shake the festival until it hurts. Starting off with Five Gold Rings which has the masses gathered before them up on their toes, English Tongue and Matador get a similar treatment. Palma Violets have steadily risen through the Reading ranks and this is their 4 year on the trot, the Reading faithful give the band what they deserve and the band repay with a stunning climax to the set with Rattlesnake Highway and the rocking Best of Friends.

Panic! At The Disco light up the main stage with their high energy rock n roll and have what seems the majority of the crowd up on shoulders throughout the set. Vegas Lights starts things off with a bang and the crowd or the band don’t look back. The Ballard of Mona Lisa & Girls / Girls / Boys get an early airing. New single Hallelujah is greeted with much glee from the crowd, much to the amusement of the crowd front man Brendan Urie announces here’s a little song we just wrote backstage…. As the opening bars of Boeheim Rhapsody float out across the crowd, this moment everyone in the arena is singing along to what must be one of the greatest ever songs ever written. I write songs not tragedies finishes the set and with that the band disappear on a wave of triumph.

All Time Low are the perfect band to follow Panic! With their high energy pop punk the band find their rhythm quickly and so do the huge crowd gathered before them. Satellite is quickly followed by Lost in Stereo and as the energy builds so does the crowd participation Runaways and Missing You get the full Reading crowd singalong treatment but the loudest cheer is reserved for Time Bomb.

The Bronx are back at Reading and find the Lockup stage packed to the rafters, one of the most ironic things you can see is the “no crowd surfing” sign at a Bronx show. The band have always had a soft spot for Reading and tonight they play as if their lives depend on it, The Unholy Hand kicks things off and the tempo never drops, fist pumping LA punk at its best has Shitty Future & I Got Chills given the Reading treatment. White Guilt, Knifeman & Too Many Devils has the crowd demanding more and with Heart Attack American and brutal History’s Stranglers we are left battered and bruised but very, very content.

Given the opportunity to Headline one of the biggest festivals in the country must be a huge honour and one Mumford and Sons will never forget. Taking to the stage the band seem visibly shocked that so many people have come to see them play tonight, and yet everyone in the huge crowd will one day say ‘I was there’. Not a band for all the fanfare of a huge production they go about their business solidly from the start, Snake Eyes & I Will Wait bring out the smiles in the crowd but it’s the introduction of their current album’s title track Wilder Mind really gets the crowd going, Tompkins Square Park is quickly followed by Lover of the Light & Ghosts that we Knew. Broad-Shouldered Beasts, Ditmas & Dust Bowl Dance bring the set to a close, but the crowd want more and again as the band take to the stage they still seem visibly shocked, Hot Gates & The Wolf close off the main stage and with that we are left feeling we have witnessed something special tonight.

Saturday brings more sunshine and what a way to start Babymetal bring their unique brand of Japanese pop metal, weather its right or wrong you can’t help but find yourself tapping your feet and nodding your head to the fast tempo sounds booming from the main stage. 

Marmozets are back after their 2 set stint at last year's festival but this time they are up on the main stage and deservedly so. Move, Shake, Hide brings out the best in the band and it's easy to see why they are making inroads into the mainstream, with the ability to growl, scream and sing all in one breath lead singer Becca Macintyre has it all. She seems to be in ore of everyone in the crowd gathered before her and the band. Weird and Wonderful, Captivate you & Particle are all given an airing before an audacious version of Black Sabbath’s Iron Man. Hit the Wave & Why Do You Hate Me finish the set to much applause.

Slaves have amassed a huge tent splitting crowd over at the Radio1 / NME tent and what a set they deliver. Are You Satisfied? Shows their intension to rock the festival right down to its foundations, White Knuckle Ride, The Hunter, Live Like an Animal & Facing the Wall don’t let the tempo drop one bit and with the crowd playing their part its songs like where’s Your Car Debbie? That brings the tent to its knees demanding more, Wow!!! 7AM, Sockets and the cheeky Cheer Up London show what a cleaver band Slaves are. I’m sure they will be back next year bigger, better and probably louder.

Another band to return after last year's triumph in the tent are Royal Blood with a huge expectant crowd gathered before them they are another band that really are visibly shocked that they are up on the main stage at Reading Festival. Starting out with Come on Over has the crowd up and paying attention and as front man Mike Kerr states this is a dream come true for 2 guys from Brighton, the crowd appreciate the music they make by singing every word back at them. Huge hit Figure it Out is quickly followed by Little Monster and then it’s time for a new song Hook, Line & Sinker and what a way to introduce us to some new material. Loose Change & Out of the Black close out the set and you can almost see a tear in their eyes as the 2 guys from Brighton leave the stage.

Bring Me The Horizon bring the best of British heavy metal to Reading and deliver a set of such high quality it’s almost inevitable that they will headline one of the big festivals within the next 2 years. With new material from their upcoming album That’s The Spirit and an epic production, it’s definitely their time and with stage set its time to open up the pit as far as it will go according to the “health and safety” announcement. Happy Song starts off the set of the weekend, lead singer Olly Sykes makes his presence felt at every opportunity. The House of Wolves, Go to Hell, For Heaven’s Sake & Shadow Moses all find a place in the set before a stunning version of Throne gets the crowd really going. Pits start opening up all over the place for Chelsea Smile and Can you Feel My Heart. With the crowd demanding more Antivist & Blessed with a Curse are delivered with such ferocity it’s now time to deliver the rousing singalong song of the weekend Drown and with that BMTH have nailed their name onto the main stage for all to see.

Photo: Courtesy of Reading Festival 

Metallica are back at Reading for the first time since 2008 and tonight’s set is full of classics / fans favourites. Fuel gets the set off to a flying start, as the band play with their customary fans up on stage its clear were in for a treat tonight. For Whom The Bell Tolls is greeted with the respect it deserves, as does Battery – oh the big guns are out tonight and with the mighty Ride the lightning making way for The Day That Never Comes it seems that the metal titans can do no wrong. The Memory Remains, The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam & One brings the visual impact of war to the big screen before the mighty Master of Puppets takes us on a journey of dependency. Seek & Destroy closes the set, with the chants for more ringing around the arena it's time for James Hetfield to dedicate the next song to the bands original bass player Cliff Burton “he was a huge Thin Lizzy fan and this one’s for you Cliff” Whiskey in the Jar belts out across the arena before the more subdued Nothing Else Matters. Enter Sandman brings tonight’s set to a close accompanied by fireworks and beech balls, another classic show by the biggest metal band on the planet.

Sunday and it’s still dry but with some weather warnings around for later in the day, so it's back to the wellies and waterproof coat as today’s fashion accessories. First up on the main stage are Feed The Rhino and what a way to get rid of any lingering hangover. With a brutal assault on our senses, it’s like a bare knuckle heavy metal sandwich shoved down our throats and the crowd love it, by the end of the set the band are crowd surfing their way around the small but faithful crowd. Next up on the main stage are Lonely The Brave with their silky brand of rock they go about their business with effortless proficiency, standout tracks are Control & Black Saucers.

The Gaslight Anthem are back at Reading Festival for the 5^th and possibly last time, obviously depending on their hiatus, todays set is their last planned before their hiatus and the band do their best to show why they have been such a success over the years. You can also see that it’s time for them to take a break, starting with the sober Have Mercy the band soon pick up the pace with their trademark New Jersey punk rock, fronted by Brian Fallon the band launch into the sublime Handwritten which is quickly followed by The Patient Ferris Wheel & Rollin’ and Tumblin’ with little communication between songs the band continue to pack as many songs into their set as possible. American Slang has the crowd up on their toes and their hands in the air, Keepsake & 45 continue the trend and as Fallon states we have a few more songs to play for you before we go home, it’s down to The ’59 Sound, Here’s Looking at you Kid & The Backseat to bring the bands set to a close and with a wave the band are gone, definitely they won’t be forgotten and there’s hope that one day they will be back, for now they will be missed.

The Cribs are another band that seem to always be on the line-up but you won’t find many complaining about it, with their own brand of rock n roll the band set about trying to destroy the main arena. The band waltz on stage with a backdrop that looks like it came from a Laura Ashley store the band open up with Mirror Kisses which starts the mayhem and they never let it drop. An Ivory Hand, Another Number and Our Bovine Public all bring the tempo up a few notches. Ryan Jarman bounces around the stage tying himself up in knots and looks intent on dismantling the stage all by himself as the band launch into We Share the Same Skies it’s the crowds turn to go ballistic. As the band close out their near faultless performance with Pink Snow their instruments take a pounding as do their mic’s, rock n roll climax at its best.

The Libertines return to Reading as headliners and what a show they put on, with a new album on the way they mix a lot of the old with a few of the new. Setting the scene early on is Horrorshow, The Delaney and Can’t Stand Me Know has Pete and Carl sharing the centre stage (and mic) and the chemistry is as strong as ever. New songs Gunga Din, Anthem for Doomed Youth & Fame and Fortune go down a storm, but it’s the bands biggest hits that really make the long weekend worthwhile, Up The Bracket & Don’t Look Back Into The Sun with the final notes of I Get Along ringing out across the arena its time to put up thee closed sign on Richfield Ave for another year.

Can next year top this year’s line up? We will have to wait and see, as this year really was a year to remember in the ongoing history of this world famous festival.

Roll on next summer’s bank holiday weekend for more of the same.

Review: Andy Jamieson Photos: Jamie Boynton