Reading from a "posh tart's point of view"
Let me be honest... I am not the sort of person to find camping out, not having a daily shower and getting sweaty amongst thousands of other sweaty people "fun"... Until READING.
My mind has been well and truly expanded, and now I have a new idea of fun altogether. Camping out with my friends, drinking until the early hours of the morning, not sleeping much (yet still being able to find the energy to mosh for atleast 12hours a day) and eating crap not very often, walking through mud (a childhood passtime much missed) and generally throwing caution to the wind and letting your hair down and head bop. Not overly impressed with the toilets though, it's gotta be said... Eww.
And ofcourse, let's not forget the immense choice of music available to listen to. On the coach ride down there I was excited about seeing only a very select handful of bands which I knew of, and then others I was dreading and planning to sleep for. But I found ! on the Friday, the first official performance day, that once you're in amongst everybody, the energy and atmosphere will keep you in that crowd for HOURS, not matter who's playing. I spent most of my time at the Main Stage, and through half being overwhelmed by everyone else's excitement and half not actually physically being able to get out of there anyway, my eyes were opened to the likes of The crowd-captivating Hives, Taking Back Sunday's luring lead singer, the shiney catsuits on the members of The Darkness, the thigh-slapping Drop-Kick Murpheys, and many many MANY more. Even the Streets impressed moi!
Highlights for me had to be Razorlight and 'Golden Touch', Lost Prophets and that absoulutly crazy crowd charge when Ian divided us into two, then ordered us to run at one another! But for me, The Offspring (who should have headlined ahead of the Darkness, I'm sorry! Just my personal opinion!) and the Godfathers of Punk/Rock themselves, GREENDAY, made m! y first ever Reading experience the truly brilliant 4 days of my life ever. I have never heard that many people sing along altogether in unison before. My heart was in my mouth when Billy-Joe finished it all off rather reflectivly with the words; 'I hope you had the time of your life'... trust me Billy, it really really was.
(I'd therefore like to take this opportunity to thank 50 Cent for EVENTUALLY giving up on his set and therefore giving Greenday nearly 2hours to perform and really get the crowd going for the last time. And please, don't come back 50. Cheers.)
Bought to you by Lou Brown
