Go crazy backwards

I think I may have been unnecessarily harsh on Edith Bowman in my last blog, she put up bravely with an arogant banana eating danish drummer and could tell that cage the elephant had a guitarist, bravo madame. So on with saturday of Reading on TV if anyone is interested, which if they aren't I'm gonna facking do it anyway. Oh and to read these in weekend order you're going to need to scroll down more then go crazy backwards, but that may have just been patronising.

Saturday:
After this evenings viewing if I have to see the Editors or the Racounteurs again I might well go insane and strangle the first person I see that look likes Jack White. From what I could tell both bands were as boring as they normally are, with an extra dollop of that from the Editors. At some point Interpol are going to ask for this poor quality imitation of them to be called off, and those musical knock off nigels will be no more.
But it wasn't all doom and gloom on the saturday with Bloc Party tearing the main stage a new electrolised indie arse. Starting off with new single Mercury, which sounds much better live without so much electronic intrusion, it seems that much of their set was classics or singles, which is quite astounding for a band which hasn't achieved a third album yet. Sticking with an electronic theme, and even working in a bit of Jesus were the electronic gods Justice. Their decks position behind a huge glowing cross they sent the festival a new electrical way a few feet over from where it would normally be housed. Strange that they should be on before Bullet For My Valentine, but they were infinitely more dancable and had slightly less pyrotechnics.
Dirty pretty things performed the same set they have been doing for the past few years as Carl Barat continues to look moody and bored as do a lot of the audience, but then they have just been bludgened around the ears by Welwyn garden cities 'finest' the Subways. It's a shame that I didn't really like their set as they have always put on a good performance whenever I have seen them before, but the mainstage seem to bring out the poor singer in Billy Lunn, who opted to simply shout the lyrics to the song without worrying really about tone, possibly nerves or left over illness but it did not seem to be their finest moment.
However beared and bracered, Seasick Steve put in more than a fine show. Helped by his son he played a collection of his hobo blues on 6,3,2,1 and one string guitars (strangely I can see him working well on sesame street) performing his new single with a member of the audience sitting next to him who look very embarrassed. When he asked though if the audience would make this slow new black keys-esque composition the next big pop song it seemed only fair that they should. Unfortunately the crowd only got the cut down dog house boogie, poor them. Also putting on a great show, but with decidely less dad than seasick steve..or than before, were the Mystery Jets looking as 80s as you like in a pastel ensemble which would put Patrick Swayze to shame. But performing 2 Doors Down, the outfits seemed perfectly apt (A.P.T, thankyou Big Brother for spelling it for me) as the eighties tones drifted out and got the crowd dancing while the cameraman had an affair with the bassists glasses.
Finally the Killers and the Manics closing the day, and if I were there I would of gone for the Manics but probably have regretted missing the Killers. Replete with impressive stage toys and a much tighter set than before, with no sign of the old Killers ways of getting all their rubbish songs out the way first leaving their setlist feeling massively uneven. They closed the festival well and covered everyone in confetti. Whereas the Manics, who seemed to still be in mourning over the loss of Richey (James, ex guitarist) dedicated a lot of the set his way, and left the audience covered in sorrow. Penny Royalty (as the BBC referred to it) however was possibly the best Nirvana cover of the weekend, but then I haven't heard Feeder's version of Breed yet so we shall see.

Anyway that was my TV Reading saturday, roll on the rock day sunday and the thousands of dissapointed 'maggots' who haven't yet heard Slipknot will be absent.

Cheese and Tea,

Chris.