Plus, Jorja Smith has her superstar moment, Spiritbox prove they’re the most exciting band in metal, and FLO battle the technical gremlins to prove they’re just as exciting as ever.
Words: Abigail Firth, Ali Shutler, Finlay Holden, Jake Hawkes, Jamie Muir.
Photos: Frances Beach, Patrick Gunning.
As Reading Festival 2024 gets underway, there’s a sense of both continuity and evolution in the air. The venerable institution, now in its sixth decade, continues to serve as a barometer for the current state of the pop jamboree, albeit one that’s increasingly difficult to define. This year’s lineup, a sprawling affair that spans genres and generations, reflects the fragmented nature of contemporary music. From pop-punk veterans to emerging country stars, metal titans to drum and bass chart-toppers, the bill is a testament to Reading’s enduring ability to capture the zeitgeist, even as that zeitgeist becomes ever more elusive. As the first chords ring out across Little John’s Farm, and news breaks that half the Leeds leg has quite literally taken flight somewhere over the Dales, one thing is clear: despite the changing musical landscape, Reading remains a vital snapshot of where British music is – and where it’s heading.
Opening up Reading Festival is an honour that only few can claim, and in 2024 it’s BIG SPECIAL who make an eclectic spectacle for our pleasure. Previous Dork cover stars Joe Hicklin and Cal Moloney shimmy on stage with beers in hand to summon a world far broader than their Brummie roots – although their accent and dialect is about as concealed as Yard Act’s Northern drawl, their spoken-word, rhythmic style explores their place in the world in a transcendental manner. Fun is at the forefront, though: “We’ve got an announcement to make; the disco is open!”
All the tracks from ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’ benefit from a joyous stage presence – the chorus of ‘SHITHOUSE’ is sung back word for word, the crowd are brought to their knees when Joe hops over the barrier for ‘TREES’ – and no meaning is lost. ‘DESPERATE BREAKFAST’ tours the relentless, cyclical schedule of the masses while ‘BUTCHER’S BIN’ rages against the trivialization and commodification of the working class.
BIG SPECIAL initially sound aggressive and rage hard enough to destroy a kickdrum pedal four songs in, but are fundamentally hopeful. The punk-adjacent duo are raw, soulful, and emotionally poignant as they hold lovingly onto their high ambitions in the weird, weird place that is modern Britain. FH
Here to make midday in a tent feel like 2 AM in a sweaty basement, it’s Frozemode. Backed by a full live band, the three vocalists are trading lyrics and bouncing around the stage like pinballs, amping up the crowd throughout. There’s Chase & Status samples, there’s a Lil Jon-style ‘OKAY!’, and there’s a veritable bucket of bangers on display. By the end of the set, they’re down in the crowd and having lyrics screamed back at them by the front row. It’s a hell of a way to blow the cobwebs (and your head) clean off. JH
Is this the first time banjos have graced Reading’s Main Stage since Mumford & Sons last played? 2024’s breakout country star Dasha opens up the weekend, bringing ‘Dashville’ to Berkshire.
When country makes its way into the mainstream these days, it’s usually in an unexpected way – think Beyoncé’s ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ hitting number one or cowboy hats and boots appearing at Chappell Roan and Harry Styles concerts, but what Dasha does is pure, distilled, classic country storytelling; a proper hoedown on a Friday lunchtime.
It’s a sizeable crowd for noon, one that surprises Dasha herself. As she works through tracks from her latest album ‘What Happens Now’, like the yeehaw-tastic ‘Didn’t I’ and ‘King of California’, it’s all a warm up for the big finale, ‘Austin’. As she declares, “The best music to have a good time to is country music baby!”, she sets the stage for another massive weekend. AF
We all know what to expect from Lambrini Girls at this point, and they deliver. On stage for less than five minutes before they command the crowd to kneel down, punctuating the tension with a grinning remark of “are you ready to have some fun?!” before the whole place erupts. With messages of queer acceptance and solidarity with the people of Palestine, it’s the rowdiest safe space on the planet. Tracks like ‘Help Me I’m Gay’ and ‘God’s Country’ aren’t exactly subtle, but who needs subtlety when you’re having this much fun kicking the metaphorical windows in? JH
Bringing the annual slick pop show to the Radio 1 Stage, FLO step up and battle through various technical difficulties. For their Reading debut, when it’s going wrong, it’s pretty awkward, but when it’s good, it’s fucking brilliant. Vocals reaching Mariah levels of perfection and harmonies rivalling the ever-compared-to Sugababes, backed by a dynamic live band and garnished with the odd dance break, it’s everything you’d want in a girl group set.
But up against the mics cutting out (first track ‘Not My Job’ goes largely unheard) and a late start, the set ends up feeling a bit disjointed, filling the gaps with a little unplanned audience interaction. When the show is back up and running, it flies. ‘Feature Me’ from debut EP ‘The Lead’ is a sultry slower moment, while breakout track ‘Cardboard Box’ is a clear highlight. Sadly cutting the set short, it’s an abrupt stop at latest drop ‘Check’, but for the time they’re out there, it’s a pre-album reminder they haven’t stopped being exciting. AF
Spiritbox have comfortably established themselves as the most exciting group in metal by this point. Debut album ‘Eternal Blue’ was a hulking chunk of catharsis that just kept getting bigger, while follow-up EP ‘The Fear Of Fear’ saw the band continue to push boundaries, with smirking nods to nu-metal, grunge and industrial pop. Then there’s their brilliant ‘rock’ remix of Megan Thee Stallion’s urgent ‘Cobra’, which is about as defiant a collaboration as you’ll see from a metal band.
The crossover playground that is Reading is another world entirely though. “We’ve wanted to play this festival for a long time, but we were a little nervous,” admits vocalist Courtney LaPlante, having grown up watching footage of the festival from back home in Canada. She has good reason to be a little worried as well. The band are by far the heaviest group playing across the entire weekend and today, they’re sharing the main stage with indie darlings Two Door Cinema Club and chirpy singer-songwriter Gerry Cinnamon. “We’re still trying to work you out,” she tells the crowd a little later.
However, the band don’t waste time easing the audience into their abrasive, technicolour world with the brutal ‘Cellar Door’ kicking things off before the glitching pop-metal of ‘Jaded’ slams together serenity and abrasion. “Hi Reading, we’re Spiritbox and we’re here to ruin your day,” grins Courtney, playfully introducing herself to the ever-growing crowd.
From the hammering ‘Circle With Me’ through the atmospheric snarl of ‘The Void’ to the funk-infused dance of ‘Rotoscope’, Spiritbox put on a masterclass in forward-facing metal. There’s a constantly swirling mosh pit down the front and on the edges of the crowd, more and more people get drawn into the beautiful aggression the band harnesses. By the time ferocious breakout anthem ‘Holy Roller’ and the shifting ‘Hysteria’ close out the set, Spiritbox have well and truly made themselves right at home at Reading. “I like this,” says Courtney.
Spiritbox are clearly destined for big things. They’ve already announced a massive headline show at London’s Alexandra Palace for next year and you’d assume Reading’s sister festival Download has them earmarked as future headliners, but today is a real flex from a band who’ve always thrown themselves into the unknown. It’s a total triumph as well, with a lot of new fans onboard with their journey to the top. AS
Since Kenya Grace‘s viral single ‘Strangers’ topped the charts back in September, she’s been high up on the ‘ones to watch’ list. With relaxed and low-key drum ‘n’ bass musings, Grace’s self-penned & self-produced exploration of disposable dating demonstrates a modern British lyricist putting fun at the forefront, with an Ivor Novello nod recognising the strong foundations at the core of the track.
Luckily, it wasn’t just a one-off; as she breezes through tracks from her ethereal and euphoric debut EP ‘The After Taste’, fans witness an intriguing Gen-Z voice searching for longevity while capitalising on the moment. With a cinematic intro and seamless transitions, it feels like entering another world.
‘Paris’ boasts a huge chorus and fans quickly latch onto the lyrics displayed as text bubbles. Old cut ‘Meteor’ fantasises about being appreciated at the end of the world, ‘It’s Not Fair’ tries to shake lingering impressions of an ex, while ‘Only In My Mind’ pretends that the relationship never ended. Romantic woes never sounded so relaxing.
The 25-year-old’s stage presence is confident but modest, a sly grin hinting at the sense of empowerment that permeates the stage as the Chevron lights flash above an attentive crowd. Personable, on trend, and skilled – her eyes are focused on synth pads throughout – it’s easy to understand her seemingly instant popularity. Comparisons to admitted influence Disclosure are apt, except Kenya Grace is her own featured vocalist – and a good one too. When the inevitable closer arrives, her words are heard echoed across the fields. FH
After a long, exhausting summer, Confidence Man are the maximalist pop detox we all need. Staking a pretty good claim to being 2024’s hottest live act, it’s no surprise that the dynamic duo bring their A-game to Reading, with synchronised dancing, costume changes, and even a conical light-up bra and shoulder pads. The spectacle is something to behold, but the real appeal to Confidence Man is their million-dollar concept: what if you just did all the good bits of dance music, all the time? Judging by the crowd response, the world is theirs for the taking and only one question remains – why on earth aren’t they on the main stage? JH
As evening approaches, Soft Launch at the BBC Introducing Stage offers a gleaming glimpse of the future. Their wistful harmonies and genre-spanning sounds hypnotise festival crowds, with Reading today falling firmly under their spell. ‘In My Bed’ early in the set is a perfect tonic, jumping from disco and indie licks to crunching breakdowns that have fans screaming along. The enthusiasm doesn’t wane even with a set mostly packed with unreleased songs. In their half-hour slot, they seize the stage and twist every notion of what a band can be in 2024. Cardboard signs held aloft (their messages a mystery) add to the fizzing atmosphere. Part musical jukebox, part bag of never-ending sugar-sweet charm, dizzying renditions of ‘Piano Hands’ and ‘Cartwheels’ close what may be Soft Launch’s Reading debut but certainly won’t be their last festival triumph. We knew they were good; Reading proves it. Your new favourite boyband has arrived. JM
With the sun slowly setting, Denzel Curry‘s set is the first of the weekend to have the opportunity to take advantage of the impressive lightshow on offer at the new Chevron stage. Alright, we admit it, it’s basically a very big string of fairy lights, but they’re very impressive fairy lights. Regardless, Denzel isn’t exactly one to rely on technical wizardry to amp up a crowd, and it’s pints in the sky as soon as he steps out to a crowd which is, quite frankly, feral. “I love this fucking energy” he says with a smile, before demanding circle pits and even more chaos. Reading dutifully obliges, and it’s a wonder that the Chevron’s first real outing wasn’t also its last. JH
Even just approaching the BBC Radio 1 Stage on Friday night, it’s clear that tonight something special is in the air. Jorja Smith takes to the headline slot with undeniably the stage’s biggest crowd of the weekend so far. Thousands cram into the tent and spill out as far as the eye can see simply to be there for what becomes a crowning moment for one of British music’s most singular and undeniable voices. “This many people is crazy!!” Jorja cracks, being met by drowned out singalongs, a tent so tightly packed that heat waves can be seen simmering throughout. A mesmerising ‘Blue Lights’, ‘Little Things’ and ‘Where Did I Go?’ may never have sounded so definitive and as Jorja takes Reading on a journey all the way up to most recent album ‘falling or flying’. Every step feels like Jorja Smith is having that bonafide superstar coronation. With time for an extra cheeky guest appearance from AJ Tracey (whipping Reading into a frenzy with ‘Ladbroke Grove’) and a set that celebrates every emotion from joy to sadness, tonight sees Jorja Smith find a new home in the most spectacular way possible. This is what Reading is all about. JM
“No other rock band will stand on this stage and admit how much they masturbate,” says Tom DeLonge. “If you’re not going to laugh at our jokes, at least say hi to Travis Barker,” adds Mark Hoppus, wearing an ‘I 🙂 Your Mum’ hoody. Yup, Blink-182 are back at Reading Festival. It’s the same as it ever was, but refreshingly different too.
The band still tap into the grubby recklessness that Reading has always proudly stood for, but there’s also a (slight) emotional maturity to the group now that gives those that were there the first and second time around something to cling onto beyond straight-up nostalgia. Older tracks like ‘Man Overboard’, ‘First Date’ and ‘Aliens Exist’ are still fuelled by a youthful urgency but their more artistic turns (‘Feeling This’, ‘Up All Night’, ‘Down’) finally live up to their sprawling ambition. As Tom keeps reminding audiences across the world, it feels like Blink-182 has only just gotten good.
A combination of the band’s classic lineup reuniting, a renewed interest in all things ’00s and their really brilliant new album ‘One More Time’ means Blink-182 are bigger than ever. They’ve just wrapped up a stadium tour of North America and that giddy confidence flows through today’s set. New tracks like ‘More Than You Know’ and ‘Dance With Me’ go hard while there are fireworks aplenty as the gig shifts from jubilant pop-punk party to something more emo. “Are you guys having fun? Well knock it off,” says Mark, introducing the twinkling heartbreak of ‘Stay Together For The Kids’, which is swiftly followed up by the equally devastating ‘Not Now’, ‘I Miss You’ and ‘Can’t Go Back’. “Let’s all get through this together,” he encourages, with all that angst soon making way for timeless communal karaoke gems like ‘What’s My Age Again’ and ‘All The Small Things’.
Mark and Tom spend the set pointing out each other’s mistakes but it’s the inclusion of +44’s ‘When Your Heart Stops Beating’ and Box Car Racer’s ‘There Is’ that really highlights just how much the trio’s relationship has healed. “This tour is a celebration of Blink-182; the high, the low and the reconciliations,” says Mark, before the defiantly optimistic fire of ‘Anthem Part 3’. It’s a legacy that continues to grow.An explosive ‘Dammit’ closes out the main set just like always, before an electric encore of the tender ‘One More Time’ talks of friendship and a future. Blink-182 have been making music for over twenty years now, and they’ve been coming to Reading for nearly as long. They’ve never outgrown the teenage rebellion that first drove them to take on the world, but tonight sees them firmly embrace a new chapter that shows no signs of slowing down. Well, I guess this is glowing up. AS
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