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Best and worst of The 2010 Reading Festival

By Natalie Slater
August 31, 2010

The 2010 Reading Festival has been and gone already and as the clean-up starts, the debate begins as to who were the best and worst of this year’s festival.

Call me a pessimist, but I can’t help thinking the whole Guns N’ Roses thing was just a ploy to get more publicity. They knew they were never going to beat their gigs of the 90s so instead they made the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

But as they say, all publicity is good publicity so maybe this aged-rocker’s strop was planned from the start. Keeping the crowd waiting for an hour on Friday night just made the audience hostile and the boos were hardly placated by opening with a track from their new album that 99 per cent of the people there had never heard.

For me, I was still in awe over Rose’s performance of November Rain and hearing that voice live was amazing. But surrounded by the strops and the egos, Guns N’ Roses seemed to have an arro-gance about them thinking they were as popular as they were two decades ago. It was good, but it wasn’t that good.

If we’re going to talk about the best headliners of the weekend, for me there is no question. The two-hour set from Arcade Fire was breathtaking. No Cars Go was probably my song of the weekend and with a genuine appreciation for their audience, this modest Canadian band has pure, honest talent and they won the crowd over from the start.

Highlights of the weekend for me include Mumford & Sons who packed out the Radio 1 stage on Friday, Frank Turner who did the same on Saturday, and Kele from Bloc Party who performed a solo set on Sunday.

The Libertines seemed to surprise even themselves with such a coherent and clean performance. No-one could have hoped for a better comeback and Dizzee Rascal, alongside Weezer, were probably the most fun performances for me.

Reading band Amys Ghost pulled in one of the biggest crowds of the weekend on the BBC Introducing Stage and other local performers Mr Fogg and the MidiMidis also did the town proud.

Let us know who you think were the best and worst of Reading Festival 2010 by leaving a comment here.

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Highlights: Weezer and Frank Turner stole the festival. Absolutely made off with it.

Lowlights: underage-looking girls getting their boobs out during Limp Bizkit and Blink's performances. Have some self respect!

Robb, RG1
01/09/2010 at 15:53

Jeffery - you may not remember this but once upon a time it was less money to buy a weekend ticket than it is to buy a day ticket now. And don't start comparing value for money against how many bands you get to see because if you went to see them individually you would get up to a couple of hours worth of your favorite band, as opposed to 30-45 mins (we are not all there just to see the headliners!).

Hugh J, Reading (please print my comment - unsensored would be nice too...)
01/09/2010 at 09:33

L'Oreal Highlights: Ash and British Sea Power. Held together by Gaffer: The Libertines Surprisingly Good Considering: Lostprophets Buying the CD Performances: Foals, Kids in Glass Houses Would Like to Have Seen: Pendulum & Arcade Fire

The Band That Stole Reading: Weezer.

P.S. Axl could have gone on on time but preferred to prat about backstage for an hour. Didn't like G'n'R before. Like them even less now.

waswasere, Reading
31/08/2010 at 18:26

Whether they were late or not, Guns n Roses kicked backside, so what they were late but they made up for it in the last half hour. Rose is a rock legend and I'm glad I got to see him.. Shame about this article really as I thought the Post could go to town in detail on the festival not just what one person liked or disliked, still shouldn't expect too much journalism wise..

Northstand Norman, Earley
31/08/2010 at 17:34

Why do people complain of ticket price!!!!????

How much do you want to pay to see at least 7 bands each day!??! Of which 3 of those top ones you would poss pay £30 + for one of their own gigs!!!!!

Jeffery, reading
31/08/2010 at 17:13

Best bits!!

3oh3 good for a bit of a bop and singalong early on Maccabees good set in the sunshine Dizzee Rascal perfect time slot for his set got everybody up for it!! Frank Turner great crowd Switching from Arcade Fire for the first couple of songs going for Pendulam madness then going back to Arcades Fires excellant finish!!

Worst bits!!!!

Only buying a Saturday day ticket!!!!

Jeffery, reading
31/08/2010 at 17:11

Agreed on Arcade Fire and Biffy - immense shows.

I turned up to The Libertines really wanting to see a car crash of Pete Doherty dying on his backside but witnessed an amazing Reading set, credit where its due, ridiculous hats off to him. If only he hadn't hit the smack they could've been legendary.

Hannibal Smith, loving it when a local news story comes together
31/08/2010 at 16:34

Why Gun's n roses were an hour late on stage...

http://new.uk.music.yahoo.com/blogs/pop_gossip/8713/axls-snooze-disaster/

Hugh J, Reading (please print my comment - unsensored would be nice too...)
31/08/2010 at 15:55

Forget touting, next year I'm going to offer people a seat on the sofa in my living room. Despite living on the other side of town and the loud speakers pointing in the opposite direction, the wretched thing was louder than we normally listen to our own music.

Arthur Mo
31/08/2010 at 14:54

" Berk that he is, I have to say I too thought Axl Rose's voice was incredible. " - and more than a passing resemblance to Keith Lemon

Bloody Marvellous, Reading
31/08/2010 at 14:13

Biffy, Weezer, King Blues and Blink were brilliant. Downside was the rain, mud and prices of beer and food and of course the ticket price. I would mention the two drunk 16 year old girls behind me that tried their best to ruin Biffy Clyro for me but as I ended up giving them a bottle of water over the head for their troubles I guess it cancels it out!

Hugh J, Reading (please print my comment - unsensored would be nice too...)
31/08/2010 at 13:45

Got to agree on 'No Cars Go' being song of the weekend!

Shaun Long, Reading
31/08/2010 at 13:35

Berk that he is, I have to say I too thought Axl Rose's voice was incredible.

JC, Woodley
31/08/2010 at 13:10

Lostprophets, Alkaline Trio, Motion City Soundtrack, Pendulum... Dizzee Rascal, Limp Bizkit, Weezer, Paramore, Blink 182 - they all did great. I can't decide who gave the best performance!

L
31/08/2010 at 12:42

Goldheart Assembly, Arcade Fire, Weezer and Frank Turner. All were excellent.

GnR were a complete joke. I hope the Festival has nothing more to do with them. Seriously, you were "in awe" of his voice? I was in awe of his musical ineptitude, lack of respect for fans and ill-advised costume changes. What an absolute farce of a headline performance.