Riot_ Blossoming into their pop-rock stride, increasingly Against the Current feel like a band comfortable in their own skin, not trying to be anything they’re not. Bright, shiny and infectious, there’s a lot to like. Having just flown in from the States - “first day in the UK after two and a half fucking months” there are no signs that Dinosaur Pile-Up are slowing down as the trio brutally whip the jampacked tent into a frenzy. It’s nothing short of chaos in The Pit. Thrashing their way through with the unhinged urgency of a band with nothing to lose, Dinosaur Pile-Up never let it get in the way of a good time holding every moment close to their chest and then launching them for everyone to be a part. Where do you start to talk about Poppy? If excitement can come from the places where different, dangerous things happen, her appearance at Reading 2019 might well be one for the ages. One thing’s for sure, she’s making a statement. Surrounded by a PVC-clad, fully made up band and greeted by chants of her name, her journey into the louder arts still has the hint of the ridiculous about it. Regardless, nobody could describe it as anything less than absolutely fascinating. There’s no denying that in an arena full of serious people making earnestly sincere music, Poppy’s arrival is a more than welcome addition. The behemoth action of Of Mice & Men is unstoppable. Gearing up to release their sixth album, the metalcore fivepiece are at Reading to remind everyone just why they’re so bloody good. It certainly takes something
10 Upset
special to compete with a headline set from Twenty One Pilots and make it look like no bother at all. With determined looks upon their faces, Of Mice & Men take to the stage, stoking the brutality inside every onlooker. The moment ‘Warzone’ takes aim, its an onslaught of pyro, a flying shoe (and hobbling owner chasing said shoe), cups and inhibitions.
Sunday
The final day of Reading 2019 is all about that rock’n’roll in all its glory. First up are Milk Teeth. Unashamedly outspoken, they appear onstage with protest statements adorning their
equipment, shirts, flags and, of course, the big screens. On a day that is set to be surrounded by punks and rockers ready to stand up for what’s right, there’s no better start than Milk Teeth. SWMRS weren’t meant to be playing Reading’s main stage. Pull-outs from elsewhere on the bill have thrust them into a deserved slot on the festival’s biggest platform, and they’re not planning on letting it slip by. Expanded to a six-piece, they’re still as infectious as ever, but with a depth that more than fills the field ahead of them. It’s not just the music that’s the message here, though. SWMRS represent something altogether
more interesting; a generation of music fans striving to make the world around them better. The Faim’s ascent is already looking pretty damn assured, but as they take to Reading’s de-facto second stage, they’re still more than willing to prove they’ve got what it takes. A rock band with ambitions above the norm, they’ve got the pedigree to suggest big things. Recent single ‘Humans’ in particular sounds like a band pushing at the edges of the mainstream consciousness. With a debut album still to come out of the blocks, they’re already in pole position for a significant upgrade very soon indeed. It’s 30 degrees, and we are sweaty, Dear Reader. We’re not just mentioning that for sympathy, we’re setting the scene for Hot Milk, a band whose lead vocalist, Hannah, has opted to wear a black boiler suit. That doesn’t stop her leaping on stage and immediately calling for the crowd to riot. With crowd members are bouncing off of each other like pinballs, it’s a raucous start to the afternoon. Bounding out onto the stage, it’s a full-on pop-punk party with Stand Atlantic. The Aussie bunch have clearly been making some waves due to the packed out Lock Up stage, rousing singalongs and joyous bouncing. Enter Shikari are relentless in all the best ways, and this Reading & Leeds weekend they’re aiming to do more sets across the pair of sites than anyone else. Starting with a low-key stripped-back set on the Introducing Stage, the many faces of Enter Shikari are out to play. A band that can adapt to any setting, it’s when they’re running at full steam that