Reading Festval 2002

Saturday
We have a plan, and that plan is to have a pub breakfast and get back in time to catch Sahara Hotnights who are first up on the main stage. However, lager puts in a late bid for our attentions and the plan goes to pot - in the nicest possible way. We modify the plan and make Andrew WK the first port of call. But good old lager pops up again and we miss another deadline.

The D4, though, prove stronger than lager, and play a cracking set in the Carling tent. The Beatings, however, fail to live up to the hype, and lager regains our attention.

Suddenly, The Hives are calling us, and we make it to the front of the arena in time for their storming set. We call it a day after that and head off for more beer back at the tents. It rains, which leaves us huddling in the tents for an hour or so, before nipping into the arena for a mighty set by the Parkinsons - who really are the best Anglo-Portugese punk rock band on the planet. As we leave the tent, though we have the huge misfortune to catch Muse's terrible prog-rock noodlings - it's like 1983 all over again. In our desperate rush to leave the arena, Dan slips up and spills his beer everywhere - a full pint, too. We pause tolaugh at his misfortune, then get the hell out before Muse rot our brains.

Then, at the eleventh hour, the Foo Fighters call me and Quayley. Now, I'd seen them five times previously, and they'd always sucked, even though I'd enjoyed their albums, so my expectations were, understandably, low. But no, the Foos do the seemingly impossible and rock like a big, mad fish. They're a revelation, and I'm once again coverted to their cause. We celebrate back at the tent by getting steaming drunk. Bet you didn't see THAT coming, eh?

Quotes of Reading 2002
I used to put out fires on earwigs - Dan
I'm going to piss behind a shrew - Dan
Ich bin so trocken vie eine nonnen's votze - everyone

You know what to do by now - click to see the pics bigger