There is clearly one thing on the agenda for Every Time I Die (8) today, and that's giving everyone present an absolute battering.
Relying on the heavier side of their back catalogue, it’s a set of non-stop bruisers delivered by some of the most underrated showmen in rock, in particular front man Keith Buckley, who effortlessly remains a beacon of coolness amongst the chaos unfolding around him./o:p
When Letlive (below, 9) made their Reading debut back in 2011, there were undoubtedly many present just to see what crazy antics Jason Butler would get up to next. Flash forward to 2014 and it’s a completely different story. While Jason is as unpredictable as ever, there is far more to this band than him climbing rigging and ripping his clothes. A surprisingly subtle rendition of Pheromone Cvlt, a raucous take on The Dope Beat featuring The Wonder Years’ Dan ‘Soupy’ Campbell on guest vocals and an emotional crowd sing-along to Muther all go to prove how truly brilliant the songs behind the mayhem are.
While Frank Turner may not be quite as intense as the Keith Bukley’s and Jason Butler’s of this world, during the course of Mongol Horde’s (7) set he goes onto prove he has more bite than many may expect, diving in the crowd, ripping his shirt in half Hulk Hogan style, and screaming so hard he may throw up a lung. Despite a few diehards down the front, it quickly becomes apparent that a large proportion of the crowd have come out of curiosity, perhaps as fans of Turner’s solo work. It leads to an odd dynamic of one of the most polite, well behaved crowds to ever watch such angry music.
