Photo: WENN
Eminem brought day two of Reading Festival 2013 to a climactic close with his his headline set last night, inviting Dido onto the Main Stage for a hit-packed performance.
The rapper was somewhat ofa controversial choice for the festival but managed to prove the doubters wrong, keeping the audience in the palm of his hand throughout his epic 28 song set. Opening with 'Survival', Marshall Mathers was clearly in high spirits as he tore through fan favourites and classics including 'Cleanin' Out My Closet', 'Like Toy Soldiers', 'My Name Is', 'Lose Yourself' and 'The Real Slim Shady'.
A highlight was when he was joined on stage by Dido for a duet of 'Stan', resulting in loud cheers from the crowd. He also covered both 'Fast Lane' and 'Lighters' by Bad Meets Evil, and continued the covers by performing his rendition of B.o.B's 'Airplanes, Part II'.
Watch footage of Dido and Eminem at Reading 2013 below:
Prior to Eminem's set, Chase & Status drew a massive audience to the Main Stage for a lively dance set that saw a raft of special guests and collaborators join them, including Nottingham star Liam Bailey for a raucous outing of 'Blind Faith'. So lively were the crowd that at one point, Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn was seen at the side stage concerned about the crush caused by the masses of ravers.
Vocalist MC Rage had to address the problems from the stage, halting a performance of the dance collective's 'Let Yourself Go' to ask audience members to step back prevent fans at the front being injured. "A lot of people are being crushed and we can't carry on. Reading are you with me? Then fucking move back then," said Rage as he requested calm among the audience. "Anyone who is on the floor please step over the barriers. Seriously we need everyone to push back."
Making their Reading Festival Main Stage debut, Foals battled sound problems to play a set that more than justififed Melvin Benn's claims that they should headline in future.
"We've waiting a long time to play this stage, said frontman Yannis Philappakis, pumped by the screams of dedicated fans before running along the barrier and diving into the audience on numerous occasions.
Watch Foals perform 'Inhaler' live at Reading Festival 2013 below:
Earlier in the day, Belgium band Balthazar played their own brand of dark fairytale music in the Festival Republic tent. They were followed by rock band Skaters, who wowed the audience with their melodic brand of garage punk.
Swim Deep were a particular highlight, playing a set which saw lead singer Austin Williams the scaffolding towards the end of their climactic set, and sitting cross-legged atop it for the final song. The tent soon became packed when The 1975 took the stage, which saw some fans unable to get near to the stage due to the large crowds. Expect to see them much higher up the bill in years to come.
The Bronx returned to the Lock Up stage, and gave their usual enthusiasm and boundless energy while playing LA hardcore punk - including 'Too Many Devils'. Imagine Dragons showed off their latest hit 'Radioactive' over at the NME/BBC Radio 1 stage, and Chance the Rapper performed at the BBC 1Xtra stage, in his first ever concert outside of Chicago.
Eminem played:
Survival
Won't Back Down
3 a.m.
Square Dance
Business
Kill You
White America
Mosh
No Love
Just Don't Give a Fuck
Criminal
Cleanin' Out My Closet
The Way I Am
Fast Lane (Bad Meets Evil cover)
Lighters (Bad Meets Evil cover)
Airplanes, Part II (B.o.B cover)
Stan (with Dido)
Sing for the Moment
Like Toy Soldiers
Forever
'Till I Collapse
Cinderella Man
Love the Way You Lie
My Name Is
The Real Slim Shady
Without Me
Not Afraid
Encore:
Lose Yourself
Reading Festival ends today with Biffy Clyro making their headline debut, as well as performances from Nine Inch Nails, Fall Out Boy, Editors, Phoenix, Azealia Banks, Disclosure, Haim and many more. Meanwhile, Leeds Festival will see Eminem, Foals and Chase & Status play.
Below: 8 soaking wet shots of the drenched Reading Festival audience
