Limp Bizkit and New Found Glory rock Reading day one to a close

Reading 2015 Limp Bizkit New Found Glory review, setlist photos

Photo: WENN

Limp Bizkit and New Found Glory blasted the cobwebs off any notion of nostalgia to rock Reading Festival day one to a hard and heavy close last night (Friday 28 August).

While Mumford & Sons pulled a huge crowd to the main stage for their epic headline set, fans were spilling out of the NME/Radio One tent well into the field to catch a glimpse of Fred Durst and his rag-tag squadron of nu-metal heroes.

"We're gunna party like it's 1999," bellowed Durst arriving on stage, before rushing straight into the biggest hit 'Rollin'. From then on, Bizkit brought a real college frat party vibe - with their DJ scratching in hip-hop classics, intermittently blended with jammed riffs from Metallica and Guns N' Roses.

"I think it's time for some Limp Bizkit karaoke up in here," said Durst, before the biggest response of the night was saved for a riotous cover of Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name Of'.

Sealing their set with the brutal kiss of the aggro anthem 'Break Stuff' (during which Durst paused the set so a fallen member of the crowd could be picked up), and the Mission Impossible soundtracks 'Take A Look Around',

Limp Bizkit played:
Rollin'
Hot Dog
Gold Cobra
My Generation
My Way
Why Try
Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine cover)
Faith (George Michael cover)
Break Stuff
Take a Look Around

The Lock Up stage pulled a fair crowd throughout Friday at Reading. But this was nothing compared to the masses who gathered to stand, what seemed like miles away, just to hear the headliners New Found Glory. Getting straight to the core of the crowd, NFG delighted all with 2004 Catalyst classics 'All Downhill from Here' and 'Failure's Not Flattering'.

Feeling cramped at times, Jordan answered the question we were all thinking; “We got asked to play the main stage, we said we want to take it back to where we started.”

Rare though it is to see such a big band on a small stage, it really was incredible. The energy reverberated from the partial walls and ceiling of the tented stage making it impossible not to smile and sing louder than the band themselves. 'Dressed to Kill' and 'Head on Collision' making a much appreciated feature in a setlist that truly transcended all sense of time, taking us back to the start of the millennium. Personally, we hope people will still be listening to them come the next millennium.

Watch our interview with New Found Glory below

"Who's exctied for Limp Bizkit," smiled Bastille frontman Dan Smyth - it seems pretty much everyone. Bastille drew one of the biggest crowds of the day to the main stage, with openers 'Things We Lost In The Fire' and 'Laura Palmer' sending the vast audience into a pretty heavy bounce.

Resplendent in an awesome Jurassic Park t-shirt, Smyth has grown into the arena-ready frontman he's always threatened to be - with their cover of 'Rhythm Of The Night' and 'Rhythm Is A Dancer' holding everyone in its grasp, while new numbers such as 'Snakes' and 'Blame' showing a much fuller, bolder and more stadium-friendly leap forwards.

Bastille played:
Things We Lost in the Fire
Laura Palmer
Hangin'
Weight of Living, Pt. I
These Streets
No Angels
Flaws
Blame
The Draw
Icarus
Bad Blood
Snakes
Of the Night
Pompeii

“This is beautiful, this is art”, announces All Time Low frontman Alex Gaskarth from beneath leopard print sunglasses complete with vibrant blue tint. “I wanna see you motherfuckers dance to this next one”, it’s 'Weightless', first track from 2009 album Nothing Personal. Both old and newer fans quickly found that All Time Low included everyone at every entry point, playing hits from all studio albums.

“This song goes out to anyone that's having a shitty time but everyone here's got your back”, says Alex, the tone shifts but the mood stays high as 'Missing You' builds. 'Time Bomb' sees front row teenage girls experience their wildest dreams, "I need some singers”, demands Alex. Making his way back and forth along the front row of the crowd, he selects the lucky participants, pulling them out of the mass and on to the stage. Lead guitarist, Jack Barakat, adorns a girl with his guitar - playing it over her shoulder.

The pair make the perfect front team bringing boundless and unparalleled vivacity to a muddy field, tearing up the main stage with faultless vocals, cheeky attitude and relentless entertaining from Jack and Alex.

As 'Dear Maria, Count Me In' rings from the stage and through the crowd like a ripple, deafening chants and claps erupt. “Thank you! We’ll be coming back to headline all the arenas in February on the Future Hearts tour”. As the applause builds, a sweaty Jack peels off his tee shirt, and furiously swings it his head like a rock God.

Watch our interview with All Time Low from Reading below