Friday 22/08/08 Rage Against The Machine, MGMT @ Reading Festival, Berkshire

As Gigwise struggles into Reading festival again with the weight of the world on our shoulders (well tent, wellies and a crate of Strongbow) there’s a few differences a year on from Reading 2007.

Firstly credit is due to Festival Republic. Considering this August is being forecast as the wettest this century the site is looking fine. Lush grass surrounds the wristband exchange and even the site has a tinge or two of the green stuff despite many revellers having trampled the site on Wednesday. There’s also a fancy new bridge across the Thames which has improved access 100% and no longer can we see a Carling cup every two steps since their partnership with Festival Republic ended. Say hello to the new king of lagers at Reading: Tuborg. Aside from this and the general burning of things (which seems to have started earlier this year) the music begins in earnest at lunchtime on Friday and it is a familiar face which greets us.

Taking Back Sunday have been on this area of the bill for what seems like ages and they don’t look like moving up anytime soon. Their umpteenth member change has seen Fred Mascherino leave and with it their most talented member. Matt Fazzi is a decent replacement but tracks like ‘Liar’ and ‘What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?’ need Mascherino’s backing vocals to stand out. Adam Lazarra remains a hit and miss front man who looks unusually reserved today and despite the token mosh pits it’s the missed lyrics and lack of charisma which are memorable.

Dizzee Rascal’s mid afternoon set could go either way. The main stage can be a gargantuan mistake for hip hop acts with the giant atmosphere and need to get the crowd on side. Dizzee doesn’t seem worried at all by this prospect and smashes out a set of classics. The crowd interaction in particular is outstanding with Dizzee orchestrating the crowd into a chant of ‘oi’ before ‘Fix Up, Look Sharp’. The potential banana skin of ‘Dream’ is cast out by transforming it into ‘Old Skool’ with Dizzee clearly aware of the criticism the former received. Finishing with his biggest hit ‘Dance with me’ keeps the crowd alive without losing his credibility by confidently saying “this track was number one for a whole fucking month.” A triumph in all respects.

There’s just enough time for Gigwise to pop over and see the end of Fighting with Wire.  The Irish trio blast out their tracks with vigour and belief and sound like a mix of Biffy Clyro and Reuben. If they can raise their game a big future awaits them.

Back on the main stage the actual Biffy Clyro emerge.  It’s yet another step up at this festival for the Scots and they seem encouraged to let loose. Despite the early momentum, tracks like ‘Who’s Got A Match’ seem underwhelming until set highlight ‘Mountains’ pummels the crowd with its anthemic chorus. ‘Machines’ slows the tempo and sounds as crucial to this festival as any track while ‘Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies’ is a brooding, building and yet brutal number. Biffy will hope to keep moving up the bill on the strength of displays like this.

The new BBC Introducing stage has a few gems on it this year and Thomas Tantrum look like one of them. Uber cool front-lady Megan Thomas has a clear and cute voice and the rest of the band have an underlying heaviness to them in some of their riffs. Their melodic indie is refreshing if just for their youthful exuberance and ‘Shake It, Shake It’ is as catchier indie single as you might hear this year.

Next up we have the indie band of the summer, MGMT. This was never going to be as special as their Glastonbury performance, but they put up a great contest to it. A scaled down ‘Electric Feel’ however sounds mixed with the added flutes. The fast paced dance feel of it is lost a bit but the care-free lyrics are not lost on the crowd and a huge sing-along ensues. The set picks up further as their backing band seem well up for the challenge and Andrew VanWyngarden owns the stage in his technicolour cape. ‘Kids’ naturally sends the crowd wild with VanWyngarden slumping into a ball in the centre of the stage with his cape heaped over him soaking up the applause.

Vampire Weekend are a more polished but no less exciting band. They open with ‘Mansford Roof’ to a smaller but intensely loud crowd. The key to Vampire Weekend is a tight musical direction and a note perfect delivery and today they sound better than they have before.  ‘A-Punk’ is raucous while ‘Blake’s got a new face’ sounds out the crowd for assistance in chanting ‘Blake’ at the top of their voices. They save ‘Oxford Comma’ for the back end of the set to keep the momentum up before encouraging us to enjoy Rage Against the Machine, a comment which doesn’t go unnoticed with the crowd who are clearly already anticipating the US rockers appearance over on the main stage.

We’re told Slipknot have cancelled but when a group of men emerge with covered faces and boiler suits on it seems Joey Jordinson might have made a miraculous recovery. That is until the opening strums of ‘Bombtrack’ come flying out of the speakers and Rage Against the Machine make their return to the Reading main stage. The boiler suits and hoods are a protest against Guantanemo Bay and they play the entire first track hooded. Having headlined in 1996 and last been here in 2000 you might think they were rusty but Zack de la Rocha and company look a band intent on their own revolution tonight. When they follow up Bombtrack with ‘Testify’ and ‘Bulls on Parade’ it becomes apparent there will be no stopping them as furious circle pits break out across the crowd.

Their covers album ‘Renegades’ is ignored completely in favour of their original material and tracks like ‘Sleep Now In The Fire’ and ‘Bullet in the head’ are brutally delivered with Tom Morello stomping along to the beat. Zack saves his political rant for the close of the set, condemning Tony Blair and George Bush before launching into a furious version of ‘Wake Up’. It is left to ‘Killing In The Name Of’ to finish off an hit-laden set and one which leaves Rage Against the Machine as kings of Reading.

To see Leeds Festival in stunning, exclusive pictures featuring Metallica, Rage Against The Machine and more, click on the links below:

Leeds Festival - Day One
Leeds Festival - Day Two
Leeds Festival - Day Three