READING FESTIVAL TWENTY FOURTEEN

Reading Festival was TWO WEEKS ago? Have I really had that much sleep?

I had a BLAST at Reading Festival this year. I saw around 35 bands and artists in total, and even brought a nice bout of festival flu back as a souvenir. Being from Reading, the festival always feels just that bit extra special, with 2014 being no exception. While walking out of the festival last year, I remember saying something along the lines of "I hope I have a job by next year so I can pay for a ticket myself" and I did it!! Go me!! Those £50 instalments were painful (and that like, £6 shipping fee was VERY painful) but all very worth it in the end.
This year I took a more laid back approach to who I saw, rather than having a meticulously organised schedule. Although I didn't see as many bands this way (I didn't manage to top last year's total of 39) I felt like I enjoyed the whole atmosphere and experience more, and had more time to enjoy the ridiculously overpriced food. (I think I'm having withdrawal from those cheese garlic bread baguettes from the pizza place near the NME tent already)
Line up wise, I didn't think it was as good as last year's, and a lot of the artists I wanted to see I had already seen at least once before. But on the other hand, I had the chance to see some larger bands that I may not have necessarily gone to see under normal circumstances. I also saw a few bands that I will definitely be listening to more of now, which is good! 

Sets I managed to catch over the weekend:
Friday:
We Are Evergreen
Blood Red Shoes
Drenge (2nd time)
Fat White Family
Sweethead
The Orwells
Catfish And The Bottlemen
King Charles
Vampire Weekend
Jamie T
Paramore
Bipolar Sunshine
Palma Violets (3rd time)

Saturday:
DZ Deathrays
Marmozets
Royal Blood
Peace (3rd time)
Bear Hands
Wolf Alice (2nd time)
Don Broco (2nd time)
Circa Waves
Happyness (2nd time)
Chvrches (2nd time)
Jake Bugg
Bombay Bicycle Club
Arctic Monkeys

Sunday:
Flyte
The Neighbourhood
Jungle
Drowners (5th time)
The Kooks
The Horrors (2nd time)
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
The 1975
Disclosure

Blood Red Shoes! I have waited what feels like forever to see them live, and it's finally happened. Although I didn't manage to catch their whole set because someone, somewhere, decided that it was a fantastic idea for them to clash with Drenge.

Drenge's Festival Republic set last year was amazing, so I was super excited to see them again. Obviously, they didn't disappoint. Outfit or music wise. Lovin' those dresses

Rowdiest crowd I was involved in all weekend was The Orwells. As soon as they stepped on stage I found myself being (literally) swept away. I was 100% fearing a repeat of FIDLAR's Reading 2013 set, in which I almost broke a tooth. I made it out with all teeth intact for all those wondering, but I did nearly lose my glasses. I wonder what valuable thing I'll come close to losing next time!

"I lost my mind I lost my shoe" Or in this case, glasses.

Funky crowd shot! At Bipolar Sunshine, before Palma Violets. Palmas were definitely one of my highlights, as I'd predicted. After seeing them smash an afternoon slot in the NME/Radio 1 tent, I was very excited to see them headline Festival Republic, my favourite stage. I have come to the conclusion that Best Of Friends is my favourite track to hear/see live. There's just something about it that gets you every single time.

Back in the NME tent for Royal Blood. There was a good reaction from the crowd even though this performance was prior to the release of their self titled debut (which is also good)

☮ ✌ ☮ ✌ ☮ ✌ ☮ ✌ ☮ ✌ ☮ ✌ ☮ ✌ ☮ ✌

A highlight that I didn't originally think would be a highlight was Don Broco's late afternoon set in the NME tent. Long story I didn't really like their music, saw them live and completely changed my mind. (I love it when live performances can change your opinion!!) Anyway, I totally regret not liking them this time last year, as I was right down the front in a great crowd and I know I would have enjoyed it. This was one of my favourite crowds of the weekend, everyone singing along made it even better.

Cool sunset! P.S sorry if you were fortunate enough to witness my embarrassing dancing at Jake Bugg, Chvrches or Bombay Bicycle Club (not really)

Me lookin' really excited to see Drowners with Mollie

Drowners!! This was my fifth time seeing one of my favourite, favourite, favourite bands this year, but this was extra special since it was in my hometown. I think the fact that they only play for half an hour just makes me want to see them over and over again. I feel super lucky that I have been able to see one of my favourite albums performed live this many times.

The Horrors were amazing as usual but the crowd definitely did not do them justice. Although, the massive pit that opened up during the last couple of minutes of Sea Within A Sea (AKA PRETTY MUCH THE BEST BIT OF ANY SONG EVERRR) was interesting to see, and also a bit odd. Still Live live was gorgeous, as per.

There were also some other strange happenings across the weekend, including the ridiculous amount I spent on that overpriced food and someone forcing me to go up on their shoulders during King Charles' set, (HELLO if you're out there) which is something I never saw myself doing. You do get quite a good view, though. I guess that's another one ticked off your typical festival bucket list, along with things like appearing on the stage screens (#claim2fame) and being at the main stage barrier.

We also met some (very drunk) women while watching Disclosure, and although their friend couldn't speak much English, they managed to get her to swear at everyone who walked by. Then she started doing forward rolls. It was, weird.

ALL IN ALL READING FESTIVAL 2014 WAS SO FUN I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE WOOOOP WOOOOP!!

More photos (film and digital) on my Flickr

SUMMER MEGAMIX

Making "summery" playlists when most of what you listen to could be described as "summery" is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, you have loads to choose from, but perhaps too much. I found it impossible to narrow this down to a reasonable length (I aimed for 20 tracks) so here it is as a "summer megamix." A whole 2 hours and 46 minutes of groovy summery goodness, arranged in a somewhat flowing order. 

Tracks:

1. Girls - Morning Light
2. Splashh - All I Wanna Do
3. Palma Violets - Best Of Friends
4. Cults - I Can Hardly Make You Mine
5. Coves - Wake Up
6. Arctic Monkeys - The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
7. DIIV - Wait
8. Yuck - Middle Sea
9. Coves - Fall Out Of Love
10. SKATERS - I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How)
11. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold II
12. Drowners - Long Hair
13. Dom - Bowl Cut (ft. Madeline Follin of Cults)
14. Bully - Brainfreeze
15. Bleeding Knees Club - Teenage Girls
16. FIDLAR - No Waves
17. Wavves - Nodding Off (ft. Best Coast)
18. Yuck - Holing Out
19. Splashh - Need It
20. Twin Peaks - Stand In The Sand
21. Girls - Summertime
22. Melody's Echo Chamber - I Follow You
23. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good At Being In Trouble
24. Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
25. JAWS - Gold
26. Slow Club - If We're Still Alive
27. FEMME - Fever Boy
28. Blood Orange - You're Not Good Enough
29. Solange - Losing You
30. Peace - Bloodshake
31. Dom - Living In America
32. Spector - Celestine
33. Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
34. Cajun Dance Party - Colourful Life
35. The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen
36. Foals - My Number
37. Metronomy - The Bay
38. Best Coast - Boyfriend
39. Sky Ferreira - Everything Is Embarrassing
40. Cults - Go Outside
41. The Horrors - Still Life
42. Temples - Colours To Life
43. Best Coast - The Only Place
44. Icona Pop - I Love It (ft. Charli XCX)
45. Ultraista - Bad Insect
46. Yuck - Shook Down

Listen on 8tracks

Fifteen songs to make you want to punch yourself in the face

Songs that are so good you wanna rip your hair out: a playlist
You know when a song makes you angry for no reason other than because it's so good? Those pieces of audio that compel you to slam your head into your desk. Yes, those. Here are fifteen of them.

1. Arctic Monkeys - The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
2. Temples - Colours To Life
3. The Vaccines - All In White
4. Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
5. Foals - Inhaler
6. Blood Orange - Bad Girls
7. Melody's Echo Chamber - I Follow You
8. Tame Impala - Mind Mischief
9. The Horrors - Oceans Burning
10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good At Being In Trouble
11. The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen
12. DIIV - Wait
13. Palma Violets - Best Of Friends
14. The Killers - Mr Brightside
15. Spector - Upset Boulevard

Listen on 8Tracks

(Illustration by Thuong Le)

Really good long songs perfect for people who prefer really good short songs

Long songs aren't really my thing. With snappy short songs like Wreckin' Bar by The Vaccines and Parquet Courts' Careers In Combat taking over my playlists, why should I bother with long songs? It takes a pretty special long song to win my heart. Firstly, what do I regard as a "long song?" We'll go with over 6:30. Here are some of my favourites that I actually have the patience to listen to all the way through:

The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea
The Horrors are the band to turn to for very good long songs. In the case of Sea Within A Sea, it's the last two minutes or so that just make it. That's what you're waiting for. The whole song builds up to that do do do do DO DO DO bit. It gives you chills doesn't it? Amazing. Obviously the whole song is pretty incredible but it's all about the last bit.

The Horrors - Oceans Burning
Similarly to Sea Within A Sea, the best bit of Oceans Burning is arguably the last bit. The whole thing is this swirly, luxurious build up to that bit that makes you think "oh my god man, The Horrors are the best band ever!" You're probably lying if you say this song hasn't made you even a bit #emotional and it is just the most perfect closer to the sophisticated swoosh of Skying.

Drenge - Let's Pretend
This is probably a great long song because it doesn't actually feel like it's that long. It feels like a few songs sandwiched together, keeping you interested the whole way through. The fact that it's also very good helps too.

Muse - Citizen Erased
I completely forgot all about this one until I was sifting through iTunes looking for any tracks I'd missed. This doesn't feel like seven minutes at all, courtesy of some whirring and pretty in your face guitars and some interesting lyrics. The last three minutes or so feels like some kind of rebirth or something I dunno man how else would you describe it

Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
This track KILLS. Arguably one of Girls' best songs, the one that makes everyone feel a lil' bit sad and like they should do more with their lives than sit in the dark listening to Girls illuminated only by the glow of their laptop screen. Owens' lyrics here are so fantastic that the length of the track becomes irrelevant. It could be four hours long and still be the most amazing song.SO COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON AND DANCE WITH ME

Parquet Courts - He's Seeing Paths
Another track that doesn't feel as long as it is thanks to some cowbell and other funky sounds. The cowbell and the buzzer just makes this song.

MONEY - Goodnight London
None of Money's songs are particularly short, but Goodnight London is in fact the longest on debut The Shadow Of Heaven. Money are the best at making the most chilling, hauntingly beautiful songs and this is certainly no exception. Discussing New York and London, this track thrives on piano and eerie, amazing lyrics.

(Other honourable mentions include Spanish Sahara by Foals, Left Myself Behind by TOY and Colours Fade by Blood Red Shoes but I can't be bothered to write about any more)