Review: Reading Festival 2022 Day One

The festival kicked things off with an action-packed day with some amazing performances.

Reading Festival is always a festival that I look forward to. It was the first festival I ever went to back in 2016 and I've been to everyone since. The Friday was jammed packed with a load of artists across so many stages with some of their performances will certainly live long in my memory.

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes

For the first act of the weekend, we walked over to the Main Stage East as we had a special guest slot on our hands. The first time I heard of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes was on this very stage in 2016 where I sat at the back of the field watching from afar only to find Frank causing one of the biggest circle pits I've ever seen. Since then, I have seen him play every year that I've been to, and it has always been chaotic and memorable. This time around, the band open the stage with a brilliant set full of crazy and brilliant moments.

The setlist was only eight songs long but the band made sure they play their very best which included 'My Town', 'Devil Inside Me', 'I Hate You' and 'Crowbar' which got the mosh pit wide open and every dancing and dancing along. However, it wasn't the setlist that made this set so memorable. It was the main man himself. Frank Carter is well known for his energetic approach when it comes to these shows but bar far this was his most chaotic performance yet. From wearing a shirt from a fan which said, "Peg the Patriarchy", to jumping into the crowd and ripping his trousers and having to get a change on stage for the whole of Reading to see and both him and Deno standing on top of the crowd while playing 'Devil Inside of Me'. It was the most mental Reading set I've ever been to and that is what made this set one of the best starts to a Reading Weekend I can remember.

There was also a moment of class from the band as Frank demanded a mosh pit for any women and non-binary people declaring it their "safe space". It was very cool to see everyone enjoying themselves and everyone feeling safe at a festival and that is what the rattlesnakes are so good at doing. Playing a mental set and making sure everyone is having the best time they can have. What an amazing start to the weekend!

Everyone You Know

It was off to the Dance Stage for the first time this weekend as Everyone You Know took to the stage. The group would play a set mixed with their relaxed lo-fi dance sound and their more upbeat music from their last album 'Just for the Times'. The group has a massive crowd which was great to see after they played a great set down at the Tunbridge Wells Forum last year. With a few remixes thrown into the mix including a cover of Sam Fenders 'Fenders Play God', the band play a great set which gets people in the mood for the day ahead. The band plays music with lyrics that are just about everyday life such as the ones on 'There for you' where the band talks about being there for your mate no matter what. "When the lights come on/The party's done/ I'm there for you still" which sums up what festivals should be about in the first place.

Highlights included the band performance of 'The Drive' which my friends and I would sing along to at the back and of course, their FIFA soundtrack hit 'She don't Dance' which got the whole of the dance tent dancing away. This was a perfect end to a great set from the band and continued with the incredible sets that we were seeing so far.

Scene Queen

I would then rush over to the Festival Republic Stage to catch on of the most interesting artist I have discovered in 2022 so far. Scene Queen started her rise to fame on TikTok where she has over 500K followers and now has released her EP 'Bimbocore' which is the word used to describe her type of music. It's a crazy mix of metalcore and trap beats like the ones you hear in pop and rap music. Mix this with feminist themes and you have one of the heaviest yet unique artists on the line-up.

It was clear that the Reading crowd were loving it as mosh pit would open for 'Pretty in Pink' which by the end of the song Scene Queen would be screaming the chorus to the crowd. The real highlight would be right at the end of her set where she performed 'Pink Rover' which ended her set. The song is both brutal lyrically and musically so to see this kick-off live at Reading was a real treat. This set something different yet something brilliant. It was also cool to see Scene Queen meeting her fans after the show before the next act. She clearly cares for her British fans and it's great to see a new generation and I guess and a new genre of mental taking its place in the scene.

Kid Kapichi

I stuck around at Festival Republic to watch a band that I was quite excited to see. Kid Kapichi are from Hastings, and I love to see when a band not far from where I live takes to a stage at Reading. One thing is for certain, Kid Kapichi certainly did the South-East proud.

The band started the set off by playing the infamous Oscars Moment from Will Smith which has been all over the internet over the last year (I think you know the one) before the band steamrolled through their set with songs such as 'Working Mans Town' and 'New England' which got the crowd moshing along. These songs not only demonstrate the band's frustrations with the current state of our country, but also showed how great they are at getting their fans off their feet.

One of the best moments had to be 'Part at No.10' which had the whole tent singing along with the chorus. It was one of the calmer parts of their set but was the band at their best. Their set must be considered one of the best of the weekend. full of energy and great songs. I would expect to see the band come back next year with a bigger slot and with a new album out, I'd is surprised if they are not asked back.

Joy Crooks

After a rather hectic day, it was nice to go to Main Stage West with the sun shining through the clouds and chill out to Joy Crooks set. The singer was joined by a fall band which I loved. it created a more natural feel to the concert whereas some artists would just have the track play over a speaker.

The set was just a very nice, chilled summer vibe thanks to Crook's band which was completed with Crook's amazing vocals. It was clear why Crooks has been nominated for Brit Awards and the Mercury Prize. She has such a captivating voice which keeps you hooked throughout the concert. While I'm not a massive fan of the works of Kendrick Lemar, I have to say I really enjoyed her cover of 'YAH.' and 'ELEMENT' which gives the song a different sound which works outrageously well. But for me, her crowning moment would be 'When You Were Mine' which brought a party vibe to Main Stage West as the sun was out and everyone was singing along. It was the perfect way for her to cap off a great set. While it was probably the most chilled-out set I saw that day. It can't take away how good Joy Crooks was and that her recent successes are well deserved.

Sick Joy

It was back to the Festival Republic Stage as Sick Joy was rearing to go. After they were announced weeks before the festival, I was quite excited to see them after I saw them at the Tunbridge Wells Forum last year. One thing that has to be said is that they always have brilliant sounds. Every sound this band makes on stage is so crisp and it's easy to pick up on the sound of Danny Piston's bass without it overpowering the guitar and vocals of Mykl Baron and the drums of Drew Micheal.

The band have a gritty rock sound which reminds me of bands such as Nirvana and Dinosaur Pile Up. They call themselves noise-pop, but I'd say the band represent the old-school sound of grunge and I think the sound works perfectly for them and explains their rise in popularity in the last year or so. They also know how to get a crowd moving with songs such as 'Stay Dumb' getting the crowd at the front barrier jumping. I feel like this is a band that you should keep an eye on in the future as I feel like this is only the start of Sick Joy and the best is yet to come but for now, their Reading set was a great display of their potential.

Little Simz

We went back to Main Stage West to see one of the year's biggest acts. Little Simz has had a sensational year with award wins at the Brit Awards and winning the converted Mercury Prize, so we were all very excited to see her on one of the Main Stages at Reading. Her set got off to an epic start with 'Introvert' which has a massive orchestral intro which sent chills down my spine. It acted as the perfect walk-out music as Little Simz walked out on stage.

Just like Joy Crooks earlier, Simz was backed up by a live band which gave the set a more natural feel which you don't always get with a rapper's concert but her band did a great job in giving Simz the perfect sound. As for Simz herself, she was outstanding, Her flow on her songs was slick and her vocals were fantastic. I was so impressed with her performance and her confidence on stage. Her setlist was also a great mix of her recent album 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' as well older songs Such as '101 FM'. She finished her set which was a fantastic finale consisting of 'Point and Kill', 'Women' and 'Venom'. The latter was a killer final song as Simz displayed her rapping talents while we looked on stunned. The guitar work from her band made the track a different beast when played live.

I have to say the Little Simz has to be one the best act I have seen at Reading in the last seven years that I've been going. Her set was an absolute blast from start to finish and to me demonstrates that Simz should be considered a future headliner. One more album surely set her up for world domination.

Glass Animals

If you haven't heard of Glass Animals in the last two years, you must have been living under a rock. The band may have had one of the biggest hits of the 2020s already with 'Heatwave' which currently sits on two billion listens and has spent a record 91 weeks in the Hot 100 Charts. The band have achieved so much in the last few years, and it all came down to a slot on Reading Main Stage West just before Megan The Stallion plays her headline slot.

The band got things off to an electric start by playing 'Life Itself' which acts as a great opening song to get the crowd dancing along. Lead singer David Bayley was running around on stage to keep the crowd always entertained and the songs just kept on coming. I loved the visuals that the band brought with them as well which gave me 80s/ retro gaming vibes which looked very cool in the background. The setlist was mostly made up of songs from their mega-successful album 'Dreamland' as well as hits from their back catalogue which highlights included 'Tangerine', 'Space Ghost Coast to Coast and 'Tokyo Drifting' which all sound amazing and with the cool visuals in the background looked sunning. The only thing they could have done was get Denzel Curry down from Leeds to do 'Tokyo Drifting' as I feel the song is so much better with his inclusion, but I guess we can't have everything.

Overall, Glass Animals ended the 'Dreamland' ear with a bang. Everyone singing along to 'Heat Waves' right at the end just shows their pulling power as a live act and their popularity. Bayley teased that the band are going away to make new music so it will be interesting to see if they can carry on making record-breaking music and if they can top this moment in their careers. For me, however, it was just another band off the bucket list, and I left very happy.

Fever 333

At last, the final act of the day and I have left the most energetic set till last. Last time I saw Fever 333 was back in 2018 when I saw them supporting Bring Me The Horizon which was the wildest support act I've seen ever. band member doing flips, everyone jumping around the place and breaking instruments. It was chaos but in a good way. Fast forward four years, I get to see the band headline the Festival Republic Stage and none of that energy has been lost over the last few years.

Even at the very start, the band had the crowd off their feet before they were all on stage as they opened their set with 'BITE BACK'. if you were not in the pit then you would have been jumping about or singing along. The fever was certainly spreading around Reading Festival on night one. The set would continue like this throughout the night with songs such as "BURN IT' and 'ONE OF US' keeping the fans on their toes. I have never seen a band with such energy on stage before. I would say part of their energy comes from their anger from some of the scenes from America with the Black Lives Matter moment and the country's treatment of black people. Lead singer Jason Aalon Butler took some time out of the set to voice his concerns and anger and spread the message that these issues cannot go on and rightly so. It's why I love the band. they stand up for what is right and use their anger to make some heavy music and try and make a stand. There is a reason why their concerts are called "functions" and "demonstrations". to me, it's more than just music. It's the band making a point and giving others a voice and that is more important than ever.

The band finished their set with 'Hunting Season' which saw Guitarist Stephan Harris climbing the stage till he was above the light and Bulter started stacking up the speakers so he could jump off them. Meanwhile, drummer Aric Improta was drumming away in the background with a great demonstration of drumming. A chaotic end to a sensational show. It's such as shame that both Harris and Improta have left the group but with Bulter taking charge of the project and previewing some new material, Reading marked the end of an era for FEVER 333 but they went out with a bang.