Review: Reading Festival 2022 Day Three

The festival's final day may have had the most controversial line-up but it ended the festival in style.

The final day of Reading Festival was the most controversial of the three. The day in which Rage Against the Machine was meant to close the festival, instead it would be left to The 1975 to end the weekend with Halsey. At the same time, we may not have had the headliner we wanted but the festival certainly did end with a bang.

Willow

We started the festival's final day with one of the biggest rising stars in the rock/Emo scene. Willow has been causing a stir since she transitioned from her pop/RNB beginnings to a more pop-punk sound and started working with the likes of Machine Gun Kelly and Blink 182's Travis Barker. This has seen her become a superstar on the world stage and she stopped off at Reading Festival at the start of the day's proceedings.

There was a packed-out crowd at Main Stage East as Willow got onto the stage and played her 2021 mega-hit 'Transparent Soul' which instantly got the crowd in the mood for the day ahead. While Willow set was undoubtedly short, she made sure that she had all of her hits in the 8-song setlist, from 'Wait A Minute' to the new song '<Maybe> its my fault', she made sure that she made the most of her time on the Main Stage.

The only complaint I would have of her set would be that her pre-recorded backing vocals were far too load and overpowered her own vocals but other than that we got the final day off to a great start with Willow.

Denzel Curry

I stayed at Main Stage East for the next act Denzel Curry. An American rapper that I have been very much a fan of since his appearance on the Glass Animal track 'Tokyo Drifting'. Since then, I've looked at his back catalogue and this got me interested even further in the rapper's work. Now I'm watching him play Reading festival on the main stage.

Opening his set with 'Walkin' was the best way he could start his show. A great mix of chill at the start but then Denzel got the crowd all worked as the song goes on. Mosh pits start taking shape as the song nears its end and everyone at the front was off their feet. There was also a huge crowd that turned up for Denzel which is a testament to the man and the solid fan base that he has over in the UK.

Other highlights included 'RICKY' which got the crowd once again trying to sing along. It was an amazing atmosphere which I have never seen so early in the day on a Sunday at Reading. Most people are saving themselves before the headliners, but everyone was well up for this set. He ended with the brilliant 'Ultimate' and 'CLOUT COBAIN| CLOUT COBAIN' which was amazing to listen to while we made a move to the next act we wanted to see. Denzel Curry is possibly one of the most underrated rappers that I have listened to and his Reading set was a great example of his unreal talents.

Pale Waves

After watching the very funny Scott Bennett on the Alternative Stage, I came back to Main Stage East to watch Pale Waves set. I have seen the band recently and if you check out my Community Festival review, then you will get an idea of what I think of the band's live performance. Click the button if you haven't checked it out.

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There is one thing that I did realise while watching their set this time around. The band's confidence has grown so much over time. Back when I saw the band play the Festival Republic Stage, the band were much shyer and more reserved on stage than they were at this year's festival. Lead singer Heather Baron- Gracie is much more vocal when talking to the crowd and can be seen in 'Jealousy' knocking over mic stands as if she doesn't care and owning the Main Stage. I much prefer this version of the band. They are a much more entertaining live act to watch and have changed up their sound and image for the better.

It also must be said it's been great to watch the band work their way to get to this point. I remember the early days of the band when they would play at my local venues but now they are on the main stage of Reading Festival on the Main Stage in the afternoon sun. It simply doesn't get much better than that for any band and Pale Waves are a great example of a British music success story.

DMA's

DMA's are an Australian rock band who have become more popular over the last few years with their self-titled EP release being a fan favourite as well as being likened to bands such as Oasis and The Stone Roses. This comparison had built up my expectations for the band's show at Readings Main Stage West, but I felt they were not met.

Maybe it was near the end of the weekend, and I was too tired, or maybe it was the band having an off day, but whatever it was I really struggled to like their live set. There was just no excitement or stand-out moments from the show. Simply nothing to write home about. Their visuals looked cool in fairness but that's all I can really remember liking about their show. Usually, when I sit down to review these shows I can always remember the stand-out moments or something that I really like but very little springs to mind. I just remember being a bit bored as I sat at the back and watched on. A shame really as the band sound fantastic in the studio.

Run The Jewels

One act that I knew would keep my attention would be Run The Jewels who should have been supporting Rage Against the Machine but instead play the Main Stage East. The duo are a group who have gained a ton of critical acclaim over the years and while I wasn't an fan of theirs at the start I did get won over seeing live supporting Queens Of The Stone Age at Finsbury Park in 2018. I was interested to see them again and see what the duo could do at one of the biggest festivals in the UK.

The duo was out of place on the line-up after Rage pulled out but that doesn't change anything. Both El-P and Killer Mike came out on stage to put on a flawless hip-hop show. Their showmanship is something that has to be commended. The energy that they give off on stage is simply infectious and will get you hyped up for the next act on the stage. The Duo also looked like they were having a good time at Reading as well with both El-P and Killer Mike dancing and smiling their way through their set which ultimately created a great atmosphere around Main Stage East. The Duo also looked out for their fans, reminding the guys in the crowd that "If you didn't come with her, don't put your fucking hands on her" which was met with a loud cheer from the crowd, not only creating a great atmosphere but also making a safe one too.

As far as their setlist is concerned, it was the best that the group could possibly put out. Opening with 'Legend Has It' and then going through their best hits from the last 10 years. Any RTJ fan would have left happy for sure. The only real complaint I could have is that the amount of time they ask the crowd "Who's House?" did get old but takes nothing away from a great set from the group.

Bastille

Bastille is quite possibly one of the biggest live acts in the UK. Their mega-hit 'Pompeii' and a huge back catalogue have seen them play festivals all over the contrary and across the world and now they find themselves supporting Halsey on the final day of Reading 2022. The sheer amount of people at Main Stage West proved the massive popularity of the band. We were all the way at the back near the food stands as we could not get further forward. This goes to show how popular the band have gotten over time.

In terms of their actual performance, Bastille put on a solid show, playing a range of songs from their back catalogue from their overplayed 'Pompeii' to newer tracks such as 'Distorted Light Beam' which meant that overall, the setlist was not stale. The group's visuals were also very cool. The range of colours used throughout the set really added another layer to their performance. Another thing which really elevated the show was the crowd. With the incredible amount of people around, it created a party-like atmosphere which I only saw a few acts do all weekend. Even with 'Pompeii' the crowd at the front were bouncing in unison which looked stunning from the back of the crowd.

The band where all on decent form as well. Dan Smith on vocals did seem to struggle a little bit near the end of the set resorting to some strange vocal work but he had the band's backing singers to help him out. Overall, it does surprise me that Bastille has not headlined Reading yet. Considering their popularity and how good they were here, it won't shock me to see them headline in the future.

Halsey

One of the acts I had little to no information on going into the weekend was one of our headliners, Halsey. The singer and songwriter from America was one of the surprises for me when the lineup was announced, but I was willing to try them and see why Reading booked them as a headliner after being recommended some of their music by my girlfriend. At the show, I suddenly realised that I'd been sleeping on their music for far too long and I was simply blown away by their show.

Their set opened with 'Nightmare' which was accompanied by images of the recent protest in America after the Roe Vs Wade court case which saw the law of abortions changed. The song perfectly sums up the anger that this case was met with back then, with lines such as ' "Come on, little lady give us a smile"/no, I ain't got nothin' to smile about". With flames being blasted across the stage as well, this was an explosive and unapologetic start to the show.

One thing that I loved about Halsey's set was how they owned the stage. This was despite battling food poisoning before their Leeds headline set but they made sure that would not stop them from bringing all their energy to Reading. Also, Halsey has a very close connection with their fans pointing out fans who have their old merch as well as welcoming new fans. They can also have a laugh too. While talking about their personal life and having a child, some chants of MILF came from members of the crowd. Rather than taking offence, Halsey replied "Wow, I can't wait for that BBC headline tomorrow" and then put on her best newsreader impression and said, "Halsey graces Reading stage to chants of MILF from the audience". A funny moment which shows even while their set can have some topics, Halsey is not afraid to bring some humour to their show too.

Due to my lack of research before Reading Festival, I was surprised by the amount of guitar that was used throughout the set. Songs such as 'Experiment On Me' really made, my jaw drop to the floor. It was like being back at Bring Me The Horizon's set again with heavy rifts being played by their guitarist and mosh pits forming on both sides of the crowd. It comes as no surprise that they has worked with BMTH in the past as they demonstrated their devastating screams on the track. With some imagery in the background, which was not for the faint-hearted as well, I was simply blown away by how versatile Halsey is. For their more pop side to their rock and metal side. It's something to behold.

Halsey finished off their set with a brilliant rendition of 'Running Up That Hill' which was then followed by 'I am Not A Woman, I'm a God' and 'Without Me' which was accompanied by fireworks and confetti. To say I was impressed with their set was an understatement. This has to be the set of the weekend. IT WAS THAT GOOD. I would be more than happy to go and see them again. Considering they were so Ill the day before at Leeds makes this show even more incredible. All of this taken into account, maybe Halsey is the real rockstar of Reading. Their set certainly makes a good argument.

The 1975

The final band of the weekend and it could be the most controversial. Rage Against The Machine where meant to bring things to an end but due to injury to lead singer Zack De La Rocha, this was not to be. As I covered in a previous blog post, The 1975 stepped in to replace the legendary politically charged rock-rap group. This proved to be a controversial pick and very divisive with the Reading festival ticket holders, with many getting refunds because of the change. It has to be said though, The 1975 do know how to put on a show and despite the circumstances, could be one of their best shows yet.

The start of the show is nothing like any 1975 show that I've been to. Normally the band would open with an edition of their self-titled song which features on every album. Instead, the band did not mess about opening with 'If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)' which got everyone singing and dancing along. What happened afterwards was well described by lead singer Matt Healey Himself. "It's. Just. Fucking. Bangers". He wasn't lying either 'Love Me', 'Chocolate', 'Me And You Together Song', 'TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME' and 'It's Not Living' all followed which sent the crowd into a frenzy. It's the best start to any show I have seen. Yes, I am a 1975 fanboy, but I have generally never seen a more perfect start to a show ever.

The band then slowed things down with the brilliant 'Paris' (which I thought I'd never get to hear live) and 'Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy). The band also previewed what was to come off their 2022 album 'Being Funny in A Foreign Language' with 'Happiness' and 'I'm In Love With You' which sounded fantastic and seem to be bangers which will stay on their setlist for years to come.

One thing which did strike me when watching the show is how self-aware Healey is. It may be something I've never been aware of before, but it is clear to see this time around. He gets the crowd to give a round of applause for RATM but then seems to joke that the band were going to do a cover of a Rage song but Healey asks if the band would do the same for them. I highly doubt it. Healy knows how to get on people's nerves and to be honest it's quite funny. Even when introducing themselves, Healey called the band "Your favourite band" From some side of the field you could hear sighs others sides you hear screams. For us, we just laughed as we know what Healey is doing. Saying that Healey's self-awareness does make him one of the most confident lead singers in the industry so you can't knock it really.

The set was very close to being the perfect bar for a couple of things. Their performance of 'People' was a messy one and Healey and the whole band were out of time. Also, their production was very basic for a headline show, but considering they had just weeks to get ready it can be excused. Other than that, The 1975's Greatest Hits show was an incredible performance which brought Reading Festival to a solid conclusion. It's ironic that their current tour is called "The 1975: At their very best" because Reading 2022 might just be one of their greatest performances of all time.