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Reading And Leeds Festival 2011: Friday Review

Day one of the festival. It's not all mud.

The weather was testing to say the least, but thankfully the line-up at both Reading and Leeds more than compensated for the British weather's colossal failings. The Rock Sound team was muddy, soggy yet entertained, this is what the first day of the festival looked like through our eyes.

It's cruel on ARCHITECTS but the fact that it's been tipping it down for the past few hours does nothing to raise spirits whatsoever. Having seen the band at Sonisphere and Hevy, today's main stage slot sees the band fare better than at either of those festivals but, even still, when they're getting not even half of the reaction of everyone that plays after them, it's hard not to be a little disappointed for the British ragers. [TB]

THE BLACKOUT take the stage and swiftly go about the job of making Architects look like they frankly should have stayed at home. As the rain clears, it takes Sean and Gavin less than a minute to get the whole field bouncing. 'Children Of The Night' and 'This Is Why we can't have Nice Things' are early afternoon highlights, with Sean Smith prancing as he does like a majestic stag to much appraisal. Granted, they haven't brought stormtroopers along this year, but they're visually stunning and bring the energy that makes it feel like Reading has begun. [AR]



There's an unquestionable intensity to BRING ME THE HORIZON's set that's down in part to the rain but also because the now festival-worn band is almost unbearably tight. They bring out the big guns early in 'It Never Ends' and 'Fuck' but the insanity and bedlam they incite would do a band with twice their billing proud. A proper display of power - let's see them higher up next time. [BP]

RISE AGAINST, understandably fail to disappoint. With a back-catalogue as broad as theirs, festivals are very much a case of playing the tracks people will get off their ass and make a move to, and for the large majority, they deliver. 'Ready To Fall' sounds superb out here today (lest we forget this lot are one of tightest live acts around); It's only a shame Tim McIlrath's ill-informed speech on the summer riots lowers the mood towards the end of their set. Sometimes, the songs just speak for themselves. [AR]

For many of Friday's bands, inspiring a cold, wet and demoralized crowd had been a pretty mean feat. ENTER SHIKARI, however, wasted no time at all raising the mood with 'Mothership', the atmosphere only getting better from there. After throwing down the beefy 'Ok, Time for Plan B' things were looking considerably brighter. Though possibly more suited to the sweaty confines of one of the tents, the boys succeeded in re-energizing the sodden crowd and giving them something to talk about, besides the dismal conditions! [HC]



With this year having been their first ever Leeds festival appearance, TWIN ATLANTIC had a lot at stake. Having attracted an impressive following, the pressure to deliver was piling on long before they took to the stage. Of course, they didn't disappoint, playing a rousing sing-along set and receiving a huge reaction from an enthusiastic crowd. With their calibre now proven, we can expect to see Twin Atlantic climbing the bill for next year's festival. We'll mark that one down as a win then shall we boys? [HC}

And what's left to say about DEFTONES, a band who after 15 years, is better than ever? This is less a set and more a middle-finger to mediocrity and a clear message that, given the chance, they could headline the shut out of this place. There's new favourites like 'Diamond Eyes' and 'Rocket Skates' but the closing salvo of 'Root' and 'Seven Words' is phenomenal to behold. [BP]

With some of the finest punk rock anthems of all time, THE OFFSPRING should have had the place eating out of their hands today but through a half-arsed live show and a questionable set-list, it never quite hits the heights it should. A lack-lustre display for a band capable of much, much more. [TB]

Type Jared into a mobile phone and predictive text changes it to hated. A sign? Not in the slightest as the 30 SECONDS TO MARS frontman received no mud offerings from a crowd that generously hurled earth at other bands earlier in the day. Despite a limp version of 'The Kill' and a wincingly insincere use of the Union Jack this was a solid, if not strange, performance that was well received. [AK]




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