Bury Tomorrow
Kicking off the final day of the weekend, Bury Tomorrow bring their own brand of metal core to the main stage. Now in their 7th year of existence, Southampton's Bury Tomorrow make their main stage bow, following a successful 2012 full of praise and hype. Releasing The Union of Crowns last year, Bury Tomorrow received rave reviews for it, and have toured extensively, playing venues and festivals of various sizes, and gaining a solid rep as a live band. In 2005 Trivium smashed the midday slot at Download and have gone on to become one of the most well known metal bands in recent memory, and these guys will be aiming to do the same.
We Are The In Crowd
Hailing from Poughkeepsie, New York, come pop punkers, We Are The In Crowd. Playing a brand of pop rock, akin to Paramore, this band have been gaining traction all over the world. Fronted by the cute Tay Jardine, the band's bouncy rock will be perfect for the main stage. Utilising 2 singers in Tay & Jordan Eckes, gives the band a different dynamic, and with songs like Kiss Me Again, Exits & Entrances & Rumor Mill, singalongs are going to be easy to orchestrate. Catch em while you can!!
Hadouken!
Named after a finishing move in Street Fighter, Hadouken! are back at Reading once again. A staple of the festival for many years, these grime-rave-rockers always put on a great show. Having played the NME Stage last year, they get to step up to the main stage this time. As a band who rely on a lightshow along with their live tracks, they might struggle on the main stage, due to a lack of a roof, thus a lack of lights. Having released their third album Every Weekend earlier this year, they have tunes galore. They're almost an underground Calvin Harris with how many tunes they have that they can whip out at any time. They'll bring the bounce and the mosh to the weekend.
Don Broco
Here we have one of the biggest success stories of the past 12 months. Bedford's own Don Broco could very well steal the main stage spotlight this year. Playing rock music while singing about girls, mates and drinking, the band have been labelled as 'Jock Rock'. I've witnessed these guys a few times, and they are INSANE live. Having released their debut album Priorities, this year, it debuted at number 25 in the charts. And if that wasn't enough, they sold out TWO headline tours, totalling 17 dates, including a show at the legendary Camden KOKO venue in London and a headline set at Hit the Deck Festival in Nottingham, this band are destined for big things. I've not even mentioned the support they get from BBC Radio 1, having played various live events for them over the past 12 months. This band really are going places, and they want you along for the ride. 4 great, genuine guys who can rock with the best of em, get ready, they might be your new favourite band after the weekend!
Editors
Stafford's sons Editors return to Reading, their last appearance was in 2008 and they bring the Indie for the day. Having released their comeback album The Weight of Your Love, this year, Editors bring dark brooding indie rock to the main stage, fronted by the very unique voice of Tom Smith. Akin to previous day main stagers, White Lies, expect the tunes like Munich, An End Has A Start & Smoking Outside The Hospital Doors, especially with the choruses they contain. I'm excited by the return, one of the genuinely interesting indie bands out there, expect a bang during their set.
The Lumineers
On the back of their hit single Ho Hey, The Lumineers are another band making their main stage bow this year. Hailing from Colorado, the Indie Folk outfit will be hoping to capitalise on the Mumford & Sons hype over here. Ho Hey reached number 8 in the charts over here while hitting number 3 in America. I don't have much to say about them, as they're not one of the bands I found interesting enough to listen to. If anyone would like to expand on them for me, comment! Moving on!
Fall Out Boy
In 2009, Fall Out Boy announced that they were going to be taking an indefinite hiatus. In 2009, many people thought that Fall Out Boy were dead, with the members never confirming or denying this statement. In 2013, Fall Out Boy are alive, well and kicking ass all over again. Having reunited in February, after months and months of rumours, whispers and speculation, they released their first new material in 5 years. My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up) is a 3 minute pop rock tune which showed Fall Out Boy hadn't lost what had made them one of the biggest bands in the world. Charting at number 5 over here (one of the highest charting rock songs in a while!) Fall Out Boy then followed it up by releasing Save Rock & Roll, a tongue in cheek title perhaps, but one with a very clear message. Rock & Roll isn't a tangible thing, it's an ideal. Armed with many tunes in their back pockets, Fall Out Boy return, 4 years after their last appearance at Reading, united and hungry. Expect a performance full of singalongs, partying and dancing. One of the main draws for this year's festival by far.
Nine Inch Nails
Another reuniting (of sorts) band. Trent Reznor, the mastermind behind these Industrial behemoths retired NIN as a touring act in 2009,has won numerous awards for his soundtracks for The Social Network & The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Reznor has a magical ear for a pop melody and song, while disguising it within some heavy riffs and distortion, which allows NIN to appeal to so many different types of people. Listening to their Best Of album is one of my favourite pass times, due to it being chock full of absolute killer tracks. It's hard to think of a NIN song that is sub par to be honest. I am excited to witness the return of one of the biggest bands of the 90s and one of the best live bands going. The live musicians are some of the best in the world today, especially Ilan Rubin. The current sticksman for NIN and Angels & Airwaves and a touring member of Paramore, he's one of the most underrated drummers out there, and will be the driving force behind NIN come Sunday evening.
Biffy Clyro
Reading this year has the historical act in Green Day, the draw act, Eminem and the newcomer act in Biffy Clyro. A 3 piece from Kilmarnock in Scotland, Biffy are band who've played Reading 6 times before this year, slowly working their way up from opening the NME stage in 2001, to now headlining the whole festival in 2013. Starting off in 1995, they began as a Nirvana covers band, while writing their own material. This material was dark math rock, featuring their signature oddly timed riffs, screams and very well written lyrics. Simon Neil's heartfelt lyrics gained a fanbase off the bat and Biffy Clyro's live shows were a thing to behold. 3 albums in and Biffy were finally starting to get noticed, but they were about to go over the top.
Puzzle, Biffy's 4th album was released in 2007 and crashlanded in the charts at number 2. People started to take notice of them, due to the airplay they received for Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies, on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show, eventually forcing them to release it as a single due to the reaction. In 2008, the band released Mountains an expansive, riff laden tune with an absolute MONSTER of a chorus. Hitting a personal best number 5 in the singles chart, Biffy Clyro had found their signature song, one which closes almost all of their shows since. Only Revolutions was released in November 2009, and charted at number 3 in it's debut week. It won numerous album of the year nominations and awards and started to show why Biffy should be taken seriously, as song writers and as a live act. Fortunately, they were about to get their first big break.
In 2010, Biffy Clyro were asked whether they would like to headline the UK leg of Sonisphere festival on the prestigious Saturday night slot. The other headliners? On the Friday, the Thrash Metal Big 4 of Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth & Metallica. The Sunday? Slipknot laid siege to the Sonisphere main stage. But a funny thing happened after the festival... Many polls asked who the best headliner of the weekend was. The smart money wouldn't have been on Biffy Clyro, but low and behold, they were near enough unanimously announced as the best headliner at this festival, a festival where they didn't fit the mold and weren't a metal act. This was the next sign that Biffy were about to blow up.
After many other prestigious support slots, like Metallica at Download, Foo Fighters at the MK Bowl and Pearl Jam at the Isle of Wight festival, they decided it was time for big action. Holing themselves up in America, they wrote a double album. The Land at the End of Our Toes & The Sand at the Core of Our Bones combined created Opposites. An album that landed at Number 1 in the album charts and was named the album of the year by Kerrang. Taking in many influences, and giving them a Biffy spin, Opposites has finally put Biffy Clyro where they belong. At the top.
Come 9.30pm on Sunday, 23rd August, these 3 men will take the stage and will start their crowning moment as a band. If you're not sure whether or not to see them, I recommend that you do. Having seen the Sonisphere set, these guys can deliver a headline set, and with the new tunes, they will do it even more comfortably than at Sonisphere. This is a set where it all can literally change for the british music landscape. People said that Kasabian are the next break out band. I think Biffy Clyro are sneaking up on them and will take that title themselves. As I said in a previous post, Biffy Clyro will headline Glastonbury and I wouldn't be surprised to see them headline it in 2014.
Biffy Clyro are about to become Britain's biggest band. Get ready.
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