News
Lineup
Pictures
Reviews
Stroh 80 Page
Who We Are
The Great Gazebo
What to Take?
Essentials List
Silly Stuff!
Guestbook
Email Me
Links
Doves - Welcome Back
The Doves have reformed from an old band called 'Sub Sub' who sang 'Ain't Nobody (does me better)'
Today though they show their evolution from dance/hip hop band to indie/rock band.
As this is the first band of the weekend we've seen it's all very exciting, there are problems with the sound though as the wind is blowing and distorting it.
As they get further into the set things liven up..."Bounce Mother-f****rs, bounce" the singer shouts before playing a storming song.
All in all they were a competant band who fit their slot on the bill well.
On the strength of their set I have ordered their album so well done lads, another person has been converted.
Summary - A great debut on the main stage for these indie converts.
Back to the TopThe Bluetones - Blue Was the Colour
The Blutones come on to a massive cheer, and Mark Morris addresses the crowd with an exceptionally camp accent....and then realises and apologises.
They play a set containing most of the hits but where oh where is 'Marblehead Johnson' arguably their best song along with 'Slight Return' which they do play.
They play well enough but you can't help but feel they need more attitude to get noticed in these days of 'style' over 'content' in the music business.
As a bizarre ending to the set Mark Morris gets carryed off by a sailor???....No doubt the Bluetones will be back in future years but don't expect them to climb up the bill at all.
Summary - Good songs but lets have some attitude!
Back to the TopThe Foo Fighters - The Heroes
The Foo Fighters are the second 'heavy' band to play and all those people who had been to see Limp Bizkit had managed to get bandaged up and returned to see these guys from Seattle.
The band launched into the first song and everything went mad! People just surged towards the stage crushing people left right and centre.
By the middle of the second song Grohl stops singing and the band carry on jamming as he addresses the crowd..."Can everybody move back' he says to a reply of clapping from the crowd...."Don't clap!" he yells, "Move the f**k back!!" - Someone is hurt down the front and Grohl jumps into the crowd and helps pull them out.
After that the set goes on as normal but for us was a lesson well learned - Never enter the Mosh pit unless you are 7ft and weigh about 17 stone!!
Summary - They ROCKED!!.... what else is there to say!.
Back to the TopPrimal Scream - Rocks!
Primal Scream for me were the best band at Reading this year.
They played lots of material from their new album 'Exterminator' including opening the set with a stomping 'Swastika Eyes'
The rest of the set contains many of the hits including Loaded, Movin' On Up, Higher than the Sun, Rocks, Kowalski and Kill All Hippies.
The band split the set in two with a first half show of their more dance influenced songs and the second half consisting of the rockier songs. Star and Medication were sadly missing although with a set of this quality it didn't really matter.
Bobby Gilespie was an icon to behold tonight and Mani chipped in with a few chirpy comments, dedicating one song to Uri Geller!
After seeing them here I would definitly go and see them again, and wheres my credit card I must order Exterminator.....
Summary - Magical show which really got me in the Reading spirit.
Back to the TopOasis - Rock 'n' Roll Stars
Oasis saunter on stage to 'F****n in the Bushes' and Liam addresses the crowd after this with a "Hello everyone, at least it ain't f****n' raining" to which the heavens open and people wonder what kind of power Oasis really hold?
Oasis are in a jubilant mood tonight, Noel tries to start the sparring but Liam's having none of it "I'm not sayin nuffin" he replies to one of Noels' digs.
They play an enormous set covering all the albums and all the hits as well as some B-Sides (Aquiesse, Step Out) but the show doesn't really get started until they play 'Cigarettes and Alcohol'
Between one of the songs someone throws a shoe at Liam and it hits the microphone stand knocking the mic on the floor, Noel chirps "Did that fall down?" But tonight Oasis are in charge, two years ago Liam would have walked off after that but they carry on with new vigour or arrogance in their playing depending on which side you see them from.
The person then proceeds to throw their other shoe but it falls well short and wide of Liam this time and he laughs back mouthing 'Arrrgghh ya w****r!' whilst giving it plenty of wrist action.
One of the standout songs is 'Live Forever' Quotes from various famous people are flashing up behind the band and starting to form a picture......the last quote is 'How can someone so obsessed with peace be killed by a gun?' and then you realise the quotes have formed a collage of John Lennon on the massive backdrop.
Liam dissappears while Noel addresses the crowd, " I haven't sung this in ages so you lot can sing the chorus cos I can't really be bovered" he then proceeds to sing 'Don't Look Back in Anger' As he sings great forks of lightening appear above the main stage and everyone cheers much to the bemusement of Noel who has no idea what is going on!
This was the first time I have seen Oasis and although they are not the best band I have seen they certainly have a special magic that other bands don't have.
Are they splitting after this weekend?.......Definitely, Maybe? Let's hope not.
Summary - Oasis are as awesome as ever and they'll be back - don't doubt it.
Back to the TopSuper Furry Animals - The International Language of Screaming
After having had three hours sleep and spent the whole morning running from camping shop to camping shop finding bits of tarpaulin and buying plastic chairs I was too tired to pay proper attention to the Super Furries.
For some reason they are a band I keep meaning to see but always seem to miss, I missed them at Reading 98 and again when I went to see Blur at Birmingham NEC, bizarre!
From what I could hear I wasn't missing much, the rain had finally stopped but the wind had picked up and their sound was being blown around quite a lot which spoilt it a bit.
They seemed to be playing a lot of stuff from the new album which I must confess I don't own and the standout track I did hear was 'If You Don't Want Me to Destroy You'
Summary - Average stuff which shows why they were where they were on the bill.
Back to the TopGomez - Make No Sound
Having seen Gomez in the then called Carlsberg tent in 1998 two months after their debut album had been released I was expecting a lot from Gomez.
The show they put on in that tiny tent was superb, but today I was to be dissappointed. Gomez seem now to be a bloated student band with members all over the place!
They played a stirring version of 'Here Comes the Breeze' but they seemed to be pissing about the rest of the time.
Evidence of this was the stupid rendition of 'Whippin Piccadilly' that went on at the end of their set.
I would recommend that if you ever go to see Gomez make sure they're playing a small to medium sized venue.
Summary - Come on lads we expect better! The first album and tour was so promising.
Back to the TopBadly Drawn Boy / Beck - Boy we were suprised!
I started off in the big marquee that is home to the second stage for this one, housed in here was somebody called 'Badly Drawn Boy' and since there was 40 minutes before Beck started and we were cold we thought we'd take a look.....and boy were we suprised!
Having never heard any of his stuff before I was dead impressed and as a live set this was one of the highlights of the weekend.
There was even a nice little story before a version of Bruce Springsteen's 'Born in the USA' was faithfully recreated until the 'Boy' forgot the lyrics, D'oh!
Having been suitably impressed I then ventured off to the main stage to catch Beck who was already mid set, those damn cards they give you never get the times right!
Beck played all the hits (as most of the bands did this weekend!) and the set was interupted for a DJ 'Scratching' solo which didn't seem to fit in at all and then Beck's band decided to tape over the whole stage with caution tape? Why? and why were his band rolling around on the floor, on wheels with manaquins??
Showmanship is fine with me but this was insane. Never the less the crowd seemed to enjoy it all but I bet the roadies didn't like having to clear all the crap off the stage!
Summary - 10 out of 10 for Badly Drawn Boy but maybe you needed drugs to understand Beck's circus tonight.
Back to the TopPulp - It Was Hardcore
After having seen Oasis on Friday the last band I needed to see from the original 'Britpop' trilogy (Oasis, Blur & Pulp) was Pulp.
Expectations were high but with Embrace playing the second stage a lot of the Oasis fans had migrated there.
Pulp came on to a swirling keyboard effect which launched into a slightly changed version of 'Common People'
Jarvis has bare feet and is climbing up the scafolding to the left hand side of the stage!
Tonight Pulp are a band in charge with confidance abundant in their playing.
The rest of the set contained songs from the last two albums and an encore consisting of mainly stuff from 'His n Hers' (Babies, Do You Remember the First Time) They also played five new songs which sound very promising. The standout track for me from the new material was 'Sunrise' which has a great instrumental 'rock out' at the end.
A thoughtful looking Jarvis quips "if you're down, write a song about it" as they launch into another of the new songs.
It's getting late and we're wondering how they're going to fit in anymore songs, Jarvis quickly commences procedings "What we normally do is go off and then you clap and we come back on, but we haven't got time to do that tonight so pretend we did all that......actually if you just clap first cos we like that."
No Disco here tonight, not in this year 2000, but overall a great set and good showcase for the new album.
Summary - Pulp are back! A triumphant set that didn't fail to impress.
Back to the TopBlink 182 - All the small things....make them laugh!
Blink 182 are now officialy the worst band I have seen live taking over the mantal of Travis.
Thats probably ruined the rest of the review now but there were some plus points to the Californian three piece's show.
As on the video to their recent top 10 hit 'All the Small Things' their humour was on top form. From quips about 'boobies' to more vulgar comments on 'pee-nee-sis' (penis') as they call them!
The only dissappointing thing was the music itself, the sound was actually dire!! Whether it was the wind or downright bad playing it sounded awful and they really need to get it sorted out if they are to impress some or the muso journos around.
Summary - Top marks for humour but work on that live sound pur-lease!
Back to the TopRage Against the Machine - The Battle of Reading
Having seen some great gigs by the British bands America's fightback commenced with Rage.
Having never heard any of their songs except for 'Killing in the Name' before I was unprepared for the excellent set they played.
Tom Morello on guitars is one of the most amazing guitarists I have ever seen and his use of feedback and experimentation really made a difference combining superbly with the Bass, Drums and Vocals.
On the strength of this show I'll be purchasing their albums as well.
Summary - Another of the highlights of the festival.
Back to the TopSlipknot - AARRGGHHH!!!!
These guys are crazy! The 'music' if you call it that is shite but what the hell are they doing?
One guy is throwing himself into the crowd, another is shagging a drum kit which is attached to a car jack while another is throwing a keg of beer into the crowd!
The singer starts the songs with lines such as "This is an incite to a serial killers mind" and "this is our secret track" to which the crowd look puzzled. On they go with another....."Mr. 8, can you please start this one" to which the guitarist duly complies.
The next trick for them is to get the crowd to kneal down in front of them which most of them do and then they ask everyone to jump up as the song starts. It's a miricle no-one is hurt seriously but there were rumours floating around after they finished that someone broke their back in the melee!!
There are some seriousely strange people watching this gig - some are dressed in orange overalls and have gass masks on!? Somehow we managed to stand in front of the biggest Slipknot fan there ever was and it's not long before he's attracted the attention of the nearby 'townies' who nearly go to war on the guy!
Summary - I'm very, very scared!
Back to the TopPlacebo - Pure Brilliant!
Placebo are another of the elusive bands I've been trying to see for years and they did not dissapppoint! They played a great set but is Brian Molko ill??
He looks so so poorly but seems in great spirits as he belts out the hits. Some idiots in front of us get bored and procede to start the biggest bottle fight in festival history! It all starts as fun but soon turns nasty as half the crowd join in....and glass bottles start flying around. There's blood pouring from some guys head and innocent bystanders are getting caught up and injured.
The fighting stops for a few brief moments but then resumes again with an increased ferocity! Myself and Sophie decide to get out of the way and get closer to the front to see the rest of the set.
The set is rounded off with the stroming 'Pure Morning' which is just magical tonight and will always stick out as one of the best moments of Reading 2000.
Summary - Great to see them back and the new material sounds good!
Back to the TopStereophonics - Roll Up and Shine
By now everyone's tired and the Stereophonics read the crowd well by playing their rockier songs early on in the set and moving on to the slower songs which everyone can appreciate better.
By now there is an alarming amount of people lying on the ground unconscious which are hard to distinguish from the ground in the dark, safe to say that these people are so drunk/tired/doped up (delete where applicable) that they are being trodden on without even realising.
As for the Stereophonics they carried on, and on, and on.......they were good but it was hard to appreciate after only 9 hours of sleep in the previous four days! Everyone was looking forward to the traditional Sunday marathon drinking session which starts as the last band finish and ends as you leave the festival site the next afternoon!
There is one suprise that gets the crowd going though and that's the appearance of Tom Jones for 'Mama Told Me Not to Come' which was a great way to end a great festival. All in all the best festival ever? It's for those of you who were there to decide.
Summary - Is yesterday, Tommorow, Today the best day? Some questions in life are so hard!
Back to the TopAll these reviews were written by me, Dave King, and represent my opinions only. If you disagree then email me and I'll include your comments/reviews on the site.
If anyone wants to write any reviews of the bands covered or not covered then just email me with a review and I'll stick it on the site.