Reading 2017 Discoveries

Heyo!

I went to Reading this year and had such an amazing time with my best friend Alisha and some of her lovely friends who I now consider my good pals too. The whole weekend was full of music and I have created memories with great people which will last many years to come. I saw 25 different acts, and some comedy along the way and was able to experience seeing some artists live that I have loved for either a few months or weeks to those I've dreamt of seeing for years (yes, I'm talking about Muse, we all know this but for clarification I got barrier and it was a holy experience. Yes, I did cry.)

As well as seeing bands I already knew, I made the decision to go and see some artists that I had never seen before and bands I'd not really listened to in any great detail. Some I tagged along with friends, some I just went to alone out of sheer curiosity. From this, I have learnt that I am actually very good at seeing things by myself, so I can apply this to other life situations. No longer will I have to miss a band or act because nobody wants to or cannot go. As well as confidence, I also found some amazing bands and saw bands live that I listened to for chilled sessions of revision and relaxation, and they were so good! So, I decided to subvert expectations and instead of writing about how much I loved Muse and other bands you all know I want to talk about, I would talk about three acts that I saw and fell in love with on the day, as these were some of my favourite experiences.

X-Ambassadors

Image credit: Anna Lee Media
(http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7701865/x-ambassadors-planned-parenthood-benefit-concert-sam-harris-interview)

I only went along to this because both Maddie and Alisha spoke highly of them and told me they thought I would really enjoy listening and seeing it all. I am pretty sure I had heard some stuff before at parties and Spotify's personal daily mixes (these are great for finding new music - check them out if you don't already use them!) I caught the majority of the set, and I was so impressed by what I saw! They were the perfect fit for the NME tent, a good mix of old and new sounds and also very confident with stage presence, including the crowd and spreading messages of love, acceptance and being good humans, something we could all use right now in such uncertain times. They were a really nice way to start the Sunday and I was very glad that I got to see them there. Since Reading, I have checked out more more of their stuff and I am really enjoying their sound and want to go and see them again for a longer set, especially now I know more of their material!

Oh Wonder

Image credit: Emma Swann for DIY magazine
(http://diymag.com/2016/02/29/oh-wonder-announce-headline-us-tour)

I went along to this with Maddie between some other acts the two of us wanted to see, and they had a really nice set (once again in the NME tent, a very good tent to stay at all day for chilled vibes and great music!) They were a very relaxing act, and they announced that it was their first time at Reading Festival and I was shocked because they were so good and fitted the vibe so well! I have since done some research and discovered they aren't as huge as I thought they were which is really surprising because they are very very good. I again checked them out in more detail when I went home and was not disappointed. They now play when I am writing and are on my chilled out playlists. They deserve far more recognition than they currently have, and I want to see them again so if any of my pals do too then please let me know and we can all go together and have a great time!

Mutemath

Image credit: http://bonanzacampout.com/artist/mute-math/

American-based Mutemath have been going for fifteen years, and I have listened to them a bit before but I have never been able to see them live, so was not sure how they would perform live. I was tempted to go on YouTube and have a look but in all honesty I wanted to experience them live myself. They were just as brilliant as I had hoped, and they had such a lovely set and weren't too focused on plugging their new album (some acts at Reading did this and left the crowd confused!) They played with enthusiasm, the whole band getting involved in all aspects of the songs often playing several instruments to create the alternative sound they are so well known for. Not many people seemed to be there, but I put this to the fact they were on relatively early on the Sunday and most people were exhausted from the nights before! They were a real treat to see live and I was so happy I finally got to see them!

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There were so many more amazing bands that I want to talk about, but I think I will leave it all for another post! 

B x