Third billing on the Radio 1 stage is a position any band would be happy to take after only a couple of albums. It’s an especially good one for Sundara Karma, because they’re from Reading and can stay at their mum’s house before they play – it’s ideal really. We caught up with them a few hours before their set to see how they were feeling about their biggest Reading slot yet.
Hey guys, are you looking forward to your set?
Hayden: Yeah, it feels great to be playing such a massive stage.
Oscar: It’s unreal, we had Leeds Friday and a lovely day off yesterday, so we’re ready. Leeds was nuts though, absolutely wild. It was wilder than I thought it would be, wilder than it ever could be.
Ali: They definitely know how to throw a party up North, I’ll tell you that much.
How’s the new album being received live?
Oscar: It’s really nice, yeah. It’s bringing a new element to the show, and it’s always great to play some newer stuff. It’s so cool to see people singing along as well, just as much as they do to the older stuff, I love it.
Have you started thinking about what’s next?
Oscar: Yeah, we’re flirting with a few ideas at the moment. We couldn’t possibly say which ones, mainly because there are none….*laughs*
You’ve got the big Warchild show coming up, tell us a bit about that.
Oscar: It’s on Wednesday, and it got organised with Chess Club, who were our label for the first album. Basically, we just wanted to do something to help, and I think it’s very easy to forget the amount of suffering that’s out there. Warchild do great stuff as well, so it seemed like a great one for us to do.
As you’re festival veterans, do you have any Reading Festival tips?
Hayden: I don’t know, it’s just such a bloodbath, I don’t think any advice could help. You’ll end up in hell no matter what. *laughs*
Dom: Whatever you plan, the devil will take you anyway.
Ali: There’s always someone, somewhere, drinking a welly full of piss.
Dom: Definitely, Satan’s waiting around the corner with a cup full of piss, and he’s going to hit you in the head with it when you’re in the crowd at the main stage.
Oscar: I think what we’re saying is some fucked up shit has happened, but it’s a big dirty festival, so what can we say?
Dom: I think the top tip is just to be ready for anything – oh, and it’s all about the Yellow campsite. Does that even still apply? Who knows, Yellow used to be where it was at, anyway.
Have you caught anyone else over the weekend?
Ali: I saw a bit of the Foos, which was great. Didn’t catch all of it though, they play for so long – it’s like the bloody Lord of the Rings!
Oscar: I just hate all live music anyway… Nah, Billie Eilish was great.
Any final words?
Dom: Don’t use single-use plastic, and be the change you want to see in the world. *laughs*
Words: Jake Hawkes
