Lovejoy show they have what it takes to headline a stage at Reading 2023

With a clear ambition to climb up the ranks of a festival like this, the top spots will be within easy reach if they keep on at this pace.

Words: Abigail Firth.
Photos: Frances Beach.

Playing at the very end of the weekend, up against Billie Eilish, barely a year into their career, and Lovejoy are still expected to bring in one of the biggest crowds of the weekend. Headlining the Festival Republic stage, it’s one of the smaller tents, but that didn’t stop fans lining up all day in the front rows. 

It’s been a mammoth year for the boys, getting out on the road properly to do their first festival season sandwiched between two tours, Reading closing out the run that’s seen them cut their teeth on some very big stages. And it’s the perfect ending; the late 2000s indie scene Lovejoy sonically pull from has always been welcome at Reading, frontman Will noting playing the festival is a dream come true.

Bringing out the big guns first, they fire through early track ‘Perfume’, recent Top 40 cracker ‘Call Me What You Like’ and ‘Taunt’ from their debut EP right off the bat, although from the reaction here, it’s impossible to tell which are even the singles. When it comes to hype, they’ve got it by the bucketload, but almost a year on the road has meant they’ve now got the chops to live up to it. 

With a clear ambition to climb up the ranks of a festival like this, the top spots will be within easy reach if they keep on at this pace.