For all their chaotic carnival antics, there are plenty of moments of genuine sincerity from Sykes though. "You guys have saved my life so many times, you don't even know," he declares. Minutes later, he's down on the barrier, hugging fans and sharing the microphone for a soaring '
Drown'. It's spine-tingling stuff.
Through 'Bad Habits' (not a single bottle is thrown at Sheeran), a Yungblud-less '
Obey' and the closing '
Throne', Bring Me The Horizon prove exactly why they're the most exciting, most progressive heavy band to come out of Britain in a long, long while. Their ethos the same as the number one rule at their show: "If you stand still, you're a knobhead". (
AS)
When something is historic, you just know. Reading Festival is synonymous with those sorts of moments. Scattered throughout its history are the biggest artists of their time putting on the defining shows of their era. The list is endless - Nirvana, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, The 1975. We can go on for days.
Yet
Arctic Monkeys feel like a band intrinsically linked with these fields. From that early set in the smallest tent (that everyone will say they were at, but definitely weren't) to massive Main Stage moments, headline turns and more - their very DNA can be traced through this festival's lineups across the years. There's a reason why it's their name that's so often the first to pop up every year when lineups are teased. This is home turf, and a stage they command. It's why on a Saturday night in 2022, as their anticipated new chapter begins, their set is the talk of the weekend. To put it bluntly, THIS is what Reading is all about.
