Soft Play are back - and it's a joy to have them at Reading 2023

Words: Jake Hawkes.Photos: Patrick Gunning.

Comebacks are weird - especially when you haven’t been away that long. What do you do to acknowledge your absence? How much nostalgia do you lean into to announce your return? Soft Play’s answer to both of those questions is to give 40 minutes of absolutely blistering energy that can probably be heard two towns over. Their secret set at the Festival Republic stage is absolutely rammed for a greatest hits show which looks to the future as well as reminding people just why they’re such an unstoppable force.

Foundational track ‘Where’s Your Car Debbie’ gets an airing within the first ten minutes, a concrete statement that the name may have changed, but the bangers aren’t going anywhere. Any worries about a band trapped in the past are unfounded, though. New single ‘Punk’s Dead’ gets an absolutely huge response, with mosh pits, people on shoulders, and even a couple of people on shoulders in mosh pits.

Isaac gets in on the fun for ‘Beauty Quest’, descending into the crowd as he screams the lyrics. The biggest response is reserved for ‘Cheer Up London’, but the band’s rendition of Skepta’s ‘Shutdown’ is nearly as raucously received, with Laurie reprising his role as “outraged member of the public” as if it hasn’t been several years since he last had to hit a vocal register that high-pitched. The whole set has a sense of anarchic fun that was always the beating heart of Soft Play’s live shows - it’s a joy to have them back.

A pause in the chaos for Isaac to say a few words: “My name’s Isaac and this is my mate Laurie” he says, dripping with sweat and dripping from ear to ear. No matter what Soft Play are called, or what they do next, that’s all that really matters.