79 replies to this topic

[5co77ie]

angrymammal, on 31 August 2010 - 09:30 PM, said:

I think it's stretching it to say it was the smallest headliner crowd to date. I thought it was pretty sparse for the likes of Razorlight and Franz Ferdinand?

I didn't think there was anyone there to see how small the crowd at Razorshite was.

[Bradders]

I walked past and it was depressingly big.

Also I don't see how people are still saying FNM are too big for the tent while also admitting they got a tiny crowd...

[j-j-j-j-joe!]

Really, they were definitely big enough to headline, it's the audience that's the problem. If they'd done Glastonbury, they would have had a better response, but at Reading there were too many of the Radio 1, tent burning, dizzee rascal listening, gap yah types who slagged Arcade Fire off without having heard a single one of their songs.

They knocked Eminem straight off the top album spot. Not even Tom Jones did that.

[mattl]

Bradders, on 02 September 2010 - 09:32 AM, said:

I walked past and it was depressingly big.

Also I don't see how people are still saying FNM are too big for the tent while also admitting they got a tiny crowd...

Well, any other year and they would have been far too big for the tent.

They are an older, alternative culture style band that was added at the 11th hour top a festival which, when tickets were first sold and nearly sold out, was so Radio 1 and NME friendly it resembled V festival.

The target audience wasn't there, they were at Download, so it's No wonder they had a small crowd at Reading. They were amazing though.

[clartmaster]

It was disappointing to see such a small turn out but by the end of the set I was glad they did because despite being a missive field of people the gig genuinely felt 'intimate'. It was like the whole crowd were united emotionally by their brilliance. I felt something rather special during that set, something I have only felt at a gig a couple of times! Beautiful

[festhead]

the most amazing atmospheric performance i have witnessed in my life
, words honestly cannot describe the feeling in the crowd, it was emotionally intimate
by a mile the the best headline performance this year and last year.
extremely humble down to earth people that loved what they were doing and wanted to give the audience the best performance possible ( is only carrot top axl could think like that)

and all the people who slagged them off and said who the f**k are they will soon be if not already be turning

i feel sorry for any one who went to see shitty pendulum during this set to watch what is just pure shit music but sadly thats how the new generation of people who come to reading are like, dizzee rascal, pendulum, 30h3 glowstick wearing listeners

any one who says they didnt deserve to headline before are complete goons and who ever said it after that performance should have there ears blown off so they cant listen to music again

[tolywoly]

Caught the start of Arcade Fire at Leeds, went off to watch 25mins of Bad Religion, then came back for the end of their set. Was surprised how deserted it was, you could easily get right down the front.

The peak crowd seemed to be during Dizzee Rascal. Libertines started out with a big crowd, but it dropped off.

[KingOfTheRodeo]

festhead, on 02 September 2010 - 05:15 PM, said:

the most amazing atmospheric performance i have witnessed in my life
, words honestly cannot describe the feeling in the crowd, it was emotionally intimate
by a mile the the best headline performance this year and last year.
extremely humble down to earth people that loved what they were doing and wanted to give the audience the best performance possible ( is only carrot top axl could think like that)

and all the people who slagged them off and said who the f**k are they will soon be if not already be turning

i feel sorry for any one who went to see shitty pendulum during this set to watch what is just pure shit music but sadly thats how the new generation of people who come to reading are like, dizzee rascal, pendulum, 30h3 glowstick wearing listeners

any one who says they didnt deserve to headline before are complete goons and who ever said it after that performance should have there ears blown off so they cant listen to music again

Could not agree more.

[Reading Local]

There's various torrents doing the rounds which has full set from Reading ripped using the audio from the bbc footage...enjoy  

http://torrents.thep...g-Festival-2010

[handsintheair]

Arcade Fire were the main reason we went to Leeds (all the way from Toronto), and i have to say we were shocked at how lame the crowd was (for them as well as many other bands that weekend).  Win's comments halfway through their set about "what the f**k are you saving your energy up for, i know it's cold but come on!!"  said it all.  We've never seen so many people just standing there, not jumping around, not clapping or singing along at an AF gig ever.  Is this typical of crowds at Leeds?
  
The only decent crowds we saw all weekend were for Gallows, Trash Talk, and Foals.  For the most part, people seemed more concerned about what they were wearing and what stall to go to for food than about the music and rocking out.  Very disappointing.

[Chris12345]

handsintheair, on 03 September 2010 - 12:19 AM, said:

For the most part, people seemed more concerned about what they were wearing and what stall to go to for food than about the music and rocking out.  Very disappointing.

As much as I love Arcade Fire they're hardly a band you go to see expecting jumping and pits... if you wanted to rock out, should you not have gone to some more rocky/dancey acts? As you say, Gallows in the tent was awesome... as was Sub Focus and Shikari... and Limp Bizkit

This thread inspired me to watch the Reading set on iPlayer... gutted I missed them now... def gonna be investing in some tickets for one of their own tours!

Saw them a couple of years ago and they were insanely good... seems they've gotten even better, hopefully the smallish crowd (I didn't see it), as someone said, doesn't put FR off booking bands like this!

[jonwl89]

handsintheair, on 03 September 2010 - 12:19 AM, said:

Arcade Fire were the main reason we went to Leeds (all the way from Toronto), and i have to say we were shocked at how lame the crowd was (for them as well as many other bands that weekend).  Win's comments halfway through their set about "what the f**k are you saving your energy up for, i know it's cold but come on!!"  said it all.  We've never seen so many people just standing there, not jumping around, not clapping or singing along at an AF gig ever.  Is this typical of crowds at Leeds?
  
The only decent crowds we saw all weekend were for Gallows, Trash Talk, and Foals.  For the most part, people seemed more concerned about what they were wearing and what stall to go to for food than about the music and rocking out.  Very disappointing.

My response to this is the same as it was to someone who asked me why Radiohead's crowd was so "lame" last year.
I'd honestly have loved to be jumping round going mad like I did for bands like Weezer and LCD Soundsystem, but I spent the whole set with my jaw on the floor, tears in welling up in my eyes and being blown away by what was the most perfect set I have ever had the privilege of witnessing, I was expecting great things but this, it was something else entirely.

[Bradders]

handsintheair, on 03 September 2010 - 12:19 AM, said:

Arcade Fire were the main reason we went to Leeds (all the way from Toronto), and i have to say we were shocked at how lame the crowd was (for them as well as many other bands that weekend).  Win's comments halfway through their set about "what the f**k are you saving your energy up for, i know it's cold but come on!!"  said it all.  We've never seen so many people just standing there, not jumping around, not clapping or singing along at an AF gig ever.  Is this typical of crowds at Leeds?
  
The only decent crowds we saw all weekend were for Gallows, Trash Talk, and Foals.  For the most part, people seemed more concerned about what they were wearing and what stall to go to for food than about the music and rocking out.  Very disappointing.

Unfortunately, yes it's a typical Leeds festival thing. I'm not a big dancer but compared to most people at Leeds I must've looked like I was on something. Doesn't have to be people jumping about and going crazy, just move at least.

Not Leeds gigs though, just the festival.

[handsintheair]

Hmmm, interesting comments.  I've just never been to an Arcade Fire show -- festival or gig -- where there weren't massive singalongs.  Singing and clapping along with the band is half the fun of seeing them live.  I can understand the crowd not going crazy during the new songs, but Laika and Rebellion?  Was kinda embarrassing, i don't blame Win a bit for the comment he made.  Are the crowds at Reading just as bad?

[sjp_121]

handsintheair, on 03 September 2010 - 12:08 PM, said:

Hmmm, interesting comments.  I've just never been to an Arcade Fire show -- festival or gig -- where there weren't massive singalongs.  Singing and clapping along with the band is half the fun of seeing them live.  I can understand the crowd not going crazy during the new songs, but Laika and Rebellion?  Was kinda embarrassing, i don't blame Win a bit for the comment he made.  Are the crowds at Reading just as bad?

I disagree.... In Rebellion, where I was standing... I had loads of people singing along to Rebellion, and No Cars Go and Keep The Car Moving, and of course Wake Up
There was also a fair bit of "dancing" going on. Well moving to the music.

I admit their wasn't as much movement as other sets I saw, but then I didn't see anyone in tears of joy at any other sets

[handsintheair]

sjp_121, on 03 September 2010 - 01:18 PM, said:

I disagree.... In Rebellion, where I was standing... I had loads of people singing along to Rebellion, and No Cars Go and Keep The Car Moving, and of course Wake Up
There was also a fair bit of "dancing" going on. Well moving to the music.

I admit their wasn't as much movement as other sets I saw, but then I didn't see anyone in tears of joy at any other sets

Were you part of the group center stage close to the front?  We were at the barrier right side, and kept looking enviously at the group in the middle but couldn't get anywhere close to join in the fun.

[sjp_121]

handsintheair, on 03 September 2010 - 01:41 PM, said:

Were you part of the group center stage close to the front?  We were at the barrier right side, and kept looking enviously at the group in the middle but couldn't get anywhere close to join in the fun.

I was about 5 or 6 rows back centre stage. The atmosphere there was great, and there was room to dance so to speak.

[Paul ™]

Some of my video footage, ignore the shaky camera  

[Paul ™]

[rexclark]

Nice videos Paul.