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Best headline act? Radiohead wow the Reading Festival crowd
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The Reading Festival 2009

By Natalie Slater
September 01, 2009

Reading Festival may have been quietened by the winds this year but that certainly did not quieten the fans as the festival-goers rocked over the weekend.

Headliners Kings of Leon lost a lot of adoration as they swore at the crowd for the lack of audience participation but the wind was taking away the sound making it hard to hear what was being sung.

But The Prodigy did not let any problems with the sound levels discourage them and had the crowd going wild as they warmed up the stage for headliners Arctic Monkeys.

The Sheffield lads did not exactly excite like The Prodigy and left the race wide open for Radiohead to win the best headlining act for 2009 in most people's opinion.

It was a superb set from the superband who played a mix of both well-known hits and new tracks.

For more pictures from this year's Reading Festival make sure you get your copy of this week's Reading Post.

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This was my 12th straight festival and like others on here, I must admit that I think someone massively boo-boobed with the lineup.

KoL Vs Faith No More is not a contest, and readin how KoL stormed off I was glad I was in the Radio 1 tent.

Saturday, we had the Artic Monkeys, who seemed to play a lot of album #3 which was released only 4 days before the festival - Prodigy would have been a much better head liner ! However, we also had the crooked vultures "secret gig" in R1 tent which the world and his wife seemed to know about as it was heaving !

One point I noticed about the crushes, as we were coming out of CV's set, there was nothing stopping people coming in as people were trying to leave - the one steward on the side was on his little platform doing nothing about the crushing. Took over 35 mins to move approx 20m to my left

SteveH
08/09/2009 at 16:25

This year had to be my WORST Reading festival yet! The sound on main stage was terrible coupled with being crushed by inconsiderate idiots who thought pushing was a better way to get through the crowd instead of waiting for the person in front to move. Was there any crowd control or did security just stand there looking at us being crushed? The campsite on Sunday was like a scene out of Lord of the Flies, lots of teenagers running around shouting "angry mob" setting fire to anything they could. Even to the point of trying to push down one of the lighting poles... Seriously do these people have brains? Did I see Security or the Police? Of course I didn't just loads of idiots thinking it was fun to burn other peoples belongings and make as much noise as possible. Has anyone actually thought that perhaps having the fun fair in the camping site is a BAD idea? Lots of adrenaline fulled kids looking to destroy anything and everything hardly a great combination. If it hadn't of been for Radiohead saving the show the whole experience would've been a complete wash out as well as a expensive one. Having read the different articles on this website I have to ask the question - did these people actually attend the same festival as me? Either that or they only arrived on Sunday which in my opinion was the best day simply because you weren't crushed to death trying to listen to your band of choice.

Samantha Hawthorne
03/09/2009 at 15:10

The layout / organisation of the site was much better this year and the areas between the tents was free flowing for a change. The extra long hike to get in was prob. the result of making more room for the stages so can't complain there. At least getting out was the same as previous. Agreed, the crush for the Prodigy was bad (unsafe) stageside of the barrier so I squeezed my way out to watch others. The sound was bad anyway due to the wind (a pitfall of outdoor stages) but these would have been better healdiners than Artic Monkeys. IMO, the sound and performance of Faith No More were way better than anything on the main stage. In general, the other stages acts were better than the main stage line up. Radiohead had a nice light show but even that couldnt retain the crowds, which thinned rapidly after the first 4 or 5 songs. Something to do the with La roux perhaps.

mkay
02/09/2009 at 11:41

This year was easily my worst festival in about 15 that I have been to. The atmosphere wasn't the same as it normally is. As for the headline acts - Kings of Leon seemed OK, Arctic Monkeys are awfull and should have been below Prodigy, and Radiohead completely bored the life out of me for 2 hours. So many people left early before Radiohead finished I could see half way into the crowd from the arena entrance!

Hugh Janus, Reading
02/09/2009 at 09:51

"Leave the rest of us in peace" for god sake it's one weekend in the year and it's no later than mid-night, I take it your of the older generation! did you never have fun when you were younger, actually I don't think you need to answer that! The loud sound travelling is not due to the positioning of the speakers, it's due to the direction and force of the winds! You can now look forward to your 51 weekends of peace and quiet!

mepore
02/09/2009 at 08:36

Lot of sound this year a long way from the site where we usually hear next to nothing. Pity the poor residents of The Warren who must have heard it full volume. Why can't the organisers point the sound only at those who have paid and leave the rest of us in peace?

ReadingResident
02/09/2009 at 02:53

Fred Bloggs & Terry Tibbs, I sympathise - I was getting it in Woodley too! Talking to the landlord & landlady of a pub in Reading over the weekend, they pointed out that if they have live music on they have to turn it down after a certain time and close doors and windows.

JPen
01/09/2009 at 23:43

I thought the queueing system for the bars was well thought out and the toilets were a lot better than last year. My only gripe is the ridiculous walk to get to the arena - it used to be so much easier but now you have to trudge miles through the campsite when you aren't camping! Gossip were excellent btw!!

C H, The tree in my garden, Tilehurst
01/09/2009 at 18:23

Anyone stage side of the crush barriers for the Prodigy should know what to expect. It was great and I think the single set of barriers worked well both there and in the NME.

Radiohead easily the best main headliner but some great performances in other tents which, let's face it, lend themselves much better to most bands than the main stage.

Torqemada, Reading
01/09/2009 at 17:24

Can't comment on The Prodigy because I was watching Glasvegas at the time, but none of the headliners seemed to be having problems with the crowd.

I suspect that most of the audience knew what to expect from the big beat boys.

Maybe a deckchair at the back next year?

Was, Reading
01/09/2009 at 16:28

@Barry_Evans

I used to go and watch A LOT of punk bands back in my day so i knew what to expect but it doesn't make it safe. From what i read the organisers were looking avoid the crushes from previous years but whatever they did this year didn't work. THAT was my point.

Chinese Steve
01/09/2009 at 15:53

I could hear it all fine in Earley!

Grrrrr, Reading
01/09/2009 at 15:27

Chinese Steve- You were at a musical festival- watching Prodigy- what did you expect? Amateur

Barry_Evans, tilehurst
01/09/2009 at 15:25

Maybe the fans should have saved their money, and stayed at home I live in South Reading and it sounded like the gig was being played in my front garden, no sound problems from where I was trying to SLEEP!!!! Blimmin Wind!