12.00-12.40//The Joy Formidable//The Welsh alternative rockers opened the Main Stage on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The trio launched into many tracks from their debut, "The Big Roar", including 'Austere' and 'Whirring.'
12.45-13.15//Title Fight//Pop punk from Kingston, Pennsylvania, the quartet were lively and had the mosh pits forming on the Lock Up stage.
13.50-14.35//Seasick Steve//The 70-year-old bluesman brought along his homemade guitars and instruments. Oakland, California's finest was joined on stage by Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones, joined by a backup drummer, and the trio created old-fashioned and enjoyable blues on a sunny Main Stage. Props go to the drummer and his broom.
14.55-15.35//OFWGKTA//The hip-hop collective from California, were greeted by a large and insane NME crowd, playing all sorts of hits from Tyler the Creator's 'Yonkers' to Earl Sweatshirt's 'Earl'. Sadly, an over-the-top bass interrupted the sound, and unless you were right at the front, it was hard to hear much.
15.45-16.20//Mariachi El Bronx//The band's usual hardcore five-piece were in action on the Lock Up, which meant a welcome return for the Mariachi side-project. They previewed songs from new album, self-titled "Mariachi El Bronx" (much like the first), alongside old favourites such as 'Cell Mates' and 'Slave Labor.'
17.25-18.15//Jimmy Eat World//The quartet from Arizona returned to Reading and the Main Stage, for the first time since 2007. The unleashed new tracks such as 'Coffee & Cigarettes', whilst launching old favourites including 'Bleed American', 'The Middle' and 'Sweetness', which drew one of the loudest singalongs of the festival.
18.45-19.45//The National//The Brooklyn-based five piece have slowly but deservedly worked their place into mainstream recognition, following a strewth of critically acclaimed albums, the last of which being 2010's "High Violet." Third from top on the Main Stage and a setting sun in the background, gave the perfect backdrop to the band's tales of loneliness, isolation and love. A fantastic performance saw tracks such as 'Abel', 'Fake Empire', 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' and 'Terrible Love' given the applause they so richly deserved. The only down point was the rather small crowd that gathered to watch them in action.
20.00-20.50//The Bronx//Without the Mariachi suits this time, the Los Angeles quintet were a totally different experience this time around. Launching into straight-out hardcore punk on the prepared Lock Up crowd. Frontman Matt Caughthran disappeared into the crowd and the ensuing mosh pits, whilst screaming out the words to 'Knifeman', 'False Alarm' and 'The Kill Us All (Without Mercy).'
22.30-23.30//The Mighty Mighty Bosstones//Following Jane's Addiction cancelled headline performance on the NME, it was going to be hard to be cheered up. However, the ska punk legends and Lock Up headliners were a great alternative. The Boston based 8 piece had the crowd skanking along to old favourites such as 'Where'd You Go?', 'The Rascal King' and 'The Impression That I Get.' A great way to end the penultimate night, with many crowd members leaving the gig with large grins etched across their faces.
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