Romantic Reading: Swoony Saturday
27 August 2016
Reading festival: it's not just about the mosh.
Even if it's more closely associated with throwing up the horns and sticking your elbows in a stranger's face, Reading has a softer and more intimate side. Rock's summer climaxes with a lot of love.
We picked our favourite sweet moments from Saturday.
Whitney kicked it off with this psychedelic snog
Sensitive young men playing dreamy songs in pastel galaxy shirts, it's the ultimate seduction.
Whitney's combination of immersive, country-tinged shoegaze and emotionally meaningful lyrics would be quite swoon-worthy anyway.
And on a hot, sweaty August Saturday, who can blame them for getting a bit more involved? A lovely stageside snog is the perfect way to round off your debut on the NME/成人快手 Radio 1 Stage.
Awwh!
Slaves don't have to snog their faces off (to have a lovely affectionate time)
DIY punk enthusiasts Slaves showed you don't need to get into all that lavish romantic stuff to have a nice cuddle.
After delivering a shouty set of rocking out against negative attitudes, encouraging the audience to follow their dreams and a few swears, the Slaves lads had a lovely hug.
Then signed off with "Cheers!" because they're properly punk.
Then they finished it all off with a nice lolly and a hug from Huw Stephens!
Heart on: Eagles of Death Metal crowd kisses
Eagles of Death Metal are known for giving a lot of love - like, a lot of love. To lots of people. It's quite a theme in their work.
So it was no surprise to see them opening their set with Jesse giving big kisses to the Reading crowd.
You <3 Netsky!
Sling an arm round a pal, keep dancing
Dancing is a contact sport and by that we don't just mean the flailing madness of the pit.
Sometimes, when you're delivering a blinding set of fast-paced massive beats and classics, you've just got to grab your mate and do a bit of jumping.
No one wants to be third wheel to a drum solo
As the romantically-lit Imagine Dragons show here, when your mate's doing their brilliant drum solo sometimes the best support you can show is hugging your other mate.
It stops you both standing around awkwardly and shows how proud you are of these sick beats.