Razorlight headline first night of Carling Weekend: Reading Festival

Razorlight have headlined the opening night (August 24) of the Carling Weekend: Reading Festival.

Opening with an extended drum solo the band bounded on to the main stage, jazzed up with stairs featuring flashing lights and the band's name spelt out in hundreds of bulbs, before launching into 'In The Morning'.

"Good evening Reading," called out frontman Johnny Borrell who abandoned his trademark all white look for a dark suit and grey T-shirt, as the band played jaunty second album track 'Hold On' and former single 'Golden Touch'.

With the likes of '(Don't Go Back To) Dalston' and 'Pop Song 2006' following, a shirtless Borrell delivered a stirring version of 'Los Angeles Waltz' that got the crowd swaying.

However it was first album track and former single 'V.I.C.E.' that got more of the crowd's feet moving.

With Number One hit 'America' following immediately on its heels, mobile phones and digital cameras were soon out across the crowd giving the festival site a twinkling, fairylight glow.

With the song ended with just the singer playing guitar, Borrell almost upstaged himself tripping over backwards on a speaker, but managed to keep his feet as the crowd cheered.

Finishing off their set with 'In The City', Borrell returned to the stage alone to play a solo version of 'Fall, Fall, Fall'.

He was then joined by a string quartet for 'Funeral Blues', the track he wrote for Friends Of The Earth and recorded in a solar-powered studio as part of their climate change campaign.

With the rest of the band returning to the stage, Razorlight ended the first night of the Carling Weekend: Reading Festival with 'Stumble And Fall' and a spirited version of 'Somewhere Else'.

"Thank you so much, you've been fucking amazing," Borrell told the crowd. "I've spent so much time standing where you're standing watching bands so to put us up here is fucking amazing! You're all fucking legends!"

Razorlight played:

'In The Morning'
'Hold On'
'Golden Touch'
'Back To The Start'
'(Don't Go Back To) Dalston'
'Fall To Pieces'
'Pop Song 2006'
'Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got'
'Los Angeles Waltz'
'Leave Me Alone'
'Rock N Roll Lies'
'V.I.C.E.'
'America'
'Rip It Up'
'Who Needs Love'
'In The City'
'Fall, Fall, Fall'
'Funeral Blues'
'Stumble And Fall'
'Somewhere Else'

Watch our video interview with Razorlight now.

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