Reading was my first festival. 1997. I had an absolutely horrendous time.
I blame this squarely on going with, amongst others, my ex and my best mate, who decided that weekend would be a good time to start shagging. And also on the astonishingly poorly-advised first-ever class A, a tab of LSD I was assured would cheer me up. It did not.

Plus, Suede and Cast were playing on the Friday night. Can you think of two worse bands of the time to be allowed to use the biggest speakers on site?
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:20, 2 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

Oof, that aint good.
I was still doing my GCSEs round that time. Just to make you feel all old, like.
(The Luggage is haunted..., Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:21, Reply)

That's not too bad actually
I'd just finished my A-Levels so you're only two years younger than me. Unless you're one of those hyper-advanced overachievers like FreeFair and skipped ahead
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:23, Reply)

What? Me?
In my thirties? Don't make me laugh. I'm still on the right side of the age divide.

Although all my friends are getting married, mortgages and pension plans.

Like I care about shit like that.
(The Luggage is haunted..., Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:25, Reply)

So when do you turn 30?

(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:27, Reply)

In a couple of years.

(The Luggage is haunted..., Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:30, Reply)

Bugger

(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:31, Reply)

Haha.

(The Luggage is haunted..., Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:36, Reply)

I'm only 23.

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 13:05, Reply)

Stone.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 13:52, Reply)

I worked at reading a couple of times
the only fucking way you were getting me near that festival is if a) I was paid and b) I got to camp backstage not out with the cunts.

Horrible fucking festival. Full of teenage nu-metal wankers from rich families right at the top of their "fuck you I won't tidy my bedroom" stage off their tits on a sniff of shandy Bass and a smoke of some oregano trashing the place to be "cool" and "edgy"

cunts.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:26, Reply)

Yeah, I'm not going back
Not unless Faith No More reunite to headline all three nights, with support from Michael Jackson.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:28, Reply)

Reading has never been a 'real' festival.
It's just a three-day gig.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 15 Jun 2011, 12:42, Reply)