The Streets - Reading Festival 2004
Hello! Hello!! The grand and original pirate material did come for free on this particular Sunday on the Main Stage. It had come to this: The Streets, one of the last great acts of The Carling Weekend playing an even selection of songs from both superb albums. They were serving the aces, game, set and match.
Whether you white or black, chase brown, smoke weed and toot rock, you probably loved this set. The songs from ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’ stood up well outside the concept of the album. The classic opener ‘Turn the Page’ quietened the crowd and for the next fifty minutes, the world existed entirely on The Streets.
The upcoming single, ‘Blinded By The Lights’ stood out from the list, the story of the well-speckly pills was performed in a very different way to the album, but in every way as encompassing as the recording. And ‘Dry Your Eyes’ oh ‘Dry Your Eyes’ introduced as a “Sad song.” Did it make me cry? No, but at that very moment, I did get something in my eye, really itchy. Best Number. 1 ever? Quite possibly true… ‘Has It Come To This?’ was also spectacular, chilled and refreshing like a good cold (downed another…) Carling. (badda badda bing, one for the lads like.)
The show culminated in the combination of dance and rock (Can it be done? Oh yes!) with the two little gems, ‘Don’t Mug Yourself’ and ‘Fit But You Know It.’ Mike showed us all how to dance to it, jumping high on the stage repeatedly, the crowd went wild.
Much better than last year, when Mike’s mic broke, not his fault, shit happens, the irony of it all eh? He lost his mojo. You were listenin’ to The Streets, they were good, they gave us those feelings, touch your toes, then touch the ceiling. The only problem: a tent would probably have suited them more, an intimate occasion, a Streets gig should be. But yeah, you score high!