Graham Coxon - Reading Festival 2004
“We adore him” say the Comperes, Bethan and Huw, before the headlining, former blur guitarist takes the stage. It’s easy to see why; his sugary pop songs are so sweet and nice that even falling in love pales in their wake. On walks the man, a personal hero of mine since ‘Leisure’ in ‘91, but the thing with Coxon is, he is just a man, just a songwriter, no more, no less, with no need or desire to be anything more or less.
Smoking a cigarette and looking smart in a casual jacket and neckerchief like a Cub Scout would wear and adorned with the infamous black-rimmed Buddy Holly-style glasses. He’s ready to launch into the first number after hesitantly saying “hello” in his trademark nervous-sounding accent. Oh, we do adore him.
An appreciative audience certainly, to say the least, knowing every word to every song. Not an appreciative Mainstage act going on next door though… Still, Coxon jokes about the plethora of Americanised bands that make up the bill, shouting “Hello Reading, How y’all doin’?” in a typically excited pop-punker or cockrocker way. He talks now and then between songs, but mainly it is just a proper tune-fest in the Radio One Tent.
Then about to start the next, when… Ah, wait, The Darkness have to release their fireworks over there, a laugh from our stage and chants of ‘Cockrock!’ and ‘Wankers!’ surface. The Darkness, yeah, the album’s very good, but Coxon over cockrock any day.
The singles; ‘Bittersweet Bundle of Misery’, the ender; ‘Freakin’ Out’ and the spectacular ‘You Are Spectacular’ were enjoyed to the ends of the earth and back and ‘I wish’ was certainly the subtle highlight of the night.
He was adored for freakin’ out in front of us. Graham Coxon, you are spectac-u-larrr.