Electric Six
A band that has become known over the last few months for rather phalac sexual inuendos in the forms of fruits and hamsters - not to mention a certain US president skantily clad in PVC hot pants. Originally known for releasing "Danger! High Voltage" followed by the catchy pop-metal melodies that come from "Gay Bar" most people are expecting this set to be full of comical antics and mediocre music.
How wrong they are. These superstars from the gay bar arrive on stage dressed in suits and ties - with the keyboard player looking like he belongs in a 1980s pop group. They hold out on their well known hits until they have managed to win over a large chunk of the crowd with the rest of their album which has hardly any pop sound what so ever and even manages to get some Guns N' Roses-style riffs thrown in here or there. When "Gay Bar" finally plays you appreciate its riffs as not being just simple catchy fun but actually some of the better ones that managed to cross the pop/metal genre boundry.
After "Gay Bar" the tent virtually empties leaving the remaining crowd feeling two things; sorrow for those that have left and hapiness at being able to get nearer the stage. For the remainder of the set the crowd are quite electric themselves and enjoy finishing on a classic cover of Queen. Not at all what you would expect from a band known more of a pop act.
This band certainly win the most surprising act of Reading Festival 2003. If you get a chance to see them - do it.