Killers bring glamour to Reading

By Julian Marshall
Newsbeat reporter at Reading Festival

The Killers have closed the second night at Reading Festival with a set which combined their biggest hits, a cover version and a brand new song.

The Las Vegas rockers played new track Spaceman from their next album and added glamorous touches to their show.

While they played When You Were Young a fountain of sparks fell from the top of the stage.

And lead singer Brandon Flowers performed some of the set in a sparkling turquoise jacket.

The band played their most famous songs including Bones, Smile Like You Mean It and All These Things That I've Done.

Elsewhere in the set the band also found time to cover Joy Division's Shadowplay.

Just before The Killers on the Main Stage, Bloc Party played a hit-laden set which also included new songs Mercury and One Month Off from their third album Intimacy, which was released online on Thursday.

Speaking before the show, frontman Kele Okereke said the band had a soft spot for the event.

Bloc Party interview

He said: "We've always had a fondness for Reading as a band. We have played there three times and every time it has been better than the time before.

"I'm really excited and I really hope it will go off. It's one of my favourite festivals to visit and play.

"I've been there countless times as a fan. I don't imagine many people will know much of the new stuff so we're not going to overload our set."

The band were without original bassist Gordon Moakes who is currently on leave due to the birth of his first child.

Champion skippers

Earlier in the day The Ting Tings invited a group of champion skippers to dance in time with Number One single That's Not My Name.

Jules De Martino from the band explained: "We have invited the UK champion double-Dutch skipping team to skip on stage when we perform That's Not My Name as our last song.

The Ting Tings interview

"We did it in Brooklyn. We put the audience in there and we got the two-times world champions to come on stage and it worked really well, got the rhythm going.

"It was great fun. So we've brought them up today."

Singer Katie White added: "Apparently they've been practising all week!"

Elsewhere on Saturday in Reading, Dirty Pretty Things paid tribute to Nirvana by covering their single In Bloom.

Kurt Cobain's band made their final UK appearance at Reading Festival in 1992.

We Are Scientists continued the theme of covers on the main stage with a version of All That She Wants by Ace Of Base.

Other performances throughout the day came from Editors, Foals and Radio One / NME stage headliners Manic Street Preachers.

The Killers played:

• For Reasons Unknown
• Somebody Told Me
• Shadowplay
• Sweet Talk
• Bones
• Smile Like You Mean It
• Tranquilize
• When You Were Young
• Under The Gun
• Sam's Town
• Read My Mind
• Spaceman
• Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
• This River Is Wild
• All These Things That I've Done