Pendulum performed a surprise set at Reading Festival 2022 last night (August 27) and teamed up with Enter Shikariâs Rou Reynolds for a remix of âSorry Youâre Not A Winnerâ.
Having teased the set throughout the week before an announcement, Pendulum took to the BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage following A.M.C ft Phantomâs early evening set after countdown appeared on video screens alongside the band’s logo. Arriving right on cue, the band started their first UK show as a full band since 2018, with 2020âs comeback single âDriverâ.
âWe are Pendulum. Surprise motherfuckers. Letâs blow this fucking roof off,â shouted the bandâs Rob Swire just before the track kicked in.
âItâs so fucking good to see you,â Swire said before âPropane Nightmaresâ, inviting the crowd to âsing this as loud as you canâ. The tent then chanted the songâs bass-heavy synth like it was The White Stripesâ Seven Nation Armyâ.
Before a rowdy âCome Aliveâ, Swire told the packed tent âI love each and every one of you. My friends, my family, I want to see you jumping.â Moments later, bursts of flames from the stage made the hot tent even hotter, with âBlood Sugarâ and âVoodoo Peopleâ cranking up the energy further. âHoly shit, you motherfuckers are crazy,â exclaimed Swire before asking the crowd to sit down for the drop. âRespect each other, be safe,â he continued, before the EDM anthem kicked back in.
Pendulum then performed a brand new song. Driven by a bass-heavy energy but with plenty of twists and turns along the way, the crowd reacted like it was an old favourite.
After playing a blistering run of âThe Islandâ, âNothing For Freeâ and âWitchcraftâ, Swire announced that Pendulum would be bringing out âsomeone very specialâ before introducing Enter Shikariâs Rou Reynolds. âSomebody fucking scream. Yes, yes Reading,â said Reynolds before the band started playing Enter Shikariâs 2007 breakout single âSorry Youâre Not A Winnerâ. After the now-iconic handclaps though, Reynolds shouted âitâs the remixâ as Pendulum reworked the aggy rave-rock song.

âMake some god damn noise for Rou from Enter Shikari,â said Swire after the electrifying performance. âWeâve got time for one more song,â he continued, demanding the house lights go up. âThis is your last chance, I want to see you go fucking crazy,â he said as the band launched into a punishing âWatercolourâ.
âReading Festival, we love you so much,â Swire said as Pendulum left the stage.
Hours earlier, Enter Shikari performed on Reading Festivalâs Main Stage East, with Reynolds telling the crowd the band had two rules. âOne, look after each other. Itâs a mad world out there, full of hate, division and tribalism. Inside this festival, we have love and human connection. Rule two, dance like no oneâs watching.â
Pendulumâs secret set had been teased across the weekend, with posters displaying their logo also featuring a telephone number. When called, a message said: âLadies and gentlemen, we understand that you have come tonight to bear witness to the sound of drum and bass. We regret to announce that this is not the case. As instead we come tonight to bring you the sonic recreation of the end of the world. Reading Festival prepare to hold your colour.â
It was then officially confirmed a few hours before they took to the stage.
Reading and Leeds weâre coming for you! Join us tonight Reading 7.35pm Dance Stage
pic.twitter.com/78ahhCgDlU
— Pendulum (@Pendulum) August 27, 2022
Pendulum played:
‘Driver’
‘Propane Nightmares’
‘Come Alive’
‘Blood Sugar’
‘Voodoo People’
‘Untitled New Song’
‘The Island’
‘Nothing For Free’
‘Witchcraft’
‘Sorry You’re Not A Winner’ (Remix, with Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds)
‘Watercolour’
Talking to NME about not being able to tour during the COVID pandemic, Swire said: âYeah, itâs odd. Iâve always found touring kind of stressful. I was actually looking forward to taking a year off at one point, then it happened and I hated it. You need that so that you can be excited to go and do it.â
Pendulum are due to appear at Leeds Festival later today (August 28).
Reading Festival concludes today, with The 1975, Halsey and Charli XCX while Bring Me The Horizon, Wolf Alice and Arctic Monkeys are set to close Leeds Festival.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, photos, interviews and more from Reading & Leeds 2022.
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