Arctic Monkeys close day two of Reading 2014 with flair

When is a band more than a band? If there’s one thread running through Saturday at Reading 2014, it’s that a lot of people are here to see Arctic Monkeys. More so than most headliners, even. The odd airing of their back catalogue by between act DJs elsewhere provokes an impromptu sing-a-long without fail. Before the band even take the stage, over excited fans are being dragged out of the pit. Yes, picking British indie’s biggest band to headline one of its biggest festivals is hardly rocket science, but regardless, this is an event.

It shouldn’t be any shock. With ‘AM’ Arctic Monkeys managed to go from the top division to the world series. This, in theory, is the end of their touring of the record. A two night last stand before heading off for who knows what, if they’re going out they’re going in style.

‘Do I Wanna Know?’, ‘Brianstorm’, ‘Dancing Shoes’ - across their five albums Arctic Monkeys have built up a set of material that’s equally smart and robust. Though the sound from the Main Stage might not be perfect, with a crowd firing back every word it seems to matter little. Flares pepper the masses, the feeling that it matters little what the band on stage does hangs in the air. Just by being here, they’ve determined that a good time will be had.

Thankfully, unlike many at the end of an album campaign, Alex Turner and co. aren’t phoning it in. The songs demanded almost all get an airing; ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’, ‘Teddy Picker’, ‘When The Sun Goes Down’ - by the time ‘R U Mine?’ comes round it’s all set up perfectly. Arctic Monkeys are huge. They’ll stay huge. Some things are just meant to be.