Stage: Main stage, Reading
Time: Saturday, 3.05pm
Dress code: Much what you'd expect of a gang of thirtysomething men: T-shirts, sunhats. You half expect them to have BBQ tongs hanging from their belt hooks.
In summary: Perfect, Beach Boysy, multi-part harmonies and jangly guitars should equal the ideal band for the sunny mid-afternoon slot. But while you can't fault the Shins' flawless musicianship and glorious Teenage Fanclub-type melodies, it was less a set for bobbing around to than one for lying on your back and letting your body process the Carling you'd consumed. More Latitude than Reading, in other words. A bit too grown up.
Better than: Brian Wilson on the psychotropic drugs.
Worse than: Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys
Highlight: Phantom Limb. Sweet melodies that never quite go where you anticipate.
Talking point: Nothing to discuss - it was background music.
Where they'll be next year: Somewhere where the audience isn't half their age.
Out of 10: 6
