Charli XCX brought her latest musical era to Reading Festival on Friday with a set that combined songs from “Music, Fashion, Film,” “Brat,” and her earlier work.
The performance marked her first UK festival appearance since releasing “Music, Fashion, Film,” which moves toward a stronger rock influence following the electronic pop sound of “Brat.”
Charli opened with “Rock Music” before performing new tracks, including “Wink Wink,” “Yeah,” and “Card Declined.”
She then moved through different stages of her career, performing “Track 10” from her 2017 mixtape and “House,” which she co-wrote for the “Wuthering Heights” soundtrack.
The set also included “Club Classics,” “365,” and “Von Dutch” from “Brat,” the 2024 album that became a cultural phenomenon and earned Charli a Grammy.
The production was more elaborate than her previous “Brat” tour, featuring multiple costume changes, pyrotechnics, strobe lighting, dancers, and a live band. Distorted black-and-white visuals appeared throughout the performance.
Charli closed the set with “No One Lasts Forever,” the final track from “Music, Fashion, Film.” The song ends with a spoken contribution from filmmaker David Cronenberg reflecting on mortality and oblivion.
Irish rock band Fontaines DC performed after Charli on the main stage. Despite a delay of around 30 minutes, the group drew a strong response with songs including “Favourite,” “I Love You,” and “Starbuster.”
Earlier, grime artist Skepta performed through heavy rain, energizing the crowd with “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)” and “Victory Lap.”
Other performers included US rock band Geese, singer Skye Newman, and Jamie T.
Reading and Leeds festivals feature 6 major headliners this year, with Dave, Raye, Chase & Status, and Florence + The Machine among the acts scheduled to headline across the weekend.