![\"Reading](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/heavy-rain-subsides-as-charli-xcx-takes-to-stage-at-reading-festival.jpg\")
Charli XCX performing on the the Grid stage during the Reading Festival, at Little John\u2019s Farm, Reading, Berkshire. (Henry Redcliffe\/PA)<\/p>\nHeavy rain at Reading Festival subsided as Charli XCX delivered the first full UK set of her Music, Fashion, Film era.<\/p>\n
The 34-year-old opened with fuzz-drenched, electronically manipulated rocker Rock Music, which also opens her latest record, before embarking on a set which drew heavily from Music, Fashion, Film and also featured songs from her Wuthering Heights album, released in February.<\/p>\n
She kept words to a minimum throughout the set, telling the crowd towards the end: \u201cThank you, Reading.\u201d<\/p>\n
Charli XCX performing on the the Grid stage during the Reading Festival, at Little John\u2019s Farm, Reading, Berkshire. (Henry Redcliffe\/PA)<\/p>\n
Despite the change in sound towards more instrument-based music, many of Brat\u2019s rave-inducing classics remained in the set on Friday night, such as 360, Von Dutch and Guess, with many being mixed with snippets from songs on Music, Fashion, Film.<\/p>\n
Before Apple, she teasingly said: \u201cHere\u2019s a classic for you, Reading.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unlike on the Brat tour, which saw her mostly performing alone with the exception of the odd special guest, at Reading Charli, whose real name is Charlotte Aitchison, performed flanked by hordes of dancers, and with a full live band.<\/p>\n
The dancers were dressed all in black, matching Music, Fashion, Film\u2019s dark cover, which features The Velvet Underground\u2019s John Cale, who features on Wuthering Heights\u2019s House, director Martin Scorsese and fashion designer Marc Jacobs.<\/p>\n
![\"Reading](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1788057972_157_heavy-rain-subsides-as-charli-xcx-takes-to-stage-at-reading-festival.jpg\")
Charli XCX performing on the the Grid stage during the Reading Festival, at Little John\u2019s Farm, Reading, Berkshire. (Henry Redcliffe\/PA)<\/p>\n
2007 saw Charli handed a cigarette by a dancer which she took one puff of and then handed back, while Pink Diamond from How I\u2019m Feeling Now began as the sun set.<\/p>\n
Fireworks and flames exploded as Charli sang her part of House, which features a spoken word part by Welsh singer Cale.<\/p>\n
She also performed two of her B-sides which were made available to fans only on YouTube, Instagram and Apple Music in Playboy Bunny and If You Take Away The Music Then What Has She Got?.<\/p>\n
The set finished with Nothing Lasts Forever, the closer from her latest record, with director David Cronenberg\u2019s repeated words of \u201cthey are dead, they are gone, nothing lasts forever\u201d echoing over the main stage.<\/p>\n
She began the set in a blazer and trademark black shorts before changing into a long blue dress and later a torn white shirt.<\/p>\n
It comes after a rainy start to day two of the music festival, with attendees pictured frolicking in the rain and many hiding beneath plastic ponchos as they braved the poor weather conditions.<\/p>\n
Others remained in good spirits, laughing and posing for photos despite their outfits being covered in mud.<\/p>\n
![\"Reading](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1788057973_85_heavy-rain-subsides-as-charli-xcx-takes-to-stage-at-reading-festival.jpg\")
Charli XCX performing on the the Grid stage during the Reading Festival, at Little John\u2019s Farm, Reading, Berkshire. (Henry Redcliffe\/PA)<\/p>\n
Many artists braved the rain to perform at the event, including US rock band Geese \u2013 who ended up drenched as heavy downpour seeped through the tent during their set at The Gallery stage.<\/p>\n
Frontman Cameron Winter tried his best to humour the damp crowd as he jokingly told them: \u201cDon\u2019t drink the tent water, it\u2019s not good for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other acts performing during on Friday include Gene Gallagher, the son of Oasis frontman Liam, and his band Villanelle, as well as YouTube star turned musician James Marriott, singer Skye Newman and rapper Skepta.<\/p>\n
Charli\u2019s headline gig follows on from her secret small-scale show at London\u2019s Scala in July ahead of the release of Music, Fashion, Film on July 24, and she has recently performed songs from the new album at a number of shows including a set at Lollapalooza in Chicago.<\/p>\n
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