Rock chick, that's me!

I've come over all rock chick, although getting in the requisite spray on leather trousers might be a bit of a challenge.

I'm going to Reading Festival. For the first time. As an ex-music critic I've done a few festivals in my time but Reading was always the slightly scary one where the serious rockers went. It was the one I steered clear of even as an up for most things 20-something year old. Yet here I am about to be a Reading virgin no more.

I like my comforts and would normally not be seen within miles of anything that involves any of the following - a field (probably muddy), having to wear wellies, sweaty men in vests, people peeing into bottles and then thinking it's fun to throw them, car parks that are so far from the site that they are virtually in the next county. Put them together and that's my idea of hell.....

So, clearly, I'm not a festival natural. I once went to Glastonbury - once being the operative word, the loos were enough to put me off for life. Give me a nice seat in a stadium and I'm happy. Unfortunately Muse and Elbow thought it more fun to play in a field near Reading, so that's where I'm going to have to be. I love Muse and have seen them before.....well, heard might be more accurate.

I had no idea when I booked seats at the MEN in Manchester that it was so steep. Row R turned out to be one down from the cloud level and my fear of heights had me crawling on my hands and knees to the safety of the walkway, where I stayed for the entire gig. Muse sounded fantastic, I just never saw a thing.

I'm looking forward to not just hearing them this time but, hopefully, seeing them as well even if they are dots on the stage. That'll be because I'll be the one at the back complete with Reading survival kit - toilet roll (lots); my flowery Cath Kidston fold up chair, my Kindle for when the boring shouty bands are on, elderflower presse, factor 30 sunblock and purple spotty oilcloth mac (you never know what the weather will be like in August), picnic. I'm sure I'll blend in nicely!