Kitchen Feedback

I attended Reading Festival religiously throughout my twenties and into my early thirties.

Somewhere along the way, however, the appeal started to fade. Maybe it was age. Maybe it was the thought of sleeping in a tent when I could be sleeping in an actual bed. Either way, I eventually stopped going.

But I still have plenty of memories from those muddy festival years.

One of my favourites was watching Florence + the Machine headline the festival for the first time with my sister. It rained throughout her set. It was freezing. We were probably wet, cold and questioning our life choices.

And yet, none of that mattered.

Florence Welch walked onto that stage and unleashed that enormous voice, and suddenly the rain, cold and mud were just part of the experience.

One of my favourite Florence + the Machine songs is “Shake It Out.”

Having a bad day?

Put it on.

Sing along.

Shake off whatever is weighing you down.

You might not solve your problems, but you’ll probably feel a little better afterwards.

This year, Florence + the Machine returned to Reading Festival as one of the headliners, and BBC has just released her live performance of “Shake It Out.”

So, for a little nostalgia and a reminder to shake off the bad days, enjoy it below.

And yes, I’m watching this from the comfort of a dry room.