That concert was a protest against the Democratic Party's support for big business, the death penalty and police repression. British bands ADF and Primal Scream have both been heavily involved in the Free Satpal Ram campaign. The bands' popularity is based on their political statements and innovative music. They express the hopes and anger of a new generation disgusted with the brutality of capitalism. People were waving Cuban and Mexican flags, as well as RATM's own black flag with a clenched fist on it.
Anger is a right' onto their T-shirts.
The backdrop to RATM's set was a man with his fist in the air. They also had the US flag hung upside down and back to front. A big cheer went up. At the same time as radical bands are becoming more popular, the image of festivals like Reading is being damaged by increasing corporate sponsorship of music. The Reading Festival is now the 'Carling Weekend'.