It was a slow start. When making their initial announcement back in November 2014, reaction was varied. The die-hard Metallica fans lapped up their newly confirmed headline slot, and punk mouths started to water at the prospect of Refused returning to the UK. Pierce The Veil and Manchester Orchestra appealed to different ends of the alternative fan spectrum, yet the subsequent line-up left much to be desired.
Since then, festival organisers have once again pulled a stellar line-up out of the bag. Although two of the three Main Stage headliners do little to appease the alternative crowd, the majority of stages welcome a host of heavier guitar driven artists; both old and new. Any suggestion of genre formatting across the three days is already redundant, with each day showcasing a wealth of acts with a multitude of styles.
As ever, Reading and Leeds Festival is not just about the festival regulars as the smaller stages provide a platform for a new generation. For every Mumford & Sons there’s a Radkey or Single Mothers waiting in the side-lines further down the bill. With the BBC Radio 1 Xtra Stage and Dance Stage sticking to their respective urban and electronic remit, and the Alternative Stage predominantly hosting comedy and film, here’s what we’ll be looking out for on the remaining stages.
Main Stage
Towering above both festival sites, the Main Stage has a lot in store for all alternative music fans this year. With headliners Mumford & Sons and The Libertines catering to the indie market, Metallica hold the heavy torch. That said, it isn’t just the Saturday (Reading) and Sunday (Leeds) that showcase some pop-punk, rock and emo favourites.
The contested Main Stage opening slot is taken by Mariachi El Bronx, Babymetal and Feed The Rhino; each of whom will undoubtedly add a slice of spectacle to proceedings. It’ll be particularly interesting to see how the frontman of the latter, Lee Tobin, will bring his notorious destructive presence to such a huge stage.
Elsewhere the Main Stage proves a true smorgasbord of excitement, rivalling the line up on The Pit and the Lock Up. Those who previously settled at the smaller stage may have to venture through the throngs to catch the likes of Neck Deep, Marmozets and Against Me! play some of their biggest shows to date. That doesn’t even mention the return of Canadian powerhouse Alexisonfire, or Sheffield rockers Bring Me The Horizon providing main support for Metallica.
Highly Recommended: Neck Deep, FIDLAR, Marmozets, Alexisonfire and Against Me!
NME / BBC Radio 1 Stage
It’s all about the he-said she-said what? Those who aren’t interested in Friday (Reading) and Saturday (Leeds) headliners Mumford & Sons can quit their whinging with a healthy dose of Limp Bizkit on the festival’s vast second stage. They headline a day that sees Parquet Courts satisfy the indie-punk fanatics, American Football mesmerise the longstanding emo contingent and Don Broco bring their newfound funk to the hopefully sun drenched field.
Elsewhere buzz-bands Nothing But Thieves and Slaves continue their Radio 1 invasion with some impressive positioning, the former worth some time simply for frontman Conor Mason’s incredible vocals. The Sunday (Reading) and Friday (Leeds) sees ska move firmly up the bill with The Skints opening the second stage, with Twin Atlantic building on their festival momentum the previous day. Perhaps not the strongest year for heavier music on the NME and Radio 1 Stage, there’s still a handful of gems to keep an eye out for.
Highly Recommended: American Football and Nothing But Thieves.
Lock Up / The Pit Stage
With The Pit continuing to grow against the more established Lock Up Stage, the line-up fundamentally differs only in name. Although the lighter pop-punk is pushed more towards the Friday (Reading) and Saturday (Leeds), there’s an ever-present diversity throughout the weekend. With Saturday (Reading)/Sunday (Leeds) headliners Mastodon no longer making an appearance, Swedish theatrical heavy metal outfit Ghost take the reins.
Elsewhere, there’s plenty to get those teeth sunk into. The Smith Street Band, Modern Baseball and The Menzingers provide plenty of reasons to remain firmly rooted to the spot on the Friday (Reading) and Saturday (Leeds), with Modern Life Is War, The Bronx and New Found Glory all gracing the stage before the day is out.
The following day welcomes appearances from up-and-comers The One Hundred as well as Black Peaks, before No Devotion and As It Is complete the first half of the day. The Sunday (Reading) and Friday (Leeds) prove particularly exciting, not least with one of the most exciting bands on the grassroots circuit, Black Foxxes, opening the stage. Single Mothers make a rare appearance, with Moose Blood and Frank Carter dotted into the line-up. Love or hate the new album, Refused know how to put on a show and will certainly draw some crowds away from Main Stage headliners, The Libertines.
Highly Recommended: Black Foxxes, Black Peaks, No Devotion, The Menzingers and Modern Life Is War.
Festival Republic Stage
Not necessarily the go-to place for the alternative crowd, the Festival Republic Stage is a great place to discover some new music; primarily on the lighter end of the spectrum. That said, there are a handful of artists that have us quivering at Punktastic HQ. Despite their indie leanings, Alvvays carry substantial punk clout and appear on the stage on Friday (Reading) and Saturday (Leeds).
Punk brothers Radkey are more than worth the walk on the Saturday (Reading) and Sunday (Leeds), playing before Seether. The Sunday (Reading) and Friday (Leeds) allow We Are The Ocean to showcase their new material to a wider audience, as well as seeing Manchester Orchestra provide the prefect soundtrack to the early evening.
Frank Turner returns to Reading and Leeds to close the stage on the Sunday and Friday respectively, playing his much-loved tracks solo. For those disinterested in seeing Refused, or the dance and indie alternatives elsewhere, the folk-punk troubadour could be the perfect solution.
Highly Recommended: Radkey, Manchester Orchestra and Frank Turner.
Find out more about Reading and Leeds, including any available tickets, via the respective websites.