Which is better: Reading or Leeds?

[ShockTK]

Right...

Never posted on this website before but I have several questions.

Bit of a tough one, this, for some of you. Never been to either of the festivals before but I'm sure some of you have been to both, and you're the people I'm directing this thread at rather than those who have only been to one of the festivals and not the other.

I'm going to get tickets to either Reading or Leeds tomorrow, or I'm going to try at least. Before I make the decision as to which one I aim for, I need an answer to several questions I have (and please - be intelligent about it, that's all I ask)

Now, I understand that this is all completely subjective but I could do with some pros and cons to help me.

1. Which has the best vibe?

2. What is the difference in vibe? ie. Is it "typically" Northern (Leeds) or "typically" Southern (Reading)?

3. Which one attracts the most w*nkers?

4. Which one elicits the best performances from the bands?

5. Which has the best facilities?

6. Which has had the best weather over the years?

7. Living almost equal distance from both right in the midlands of England, which is easiest to get to should I choose to drive? ie. Can I bypass the lovely ( ) cities of Leeds and/or Reading to get to the festival?

8. I wish to avoid "Kerrang bands" and music that is generally fairly tedious and shit (Blink 182/Green Day + soundalikes, and Paramore/My Chemical Romance + soundalikes) - which festival provides you with the opportunity to ignore bands you hate and make my festival more enjoyable, and which gives you the better access to the bands you love?

9. I wish to avoid Vodafone stalls, escape the clutches of corporate oppression and break free from the shackles of satanic salesmanship - which offers the most authentic "festival" experience?

And lastly...

10. Which is better: Reading or Leeds?

Thanks

[Andy0808]

i sense a massive riot about to happen

[PabloCoke]

they're both f**king shit,full of w*nkers and a corporate advert fest.

you want to go to glastonbury

[lacney]

I've only done Leeds but from what I hear Leeds is the better festival, the carpark is free unlike reading, and they have acts and things going on on the thursday unlike reading, and apparently there is a curfue with late night performances where as there is discos and raves and what not going on till stupid oclock in the morning at Leeds due to it being in the middle of no where

[ShockTK]

they're both f**king shit,full of w*nkers and a corporate advert fest.

you want to go to glastonbury

[andyblanch]

Knowing people who have been to both they all say pretty much the same thing and that's Leeds has the nicest atmosphere, is more laid back and is generally the better festival

[wheres the mudfight]

they're both just about the same in all points except -

Leeds has campsite DJs apparently

Leeds has more camping space

Reading is close to a town

always used to be Leeds was more rioty but I don't think this is true anymore (Leeds people?)

without access to any detailed data, I'd say Weather is likely to be better at Reading as it's grim up north .

corporate stuff is the same, people are generally similar, facilities - not much in it.

in short, Reading is much better

[dunny]

I have only been to Leeds and never reading so this is based on my own experiences at Leeds and what I have read about reading

1. Which has the best vibe? - Leeds is considered to be more friendly and easy going

2. What is the difference in vibe? ie. Is it "typically" Northern (Leeds) or "typically" Southern (Reading)? Can't really comment

3. Which one attracts the most w*nkers? I would say reading, but there will be some at both

4. Which one elicits the best performances from the bands? - Some say reading as bands as it is televised, but a lot of bands have said they preferred Leeds and played better

5. Which has the best facilities? - Leeds is out in the country so entertainment goes on till 6am and is louder and everything

6. Which has had the best weather over the years? - No idea

7. Living almost equal distance from both right in the midlands of England, which is easiest to get to should I choose to drive? ie. Can I bypass the lovely ( ) cities of Leeds and/or Reading to get to the festival? - Leeds is not in Leeds, its out in the country near braham so you dont need to go anywhere near the actual city, where as reading is in the city.

8. I wish to avoid "Kerrang bands" and music that is generally fairly tedious and shit (Blink 182/Green Day + soundalikes, and Paramore/My Chemical Romance + soundalikes) - which festival provides you with the opportunity to ignore bands you hate and make my festival more enjoyable, and which gives you the better access to the bands you love? - Both festivals have the same line up.

9. I wish to avoid Vodafone stalls, escape the clutches of corporate oppression and break free from the shackles of satanic salesmanship - which offers the most authentic "festival" experience? I'd imagine they would both be pretty similar.

And lastly...

10. Which is better: Reading or Leeds? Leeds.

[andyblanch]

4. Which one elicits the best performances from the bands? - Some say reading as bands as it is televised, but a lot of bands have said they preferred Leeds and played better

Edited March 28, 2010 by andyblanch

[Reading Local]

8. I wish to avoid "Kerrang bands" and music that is generally fairly tedious and shit (Blink 182/Green Day + soundalikes, and Paramore/My Chemical Romance + soundalikes) - which festival provides you with the opportunity to ignore bands you hate and make my festival more enjoyable, and which gives you the better access to the bands you love?

You do realise the same bands/line-up play at both sites ?

Personally I would say Reading but that's because I'm biased as I only live 5 miles from the site and have been going since 1991 ..Also with Reading and the main headliners/high up bands who play there..they seem to do something to make their Reading show more special/unexpected compared to Leeds from all the reviews that I read/see each year...ie special guests on stage, unique cover versions etc.....but again thats me just saying that from a completely biased point of view as obviously I have no idea whats going on at Leeds... Also from what I heard the Leeds site is a bit more out in the sticks while at Reading your literally a 15-20min walk away from the town centre

[ShockTK]

8. I wish to avoid "Kerrang bands" and music that is generally fairly tedious and shit (Blink 182/Green Day + soundalikes, and Paramore/My Chemical Romance + soundalikes) - which festival provides you with the opportunity to ignore bands you hate and make my festival more enjoyable, and which gives you the better access to the bands you love? - Both festivals have the same line up.

[ShockTK]

Yeah I knew they had the same line-up although it's a shame we didn't find out sooner.

What I mean by the question is, if EVERY stage at a particular moment during the festival is playing a God awful band, which festival offers you the best opportunity to just sod off and do something else?

[wheres the mudfight]

Yeah I knew they had the same line-up although it's a shame we didn't find out sooner.

What I mean by the question is, if EVERY stage at a particular moment during the festival is playing a God awful band, which festival offers you the best opportunity to just sod off and do something else?

[dunny]

ie. Which festival has the most to it?

Edited March 28, 2010 by dunny

[andyblanch]

ie. Which festival has the most to it?

[ShockTK]

I'd guess by the time you've wandered round all the tents/mainstage and found nothing good, something will have changed in one of them. failing that. sit in the sun and drink?

[likelyladtom]

Personally, logistics made me pick Reading, as it is easier to get to & practically in the town centre.

[rexclark]

I'm sure I've already seen a thread identical to this.

[wheres the mudfight]

Or swim in the mud and drown?

All part of the experience.

I'm getting the tickets for my girlfriend's birthday and she told me she had a preference for which festival she'd like to go to but I can't really remember what she said, so my intention with this thread is to find out from festival go-ers experiences which one would be the most advisable to travel to and spend money on.

It would just be helpful to be able to spend over £400 going to someting that actually has good music. Neither me nor my girlfriend can be doing with 25,000 screaming kids begging to hear some fatuous emo bint on stage talk about how she styles her orange hair.

[Dermot]

7. Living almost equal distance from both right in the midlands of England, which is easiest to get to should I choose to drive? ie. Can I bypass the lovely ( ) cities of Leeds and/or Reading to get to the festival?

Reading isn't a city

10. Which is better: Reading or Leeds?

Leeds

Edited March 28, 2010 by Dermot

[ShockTK]

look at the rumours? it's going to be mostly rock, indie, emo, punk bands so if that's your thing (without the emo maybe?) then you'll be fine. otherwise, a different festival? I'd say the vibe at Reading tends to be edgey-hedonistic, 98% good-natured but some go too far.

[Reading Local]

No I'm really, really not interested tin emo bands. I'm not closed minded to them, and I do see their point, but I just don't like the music. My taste in music tends to be edging more towards the indie, 'High Fidelity', record store elitist spectrum. Bottom line is no band can ever be as cool as The Jesus and Mary Chain, no album will ever be as good as My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and no guitar combo will ever be as good as Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo... add two and two together and you get a fan of Noisy alternative music and everything that connects the dots in between.

[halfpint]

I have been to both and have to say i much prefer leeds. Move going on...reading seems to shut down after arena closes and everybody goes back to tents. I also found it bit strange been so close to civilisation - i like the fact that leeds feels like it.s in the middle of nowhere (when really it isn't) - reading you just walk off the main street and in to the festival. Also like the layout more at leeds - been a shorty like the fact that there is a hill at the main stage so that i can see the stage

[rexclark]

Leeds has a better site and much better afterhours entertainment.

I prefer it as it's in the middle of nowhere rather than near a city centre which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it.

[ShockTK]

The NME tent and festival republic stage will prob be your cup of tea then...you have seen the bands who are basically nailed down so far to headline and play right ?